Teens, a stolen SUV and a ‘senseless’ drive‑by: What led to a 16‑year sentence in Durham?
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- Jaquari Henderson, 20, pleaded guilty to murder in a 2023 shooting in Durham.
- Benjamin Morris, 43, was killed at a bus stop when Henderson and two teens shot at a car.
- The trio were involved in a gang and Morris was an uninvolved bystander.
A Durham man was sentenced Wednesday for his part in a gang-motivated drive-by shooting involving two young teens.
Jaquari Y’Zell Henderson, 21, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the July 20, 2023, killing of Benjamin Morris, 43, of Raleigh.
Morris was caught in the crossfire when Henderson, a 15-year-old and a 13-year-old fired at another vehicle while driving by a South Miami Boulevard bus stop in a stolen SUV, The News & Observer previously reported.
The teens have never been publicly named by law enforcement, and juvenile cases are sealed in North Carolina, but a Durham Police Department crime report indicates each teen was charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Assistant District Attorney Mary Jude Darrow said in court Wednesday that one of the teens was found incompetent to stand trial and remains hospitalized for mental health treatment, while the other teen was sent to a youth detention facility.
All three defendants were involved in a gang, according to Darrow.
Sean Ramkaransingh, Henderson’s defense attorney, said Wednesday his client was in and out of foster homes as a child and was seeking a family through his gang activity.
“He’s like a child at some points,” Ramkaransingh said. “There is good in this — he’s a young kid.”
Innocent bystander
Morris had no relationship to any of the defendants and was an innocent bystander, according to Darrow. It’s not clear why the defendants opened fire on the other vehicle, though Darrow said it was related to their gang membership.
“It makes no sense,” Darrow said.
Morris’s daughter, younger brother and father and the mother of two of his sons, all of whom live in the Miami area, attended Wednesday’s hearing via WebEx. Loved ones who spoke described Morris as a kind, family-oriented man who encouraged his family members and worked hard in life.
“This was a choice that somebody else decided [that] my brother’s life was over, and he did nothing wrong,” said Brian Morris, Morris’ younger brother, through tears. “My family will never be able to fill this gaping hole.”
Morris’ loved ones said they hoped Henderson and his co-defendants would work to become better people and recognize the seriousness of what they’d done.
“A life was taken and a family was forever changed,” said Jaheira Liriano, the mother of Morris’s two sons.
The sentence
As part of a plea arrangement, Judge John Dunlow sentenced Henderson to a minimum of 16 years and a maximum of 20 years and one month in prison. The sentence was lower than the standard range for second-degree murder because of Henderson’s immaturity and age at the time of the crime and his acknowledgment of his responsibility for the crime, Dunlow said.
Henderson also received just over a year’s credit for time served in jail.
Henderson, who has a 2-year-old daughter, wants to change and hopes to pursue educational and vocational opportunities in prison, according to Ramkaransingh. In the meantime, he is holding himself accountable for Morris’ death, which Ramkaransingh, too, described as senseless.
“There’s no rhyme or reason for this,” he said.
This story was originally published March 5, 2026 at 4:27 PM with the headline "Teens, a stolen SUV and a ‘senseless’ drive‑by: What led to a 16‑year sentence in Durham?."
