Dallas County Assistant District Attorney Robert Daniel Henry died Tuesday

while jogging in New Live Oak Cemetery.

According to Selma Police Chief Robert Green, a woman saw Henry, 51, walking

toward the care tender’s house shortly before he was found lying on a

roadway in the cemetery. Green noted that Henry frequently jogged in the

cemetery.

Police responded to a call at 12:40 p.m. about a man, later identified as

Henry, lying in the cemetery. Care Ambulance Service transported Henry to

Vaughan Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

“He had a very good working relationship with the police department,” Green

Green said that the Alabama Department of Forensic Science would determine

the cause of death. He added that Dallas County District Attorney Ed Greene

had requested an autopsy. “It appears he may have died of natural causes,”

Green said. “We don’t know.”

A death investigation will continue until Henry’s cause of death is

determined, Green said. The forensics report could lead his department to

close the case or continue the investigation, he added.

Several Dallas County attorneys expressed regret at Henry’s passing. “He was

a fun-loving guy, and he will be deeply missed,” Dallas County Assistant

District Attorney Jimmy Thomas said. “We’re still all in shock after hearing

about it.”

Dallas County Assistant District Attorney Mitzi Johnson-Theodoro agreed.

“Robert was a brilliant attorney and a brilliant friend,” she said. “There’s

nothing I can say that’s bad about him. Nothing. He was enjoyable to be

around. Wonderful friend. Brilliant attorney.”

Local attorney Cartledge Blackwell echoed Johnson-Theodoro’s words. “There’s

a lot of positive things to say,” Blackwell said. “He was a great trial

lawyer. It’s just a tragedy of the first order.”

Greene spoke highly of Henry’s ability as a trial lawyer. “I feel like I’ve

lost a brother,” Greene added. “We’ve tried a lot of cases together and had

a lot of fun together. He was somebody I trusted.”

Henry served with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office for about 12

years. He also served as the attorney with the drug task force.

Henry is survived by his wife, Melanie Henry, his daughter, Lee Lauren

Henry, and his step-daughter, Kelly Meikle John.