Between 1988 and 1990, Henry Eugene Hodges committed at least eight murders of men, most of whom were homosexual. While three of the victims were definitively linked to Hodges, he remained a suspect in the other cases associated with him.
Confirmed
- Barry McDonald
On July 9, 1989, Hodges stabbed and killed 34-year-old Canadian-born Inglewood nurse Barry McDonald in Tennessee.
On that day itself, Hodges entered the home of McDonald, and robbed McDonald before he stabbed the victim 38 times, resulting in his death. [6] The body of McDonald was found three days later by his roommate, and police investigations were able to gain the description of the suspect, based on a neighbour's account that he saw a White man of slender build and blonde hair (referring to Hodges) through McDonald's kitchen window on the date Hodges killed McDonald. An autopsy report showed that the knife wounds on the back and neck of McDonald were the cause of his death. Police suspected that McDonald was likely targeted due to his homosexuality and labelled it as the "most violent crime in this city's history". [7]
The murder of McDonald remained unsolved for nearly a year before Hodges was arrested for another murder, and evidence linked him to the crime. The fingerprints recovered by police from McDonald's house were matched to Hodges. [8]
- Ronald A. Bassett
On May 14, 1990, Hodges committed the murder of 37-year-old telephone repairman Ronald Allen Bassett (February 25, 1953 – May 14, 1990), also in Tennessee.
On that night itself, Hodges and his 15-year-old girlfriend Trina Brown, a runaway girl, went out to look for a victim to rob and kill, after the couple, who had been staying with Hodges's half-brother in Smyrna, Tennessee, agreed to move to Florida and needed money to facilitate their move. The couple also hatched a plan to lure a male client to meet with Hodges under the pretext of offering his sexual services. [2]
At a park in Nashville, Hodges met up with Ronald Bassett, who happened to be the next client propositioning him. Bassett and Hodges left the park in the former's car and they reached Bassett's house. After reaching the house, Hodges tied up Bassett's feet with tape and handcuffed him, and forced him to lie facedown inside his bedroom. Hodges later ransacked the house together with Brown (who joined Hodges later on), and they took some valuables (including some jewelry, a gun, and a VCR) and Bassett's identification card. After discussing whether to spare or kill Bassett, Hodges strangled Bassett to death with a nylon rope in spite of Bassett's plea for mercy. [2]
After murdering Bassett, Hodges and Brown stayed at the house longer to remove fingerprints and clean up the crime scene to destroy evidence. The couple left the house in Bassett's car with the stolen property, and withdrew $400 from an ATM using the card of Bassett. However, a day later, the couple found out through the news that Bassett's body was discovered, and thus, they abandoned Bassett's car at another location and fled to Georgia in their own car. [2]
- Michael A. Whisnant
On May 16, 1990, two days after he killed Bassett, Hodges killed 32-year-old quality control engineer Michael Whisnant (June 8, 1957 – May 16, 1990) in a hotel in Alanta, Georgia.
On that day itself, after they met at a gay bar, Hodges made arrangements with Whisnant to engage in homosexual acts with him in exchange for a payment of $75. Although Hodges and Whisnant went to the former's hotel room after agreeing to the price, Whisnant was unable to pay the agreed price and instead paid $25. As a result, Hodges handcuffed Whisnant and strangled him to death with a curtain cord. [9] [10] [2]
Whisnant's body was left under the bed after Hodges killed him. Although the hotel maid cleaned up the room without noticing the body, a security officer eventually found the corpse and lodged a police report shortly before 9pm. [11]
Suspected victims
Hodges was named a suspect behind the killings of at least five men, three of whom were identified by the police:
- Vernon L. Larkins
On September 4, 1988, Vernon Lester Larkin was allegedly killed by Hodges after he was last seen leaving a gay bar, and his body, gagged and bound, was found three days later in the living room of his apartment. [12] [13] [14]
- Roland E. Van Dyck
On September 20, 1989, Roland E. Van Dyck was discovered dead inside the trunk of his car, and several gunshot wounds were found on his head. [12]
- Robert S. Sibert
On October 22, 1989, Robert S. Sibert, a college professor, was shot to death at an unknown location in Tennessee. [12]
As for the other two murders, the police had not released the victims' identities. However, according to the police, most of these murders shared some common traits, which were the fact that the victims were either bisexual or homosexual, and that they were found dead inside their homes or apartments. [12]
