Keith Hobbs was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on June 16 for gunning down Demetrius Blocker in what prosecutors described as a “likely case of mistake identity.”
Jurors deliberated for two days before convicting Hobbs, 29, of first degree murder in Blocker’s shooting on Dec. 16, 2010 in a Mission Hill parking lot.
Blocker, 21, was waiting for a relative when he was shot. He wasn’t affiliated with gangs or crime, according to prosecutors.
Hobbs fled from Horadan Way on foot toward Huntington Avenue, dumping his gun in a dumpster on the way. He wasn’t charged until April 2012 after authorities pieced together video evidence with witness testimony.
Blocker died at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
“Outdoor shootings are statistically the most difficult to solve,” Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley said in a statement. “The video evidence was helpful, but we could not have achieved this result without witness testimony.”
According to MyFoxBoston.com, a witness came forward after FOX 25 aired the case on its “New England’s Unsolved” segment.
“I want to acknowledge the key role that the media and the community played in helping to solve it,” Conley said.
When Hobbs was indicted for the murder, he was serving a three-year prison sentence for possession of a firearm and possession of a Class B substance with intent to distribute, according to the DA’s press release.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s full press release is below:
Life Term in Mistaken Identity Murder
BOSTON, June 16, 2015—The man who gunned down Demetrius Blocker in a likely case of mistaken identity was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in the 2010 Mission Hill slaying, SuffolkCounty District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.
Suffolk Superior Court Judge Janet Sanders additionally sentenced KEITH HOBBS (D.O.B. 2/1/86) to a concurrent term of four to five years on his conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm. Jurors convicted Hobbsof the murder and gun offenses on Friday in connection with Blocker’s Dec. 16, 2010, homicide.
During about a week and a half of trial, Assistant District Attorneys Masai King and Montez Haywood introduced evidence and testimony proving that Hobbs opened fire in the rear parking area of 48 Horadan Way, striking Blocker, who was simply waiting for a relative and was not involved with guns, gangs, or violence. Hobbs then fled on foot toward Huntington Avenue, tossing the firearm in a dumpster along the way.
Blocker, 21, was rushed to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he died of his injuries. Nearby cameras captured part of the gunman’s escape, but his identity remained unknown until a civilian witness identified him.
“Even with surveillance images, this case might well have gone unsolved without the cooperation of witnesses who came forward after media reports,” Conley said. “That assistance made the difference here, and I want to highlight its importance.”
Hobbs was charged with murder in April 2012 after authorities developed critical identification evidence. At the time the warrant issued,Hobbs was serving a three-year prison sentence for a 2011 arrest for possession of a firearm and possession of a Class B substance with intent to distribute.
Katherine Moran was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.Hobbs was represented by attorney William White.
