Background: The McLennan County Sheriff”s Office in Waco, Texas (Google Maps). Insets (left to right): Damen Marcus Henry, Bobby Doyle Getts (McLennan County Sheriff’s Office).
A Texas man in jail on assault charges may be in even more trouble, after an accused killer — and fellow inmate — allegedly tried to get him to do away with a witness.
Damen Marcus Henry, 45, was already in the McLennan County Jail on assault family violence charges when he was accused by police of more charges — attempted tampering with a witness and attempted tampering with evidence. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by local CBS affiliate KWTX, Henry was busted passing notes with another inmate, 63-year-old Bobby Doyle Getts, who was in jail after being arrested for murder.
The notes were passed by another inmate, who alerted the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office that Getts was allegedly trying to get Henry out of jail so the younger man could “take care” of a witness in his case.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
According to the affidavit, obtained by local Fox affiliate KWKT, Getts allegedly wanted a female witness in his murder case killed. One of the notes reportedly read, “Make sure She does NOT show up to Court.” On the back of that note was a map to the witness’s home address. A search of Henry’s belongings also yielded a Bible that had the witness’s address written on one of the pages.
Police said that the plan allegedly entailed Getts posting Henry’s $3,000 bond so the younger man could be released to commit the deed. The affidavit reportedly read that Getts told Henry to use “‘paint thinner’ to burn her and kill her.”
When police interviewed Henry, he admitted to knowing where the witness lived and that “Uncle Bobby wanted him to burn up the trailer at this address.” Henry allegedly told police “it was a two-part deal, he wants me to go f—ing talk to her, and he wants me to burn his house down, that’s what he wants.”
Getts was indicted by a grand jury on a charge of murder in connection to the March 27 shooting death of Eddie Lee Sanders. KWTX’s reporting on that case included mentions of a witness who allegedly saw Getts shoot Sanders. It is not clear if Getts was allegedly targeting the same witness in the notes he exchanged with Henry.
Henry was charged with one count of attempting to tamper with a witness and one count of attempting to tamper with evidence. Getts has not yet been charged with any crimes connected to the alleged jailhouse plot. Both men remain in custody at the McLennan County Jail.
