Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, Deputy Paterson Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora and Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik announce that based upon a joint investigation by the Paterson Police Department and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Leroy Hodgson, 33, of Paterson, was arrested last night by members of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department without incident at a store in the Wayne Hills Mall in relation to a homicide that took place Dec. 1st, at Paterson Billiards - located at 183 Market Street.
Police charged Hodgson with Murder, first degree; Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, second degree; Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, second degree; and Certain Persons Not to Have Weapons, second degree.
According to police, on Dec. 1st, at approximately 2:38 am, members of the Paterson Police Department responded to Paterson Billiards –located at 183 Market Street in Paterson, in response to a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, they located a 34- year-old male victim, Dontrelle Horne, from Paterson, who had suffered a gunshot wound.
EMS transported Horne to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, where he later died from his injuries.
The investigation revealed that Hodgson became involved in a verbal altercation with the victim which culminated in Hodgson shooting and fatally wounding Horne.
According to authorities, Leroy Hodgson is scheduled to appear at Central Judicial Processing on December 22, 2017 at 1:30 pm. The State will file a motion for pretrial detention in this matter that will be later heard by a Superior Court Judge.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office asks anyone with additional information about this incident to contact us on our tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org.