Rutherford County-- May 29, 2026: Main Street became a crime scene in the early hours of Thursday morning after an overnight shooting left a 39-year-old man dead and sparked a rapid homicide investigation.
The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office responded to the call on Main Street in Henrietta at approximately 1:45 AM on May 28. Upon arriving at the scene, deputies discovered a male victim, later identified as 39-year-old Daniel Acy, who was pronounced deceased.
Though the initial response drew a heavy law enforcement presence to the area, authorities moved quickly to reassure neighbors that the immediate danger had passed, taking a suspect into custody directly at the scene.
"There is believed to be no ongoing threat to the public," the Sheriff's Office shared in an initial statement while deputies secured the active crime scene.
Later that day, investigators officially identified the man in custody as 38-year-old Steven Hodge. He has since been hit with multiple charges, including:
Common law murder
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Detectives are currently collaborating with the District Attorney’s Office to comb through evidence and decide if these charges will be upgraded or made more specific as the investigation matures.
Hodge is currently being held in Rutherford County without bond. He made his first official appearance in court on May 28, where he was appointed a public defender.
He is scheduled to return to the Rutherford County Courthouse for his next hearing on June 10.
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