Court documents reveal new details in case of man charged in death of Breasia Terrell

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - Newly filed court documents have revealed more details on the investigation into Henry Dinkins, the Davenport man accused of fatally shooting 10-year-old Breasia Terrell.

While few details have been released publicly, multiple affidavits for search warrants filed by Davenport police in Scott County Court this week detail some of the evidence in the case.

The documents also reveal Dinkins’ supposed whereabouts in the hours before Terrell was reported missing.

The 48-year-old is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping in Terrell’s death.

His trial is slated for Feb. 14.

On July 10, Davenport police received a report of a missing child at an apartment in the 2700 block of East 53rd Street, where Dinkins was staying with his girlfriend.

According to applications for search warrants obtained by TV6 Investigates:

Dinkins told officers Terrell, the half-sister of his son, was missing when he woke up. A day earlier, Dinkins took the two children to the apartment to spend the night.

Through the investigation, police learned Dinkins had access to multiple vehicles, including a black 2012 Chevy Camero and a red 2007 Chevy Impala.

A registered sex offender, Dinkins’ documented residence was listed at a motorhome in the 700 block of Schmidt Road in Davenport. He told police he went to the motorhome that morning.

Between 2:13 and 2:50 a.m., a red Chevy Impala consistent with the one Dinkins was known to drive was seen on nearby surveillance video several times on Schmidt Road.

At one point, the Impala was seen driving south and pulling onto Credit Island.

Police spoke with Dinkins’ son, who told police he went to Credit Island with his father that morning. Police later searched Credit Island after Terrell was reported missing.

He further told police he saw Dinkins pull out a big knife and wipe it down with bleach at some point while they were by the motorhome on Schmidt Road.

Detectives who later searched the motorhome found a machete on top of the refrigerator that matched the description of the one provided by the boy.

Around 3:31 a.m., Dinkins was seen at the Kwik Shop, 201 W. 53rd St., getting out of a red Impala. The car also was seen on multiple surveillance cameras heading north towards Clinton County and in the city limits of Clinton.

After 7 a.m., Dinkins was seen on video at a Walmart in Clinton, where he bought two bleach bottles.

Officers later searched the Impala and found boxes for two phones, which were unaccounted for in the investigation. The phone numbers, locations, and who they were used by are unknown.

An officer performing a grid search on Highway 30 and 400th Avenue in Clinton County located a cell phone, battery, and phone case lying just off the shoulder of the road.

The boy told officers he stayed in the car when his father went into the Walmart.

He said he found a cell phone that had the battery taken out of it. He added he put it back in and turned on the phone for a short time.

Detectives who searched the Impala reported smelling what they believed was bleach in the trunk. They also found an ax and a box of cleaning supplies.

A crime scene technician shined blue light on the metal part of the ax and observed what she believed to be blood.

Officers also spoke with Dinkins’ girlfriend, who said she woke up around 3 a.m. July 10 and found Terrell and Dinkins both gone from the apartment. She tried to call Dinkins, but he left his phone at home.

She told officers he was home after that and, after picking up his phone, left again, saying he was going to look for Terrell.

Officers seized Dinkins’ cell phone and through an analysis of the phone and phone records, it appeared it was either turned off or disconnected from the network for periods throughout the night.

On March 22, police learned from the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department that human remains were found in a wooded area south of Kunau Implement in DeWitt. The remains were found about 20 yards from a pond.

Two bullet projectiles were located within the remains.

The remains were transported to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Lab in Ankeny for an autopsy and identification. During the autopsy, another bullet projectile was located.

On March 29, police received confirmation that the remains were Terrell’s, according to the applications.

The applications did not indicate whether Terrell was seen with Dinkins and his son at the motorhome or at Credit Island.

Dinkins, named a person of interest shortly after Terrell was reported missing, was charged with her death in May.

At the time he was charged, he was already being held on sex offender registration violation charges. Court records show Dinkins, who is representing himself, has not yet been tried in that case.