The Murder of Danetta Henry
For this case, I watched an episode of Fear Thy Neighbor. It’s season 7 episode 9, titled ‘Sour Grapes.’
A single mother of two is killed after an argument with her neighbors.
I couldn’t find a picture of Danetta for this post.
Background
Danetta Henry was a single mother of two, and worked in a nursing home. Danetta moved to a Fresno, California townhouse with her daughter, Dezhane, and son, Dezmond.
Dezhane described her mom as a people person, and someone who was always positive. Danetta was planning on going back to school, and wanted to have a better life for her and her kids.
Friends to Enemies
When Danetta and her kids moved in they immediately met their new neighbors, Alvin Dalton and Lora White. Lora and Danetta seemed to really hit it off, and even spent time drinking and talking.
Lora said things changed when Danetta kept asking her for money. At first, it was only $3 or $5 at the time, but soon she was asking for it all the time. Lora also said she and Alvin enjoyed barbecuing once a month. Lora said Danetta would ask for food for her and the kids.
Lora said Danetta’s requests came at all hours. She recalled Danetta coming over around 5am, and asking for cooking grease and corn meal. Lora said Alvin told her to stop giving her things, and break off the friendship.
Dezhane said it was her mom that broke off the friendship. She said Danetta was planning to go back to school, and wanted to focus on that, work, and them. Dezhane said that it made Lora very angry, and she would hear Lora gossiping about her mom to other neighbors.
Two Sides to Every Story
According to Alvin’s sister, Lora was always very persistent, and wasn’t used to people standing up to her. Lora and Danetta would constantly cuss each other out, and play loud music to piss the other one off.
Both Danetta and Lora called the police. However, without any proof, the police couldn’t do much.
The fighting continued. Lora said that Danetta and her kids would dump their garbage on their back porch. Dezhane said it was Lora that would do that. Danetta had filed a police report claiming that Lora pulled a handgun on her. The police were again called, but the police didn’t find a gun inside Lora’s house. Lora denied pulling a gun on Danetta.
Lora and Danetta continued to piss each other off. One morning while Alvin was leaving for work, he found his car had been vandalized. Alvin and Lora blamed Danetta and her kids. There was toilet paper, fudge and syrup smeared all over the car. Alvin had to also go to the DMV to get new tags because someone had scratched them. Dezhane admitted that they put toilet paper on the car, but nothing else.
Lora also claimed that she had been confronted by Danetta and her friends, who she believed were part of a gang. Lora said that Danetta threatened to have her friends jump Alvin. Alvin became afraid, and put a hand gun in his car for protection.
The Fight Continues
The fighting kept escalating. Alvin’s sister said it was very childish, and she couldn’t believe that two grown woman were fighting like this.
Lora admitted that she had pepper spray, and had pepper sprayed Danetta and Dazhane several times. Danetta made the decision that she and the kids needed to move, and had a new place ready for them.
On March 2, 2011, Dazhane and Danetta were walking back from the store, and Dezmond was inside the house. They ran into Lora, and of course, the usual cussing took place. Lora said that Dezhane threw a sports drink on her, so she grabbed her pepper spray. Dezhane also said that Lora went inside to grab a pot of boiling water, which she poured on Danetta.
Lora said that she and Danetta were in a fight, when Dazhane started to kick her. Lora said she called for Alvin who ran out of the house. Dezmond also came outside, and asked Alvin to break up the fight. According to Dezhane, Alvin said to let them fight it out.
Dazhane and Dezmond were trying to break up the fight. Dezhane said Alvin smacked her in the face, which angered her brother. Alvin told Lora to run in the house to call 911. Alvin grabbed his gun from the car, and started shooting. Danetta was shot in the head, chest, arm and forearm. Dezhane was grazed in the butt, and shot in the stomach and elbow. Dezmond ran towards Alvin, and was grazed in the knuckle and thigh. Luckily, the gun jammed, and terrified neighbors called 911.
Dezhane said she found out her mom had died when she saw her brother crying, and heard the EMTs say they didn’t need a gurney for the third person.
Alvin Dalton was arrested.
Alvin Dalton
The Conviction
At Alvin’s trial, his defense said Alvin was acting in self defense. They said Alvin had been pushed to his limit by the fighting between Danetta and Lora.
The jury didn’t believe the self defense claim. In September 2011, Alvin was found guilty of second degree murder and attempted murder. He was sentenced to 83 years to life.
Alvin and Lora got married in December 2014.
Alvin’s family blames the behaviors of Lora and Danetta.
Danetta’s children were raised by relatives, who both now have careers and families of their own.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There is so much she said-she said in this case. The two sides were told by Lora and Dezhane. Lora seemed very angry, which I don’t blame her, but Danetta, Dezhane and Dezmond weren’t the ones who pulled out a gun. Her now husband was, and he is the reason he’s in jail. If the police had done more, or if one of the families had moved away sooner, than Danetta would probably still be alive.
Sources
https://thecinemaholic.com/danetta-h-murder-where-is-alvin-dalton-now/
https://castalkie.com/where-is-alvin-dalton-fresno-today-dead-or-alive/
