Relatives of man allegedly killed by suspect who violated bond conditions more than 3 dozen times speaks out
HOUSTON - 18-year-old Diego Langhum's life came to a violent end on April 17, 2021, at 1455 Lakeside Estates Drive.
Police say 18-year-old Corey Hodge killed Diego and shot and wounded his friend.
"I know personally from some of Diego's friends he did not know him," said Diego's mother Stacy Langhum.
On July 12, 2021, police say Hodge shot and wounded another man. He was charged with murder and two counts of aggravated assault last August.
Last October, he posted bonds totaling $370,000 and walked out of jail.
"And every time I got wind of anything, I sent it to the District Attorney's Office," Langhum said.
Diego's mother found pictures of Hodge on social media brandishing guns. He even posted songs he wrote about killing Diego.
"To kill someone in cold blood, as he did to Diego, for no apparent reason, than to go on to make a song in detail about what you did, was heartbreaking," Langhum said.
According to court documents, Hodge's bond conditions include home confinement and wearing a GPS monitor. Conditions he violated repeatedly.
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On April 22, Hodge appeared before 176th Criminal District Court Judge Nakita Harmon.
"For one, he came to court 45 minutes late, and like the shirt I have on now with my son's face on it, I had an orange shirt on. He looked at it, and he laughed along with his mother," said Langhum.
Hodge continued to violate his bond conditions.
On May 27, Harris County Pre-Trial Services sent a bond condition violation report to the court showing at least 37 bond condition violations.
Last Friday, the DA's office filed a motion to revoke Hodge's bond. The judge granted it and Hodge is now back behind bars.
Diego's mother and grandmother question why it took Judge Harmon so long to act.
"She's to blame. She dropped the ball," Langhum said.
"If I were a judge, this wouldn't have happened," said Diego's grandmother Rosalinda Chavez. "Why she let it go, I don't know. I have no idea, but this needs to be stopped."