Woodbury graduation party shooting accomplice guilty on all charges
WOODBURY, Minn. (FOX 9) - Despite not firing the fatal shot at a Woodbury graduation party shooting that killed a 14-year-old in 2021, Xavier Hudson has been found guilty of murder for his involvement in the death.
Two years after the death of Demaris Nathan Hobbs-Ekdahl, Hudson was found guilty on Friday of aiding and abetting second-degree murder, as well as several lesser counts – 10 total – for his actions.
According to authorities, the trio of Hudson, Jaden Townsend and Enrique Davila were fighting with Demaris and his brother at the party on Edgewood Road on June 5, 2021. The siblings left and called their stepdad, Keith Dawson, who would eventually drive through the neighborhood and open fire at the group that allegedly hassled his boys.
Dawson ultimately pleaded guilty to drive-by shooting and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Evidence and witness testimony established Hudson and Davila quickly returned Dawson’s fire that night. Demaris, who was in a fleeing vehicle that was trailing his stepfather’s, was struck by gunfire. Ballistics showed the fatal round came from a gun Davila was firing, not Hudson.
Townsend was convicted on a lesser assault charge and sentenced to 36 months in prison. He has since completed the in-custody portion of the sentence and is out on supervised release.
No sentencing date has yet been set for Hudson.
A trial for Davila is scheduled for December.
Vigil held for 14-year-old boy killed in Woodbury shooting
Sunday morning, family identified the 14-year-old victim of the shooting as Demaris Nathan Hobbs-Ekdahl --an incoming sophomore at Tartan High School who was cherished by his loved ones. The Ekdahls say after a confrontation at the party, Demaris was shot in the back while trying to leave in a car with his brother.