Northwest Side man charged with murder of stepfather

Oscar Clay helped his wife escape from the Northwest Side apartment Monday they shared with her son, holding their front door shut from the outside as his stepson stood inside with a 9-millimeter pistol, Cook County prosecutors said Wednesday.

As Clay’s wife ran from their apartment in the 1700 block of North Narragansett, she screamed for help, then heard gunshots from inside.

As she hid between two parked cars, she watched her son, 27-year-old Leshaun Hodges, walk out of the building and drive off in a car they shared, Assistant State’s Attorney Nora Gill said at a bond hearing.

Police found Clay’s body in the living room of the apartment the three had shared since Hodges was paroled on an armed robbery charge last year.

Clay had been shot six times: four times in the chest; once each in the head and back, Gill said. The 52-year-old was pronounced dead at Illinois Masonic Hospital.

Hodges was arrested five hours later near Humboldt Park, about four miles west of the apartment, still behind the wheel of the car he and his mother owned, Gill said.

Assistant Public Defender Nick Burris said Hodges was on his way to turn himself into police when he was arrested.

Wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and jeans, Hodges stood silent at the bond hearing, and had no reaction when Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered him held without bond.

Gill said Hodges had been arguing and cursing at his mother around 1:30 p.m., and that she had threatened to call his parole officer.

Clay told Hodges to show his mother some respect, touching off a shoving match between the two men, Gill said. Hodges’ mother broke up the fight, but Hodges went to his bedroom and allegedly returned with a black pistol.

Neighbors who heard Hodges’ mother screaming as she ran out of the apartment building, saw Hodges walk out, still holding the gun, Gill said.

Police searched the house and found live 9-millimeter rounds in the pocket of a jacket in Hodges’ room, and the shells were the same make as the six cartridge casings found near Clay’s body, Gill said.