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Arrest made in Pembroke beating case
Hodges-mug
Hodges

Brooklet resident Donna Hodges, 42, was arrested at her residence Friday for the June 8 beating and robbery of the late Devon Morris. Morris died on Aug. 14 from injuries related to the assault.

Members of the Pembroke Police Department, Bryan County Sheriff’s Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested Hodges. She is being held at the Bryan County Jail on one count of aggravated battery and one count of battery as well as a felony probation violation.

"At least justice is finally being served," said Gaby Hall, who was close to Morris.

On June 8, Morris was reportedly attacked while lying in his bed. Police said three people entered and ransacked Morris’ home in the early morning hours after breaking out the back window.

Morris reportedly was asleep when he was attacked and woke to find he was being beaten with objects lying around his bedroom, including a hammer and a fan.

Morris, who did not have a telephone at his Main Street home, reportedly walked to Hall’s pet grooming shop after the attack. There he implicated Bulloch County resident Donna Hodges as one of his attackers.

According to the police report, Morris told police "she was hitting me with a fan and saying ‘you will remember Donna Hodges’ … I’ve been giving Donna money to pay her bills and probation fines since last year, now that Gabby is taking care of me, I was told not to be giving her money, and she got upset and came back…with two other people, but I could not tell if they were men or women."

Police said although his autopsy report recognized Morris had pneumonia, the cause of death includes "blunt force trauma to the head." The Pembroke Police Department ruled the case to be a homicide in August after reviewing the autopsy report and employed the help of the GBI.

GBI Agent Cathy Sapp did not comment on whether there are any leads as to the identities of the two others alleged to be involved in the attack.

"I can tell you that the case remains under investigation," Sapp said. "If I gave out any other information, it would be detrimental to the case."

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