In the quiet community of Inkster, Michigan, the life of 34-year-old Mickael James Easterling, a Black male, was abruptly ended. On the first day of November in 2017, Easterling was discovered lifeless in the driveway of his home on Parkwood Street. He was found next to his vehicle, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds in what was quickly determined to be a homicide.
The investigation into Easterling's death led authorities to a suspect, 41-year-old Lonnie Edward Hodges, III, from the nearby city of Ypsilanti. Investigators believed the motive for the fatal shooting may have stemmed from a domestic issue. Hodges was subsequently taken into custody and faced serious charges for his alleged role in the crime. The charges brought against him included first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and a felony firearm count. Given the nature of the charges and his extensive criminal history, which included convictions for assault, auto theft, and bank robbery, Hodges was held without bond in the Wayne County Jail as he awaited the progression of his case through the justice system.
The legal proceedings culminated on August 22, 2018. Lonnie Edward Hodges, III, entered a plea, resulting in a conviction for second-degree murder and a felony firearm charge. For the death of Mickael James Easterling, Hodges was sentenced to serve a prison term of 23 to 40 years. He received an additional two-year sentence for the firearms conviction. His earliest possible release is scheduled for October 2042.
