Cornelius C Hodges

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Omaha Police Department (NE)

Offense Location:

Omaha, Nebraska

Summary:

Cornelius Hodges, 30, was found dead behind a house at 3009 Hamilton Street in Omaha, Nebraska, on Sunday, October 30, 2016. His death was ruled a homicide but has never been solved.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Offense:

Cornelius had been missing since he left his mother's home at 41st and Ohio Streets around 1 a.m. on October 24 to walk to his apartment in downtown Omaha. To Kenneth and Diane Perry, their son Cornelius Hodges was always known as their angel. At just two years old, the tot became sick and suffered kidney failure, ultimately losing one of his kidneys which led to developmental disabilities. "But he never gave up," his mother Diane told Dateline. "He was strong and smart and just, well, our miracle child. Our angel." By 2016 the young boy had grown into a six-foot-three man, graduated high school and moved into his own apartment in downtown Omaha. According to Sergeant Chris Spencer with the Omaha Police Department, officers responded to the scene at 3009 Hamilton Street and discovered a badly decomposed body beneath a vehicle behind the house. The residents who called police initially thought the gruesome scene was a Halloween prank. Diane said she described her son's distinctive tattoos to investigators who confirmed it was him. The Medical Examiner's Office later officially identified the body to be Cornelius Hodges. Sergeant Spencer confirmed to Dateline that Cornelius had been shot and that his death was ruled a homicide.

Additional Details:

Cornelius's parents told Dateline they believe their son was targeted by someone on Hamilton Street who knew that he frequently walked in the neighborhood. Diane added that there was a big Halloween party on the street the night Cornelius walked home, and said she believes he was killed that night. Sergeant Spencer told Dateline that the residents of the house where Cornelius was found were questioned, but said there are no indicators that they were involved. This is not the first tragedy for the Hodges family. Diane's other son, Samuel, was shot and killed in April 2003. He was only 19. Diane and Kenny, who have since moved out of the neighborhood, told Dateline they have tried every avenue in search of answers to what happened to their Cornelius, but continue to hit dead ends. His parents hope shining a light on Cornelius's story will encourage someone to come forward with answers about his death. They continue to share his story on social media, with the community, and are hoping to raise enough money to put up a billboard in the area. Anyone with information about Cornelius Hodges' case is urged to contact the Omaha Police Department Homicide Unit at 402-444-5656 or Omaha Crime Stoppers at 402-444-STOP or at www.omahacrimestoppers.org.

Case Last Updated:

Apr 24, 2026