Conference 7.286::digital

1892.0. "Ex-GSO employee sought for killings" by ASDG::WATSON () Mon May 11 1992 15:54

{Extracted in part without permission from the May 6th edition of the 
NEW HAVEN REGISTER. No editing of text, just some personal data omitted.}

(Hamden, CT) The man suspected of killing two insurance adjusters Monday 
continued to elude a nationwide police manhunt Tuesday, prompting his mother 
to issue a plea for him to "please come home."
	
Meanwhile, local investigators tried to learn why the suspect, Dennis Hodge,
a computer expert and community volunteer with no criminal record, might kill
two defenseless men, apparently in a dispute over an insurance claim on a house
fire.

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Dennis Hodge, 30, is wanted on charges of murder in the shooting deaths of
Lawrence M. Biller, 38, of 256 Ives St., and Bruce Horowitz, 46, of 
221 Daniel Road, in an inner office of Biller Associates Public Insurance 
Adjusters at 1125 Dixwell Ave.  Biller owned the company.

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Willie Mae Hodge said one possible explanation for the shooting is that her
son had previously told her Biller "somehow misfigured" the amount of the
insurance settlement.  "He came up $3,000 short," she said.

"Something must have snapped," she said.  "We both loved Mr. Horowitz."

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Others familiar with Dennis Hodge said possible anger over the acquittal last
week of four white Los Angeles police officers in the Rodney King beating
case may have somehow played a roll.  Hodge is black.  Biller and Horowitz
were white.

Louis Campbell, director of the Urban League of Greater New Haven--where Dennis
Hodge recently volunteered his services--said he wondered if Hodge was upset by
the King verdict.

"Somehow the unrest and the verdict in L.A. probably contributed to his mindset.
There had to be some trigger," said Campbell, who met Hodge twice last week.

Rovella Hodge-Pervis, Dennis Hodge's sister, said he and the rest of the family
watched the news reports of the verdict and the riots.

"We all watched what was on TV.  I think that played a part, but it was not
the full reason (for the homicides)," Hodge-Pervis said.

Capt. Lawrence Peryer said police are pursuing all possible leads.  "We have 
no idea what set him off," Peryer said.

Peryer said a description of Dennis Hodge and the car he was last seen
driving--a 1989 black Mazda RX-7 with South Carolina license plates--was 
broadcast to police throughout the country.

Peryer said, however, his hunch is that Hodge has not left the area.

Police in Trenton, N.J., where Hodge has a girlfriend with whom he had a 
child, are on alert.  Police in Greenville, S.C., are also on the lookout.
Hodge lived and worked there from 1988 to February, when he moved back to
New Haven, his hometown.

Willie Mae Hodge and her family expressed their sorrow to the families
of the men who died.  "We pray for strength for you," said Hodge-Pervis.

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Willie Mae Hodge said her son told her about a meeting he had scheduled
for 9 a.m. Monday at Biller Associates.  Police said Hodge arrived at the
offices shortly before 9 a.m., gave his name to the receptionist and was
greeted by Horowitz.

Police said Horowitz brought Hodge into a small inner office.  Biller joined
them.  Police said they think Hodge suddenly pulled out a .9mm handgun
and shot both men at point-blank range.  The state medical examiner's
office said Biller and Horowitz died of multiple gunshot wounds in the head
and chest.

Police said Hodge calmly walked out of the office with the gun in his hand.

"(Dennis) called us at about 9:15 a.m. and said Biller and Horowitz were not
in the office," Willie Mae Hodge said.

She said that was the last time she spoke with her son.

Willie Mae Hodge said her son grew up in New Haven and attended the Hopkins
School, a private school in New Haven.  He joined the Navy in 1980, where he
learned computer and management skills.

On August 29, 1988, Hodge was hired by Digital Equipment Corporation in
Greenville, S.C. as a manufacturing senior engineer.  He was laid off Feb. 14
During his time in Greenville, Hodge volunteered at the Urban League and
served on an advisory committee.

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