HARRISBURG, Pa. — The trial has begun for a Harrisburg woman accused of orchestrating her husband's fiery death.
Evelyn Henderson, 68, has been charged with criminal homicide, aggravated arson- bodily injury and arson- danger of death or bodily injury, according to online court documents.
Henderson was charged in 2022 after police discovered inconsistencies in her story of how her husband died.
According to her affidavit, Henderson called 911 in the early morning hours of Thursday, June 16 to report that her husband, Carmen Henderson, 84, had died in a fire. Henderson reported that she believed her husband committed suicide by starting a fire and burning himself to death.
When police arrived, they found the body of Carmen Henderson lying on the rear patio of the home. He was severely burned and deceased, according to the complaint.
Investigators noted that Carmen Henderson appeared to be naked, and evidence at the scene indicated his death was not recent.
Evelyn reportedly changed her story multiple times, later telling investigators that her husband's death was an accident, not a suicide. She also altered the timeline of events, according to police.
Police stated that Henderson eventually "settled" on the following account: At 3 p.m. the previous day, she looked outside and saw her husband was on fire but still alive, sitting in a folding camp chair with the lower legs of his pants on fire. He called to her for help, and she picked up the phone to call 911, but then put it back down without calling. Henderson could not explain why she didn't call 911 right away, according to the complaint.
Further investigation determined the Hendersons were in severe debt, owing at least $40,000 on a second mortgage, the complaint states.
Evelyn Henderson allegedly admitted to spending all their money on vacation homes, spa treatments, and other activities. Her mismanagement of funds caused the couple's business, Henderson Limousine Service, to go bankrupt, she told police.
Additionally, the Hendersons were allegedly delinquent on their taxes, and the sheriff's office was about to seize their home, she reported.
She also said Carmen Henderson would be able to live with his children from a previous marriage once the couple lost their home, but she would not be welcome to live with the children, according to the complaint.
Henderson admitted she had a $10,000 life insurance policy on her husband, police say in the complaint.
An investigation by the Dauphin County Fire Investigation Team determined it was "improbable" that Carmen Henderson could have been responsible for starting the fire that killed him by smoking a cigar, as Evelyn Henderson claimed.
