Columbus woman pleads in fatal shooting of Alabama man allegedly lured here to be robbed
A Columbus woman accused of using a romantic rendezvous to lure a Montgomery, Alabama man here to be robbed and shot has pleaded guilty in the case.
Terreona Rhakaleb Horton, 22, pleaded in a negotiated deal to get her to testify against others charged in the June 22, 2020, death of Travis Henry Jr., who was shot in his BMW and left dying in the road at 17th Avenue and Nina Street.
Police were called there at 7:19 a.m., and Henry, 22, was pronounced dead 23 minutes later. Authorities initially did not know who he was, because he had no identification on him.
After Horton’s arrest, detectives testifying at her July 9, 2020, preliminary hearing alleged Horton had exchanged messages with Henry on Facebook, after noticing his posts indicated he had money.
Police said she arranged to meet Henry in Columbus at Whisperwood Apartments on Flat Rock Road, before she and three accomplices robbed him of his BMW, which was left in Alabama near a home belonging to one of Horton’s relatives.
A grand jury indicted Horton this past April 12 on charges of murder, armed robbery and aggravated assault. If convicted on those charges, she could have faced life in prison.
Instead Horton pleaded guilty Thursday only to armed robbery, with the other charges dropped. Her recommended sentence is 20 years in prison with eight to serve and the rest on probation, according to court records.
Superior Court Judge Judge Martin is to sentence Horton after her codefendants’ trial.
Other suspects
Here are the other three suspects charged in Henry’s death:
- Lydell Maynard “Trapa” Sparks, 21, is charged with two counts of murder and one count each of armed robbery, aggravated assault, using a firearm to commit a felony, and possessing a gun while he was a first offender on probation after a 2019 conviction for aggravated battery. Sparks is the suspect who shot Henry, police said.
- Wayman L. McMillian, 27, is charged with two counts of murder and one count each of armed robbery and aggravated assault. He also was indicted on two counts of being a convicted felon with a firearm, with police alleging they found he had a rifle and a Glock pistol when they arrested him on Dec. 31, 2020. He was convicted of burglary on Feb. 10, 2017, according to court records.
- Kalaya Sumter, 19, is charged with two counts of murder and one count each of armed robbery and aggravated assault.