Neenah man sentenced to life in prison for murder of Milwaukee transgender woman, Cashay Henderson

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — A Neenah man was sentenced Monday for killing a transgender woman in Milwaukee.

Thirty-five-year-old Cordell Howze will spend life in prison without eligibility for parole for the murder of 31-year-old Cashay Henderson.

"It's not just that you killed Ms. Henderson, but you tried to deface her body after death and set fire to her residence," said Judge David Swanson.

Records show that on February 26, 2023, Howze shot Henderson twice in the head in her apartment on 29th in Villard in Milwaukee, then set it on fire.

Prosecutors said as she was dying, he took videos mocking her.

"One of the theories is that you were wanting to kill a trans person," Judge Swanson said. "It certainly would be consistent with the comments you made on the recording that you made of her body."

Howze was found guilty by a jury in June.

At his sentencing Monday, Henderson's sister said Cashay's death was driven by hate.

"This wasn't just an attack on her. It was an attack on everyone who believes in acceptance and kindness," Ada Henderson said.

Before learning his sentence, Howze apologized, saying he's been misguided in life.

"I truly apologize to the community, to the courts, Cashay's family," he said to the judge.

But Judge Swanson noted his long criminal history.

"Previous efforts of rehabilitation clearly failed, because not only did you re-offend, but you re-offended in the worst possible way," Swanson explained.

In addition to Howze's life sentence for first degree intentional homicide, he was given five years for possession of a firearm by a felon and 25 years -- the maximum -- for arson.