Anonymous tip leads police to arrest suspect nicknamed ‘Hitman’ in deadly Gainesville stabbing

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) — An anonymous tip this week led Gainesville police detectives to arrest a suspect in a deadly stabbing.

According to the arrest report for Henri Hart, 43, a tip came in Monday through Crimestoppers, telling investigators a man with the nickname “Hitman” who lives at Oak Park Apartments on Northeast 8th Avenue was responsible for a deadly stabbing on May 10.

Detectives searched the GPD database and learned Hart goes by that nickname. Hart was arrested on Tuesday on charges of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in connection with the death of Ricky Morrow, 53.

On May 10, officers found Morrow unconscious with multiple stab wounds at the intersection of Northwest Third Street and Northwest Sixth Avenue. He later died at UF Health Shands.

According to an arrest report, a witness told police she was working on her vehicle outside when Morrow pulled up on an electric bicycle. The witness says a man, later identified as Hart, came up and started punching Morrow, then pulled something out of his pocket and stabbed him.

The witness ran inside her home and had someone call 911. When she came back outside, she saw Morrow was on the ground, and the attacker was kicking him.

Tuesday, police say the witness pointed out Hart in a six-person photo lineup.

A second witness said she saw Hart cleaning a bloody knife in a toilet the night of the stabbing. She said Hart gave her a bag to get rid of. She believes it was the clothes he was wearing.

Police say Hart told them he did not get along with Morrow but denied stabbing him.

Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.