Police make 5th arrest in December 'revenge' murder in southwest Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The arrest of a third teenager in connection with a "revenge" murder in December marks the fifth arrest in the case.

The 17-year-old was arrested Tuesday on charges of murder and robbery in the Dec. 20 shooting of 20-year-old Milton Ritchie. The teen's name won't be released because they are underage.

The arrest marks the fifth in Ritchie's murder.

Jill Brooks, 51, was arrested Monday and charged with hindering prosecution or apprehension and falsely reporting an incident to law enforcement. In a news release Monday, Louisville Metro Police said Brooks is the stepmother of the 17-year-old who was charged last week.

Last month, Daontez Hodges, 19, was arrested and charged with murder, robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and unlawful transaction with a minor.

The shooting happened on the afternoon of Dec. 20 in the 3000 block of Fordhaven Road, off St. Anthony Church Road, near Pleasure Ridge Park. That's where LMPD officers found Ritchie outside a vehicle in a ditch with gunshot wounds. Investigators determined Ritchie had been shot in the neck and lower back.

Court documents indicate Ritchie had been invited to meet a 15-year-old girl. When Ritchie arrived at the scene he was greeted by the girl, Hodges and several other people. That's when police said Hodges fired two shots from a rifle at Ritchie, killing him.

Investigators determined that the 15-year-old girl was part of a "revenge" plot that included taking Ritchie's car after he was shot, and that she contacted Hodges to let him know Ritchie had arrived. Court records indicate 911 callers and witnesses told police "a large crowd was present in the area" when Ritchie was shot.

The girl was arrested a few days after the killing. She is charged with complicity to murder and robbery.

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