Clark County Common Pleas Court Judge Douglas Rastatter sentenced Zimmerman to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 18 years for the charge of murder. Rastatter added 10 years to his parole for the Jan. 24 escape and abduction.
Zimmerman’s family believes the murder happened because he wanted drug money.
“You don’t think that this could ever happen to your family because you have Christ by your side,” the victim’s cousin, Cheryl Savakinas, said. “But when drugs get into your family, this is what happens.”
Daniel Driscoll, chief of the criminal division of the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office, painted Zimmerman as a cold-blooded killer. He said the victim was shot twice in the head and once in the shoulder.
“Anytime you can get someone like that off your streets, you have a safer community,” he said.
Henson was known as a gun collector in the area and had hundreds of guns. Zimmerman had lived with Henson after returning to Ohio for a brief stint. Deputies located Zimmerman while he was trying to sell stolen guns out of a Fairborn apartment just days after the murder.
“He knew what Bill had and he saw it as an easy way to get money,” Savakinas said.”That’s what everything was about for him, an easy way to find money to get his drugs.”
Driscoll said he was satisfied with the verdict, but not pleased with the outcome.
“I’d be pleased if Mr. Henson was alive, if we didn’t have a huge heroin problem in Clark County and if young, dumb kids like this couldn’t get their hands on guns,” he said.
Laura Jarvis is a distant relative of the victim and lived next door to him. She called Zimmerman “trouble.”
“They went over there and shot him for guns instead of getting a job.” Jarvis said.
She said she hopes he never gets out of prison.
“I don’t believe he could be rehabilitated,” Jarvis said. “And I don’t think he’s going to be a productive member of society when he gets out.”
Prosecutors have charged another teenager in the murder of Henson. Robert Winbush, 19, of Fairborn, is set to go on trail in July.
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