Jailed: American national fatally stabbed Wolverhampton man who came to evict him
A man has been handed a life sentence after stabbing to death a security guard who came to evict him from his flat.
Chad Henderson of Woodhurst Road, Moseley, will serve a minimum of 19 years after being sentenced today at Birmingham Crown Court for the murder of security guard Nathan Burton.
Henderson, aged 46, had stabbed Mr Burton four times in the chest at the address on Woodhurst Road shortly before 11pm on April 7, 2021.
Mr Burton, 27, from Wolverhampton, who was the father of a young girl, was dragged out of the address by his colleagues but collapsed in the street shortly afterwards.
Henderson, an American national, had called police and told the operator 'I defended myself'. Officers arrested him at the scene and interviewed him multiple times, where he told them he was putting measures in place to stop a 'home invasion'.
Nathan's father, Rob Burton, released a statement on behalf of the family which said: "The last two-and-a-half years have been extremely traumatic and challenging for us as parents, Nathan’s brothers, his partner, family, friends and colleagues.
"Nathan was cruelly and brutally taken away from us in April 2021. Nathan had recently become a father to a little girl aged 10 months at the time of this tragedy. He was a doting father and she is now asking her mum the whereabouts of daddy. What does she tell our granddaughter?
"The verdict does not bring Nathan back to us and we know that all we are left with is some great memories of a wonderful, kind, caring, selfless young man.
"Whilst justice has now been served, for us, as parents, partners, daughters, family, friends and colleagues our life sentence continues."
Nathan was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham but died within hours of the attack.
Detective Inspector Ade George said: "This was a very tragic case. Nathan was a loving father who was much loved by his family. They have all been truly devastated by their loss and our thoughts go out to them at this time.
"Henderson was a man obsessed with his property rights and exercising and protecting what he believed to be those rights.
"He had decided he wouldn’t be resolved to move from the property, even if that cost was to the life of a person, which turned out to be Mr Burton.
"Henderson tried to disrupt and delay the proceedings and failed to turn up to attend court throughout his trial or his sentence today. He has shown no remorse for what he has done and total contempt for the justice system.
"We are pleased that he will now serve a life sentence. Though this sentence will never bring Nathan back and it will not heal the family's sense of loss, I do hope it represents justice."
