Henson trial under way in Libby courtroom
The prosecution called Heather Henson’s shooting of 67-year-old Larry Kingsley premeditated deliberate homicide. The defense characterized the victim as unstable and dangerous with extreme mood swings.
Attorneys each offered their opening statements to the jury on Monday afternoon in the trial of Henson, a 19-year-old who admitted to shooting Kingsley July 12 at Sylvan Lake Campground.
Henson is charged with deliberate homicide, physical evidence tampering and the theft of his pickup.
Henson met Kingsley four days prior to the shooting and admitted to the killing with the help of 17-year-old boyfriend Stephen Thomas. However, the defense claims that she pulled the trigger out of fear for her life.
Thomas is not currently on trial. His attorney asked for a continuance until the spring court session.
According to opening arguments, Henson and Kingsley met for the first time on July 8. She accepted $2,800 in cash to purchase a laptop so she could work toward her dream of becoming a writer. The next day, Kingsley allowed the homeless teen couple to move into his 30-foot camp trailer with him.
Following three nights of drinking, drug use and sex, Henson and Thomas fatally shot Kingsley. Afterward, they put the .22-caliber pistol in Kingsley’s hand, placed his index finger on the trigger and covered his body with a sleeping bag and tarp. Henson and Thomas then drove Kingsley’s pickup to Kalispell where they were later arrested.
Prosecuting attorney Robert Slomski began his opening argument by painting a dramatic picture that Henson and Thomas emptied two assault rifles and a .22-caliber pistol on an unarmed man sitting eight feet away with his eyes closed.
Slomski said the crime was premeditated, pointing out that on the morning of the murder when Henson was in Libby – safely away from Kingsley – she allegedly told her 13-year-old brother, “I don’t want to kill him (Kingsley), but I may have to.”
Defense attorney Scott Spencer said Kingsley was unstable and dangerous and had the belief that he owned Henson after giving her so much money. Spencer said he was known to shoot guns in the air for his “lost comrades” in war and that he wanted to hire Thomas as a hit man. He also said Kingsley’s mood swings would go from crying one second to a fit of rage the next.
On the night of the murder, Henson and Thomas had requested a ride from police to Kingsley’s camp trailer, 30 miles south of Libby, to collect their belongings. When the police were too busy, they hitched a ride with William Goodrich.
During his opening argument, Spencer said that when Goodrich arrived at camp with the couple in tow, Kingsley started making irrational statements, claiming that they “saved the lives of 200 people” by returning. Spencer added that Thomas and Goodrich tried to distract Kingsley while Henson gathered her things.
In addition, Spencer argued that Kingsley demanded Henson perform a sexual act on Goodrich. Further, he threatened Goodrich when he asked permission to take Henson to her mother’s residence in Kalispell.
Spencer also said that Kingsley demanded that Thomas shoot the campground outhouse. And when he refused, Kingsley allegedly pulled a knife on him.
Henson and Thomas then shot Kingsley about 45 minutes after Goodrich left the scene.
The trial continues all this week with District Court judge Michael Prezeau presiding. For the latest on the trial, go online to: www.thewesternnews.com .