Update: Robert Henry, Age 55, Executed March 20, 2014 by Lethal Injection

On November 1, 1987, police and firefighters responded to a 9:30 p.m. call about a fire at a Deerfield Beach fabric store. Once inside, they discovered Phyllis Harris and Janet Thermidor, two of the store’s employees.

Harris was tied up in the men’s restroom and was found dead.

Thermidor was found on the floor of the women’s restroom and conscious even though she had a head wound and was burned on over 90 percent of her body.

Thermidor told a police officer that the store’s maintenance man, Robert Henry, hit her on the head with a hammer after entering the office and then stole the store’s money. Henry momentarily left the office, but Thermidor recalls him returning to throw a liquid on her and then setting her on fire. Thermidor stated that she fled to the restroom to try and extinguish the fire. The following morning, Thermidor died.

On November 3, following Thermidor’s lead, the police located and arrested Henry. His initial statement was that he was abducted by three strangers who subsequently robbed the store, however he later made self-incriminating statements.

Source: Florida Commission on Capital Cases