Man, 82, charged in shooting death of friend

An 82-year-old man accused of fatally shooting his friend last week has been charged in the man's death.

Roosevelt Hodge was arrested Wednesday and charged with second-degree murder in the death of 74-year-old Maurice Horton.

Police said Horton was shot on March 17 in the suspect's yard in the 2500 block of Hanwood in North Memphis. He died on March 20 at the Regional Medical Center.

Horton's family told The Commercial Appeal this week that the two men were friends and that Horton went to visit Hodge to check on him and his wife. They said the shooting was accidental.

According to an arrest affidavit, a witness told police that Horton was shot once in the stomach by Hodge as he stood in the suspect's front yard.

Police arrested Hodge in his driveway on March 17 and charged him with aggravated assault. Police found a Charter Arms .38 special gun in his wife's jacket pocket after she told detectives she had the gun.

Investigators said that Hodge refused to give a formal statement to police when he was taken to 201 Poplar. He was released, but after Horton died, Hodge was arrested again on March 22 and he admitted to police that he shot Horton.

Hodge's bond was set at $150,000 and he will be in court on Wednesday.