Jury finds Muncie man guilty of murder, conspiracy, obstruction of justice
MUNCIE, Ind. — A Delaware Circuit Court 3 jury on Friday found a Muncie man guilty of murder in a February 2021 shotgun slaying.
After about three hours of deliberations, the panel also found 31-year-old Brandon C. Hodge guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and obstruction of justice.
He was accused of killing 33-year-old Robert Eugene "Trey" Scott III near the victim's westside home on Feb 28, 2021.
During this week's trial, Prosecutors Zach Craig and Maricel Driscoll said Hodge killed Scott with three blasts from a 12-gauge shotgun, the last one fired into the victim's back.
In May, a co-defendant — 29-year-old Morgan Bell, who was Scott's former girlfriend — was found guilty of aiding, inducing or causing murder, and obstruction of justice. She was later sentenced to 57 years in prison.
In his closing remarks to jurors on Friday, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Craig suggested defense attorney John Quirk had unfairly focused on allegations of domestic violence in Scott's relationship with Bell.
"(Scott) had his faults," Craig said. "But no one deserves the execution that he received. ... We are not allowed to go out and execute people."
Quirk maintained when his client fired the shotgun blasts, he believed Scott was armed with a gun and intended to shoot him.
"He was in fear for his life," said Quirk, suggesting that a friend of the victim removed a firearm from the scene of the shooting before police arrived.
Quirk called the shooting "a classic case of self-defense."
His client did not take the stand during this week's trial.
Judge Doug Mawhorr set sentencing for Hodge for Jan. 5.
In Indiana, a murder conviction carries a maximum 65-year sentence. Conspiracy to commit murder is a Level 1 felony with a maximum 40-year sentence, while obstruction of justice is a Level 6 felony, carrying up to 30 months in prison.
In a post-conviction proceeding, the jury also found Hodge was eligible to receive a sentence enhancement over his use of a firearm.
After Friday's verdicts were returned, Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman said, "Another violent felon has been taken off the streets."
On Monday, a Delaware Circuit Court 5 jury found Jason De'Andre Harris, a 34-year-old Muncie man, guilty of murder and other charges stemming from a February 2022 homicide.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Muncie man convicted of murder in shotgun slaying
