A career criminal who targeted and killed a gay man in Hillcrest whom he met on a dating site has been sentenced to 76 years to life in state prison.
Randolph Winston Henderson, 52, made a horrifying confession to police after admitting he killed Steven Tucker, 60, a retired health care executive, after Tucker contacted him using a dating service.
Henderson, who has been to prison before for bank robbery, falsely believed that Tucker was a sex offender and mixed him up with someone else before he killed him on Oct. 25, 2021.
“He traveled the country targeting gay men with his online ads because he believed 99% of sex offenders were gay,” wrote Deputy District Attorney Kristie Nikoletich to the judge.
“He selected Steven Tucker as his target, and he viciously and violently murdered him for no justifiable reason,” wrote Nikoletich.
“When Steven answered the door that afternoon and let the defendant into his home, he had no idea he was letting in a man who intended to kill him,” wrote the prosecutor.
Tucker had talked to Henderson earlier and set up a fantasy hook-up in which Henderson arrived in an electrician’s outfit with a tool belt around his waist. Unknown to Tucker, Henderson had a taser and knife.
Tucker disrobed in his bedroom in his home on Eighth Avenue near Robinson and started to unzip Henderson’s pants when he told Tucker to turn around. Henderson suddenly tased him in the lower back. Henderson hit him with a mallet and then stabbed him 13 times, according to court records.
“Murder!” Tucker yelled out at one point, according to Henderson’s confession, but no one could hear him.
An autopsy determined Tucker died from stab wounds to his heart and torso, according to Henderson’s probation report released in April. Two taser barbs with attached wires were embedded in his back that were found by police.
Henderson pleaded guilty to first-degree murder over the objection of his attorney, Joscelyn Campbell II.
However, Campbell told Groch that “Mr. Henderson hasn’t made any excuses or minimizing what he has done.”
Henderson claimed he suffered from congestive heart failure and was on oxygen when sentenced March 27th by San Diego Superior Court Judge Michael Groch.
Because Henderson was a 3rd strike defendant after being convicted of four counts of bank robbery in 1991 and 1992, Groch tripled the 25 years to life sentence for murder to 75 years. He then added one year for the use of the knife.
Henderson is counting on being placed in a medical center due to his medical condition and early release, according to his recorded jail conversation with his ex-wife that was provided in court records by the office of District Attorney Summer Stephan.
“I’m gonna write a book…I’m gonna try to learn how to set up a ministry inside…buy people some Bibles and so forth,” said Henderson from jail.
“Six, seven, eight years from now, we can address the idea of a commutation of sentence with the governor and whatnot. But they also have what’s called compassionate releases,” said Henderson.
“So, when you’re really sick, they can cut you loose early with compassionate release,” said Henderson from jail. “I do not plan on doing like, a life sentence.”
Nikoletich said Henderson should never be granted compassionate release or commutation by the governor. She wrote that he should serve “every day of the 76 years he is sentenced to.”
Henderson told authorities he used the dating website “Doublelist”, and a friend of Tucker said he used the Scruff dating app, according to the probation report.
Henderson was arrested in Montague, Texas, on Nov. 9, 2021, and he was extradited to San Diego. His van was filled with objects such as a knife with dried blood, a Sawzall, a mallet, zip ties, handcuffs, fake ID badges, fake FBI badge, a full ghillie suit in which to hide, faraday bags to hide cellphones, pepper spray, and nine cellphones, records say.
Henderson told officers he was traveling to Florida with plans to kill a doctor who performs abortions there. The prosecutor wrote that Henderson also admitted to killing two people in Illinois and Minnesota, but gave no details to authorities.
Nikoletich read a letter from Tucker’s son, Zachary, who described his father as a great man. As for Henderson, Zachary wrote that he “thrives on attention,” and wanted to give him none.
Tucker’s daughter, Laura, listened to the sentencing online and Nikoletich read her letter out loud.
Laura Tucker told Henderson “I don’t hate you” and “there is nothing worth resentment,” adding, “this is the first time and last time I will think of you.”
“I will think of my dad every day – not of his death but of his life. I will look for my dad in everything beautiful…and I will find him,” said Laura Tucker.
Groch gave Henderson credit for 147 days in jail. Henderson will be transferred to Colorado where he has a fraud warrant for his arrest.
