Close Menu
Douglas NowDouglas Now
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
What's Hot

SGSC soccer defeats Oxford, sits atop GCAA standings after perfect 5-0 start

September 17, 2025

Lieutenant Governor Jones stumps for governor’s seat in Coffee County

September 17, 2025

Local author Kevin Benjamin Ingram releases Morning Musings: Before the Day Gets Messy

September 17, 2025
Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok
Trending
  • SGSC soccer defeats Oxford, sits atop GCAA standings after perfect 5-0 start
  • Lieutenant Governor Jones stumps for governor’s seat in Coffee County
  • Local author Kevin Benjamin Ingram releases Morning Musings: Before the Day Gets Messy
  • Health district offers flu shots at local health departments
  • Brown strikes out 12, Fender and Douglas deliver lethal 1-2 punch to Northside in Coffee’s 13-1 four-inning win Tuesday
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok Pinterest
Douglas NowDouglas Now
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok
Douglas NowDouglas Now
Home»News»Jury finds Victor Hodges guilty of murder, sentenced to life in prison
News

Jury finds Victor Hodges guilty of murder, sentenced to life in prison

Staff ReportsBy Staff ReportsAugust 29, 201646 Views
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Follow Us
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok
Submitted Photo
Victor Hodges
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Copy Link

A Coffee County jury convicted Victor Hodges today for the murder of Julia Mae Simpson after a four day jury trial.  Assistant District Attorney John Rumker prosecuted the case.

Julie Mae Simpson was found dead in her home the morning of June 7, 2013.  Despite being savagely beaten about the head with a stereo speaker, the Georgia Crime Lab medical examiner determined that Ms. Simpson’s death was actually caused by strangulation.  Testimony at trial showed that several items owned by Ms. Simpson were found to be in Hodge’s possession beginning that very night.

Further testimony from Crime Lab experts showed that the defendant’s DNA was mixed in with Ms. Simpson’s blood around her home.  Most notably, a pair of men’s underwear were left behind, rife with Hodge’s “touch” DNA.  During interviews with law enforcement, Hodges had no explanation for the presence of his DNA around Ms. Simpson’s home, denying having been inside on the fateful night, and denied ever being in possession of Ms. Simpson’s property.

However, at trial, Hodges opted to testify and enlightened the jury with a new, untold story of being inside Ms. Simpson’s house and leaving behind his underwear, although still denying the murder. He also, for the first time, admitted to taking some of Ms. Simpson’s property out of her bathroom while he was inside. Perhaps most curiously, Hodges also included details of his life such as his struggles with cocaine, his time in prison, a history of theft and forgery, and past sexual conquests.

Unswayed by Hodges’s newfound explanations, the jury convicted Hodges of murder, felony murder, robbery, and aggravated assault.  Judge J. Kelly Brooks, who presided over the case, then sentenced Hodges to life without the possibility of parole followed by twenty years to serve.

District Attorney George Barnhill stated, “What happened to Julie Mae Simpson was a senseless tragedy.  Nothing will tip the scales and fully comfort Ms. Simpson’s grieving family, but hopefully today’s verdict brings some measure of peace to them and security to all our citizens that these kinds of heinous acts will not be tolerated.”  He went on to thank City of Douglas Police Chief Gary Casteloes, Investigators Robert Sprinkle, Leon Whitley, Randy Ryles, the GBI, and all other officers and agencies involved in the case for their tireless pursuit of justice on behalf of Julie Mae Simpson.

George Barnhill Julie Mae Simpson Kelly Brooks murder Victor Hodges Waycross Judicial Circuit
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Copy Link
Douglas Now Profile Pic
Staff Reports

Related Posts

SGSC soccer defeats Oxford, sits atop GCAA standings after perfect 5-0 start

September 17, 2025

Lieutenant Governor Jones stumps for governor’s seat in Coffee County

September 17, 2025

Janice Elaine Farabow, 82

September 17, 2025

Comments are closed.

Top Posts

Convicted child molester allegedly gets drunk, lends truck to girlfriend, forgets and reports it stolen, then gets arrested for failure to register

February 19, 202573,865 Views

18 bodies in various states of decomposition found at funeral home during eviction process

October 27, 202467,618 Views

Dollar General employees catch 58-year-old female allegedly trying to pay for merchandise with movie money

August 27, 202566,452 Views

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

November 11, 202446,085 Views
RSS Latest Headlines from Fox News
  • Dozens of ABC stations to air Charlie Kirk tribute special during Jimmy Kimmel's timeslot
  • Immigration judge orders deportation of Mahmoud Khalil to Syria or Algeria
  • Country singer Lee Brice honors Charlie Kirk, says he 'had a heart of God'
  • Cornell MBA council warns ‘non-marginalized’ students to avoid minority recruiting events: report
  • Commanders get final approval to build new stadium at RFK site after DC Council vote
Follow us on Social Media!
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Pinterest
Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok Pinterest
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
© 2025 Coffee County Broadcasters, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Newell Media

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.