Victoria E. Freile

Staff writer

Henry was convicted of first-degree murder for robbing and shooting Edline Chun%2C 73%2C on Feb. 3

Chun was an adjunct professor at RIT%27s College of Imaging Arts and Sciences

Henry%27s girlfriend Natalie Johnson%2C 27%2C was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison

A Rochester man continued to deny that he robbed and killed his childhood neighbor last winter as he was sentenced to life in prison in state Supreme Court Tuesday morning.

Jerrell B. Henry, 29, last month was convicted of first-degree murder for robbing and shooting Edline Chun, 73, inside her Hazelwood Terrace home on Feb. 3, then dumping her body in Tryon Park. Chun, a popular instructor at the Rochester Institute of Technology and well-known community activist, was found at the bottom of a ravine in the park by county maintenance workers on Feb. 6.

Justice Francis A. Affronti said in court that he wished he could require Henry, who he called a "callous, cold-heartened, sadistic individual" and "a devil in disguise," to serve more than the maximum prison term.

"Life without parole is too good for you," Affronti told Henry. "You deserve so much more ...You brought about the death of a lady who still had so much more to give, and you don't care."

Henry forced his way into Chun's home on Feb. 3, tied her up, forced her to call her bank and transfer money between accounts and sign several checks. Henry took jewelry and other property and shot Chun twice in the head with her own rifle. He later moved Chun's body to Tryon Park.

"She was thrown over an embankment like a piece of garbage," Affronti said. "No human being should ever be treated like that."

Henry, along with his girlfriend Natalie Johnson, 27, also stole Chun's car, the same vehicle he was riding in when his electronic GPS monitoring anklet led Rochester police to the car one day after Chun's body was found.

Johnson was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder for her role in Chun's death and last month was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison. Henry's own conviction followed a two-weeklong trial last month.

Chun was an adjunct professor at RIT's College of Imaging Arts and Sciences, where she taught professional and technical writing for more than 20 years. She also was an active volunteer, belonging to about a dozen community organizations.

Henry, a convicted felon conditionally released from prison in December 2012, had lived next door to Chun for years before he went to prison at age 18 for a 2003 carjacking.

Henry, who was handcuffed and surrounded by deputies in court, did not apologize for his actions or mention Chun. He thanked family and friends for their support and told Affronti he planned to appeal the case.

Chun's friend Victoria Visiko said she never expected an apology from Henry and isn't sure she will ever feel a sense of closure.

"We will carry the love she had for life," she said. "She will remain strong in our hearts forever."

Assistant District Attorney Perry Duckles, who prosecuted the case with ADA James Egan, said he was "pleased with the sentence, but not happy with how we got there."

Duckles said he was repeatedly stopped by passing strangers to learn how Chun had touched their lives.

"They told me how she affected people and what she did to make this community a better place," he said. "It was really eye-opening. It's something we should all strive to do with our own lives."

VFREILE@DemocratandChronicle.com

Twitter.com/vfreile

Tribute to Edline Chun

Friends have organized a tribute to Edline Chun on the first anniversary of her death. A celebration of her life will be held at the Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Ave., Rochester, from 7 to 10 p.m. on Feb 3, 2014.