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Investigator Kelly Henderson is assigned to the Crimes Against Children Section and is tasked to investigate the most difficult cases we encounter. In 2017, she investigated 55 Child Abuse cases, four unattended deaths, two homicides, one home invasion robbery, 23 sexual batteries (20 involved child victims) and 16 Lewd/Lascivious molestation cases all involving children, some as young as three years old.

In November she was tasked as the lead investigator in one of the most difficult cases in recent memory, the murder of three-year-old Adelynn Merrell. Initially dispatched as a possible abduction, Kelly took on the tasks of assessing the scene and interviewing the mother. She quickly realized the scene did not support the abduction theory and saw through the mother’s story. She challenged the mother with the facts and convinced her to tell her the truth. Her outstanding interview skills and empathy led the mother to confess that her boyfriend had murdered the child and dumped her body in the woods. While this was a team effort, Kelly’s tenacity and ability to remain focused and calm, while under extreme pressure, directly lead to the solving of this case and the quick arrest of all guilty parties.

Less than a week later, she was selected to take the lead in a second homicide, where the suspect hid the victim’s body behind a makeshift wall in the home. While still juggling the tasks associated with the previous case, she took the lead and was able to work through this very confusing case and develop probable cause to believe the suspect murdered her husband. Kelly’s ability to multi-task, stay focused, and see the investigation through to the end led directly to the solving of this homicide.

Given the timeline of these two cases, Investigator Henderson testified in both cases before the Grand Jury on the same day. That is an incredible feat! Both of these offense reports were approximately 75 pages in length with over 1850 pieces of evidence. Her astonishing intellect and ability to recall information and convey facts in a convincing and understandable manner directly led to first-degree murder indictments in both cases.

Investigator Henderson is hardworking, conscientious, and sincere and gives 100% of herself in all endeavors. She makes sound decisions and takes the initiative to take on the most difficult investigations. Kelly is the epitome of our profession. She is a great representative of what an investigator should be to the community and she is our 2017 Investigator of the Year.

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