In the pre-dawn hours of November 11, 2020, Thelma Hofman, a 70-year-old woman, was killed in a quiet home in Mount Haley Township, Michigan. Originally from Bay City, she had moved in with her fiancé, George McDonnell, to safely distance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The couple was looking forward to spending their lives together in the peaceful countryside.
Tragedy struck at approximately 4:40 a.m. when Hofman was shot inside the residence on East Bradford Road. McDonnell was awakened by the sound of gunfire and shattering glass and called 911, reporting that Hofman was unconscious and not breathing. Emergency responders arrived to find that she had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. Investigators determined that the shot was fired from outside the house, piercing a sliding glass door.
For years, the case remained an active and persistent investigation led by the Midland County Sheriff's Office. Although McDonnell was initially considered a person of interest, he was later cleared. Detectives meticulously built a case file that grew to include approximately 1,000 pages of reports and 35 search warrants. Their investigation eventually led them to two brothers, James Arthur Hintz Jr. and Kody Clyde Hintz. Evidence and witness accounts placed the brothers at a nearby pole barn where they were allegedly stealing catalytic converters before proceeding to McDonnell's home with the intent to rob it.
In April 2025, a breakthrough was made in the case. James Arthur Hintz Jr., 32, and Kody Clyde Hintz, 29, were arrested and arraigned on multiple charges, including felony murder, open murder, breaking and entering, larceny of firearms, and felony firearm. Both brothers are being held on a $5 million bond. The arrests brought a long-awaited development in a case that had deeply affected the community, marking the culmination of a multi-year investigation to bring justice for Thelma Hofman.
