In the winter of 2014, the life of 39-year-old Martin Joshua III was tragically cut short in Gary, Indiana. On the night of December 19th, Joshua was shot in the 5600 block of East 4th Avenue. Despite being gravely wounded, he was able to identify the man who shot him before he succumbed to his injuries. His official date of death is recorded as December 20, 2014.
The man Martin Joshua III identified as his killer was Evan Juantae Hodge.
The investigation into Joshua's death led to Hodge's arrest. During a three-day trial in October 2016, a jury convicted Hodge of murder and carrying a handgun without a license.
In December 2016, Evan Juantae Hodge was sentenced for the murder of his friend. The court handed down a sentence of 85 years in prison. This sentence was comprised of 60 years for the murder charge, with an additional 25 years for the handgun charge and for being a habitual offender. Throughout the trial and his sentencing, Hodge maintained his innocence and stated his intention to appeal the conviction. The motive for the shooting was not clearly established in the available information. The profound grief of Martin Joshua III's family was palpable during the court proceedings, with his father, Martin Joshua Jr., expressing the deep loss their family has endured.
