FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A former security guard at an East Point Family Dollar was denied bond Tuesday in Fulton County Court ahead of his murder trial for a shooting at the store where he worked.
Scott Melton was shot and killed on Christmas Eve 2024. Fulton County prosecutors said Tuesday they have surveillance video showing the moment Justin Hodges killed Melton, Channel 2’s Michael Seiden learned.
Hodges had been on the run since the shooting before being captured by U.S. Marshals in DeKalb County last month, prosecutors said.
“The video on this shows Mr. Hodges chasing a victim through the Family Dollar, chasing him outside, hitting him over the head with a handgun, and then shooting the victim in the head,” said prosecutor Travis D. Thomas.
Jessica Gerber, Hodges’ defense attorney, argued for his release on bond despite the murder charge.
“If released, he would reside with his family and just continue working at Wendy’s,” Gerber said in court.
Forshee Melton, the victim’s widow, addressed the court and expressed her family’s fear and asking the judge to keep Hodges behind bars, saying, “to go and visit Georgia and see loved ones and stuff like that without any fear of bumping into him.”
Hodges appeared in court shackled and wearing a jail uniform, showing little emotion as his family, including his girlfriend, watched from the second row.
Police say Hodges’ girlfriend, who was the store manager, hired him as a security guard. Investigators claim an argument between Hodges and Melton escalated into the fatal shooting.
Prosecutors also suggested that there might be evidence indicating that Hodges’ family helped him escape.
Hodges is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing Thursday, where prosecutors plan to present the surveillance video of the incident and testimony from detectives.
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