Man with 21 felony convictions arrested for fatally stabbing victim

Staff report

Updated on May 27 with pre-trial detention information.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Henri Prichon Hart, 43, was arrested last night for fatally stabbing a man on Mother’s Day.

At about 11:15 p.m. on May 10, Gainesville Police Department officers responded to the 600 block of NW 3rd Street and found an unconscious male victim with multiple stab wounds to his upper body. The victim was transported to a hospital and pronounced deceased.

Officers and an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office K-9 team canvassed the area but did not find a knife.

A witness who was at the scene reportedly said the victim arrived on his bike and stopped to speak to her, and then a man arrived, started punching the victim, and then pulled an object from his pocket and made stabbing motions at the victim. The witness said she ran inside and asked someone to call 911. She said that when she went back outside, she saw the man kick the victim, who was on the ground. She said the man rode away eastbound on NW 6th Avenue on a bicycle and was wearing a shirt with orange, yellow, and white stripes.

Surveillance video from the area reportedly showed Hart riding a bike westbound toward the incident location at 11:07 p.m., and at 11:09 p.m., he can be seen riding eastbound on NW 6th Avenue and holding a shiny object in his hand. Hart is wearing an orange-and-white striped shirt in the video.

On May 18, GPD received an anonymous tip that the suspect in this case had the nickname “Hitman” and lives in the “100 building.” The tip also said that “Hitman’s” real name was “Oanry” or “Aunray” and sounded like “Henry.” The “100 building” is the common name for Oak Park Apartments (100 NE 8th Avenue). “Hitman” is a known alias for Hart.

Surveillance video from Oak Park reportedly shows the victim on the fifth floor, speaking with a neighbor, and Hart can be seen on the same floor, pacing back and forth and wearing black gloves and an orange-and-white striped shirt with yellow between the stripes.

Two women are seen going down the elevator, and then they exit the building, walking bicycles. The victim is also seen going down the elevator with his bicycle, and he leaves the building at 11:03 p.m. and speaks with the two women.

Hart is seen going down the stairwell, and he leaves the building at 11:04 p.m. and walks toward the victim and the two women. As Hart gets close to the group, the victim leaves on his bicycle, and Hart takes a bicycle from one of the women and follows the victim southbound on North Main Street. At 11:11 p.m., Hart returns to Oak Park with the bicycle, still wearing the black gloves. A short time later, one of the women returns to Oak Park and can be seen walking from the area of Hart’s apartment holding a bag.

The woman who had the bag was reportedly with Hart when he was arrested, and she said that when she returned to Oak Park that night, she found Hart cleaning a bloody knife in the toilet. She said he gave her a bag and told her to put it in the trash room but not in the trash can; she said she believed the bag contained Hart’s clothing from that evening.

Post Miranda, Hart reportedly said he did not get along with the victim and that he was riding his bike on the night of the incident when he saw the victim. He said that when he approached the victim, the victim threatened to kill him and eat him, so he drew a line in the ground and told the victim not to cross it. Hart said when the victim came within arm’s reach, he punched the victim one time, and the victim fell to the ground but got back up. He said he punched the victim again, and the victim fell to the ground again but kept kicking him.

Hart said the victim pulled out a knife, and he fell on top of the victim, causing the knife to stab the victim. He said that when he got up, he saw the victim’s “soul leave his body,” and he returned to Oak Park and burned his clothing and shoes somewhere else. He also said he cut his hair and beard after the incident. He denied having a knife during the incident and denied stabbing the victim.

However, the officer noted that his statements about the victim stabbing himself one time were not consistent with the two stab wounds in the victim’s upper chest.

Hart has been charged with first-degree homicide and tampering with evidence. He has 21 felony convictions (three violent) and 12 misdemeanor convictions (one violent), and he has served seven state prison sentences, with his most recent release in December 2025. Judge Olin Shinholser ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to hold him without bail until trial. On May 27, Judge Denise Ferrero granted the motion and ordered Hart held without bail until trial.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law