On the evening of Sunday, December 10, 2023, 44-year-old Demarkus Hodge, a male resident of Buffalo, New York, was found deceased in the basement of his home on the 300 block of Grider Street. Responding to a call about a dead body around 5:30 p.m., Buffalo Police officers discovered Mr. Hodge, who had been fatally shot with an illegal gun. The incident took place inside his residence in the city's Delavan-Grider neighborhood.
The investigation into the homicide led police to identify a suspect. Ten days later, on December 20, 2023, 19-year-old Thierry Bikorimana of Buffalo was arrested in connection with the shooting. Following the homicide, Bikorimana stole Hodge's television, a BB gun, and his vehicle. He was subsequently charged with one felony count of second-degree murder.
In July 2024, Thierry Bikorimana pleaded guilty to one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree, a Class “B” violent felony, and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class “C” violent felony. On September 6, 2024, Bikorimana was sentenced to 21 years in prison, which will be followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. He is currently being held without bail. The case was prosecuted by the Homicide Bureau of the Erie County District Attorney's Office.
