Michael Hodo Jr., a 17-year-old teenager, was one of the three victims in a triple homicide that shook the rural community of Ocklawaha, Florida, in the spring of 2023. His body was discovered on March 31, 2023, approximately 0.4 miles from where the first victim, Layla Silvernail, was found on March 30, 2023.
Hodo's body was found in a ditch, and when deputies arrived, he was pronounced dead at the scene. He had suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the back of the head.
The investigation revealed that Hodo, along with Layla Silvernail and Camille Quarles, were all associated with the same group of teenagers, some of whom were involved in gang activities and had engaged in burglaries and robberies prior to the shootings. The suspects, identified as Robert Robinson, 17, Tahj Brewton, 16, and Christopher Adkins, 12, were linked to the crime through phone records, including text messages and pictures on the victims’ iPhones, as well as tips from the community.
According to the authorities, the three victims and the three suspects were all in Layla Silvernail’s Chevrolet Cruze at the time of the shooting. The investigation suggested that the suspects turned on the victims, leading to the tragic murders. Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods stated that the weapons used in the shootings were obtained through car burglaries.
The arrests of the suspects were made shortly after the discoveries of the bodies. Christopher Adkins was arrested at his residence on April 7, Robert Robinson was already in custody serving a prior charge and was arrested on the same day, and Tahj Brewton was arrested in Lake County, Florida on April 8. The investigation and subsequent arrests brought to light a disturbing web of gang affiliations and petty theft that ultimately led to the cold-blooded murders of the three teenagers.
