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July 24, 2012

Police release name of Groves shooting victim

Mary Meaux The Port Arthur News

GROVES — A Nederland man is dead and a Groves man is behind bars following a fatal shooting in Groves Monday night.

Groves Police learned of the shooting by a 911 caller who, according to City Marshal Jeff Wilmore, had walked to the home in the 3100 block of Cleveland Avenue to visit with the resident and found the victim, identified as Cody Charles Hokett, 26, of Nederland, slumped over in the doorway with a gunshot wound.

Hokett was conscious and able to speak with officers upon their arrival around 9:44 p.m. Monday, July 23.

The victim was transported by Acadian Ambulance to Christus Hospital-St. Mary in Port Arthur and died at the hospital shortly after. Justice of the Peace Precinct 7 Brad Burnett pronounced the victim deceased.

“A shotgun was retrieved at the scene and is believed to be the murder weapon,” Wilmore said.

Police believe Hokett was actually shot in the back with the bullet exiting the man’s chest.

Wilmore said investigators were able to identify a person of interest, John Mason Broadway, 25, at whose home the shooting took place.

“We believe the victim was visiting the suspect,” he said adding that the two men were acquaintances. “We do not believe others were there during the incident.”

As police worked to learn the identity of the deceased and notify his family members they were also working to locate a suspect who reportedly left the scene in Hokett’s truck.

“He (the suspect) was seen in Nederland in the victim’s vehicle at what we believe was just after the shooting,” he said. “We put an ‘attempt to locate’ with the vehicle information out and Beaumont Police found the vehicle and the suspect at a car wash in Beaumont.”

The suspect was apprehended without incident and reportedly made comments to officers regarding the shooting, Wilmore said.

Broadway was later arrested and is currently in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility on a charge of murder. At this time, Broadway has not been arraigned and his bond has not been set.

mmeaux@panews.com

 

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