Family mourns father of 5 shot to death in car

ATLANTA — A wife and mother says she's devastated her five children will grow up without their father, after police said someone shot and killed him.

An officer on patrol stopped to check on a car still running in the middle of an intersection, only to make a gruesome discovery inside, investigators said.

The red Pontiac was found at the intersection of Crogman Street and Moury Avenue around 2 a.m. Sunday.

As the officer approached the SUV, he noticed shattered glass from bullet holes had pierced the windows and a man was slumped over the steering wheel, investigators said.

“Upon further investigation, he did locate a male inside that vehicle that had been shot multiple times,” Lt. Ricardo Vazquez, with the Atlanta Police Department, said.

The victim has been identified as Michael Henley, 40.

Channel 2’s Nefertiti Jaquez was there as dozens of grieving family members and friends gathered Sunday night near where Henley was found dead.

Jaquez watched as Henley’s mother sat quietly gripping a candle with tears streaming down her face -- too distraught to talk.

His wife, Senetra Henley, said she doesn’t know what to do now.

“I can’t live like this. I can’t live without him but I have to,” Henley told Jaquez. “We had dreams. We had plans. They’re all gone.”

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Henley said she got the news of her husband’s death when police knocked on her door early Sunday morning.

“He (the officer) said he was found deceased, shot multiple times and he didn’t survive,” Henley said.

Neighbors told police they heard three to four gunshots go off nearby around 10 p.m. Saturday.

Detectives believe Henley was shot about a block and a half away before driving or rolling down a steep hill, and ending up at the intersection.

“We have not located any witnesses at this point. But we did talk to one person that heard some gunshots, but that’s all they heard. They’re not able to give us any physical description of any suspects,” Vazquez said.

As detectives continue their investigation, the victim’s sister, Essie Parker, told Jaquez they need to focus on his children moving forward.

“It’s horrible but I have to stay strong from my nieces and nephews,” Parker said.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.

Cox Media Group