In the early morning hours of May 23, 2019, the life of 24-year-old Khalil Hopson was tragically cut short in his home on Cedar Avenue in Sharon, Pennsylvania. An African American male, Hopson was discovered by his father with a gunshot wound after sounds of a struggle broke the pre-dawn silence. Beside him, his loyal pit bull, Blue, had also been shot.
Rushed to a hospital in Youngstown, Ohio, Hopson succumbed to his injuries later that day, leaving a community to grapple with the violent loss of a young man known for his talent on the basketball court and his dedication to his two sons. Blue, his faithful companion, also later died from the injuries sustained in the attack.
The investigation into Hopson's death soon revealed a sinister plot of robbery orchestrated by individuals he knew. Investigators quickly identified 20-year-old Alexis Holmes of New Castle as a person of interest. Her identification was found at the scene, and Hopson's father recalled his son's last words, 'She let him in.' Holmes initially told police she was a guest at Hopson's home and that three armed, unknown men had stormed the residence, shooting Hopson and his dog. However, her story began to unravel as investigators delved deeper. A search of her phone revealed text messages with her 27-year-old ex-boyfriend, Eddie James Robinson Jr. of Youngstown, Ohio, planning to rob Hopson of several thousand dollars. Surveillance footage from hours before the murder captured Holmes handing a firearm to Robinson.
In June 2019, both Holmes and Robinson were apprehended at a hotel in Austintown, Ohio. Faced with the evidence against them, their fabricated story of a random home invasion crumbled. Robinson eventually pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, cruelty to animals, and perjury. He was sentenced to a term of 15 to 45 years in prison for his role in the fatal shooting. Alexis Holmes, the woman who betrayed Hopson's trust, pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and burglary and received a sentence of 18 to 40 years in prison. The investigation did not end there, as law enforcement continued to seek justice for Khalil Hopson.
Years later, in June 2021, a third suspect was identified and charged in connection with Hopson's murder. Seon Dontae Davon Perry, 32, of New Castle, was charged with criminal homicide, robbery, conspiracy, burglary, and aggravated cruelty to animals. For nearly two years, Perry remained a fugitive, evading capture. Finally, in May 2023, he was located and arrested in North Dakota. He is awaiting extradition back to Mercer County to face the charges stemming from the violent night that claimed the life of Khalil Hopson and his dog, bringing a long-awaited step towards closure for a grieving family and community.
