CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW)- Kyriyona Henson, 2, has few photos of her with her father, Antonio Henson.
Each of the photos have been graphically-designed, imposing their images together because they never had the chance to meet.
Just three months before she was born, Henson was gunned down on Kellogg Street in Clarksville, Tennessee.
On Jan. 21, 2017 at approximately 3 p.m., Antonio Henson , 21, was found lying in the road with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to Tennova hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Five months later, four men were arrested and charged with his death.
His mother, Lamelia Bellamy, was at work when she began receiving multiple calls that her son, who she called “Tinka” had been shot. As she rushed from Smyrna to Clarksville, messages popped on Facebook that said, “Tell me it’s not Tinka who was murdered.” All hope of his survival vanished and Bellamy had to bury her young son.
A piece of him lives on through her granddaughter and keeping his memory alive for her is important for the Bellamy, Henson and Kelly family.
“She is like her daddy. She’s her daddy’s child,” Bellamy said. “She’s hilarious and says anything. She is just our lifeline. With him being gone, she can’t replace him, but it’s like a piece of him lives on through her. We talk about him to her. She talks about her daddy. She sees his pictures and obituaries. I take her to his grave and let her know, ‘This is your daddy.” She tells us wants to see her daddy. When we take her to the grave she hugs and kisses on the angels at his gravesite.”
Henson had turned 21 -years -old on January 18-just three days before he was murdered. Bellamy’s last memory was celebrating his birthday with him and even texting him hours before he died.
Bellamy said her son was funny, and there was ‘never a dull moment.’ He was laid-back and people enjoyed being around him. The Clarksville native and Clarksville High graduate, was the middle child of her three children and aspired to be a barber. He was excited about being a father and had just been hired at a new job and working to turn his life around.
“I think he would’ve changed and it would’ve slowed him down when he had his daughter,” Bellamy said.
Trial scheduled this month
The four men charged with his death are set for trial on January 21, 2020, exactly three years to the date of Henson’s homicide.
“I hope that they get the time they deserve,” Bellamy said. “I hope that the truth comes out too. Whatever the situation was, my son still didn’t deserve to be murdered. All four should get a lot of time. It won’t bring him back because they are in jail and still alive. I just really want justice to be served.”
In their indictment, Michael Mimms and Tavarious Goliday are charged with one count of premeditated first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Goliday is also charged with reckless endangerment for allegedly firing a .22 caliber gun putting three women and a four-year-old child in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury.
Kevonte Markale White is charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and tampering with evidence on allegations he conspired with Mimms, Goliday and Davayon Head to murder Henson and then allegedly disposed of the weapon in a pond. Head is charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
The trial will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in Judge William Goodman’s court at 8:30 a.m.
