Kenneth Hodge was 32 when he was fatally shot in his Cheviot, Ohio, apartment on October 25, 2021. A former prisoner who had served more than 11 years for a 2007 armed robbery, Kenneth had earned a GED, trained as an apprentice plumber, taken victim awareness and anger management classes, and was working toward a plumbing license. He had even been invited to speak about his turnaround at a law enforcement conference at Yale University’s law school.

Police say the shooter was Kenneth’s 33-year-old brother, Kurtis Hodge. According to police documents, Kurtis — reportedly intoxicated — shot Kenneth multiple times, including in the upper torso, both thighs, and back as Kenneth tried to run away, after an argument. Kurtis was later arrested and charged with murder. The family noted that some of Kenneth’s robbery victims had supported his early release; his father, Paul Hodge, expressed grief and said he hoped Kurtis would make amends.