Tina Lindsay wrote in today about her son, Ralph Hodge Jr., who was 17 years old when he was killed in August 2008 in the 4800 block of Benning Road, SE.
Johnny Graves was 19 years old when he was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with the case. Graves, who will be 22 years old at the end of this month, is in custody and awaiting trial. He has been indicted on one count of first-degree murder, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. No trial date has been set.
Tina Lindsay said she’s haunted by her son’s death. She wrote:
I lost my son on 8/27/2008 to a violent crime by his own friend. My son’s name was Ralph Hodge Jr, (Chuck) a lot of people knew him, because he played football for Marshall Heights Bison. He was on the team that went to Florida and won the Superbowl. It is a very hard thing to lose a child, I still sits and wait for him to walk through the door, even though I no that he never will. I have a hard time listening to some songs that he liked, I can’t even look at his pictures. Ralph was killed in Washington, DC at a Corner store on Benning Road SE. He will always be in my heart.
