COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — An Austin man killed his stepfather after being told by the victim "not to disrespect his mother," prosecutors said Wednesday.
Leshaun Hodges, 27, had been hurling expletives at his mother and calling her derogatory names during an argument inside the family's home in the 1700 block of North Narragansett Avenue about 1:30 p.m. Monday, authorities said.
Oscar Clay, Hodges' stepfather, stood up for his wife and told Hodges "not to disrespect his mother," Assistant State's Attorney Nora Gill said during a bond hearing Wednesday.
The men began to shove one another, prosecutors said, but Hodges' mom quickly broke up the fight.
That's when Hodges went to his bedroom and retrieved a black handgun, Gill said. Hodges is accused of pointing the gun at his mother and Clay while continuing to shout obscenities.
Clay helped his wife escape out the front door, then barricaded his body against the door to prevent Hodges from following the woman, according to prosecutors.
As Hodges' mom ran down the street screaming for help, the woman heard multiple gunshots ring out from inside her home, prosecutors said. The woman ducked behind some cars and waited for her son to leave the apartment, Gill noted.
Two witnesses saw Hodges leave the home carrying a black handgun.
Clay, 52, was shot four times in his chest, once in his back and once in the back of his head, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. He was pronounced dead at 1:45 p.m. Monday.
Police found six 9-mm shell casings on the scene.
Hodges is charged with first-degree murder. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
At the time of Monday's attack, Hodges was on parole for an armed-robbery conviction, state records show. He was sentenced in 2013 to six years in prison and released on parole in May 2016. His sentence was slated to be discharged in May 2019.
Hodges also has prior convictions for robbery and battery, Gill said.
Cook County Judge Donald Panarese Jr. on Wednesday denied Hodges bail.
