Widow of NYC Subway Murder Victim Says New Patrols Wouldn’t Have Helped

Brooklyn: The widow of a man killed on a subway train last year is speaking out. Jakeba Dockery lost her husband, Richard Henderson, when he tried to break up a fight on a Brooklyn 3 train. She says the new subway safety plan from Governor Hochul wouldn’t have saved him.

Dockery hasn’t taken the subway since that tragic day. She feels the plan, which increases police patrols from 9 PM to 2 AM, is a good start but not enough. “My husband was killed before 9 PM,” she said. “A 24-hour patrol would be better.”

Henderson was shot on January 14, 2024, and was the first subway murder of the year. Dockery shared three kids and two grandkids with him. “It’s heartbreaking to know he’s one of ten victims,” she added.

She mentioned that subway violence has only gotten worse since her husband’s death. “Everyone seems angry on the MTA now,” she said. To honor her husband, she started a nonprofit called Richard’s Way to help children.

Dockery is also offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to her husband’s killer. “It’s upsetting that the killer is still out there with no leads,” she expressed. She hopes city leaders will focus more on the 3 line and the East New York area to improve safety. “I hope it makes a difference.”