Parole board denies release man convicted of burning woman with clothes iron in 2009

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — The California Board of Parole Hearings denied release to a man convicted of burning a woman with a hot clothes iron back in 2009.

The DA’s office said BPH found 55-year-old Henry Cartwright III continues to pose a current and unreasonable risk to public safety.

According to the DA’s office, on January 22, 2009, Cartwright burned his girlfriend’s face, who also the mother of his two children, with a hot clothes iron after he eavesdropped on her phone conversation.

Cartwright attacked the victim in the bedroom, grabbed her by the hair, and dragged her before pinning her down. He then burnt the side of her face and multiple spots on her back with the iron, according to the DA’s office.

The DA’s office said in a voicemail recorded from the victim’s landline, Cartwright can be heard threatening to kill the victim and telling her that she would burn in hell. The receiver of the voicemail, the victim’s mother, could hear her daughter screaming every time Cartwright burned her with the iron. In the call, the victim begged and pleaded for Cartwright to stop.

On September 24, 2009, a Kern County jury found Cartwright guilty of torture, assault with a deadly weapon (electric iron), felony domestic violence, and criminal threats. It was also found true that he caused great bodily injury to the victim and used a deadly weapon. On May 28, 2010, a Kern County Judge sentenced Cartwright to 14 years to life.

On April 1, 2026, the BPH conducted Cartwright’s second parole hearing. At the hearing, Cartwright’s commissioners focused on their concerns related to negative institutional behavior, additional rehabilitative programming, and mental health management. The Kern County District Attorney’s Office asked the board to deny parole.

The BPH found that Cartwright was not suitable for parole because he continued to pose a current unreasonable risk of danger to society. The Board of Parole has the option of denying an inmate parole for a period of 15, 10, 7, 5 or 3 years. Cartwright’s commissioners issued a three-year denial.

District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer commented saying, “Cartwright subjected the mother of his children to unimaginable suffering. No amount of time served can undo the harm he caused, but it is clear that he poses an ongoing threat to society if released.”