Baltimore City Police booking photo of Tavon Howard.
Bradyna Henson’s 14-year-old son found his mother’s lifeless body riddled with bullet holes in their Maryland home more than a year ago and finally this week, after what Henson’s family called a “long journey,” the man convicted of killing Henson will be put in prison for life without the chance of parole.
Tavon Howard, 30, received the sentence on Monday from Judge Vicki Ballou-Watts at the circuit court in Baltimore, Maryland.
“Your heart seems so callous. That’s what comes across,” Ballou-Watts reportedly told Howard before he learned his fate, according to the Baltimore Sun.
Howard did not speak in court Monday but some of his sentiments were nonetheless expressed. Someone who prepared his sentencing report read one of Howard’s remarks into the record.
“I did not do anything … I was framed,” he said.
Members of the victim’s family looked on at Howard in reported confusion and disgust. After delivering victim impact statements, Judge Ballou-Watts reiterated to the Baltimore man that his criminal background coupled with his demeanor in court struck her as someone who was incapable of rehabilitation.
According to court records viewed online by Law&Crime, in addition to the murder charge for Bradyna Henson, Ballou-Watts also sentenced Howard to 25 years concurrently for a pair of gun charges.
Henson’s relatives, including her mother and sisters, told the court that Henson’s now-15-year-old son struggles in school and has had difficulty coping with the loss of his mother whom he found executed with gunshots to her head, chest and neck.
Henson’s sister, Candies Henson, addressed Howard directly Monday, incredulous at his conduct.
Candies Henson said her sister “did everything” for him while the two were a couple, she reportedly said.
“You know she did,” Candies Henson pleaded.
Henson had broken up with Howard before he killed her in the early morning hours of April 13, 2022. Howard had a history of abusing Henson, her family said, and their relationship was described by family members as “tumultuous” for roughly a decade.
“I feel like in relationships if anyone don’t want you or if there’s some kind of animosity and you can’t come to terms or some kind of resolution for a healthy positive relationship, then you should move on,” Henson’s relative, Deborah Powell told local NBC affiliate WBAL. “And that’s what he didn’t want to do.”
Surveillance footage brought out at trial by prosecutors, according to ABC affiliate WMAR, showed him at Henson’s house in Essex, Maryland, the morning she was shot. It would be another two days before police apprehended him and only after a police car chase ensued through Baltimore. When officers finally captured Howard, they found the gun used to murder Henson in his vehicle as well as firearms and drugs, WBAL reported.
“This is a tragedy in all respects. This was an execution,” Judge Ballou-Watts said at sentencing.
Henson’s mother told reporters gathered outside of the courthouse in Baltimore that she had some sense of relief.
“I’m happy. It’s over for my family. This is what we’ve been waiting for. We’ve been talking about this for a long journey,” she said.
Maryland prosecutor Adam Lippe reflected on the tragedy of Henson’s decision to let Howard into her home that morning.
Henson had lawfully purchased a handgun to protect herself from Howard and told her family about it. But once Howard came to her home and got inside, it didn’t help her.
“She had a lawfully licensed handgun, and when this happened, he knocked on her door around 2 a.m., she let him in. She made a fatal mistake,” Lippe said.
Howard will be back in court in April for additional drug and weapons charges. Public defender Dionti Slack Jr. represented him in this matter, but it is unclear who will represent him in the next case. Slack Jr. did immediately return a request for comment Tuesday.
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