3rd suspect charged in killing of Alabama man allegedly lured to Columbus for robbery
A third suspect has been charged in the fatal shooting of an Alabama man police said was lured to Columbus for a robbery and left dead in the street.
Lydell Maynard Sparks, 19, was arrested Tuesday in Coweta County on warrants charging him with murder and armed robbery in the death of Travis Henry of Montgomery, who was found June 22 with a gunshot wound to the chest at 17th Avenue and Nina Street.
Sparks is to have a preliminary hearing in Columbus Recorder’s Court at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Others charged in the homicide include Kalaya Sumter, 17, and Terreona Horton, 20, police said. More arrests are expected, they said.
During Horton’s preliminary hearing on July 9, investigators said Horton lured Henry to Columbus the night before the shooting, offering the promise of romance. The two for months had been communicating on Facebook Messenger, said Detective Sherman Hayes.
Cell phone records showed the two had arranged a meeting at Whisperwood Apartments off Flat Rock Road, he said.
Horton told police she invited Henry here because his social media posts indicated he had a lot of money, and she intended to rob him, Hayes testified. Authorities later found Henry’s BMW in Russell County, Alabama, near the home of someone related to Horton, he said.
Police found Henry mortally wounded when they were called to the shooting scene around 7:30 a.m. He was 22 years old.
This story was originally published July 22, 2020 at 5:26 PM.