Southeast / Long Beach : Man Convicted in Death of Crossing Guard

A Long Beach man has been convicted of murdering a school crossing guard in a 1993 case that sparked outrage across Southern California.

Richard Hodge, 19, a former student at Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, could face life in prison without the possibility of parole for the slaying of Catherine Tucker, a crossing guard who was found dead in the trunk of her car after she was abducted from her post near Burnett Street and Pacific Avenue. She was shot once in the head.

Hodge, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, was found guilty of firing the fatal shot at Tucker. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 26.

Authorities say Hodge and another suspect, Virgil Jason Clarke, killed Tucker and stole her car. They crashed the car later that day, and the two were arrested about five hours after the shooting, said Steven Schreiner, deputy district attorney.

A separate trial began Sept. 28 for Clarke, 20. He was a decorated ROTC cadet at the high school when he was arrested in connection with the case. He also is charged with murder.

Tucker’s slaying shocked area crossing guards and prompted Long Beach officials to buy $44,000 worth of cellular telephones for the city’s 80 crossing in cases of emergency.