LAUREL, DE - Two men have been sentenced in connection to the 2023 murder of Corey Mumford, a Laurel High School senior and shining varsity basketball star.
On April 14, 2023, police were called to the Wexford Village Apartments in Laurel just before 3 p.m. on reports of a shooting. There, investigators found Mumford, 18, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds behind an apartment building. First responders brought Mumford to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.
He was not the intended target of the shooting, according to police.
Mumford was previously recognized by the Delaware Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association as a top 15 “Gold Boys” player. He had also recently won the Blue-Gold Basketball All-Star Game MVP Award, according to the Laurel School District.
“He is, indeed, gone far too soon,” Laurel School District said at the time. “Let us work together to stop the violence that ends lives and breaks hearts.”
A week later, police arrested 27-year-old Jhalir Henry on first degree murder and various other charges on April 21st. In May, Donregus Holland was identified and arrested as a second suspect. A third suspect, Shyheem Latham-Purnell, 21, was arrested in August 2023.
According to the Delaware Department of Justice, Latham-Purnell pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony on May 30, 2024. Henry and Holland, who both originally faced first degree murder charges, went to a joint bench trial in June of 2024. Holland was found not guilty on all charges. Henry was found guilty on all charges.
On November 22, 2024, Latham-Purnell and Henry were both sentenced. Latham-Purnell received a total prison sentence of 20 years in connection to Mumford’s death. Henry was sentenced to life in prison with an additional 39 years and 3 months.