Man who pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter appears in court

DECATUR COUNTY, Tenn. — Family members shared emotional testimony Thursday after the brutal death of a hardworking mother and wife. Her family has waited two years for the sentencing phase of the trial.

“It’s hard every day without her,” John McCollum, Kelly Henry’s father, testified in court Thursday.

Chad Henry appeared in Decatur County court. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter of his wife, Kelly Henry. Her family was in the courtroom to testify to her character.

“She cared about her two sons probably more than anyone else in the world,” Hannah Garber, Kelly’s daughter-in-law, told the judge.

Henry is accused of running over his wife with his car on Christmas Day in 2014. She died from her injuries a week later on New Year’s Day.

“I don’t feel like Christmas will ever be the same,” Peggy Roberts, Kelly’s aunt, told the court. “It really has ripped our heart and soul out.”

Kelly’s father was the only one to directly address Henry in the courtroom.

“Chad, she loved you very much,” McCollum said.

“And I loved her very much,” Chad Henry told Kelly’s father.

“You couldn’t have, that was her first Christmas she wasn’t — ”  McCollum couldn’t finish his sentence before bursting into tears.

The family says they are ready to put this behind them and to have justice for Kelly.

Henry is scheduled to be back in court Jan. 23 for sentencing.