2010-02-04

Hodson delivered to TDC

By Judith Pannebaker

Convicted capital murderer Karl Anthony Hodson, a former Lakehills resident, has been transferred from the Kendall County Law Enforcement Center to the Texas Department of Corrections system to begin serving life without parole.

In December, a Kerr County jury convicted Hodson of the capital murder of pizza deliveryman Leon “Denver” Poe in July 2007. Hodson fatally stabbed Poe during a robbery in Kendall County that netted him and his accomplice, Jennilee Shephard, $30 and several pizzas.

According to 216th Assistant District Attorney Lucy Wilke, who secured the capital murder conviction, Hodson will be evaluated in the Diagnostics Unit to determine where he will eventually be assigned. However, due to his capital murder conviction, Wilke opined he would be transferred to a high security unit.

The delay in Hodson’s transfer was due to a pending charge of aggravated robbery in Bexar County. However, in light of Hodson’s capital murder conviction, authorities there dropped the charges on Jan. 15, paving the way for Hodson’s transfer. However, since the charges were dropped without prejudice, they can be refiled at a later date within the statute of limitations.

As was reported, a few days prior to Poe’s murder, Hodson had allegedly held up two tourists by knifepoint on San Antonio’s River Walk.

The attack occurred at 12:30 am, on Thursday, July 12, 2007, underneath the Alamo Street Bridge. Hodson purportedly grabbed the purse of one tourist while another successfully resisted the attack, refusing to relinquish her purse.

A check belonging to one of the tourists involved in the San Antonio incident was used to “purchase” the pizzas ordered by Hodson and Sheppard several days later in Kendall County. Information brought out at Hodson’s trial noted that Sheppard had forged the check, which was found crumpled at the side of a road during the investigation into Poe’s murder.

Wilke also indicated that notice of appeal has been given in the Hodson conviction. The court reporter has 180 days to complete the transcript of the trial. The defendant’s brief is due either 30 or 60 days after the completion of the transcript. The State of Texas then has 30 days from the date of the defendant’s brief to respond. Wilke speculated it would probably be the end of the year before both sides submit their briefs.

During the December trial, Hodson’s defense attorney didn’t dispute the fact that his client killed Poe, but characterized it as an accident. Rudkin theorized that Hodson had slipped on gravel as he waved a knife in front of Poe while the victim struggled to remove duct tape bonds and summon help. Hodson’s parents, however, maintain that Sheppard is the killer. Their son, they insist, took responsibility for Poe’s death to protect Sheppard.
A date for Sheppard’s capital murder trial will likely be set on Thursday, Feb. 4, Wilke said.

Additionally, Poe’s mother, Susie Haynes, died of cancer on Tuesday, Jan. 26.