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On March 14, Evelyn Henderson (known as Evey Zigerelli when she ran for office in the 1990s) was convicted of second-degree murder and aggravated arson in connection with the death of her 84-year-old husband Carmen Henderson, according to the April 4 release by the DA's office.
Authorities first learned of Carmen's death when Evelyn called 911 claiming he had "set himself on fire," as stated in the release.
Officers with the Susquehanna Township Police Department — where her husband was a former officer — were called to 306 Stuart Place in Harrisburg for a death investigation at approximately 5 a.m. Thursday, June 16, 2022, according to a release by the department.
When police questioned her, she changed her story several times claiming it was suicide or that a cigar started it, but in court, the truth came out:
"The evidence demonstrated that, as Carmen Henderson was relaxing in his favorite chair on his back patio, the defendant snuck up behind him and held an open flame to the back of the chair until it caught fire. The fire quickly spread to Carmen’s clothing. He stood up and tried to shed the clothing as quickly as possible. But, the fire engulfed him too quickly for him to escape."
A desire for a $10,000 life insurance payment, is a potential motivation for the killing, but the DA noted:
"Although the motive for the crime is not entirely clear, the evidence demonstrated that the marriage had become strained after the couple lost their limousine business in 2020. Evelyn Henderson, who was in charge of the financial aspects of the business, squandered much of the money on spa treatments and timeshares. The two had been arguing about the loss of the business in the hours leading up to the murder."
Evelyn will be sentenced by Senior Judge Charles H. Saylor on May 14.
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