Man charged in Christmas Eve killing at East Point store

Credit: East Point Police Department

Credit: East Point Police Department

Hodges’ girlfriend was the store manager, according to a warrant for his arrest, and he regularly went to work with her and waited for her inside the store. Several witnesses, including Family Dollar employees, knew him well and identified him to East Point detectives.

Moments before the shooting, cameras showed Melton stop running and lean up against a car outside the store when Hodges allegedly pointed the gun at him, detectives noted in the warrant. Hodges proceeded to push Melton, hit him in the head and shoot him, the warrant says. Melton then fell to the ground, where officers found him unresponsive.

By April, a $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to Hodges’ arrest.

In addition to murder, he faces charges of aggravated assault, battery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Hodges‘ girlfriend, identified by police as Jerrica Hadley, is facing a charge of aiding another to escape lawful custody. She was arrested in January and released a few days later on a $5,000 bond, jail records show.

An arrest warrant reveals she was at the Family Dollar when the incident happened and spoke to police on more than one occasion. Hadley told officials she had not seen or spoken to Hodges since the shooting, according to the warrant, but police learned she met up with him immediately after leaving the scene.