Elijah Hood's Triple-Murder Arrest: How Tipsters Turned Against Him

The Denver Police Department arrest of 24-year-old Elijah Hood for the Green Valley Ranch-area murders of his aunt, 65-year-old Denise Hood; her grandson, 22-year-old Donne Allen Jr.; and her great-grandson, four-year-old Me'Khi Parham Allen, happened largely because of tips — one after another over a span of more than a week, according to the arrest affidavit in the case.

The report's narrative begins at 5:53 p.m. on April 26, when the Denver Combined Communications Center received a call from a woman who said she'd walked into an apartment at 5959 North Dunkirk Street and found three people on the floor, covered in blood. Upon their arrival, officers determined that all of the victims were deceased, and each had been shot multiple times.

The cops also found what are described as "numerous spent cartridge casings...specifically within the entryway, kitchen and living room." Since there were no signs of forced entry, investigators quickly determined that the gunfire had erupted inside the apartment.

Meanwhile, a witness told officers about seeing a gold-colored sedan parked near the building. After gunshots sounded, a Black male wearing a black hoodie and black sweats raced to the car and took off.

On the evening of April 27, an anonymous tipster reached out to Denver police to offer information about a suspect known as "EJ," who supposedly lived near the intersection of Hampden Avenue and Tamarac Street. Before long, detectives determined that the person in question was Elijah Ja'quez Hood, who used "EJ" as a nickname — and when he was contacted by law enforcement, he had a firearm, despite previous convictions for robbery and theft that made possession of such a weapon illegal. "Elijah was believed to be involved with several shootings," the affidavit states.

A telephone found at the scene included a text message from EJ. His last communication had taken place at 2:14 p.m. on April 26, a few hours before the slayings; in it, EJ said he was not feeling well because he "had smoked 'too much weed' and would not be able to make it over."

Another tip added more details about the connection between EJ and Allen, who were said to have recently traveled to Atlanta together — but Hood returned a few days early, presumably because the pair "may have been fighting about something." The caller added that Hood was staying near the Alameda/Quebec area, "across from the Cemetery."

A subsequent check of vehicle registration showed that Hood owned a gold 2008 Chevy Impala sedan.

Several more tips about Hood's alleged connection to the murders flowed into the DPD during the first week of May. Using this information, investigators were able to find a possible location for Hood that was confirmed by a witness who'd seen a vehicle matching the Impala's description in an adjacent carport.

What happened next is largely redacted from the affidavit. But on the evening of May 8, officers were convinced Elijah Hood was their man, and by the next day, he was in custody.

A GoFundMe page set up on behalf of Denise Hood, Donne Allen Jr. and Me'Khi Parham Allen bears an appropriate label: "Family Tragedy." Its introduction reads: "A beloved mother, grandmother, auntie, cousin, sister and friend...that was Ms. Denise!!! On April 26, 2022 she lost her life, as well as her grandson and 4 year old great grandson that she was raising and doing a wonderful job, to a senseless crime. This was a woman who loved her family no matter what. She was a Christian woman who was living her life doing good to and for others. They did not deserve this. The family was in no way prepared for the loss of one family member let alone three."

So far, just over $8,000 has been pledged toward a goal of $10,000. Click to read the Elijah Hood arrest warrant.