Smyrna murder victim took heavy object blow to the back of the head

Horatio Lamar Pearson of Atlanta faces charges of murder, aggravated assault and theft in connection with the death of Cardell Henry, the only 2010 homicide victim in Smyrna.

The 42-year-old Henry, a decade-long Smyrna resident and a manager at the Atlantic Station Publix, was found dead in his Galleria Courtyard apartment on Dec. 28.

A cause of death has not been released, but a source close to the crime said Henry suffered a heavy object blow to the back of the head and that it was possible he knew the suspect.

According to Cobb County jail records, Pearson, 21, was arrested last Thursday and is being held without bond.

Henry’s 2007 Mazda 4 was reported missing from the apartment’s parking lot when his body was discovered, but the car was later located in an apartment parking lot near Turner Field. The source indicated that items also stolen included a laptop computer, TV and cell phone.

Pearson had been named a “person of interest’’ by Smyrna Police on Jan. 3.