In the small community of Henrietta, North Carolina, the life of 39-year-old Daniel Acy was cut short on the evening of Thursday, May 28, 2026. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, on November 18, 1986, Acy's sudden and violent death sent ripples of shock and grief through the town he called home. The events that unfolded on Main Street that day would leave one man dead and another facing the gravest of charges, pieced together through the chaos of shouting heard on open dispatch lines and the grim
discovery of Acy's body at the scene. He was pronounced dead from a fatal shooting before emergency medical services could arrive.
The investigation into Daniel Acy's death moved swiftly, and on the same day, authorities took 38-year-old Steven Thomas Hodge into custody. Hodge, a man of no fixed address listed as homeless in jail records, was soon charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The murder charge alleges that Hodge acted with "malice aforethought" in the killing of Acy. The firearm charge stems from his possession of a Ruger 10/22 rifle, which he was prohibited from having due to a prior felony conviction. Dispatch audio from the time of the incident captured a male voice stating that someone had pulled a gun on him, hinting at a tense and armed confrontation that preceded the fatal shots. The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office dedicated extensive hours in the immediate aftermath, conducting numerous interviews to piece together the tragic timeline of events.
Steven Thomas Hodge's criminal history is extensive and paints a picture of a life lived on the wrong side of the law. Court documents reveal a long list of prior convictions that include felony larceny, assault on an individual with a disability, breaking and entering, felony possession of methamphetamine, communicating threats, assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping, identity theft-related offenses, violation of a domestic violence protective order, battery of an unborn child, and possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a controlled substance. His 2016 conviction for second-degree kidnapping is a central element to the current charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Authorities have also noted that Hodge is alleged to have gang affiliations and may qualify as a habitual felon. He appeared in Rutherford District Court on May 28, where he was appointed a public defender and ordered to be held without bond by District Court Judge Ellen Shelley. A probable cause hearing was waived, and further court proceedings were scheduled for June 10. The case against Hodge is ongoing, with the possibility of charges being adjusted as more evidence comes to light. The investigation into the violent end of Daniel Acy's life continues as the community awaits justice.
