Man sentenced to 45 years for kidnapping and attempted murder of elderly Coventry woman

COVENTRY, R.I. — A man has been sentenced for the kidnapping and attempted murder of an elderly Coventry woman.

On Friday, a judge handed 41-year-old Steven Henning a 55-year prison term, with 35 years to serve and 10 additional years for being a habitual offender. He had pleaded guilty in June to kidnapping, first-degree robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and assault on a person over 60 causing serious injury.

Prosecutors outlined a disturbing chain of events that began in August 2024, when Henning allegedly assaulted his girlfriend in Ohio, stole a family member’s car, and fled to Rhode Island. Once in Woonsocket, he met a Providence woman through an online connection who gave him a ride to a bar in Burrillville. From there, Henning stole another car, allegedly with plans to drive back to Ohio to kill his girlfriend.

Worried the car would soon be reported stolen, authorities say Henning decided to target someone else. At a Wendy’s, he met an 80-year-old woman and learned she lived alone. Prosecutors say he followed her home, then attacked her by choking her and forcing her into her own car.

He drove the victim to a wooded area in Smithfield, where he strangled her with a belt until she lost consciousness. Believing she was dead, he abandoned her body and fled.

The woman later regained consciousness, stumbled to nearby homes for help, and was hospitalized with severe injuries.

The following day, Henning returned to the scene with a shovel, intending to bury her, but discovered she had survived.

Police later spotted him in the stolen vehicle, and after a high-speed chase, Providence police arrested him at the home of the woman he had met online.

Over the past 35 years, Henning has reportedly been incarcerated 24 times in Rhode Island. He will be 99 when he’s released.