TEMPLE, Texas — A robbery gone deadly has shaken a small Central Texas community — and federal charges are now revealing how it was allegedly planned, message by message.
Colton Carter, 20, and Donivan Bynum, 18, both of Troy, have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act. The victim was 18-year-old Ember Henry of Salado — the son of former Salado Mayor Bert Henry.
How It Happened
On the night of May 5, officers were called to the 1300 block of Paseo Del Oro after reports of shots fired. When they arrived, they found no crime scene and no one needing help.
The following morning, police returned for an urgent welfare check — and found Ember Henry shot multiple times. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Texts That Exposed the Plot
Investigators recovered Carter’s phone, which contained messages and calls leading detectives to believe he had orchestrated the robbery. In the messages, Carter allegedly told someone they would be “hitting a Plug today,” calling Henry “some small-town Salado plug.” Another message allegedly read, “Either way we jumping him n taking his dispos” — referring to marijuana vape pens.
Bynum is alleged to have served as a lookout during the robbery.
What’s Next
If convicted, Carter and Bynum each face up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
A Community in Mourning
Hundreds gathered at Sirena Park in Salado on May 9 to honor Ember’s life. His father Bert Henry described his son as respectful, driven, and always ready to help. “If you called him and said, ‘Hey, I need help doing something,’ he was on his way,” Bert Henry said.
The FBI is leading the federal investigation with assistance from the Temple Police Department, the Milam County Sheriff’s Office, and the Belton Police Department.
