Marion County Sheriff’s Office’s Major Crimes detectives and a Cold Case team have solved the homicide of an Ocala woman almost 12 years after her death.
On July 17, 2005, MCSO deputies and evidence technicians responded to the residence of Margaret Mary Mohrenne, who was 33 at the time of her death, located at the 3600th block of NE 22nd St. in Ocala in reference to a house fire, according to an MCSO press release. When Marion County Fire Rescue began to extinguish the fire and enter the home, they found Mohrenne’s deceased body on the living room floor, the press release stated. Her boyfriend, Allen Hodder, 38, was the main suspect in the case but was not arrested.
It was later determined that the fire was caused by arson and that Mohrenne died before the fire started. The medical examiner ruled Mohrenne’s cause of death as strangulation and blunt impact injuries to the head, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide, according to the press release. During the investigation, detectives discovered that Hodder learned before her death that Mohrenne might be pregnant with their child. Hodder gave multiple interviews to detectives, making inconsistent statements and denying his involvement in Mohrenne’s murder, and eventually told detectives that if he killed her, he blacked out and doesn’t remember what happened.
After further investigation and consultation with the State Attorney’s Office, the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the SAO began the process of seeking a second degree murder indictment against Hodder.
However Hodder died on March 13, 2017, of a Fentanyl and Carfentanil overdose before the indictment could be brought against him, therefore closing the case.
“Now that Margaret’s homicide is finally solved, her family can now full know who is responsible for her death and have a sense of peace,” said Sheriff Billy Woods. “It is because of the dedication and persistence of our Major Crimes detectives, Cold Case team members, the SAO, State Fire Marshal and the ATF that we can give this conclusion to her loved ones who have for justice alongside us for all these years.”
