Widow Sues Accused Killer's Family Over $100K Raised Online in Ohio

Lorena Henderson, wife of Hamilton County sheriff's deputy Larry Henderson who was intentionally killed in May 2025, has filed a lawsuit against the family of Rodney Hinton Jr., the accused killer, over more than $100,000 raised through online crowdfunding. Prosecutors said Hinton Jr. ran over Deputy Henderson shortly after his son Ryan was fatally shot by Cincinnati police. The lawsuit argues that Hinton's family violated Ohio public policy by profiting from wrongful conduct, especially by leveraging the notoriety from the crime to raise funds on platforms like GiveSendGo. Ohio law prohibits criminals from profiting from their crimes, though existing statutes like the "Son of Sam" law do not explicitly cover crowdfunding for legal defense or family support. Henderson's attorney emphasized the emotional distress caused by the fundraising and called it an affront to justice and decency. Efforts by platforms like GoFundMe to remove such fundraisers and calls from Ohio officials, including Attorney General Dave Yost, reflect the controversy surrounding the campaign.