A Clermont County man has admitted to fatally shooting another man during a quarrel in Goshen Township, court records show.
Dakota Hensley, 26, pleaded guilty in Clermont County Common Pleas Court on July 2 to voluntary manslaughter, a lesser charge than the murder count Hensley was initially indicted on.
As part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to dismiss another murder count, as well as felonious assault charges.
The shooting stemmed from a July 2024 dispute between Hensley and 44-year-old Robert Armstrong at a mobile home park off of State Route 28, prosecutors said in court filings.
Prosecutors said the two men were arguing and Hensley fired four rounds from a 9mm handgun, striking Armstrong, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Hensley’s attorneys have argued in court documents that the shooting was in self-defense.
His attorneys said that during the argument, Armstrong went to loom over Hensley, who was seated, and advanced toward Hensley with a raised shovel.
The attorneys added that Armstrong had previously boasted about being an “enforcer” for the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang while incarcerated. They said Armstrong described the gang as “violent.”
However, prosecutors said that Hensley’s actions were intentional and done “out of anger, rather than any true or honest concern that (Armstrong) would cause him death or great bodily harm.”
Prosecutors cited another dispute with a woman that happened roughly six weeks before the shooting. They said Hensley placed his hands around the woman’s neck and aimed a gun at her.
Hensley’s attorneys did not respond to messages from The Enquirer seeking comment on the guilty plea.
Prosecutors are recommending a sentence of 12 to 16½ years in prison. Hensley is expected to appear before Judge Jason Nagel for sentencing on Aug. 20.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Clermont County man argued fatal shooting was in self-defense. Now he’s pleaded guilty
Reporting by Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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