Shreveport Woman Found Guilty of Murdering Her Husband

A Shreveport woman who shot her husband and then doused his body with gasoline was found guilty of the murder Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Caddo District Court.

It took a six-man, six-woman jury in District Judge John D. Mosely Jr.'s court less than two hours to find Charlene Henderson, 45, guilty of the May 16, 2022 second-degree murder of Larry Clark, also 45. She also was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with a 2004 manslaughter conviction that prohibits her from owning or possessing a firearm until 2029.

Through evidence and testimony, jurors learned that in the early morning hours of May 16, 2022, Charlene Henderson shot and killed her husband. After killing Mr. Clark, Henderson covered his body with carpet and texted a cellphone photo of his body to a family member. Then 25 minutes later, she called 911 to report the slaying.

When officers arrived on scene they noted an overwhelming smell of gasoline in the residence. Crime scene photos showed ashes covering Larry Clark’s body under the carpet. The jury also was able to view the photo Henderson took of Clark's body, which showed no gun nearby, and to compare with police crime-scene photos that show a gun placed against his head.

Henderson testified in her own defense, and reported for the first time being scared for her life when she shot Clark.

When Henderson returns to Judge Mosley's court July 16, 2024, she faces a mandatory life sentence for the murder conviction and five to 20 years at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence for the firearm conviction.

Henderson was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Courtney N. Ray and Jasmine C. Cooper. She was defended by Casey Simpson, Harry Johnson and Hilary Hileman.

The case was docket No. 389211.