Man rejects plea in Norwich homicide

Former Millstone guard accused of killing wife

A former security guard for the Millstone Nuclear Power Station who is accused of fatally shooting his wife at their Norwich home on Sept. 7, 2015, turned down an offer from the state Monday to plead guilty in exchange for a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

The case of James F. Hodgdon Jr., 58, was added to the trial list in New London Superior Court.

Hodgdon was initially charged with murder for the death of his wife, Dianna Hodgdon, but prosecutor Lawrence J. Tytla said he reduced the charge to first-degree manslaughter with a firearm after assessing the facts of the case.

Judge Hillary B. Strackbein said the plea offer Hodgdon rejected would have given his attorney, M. Fred DeCaprio, the opportunity to argue for a prison term as low as 22.5 years. If he is convicted at trial, he faces a sentence of up to 40 years in prison.

“We’ve been through, on a couple of occasions, the court’s offer in this matter and it’s Mr. Hodgdon’s choice to reject the offer,” DeCaprio said as Hodgdon stood next to him in a prison jumpsuit. “I’ve gone through the possible outcomes in a jury trial.”

DeCaprio said he would be preparing for the trial and it would be helpful if Hodgdon could be moved from the Northern Correctional Institution in Somers to the Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center in Montville. A correction officer with a connection to the case had worked at Corrigan, but DeCaprio said he is checking to see if that has changed.

Hodgdon, who had worked as a security guard at the Millstone for 26 years, called 911 at 8:09 p.m. to say he had just killed his wife. He was waiting for police outside their condominium at 6 Forestview Drive and surrendered when they arrived.

He told police that he had contemplated suicide and had called his supervisor at Millstone and said that if he didn’t show up at work, there were letters in his locker to be sent out. He also posted a “goodbye” on his Facebook page, according to the police report.

Dianna Hodgdon died at the scene of a gunshot wound to the upper torso.

At the scene, Hodgdon said his wife had intentionally pulled over his motorcycle, causing it to fall on its side in an attempt to damage it, according to the police report. He said he was holding the shotgun and it went off accidentally as the couple wrestled for control over it. Later, at police headquarters, Hodgdon said he had planned to commit suicide. He said his wife had come into the garage and belittled him by calling him names. He said he put the shotgun down against the wall and went into another room to get an overnight bag. He said he heard his wife slamming the shotgun on the ground and went into the garage and told her to stop because the gun was loaded.

He said he grabbed the shotgun and Dianna Hodgdon pulled it from the barrel end with both hands. He said he pulled the gun back, put his finger on the trigger and pulled it.

The victim worked as a receptionist at Antenna Salon in Norwich and as a training specialist for disabled people for Community Enterprises.