Ferndale Soldier Fatally Shot Protecting Friend In Kentucky

FERNDALE, MI — A Ferndale Army sergeant who was fatally shot in Kentucky last week will be buried with full military honors Monday. Sgt. Christopher Hoch, 28, and Spc. Pricilla Ann East, 32, were shot by East’s estranged husband at a home in Oak Grove, Kentucky, on Feb. 2, according to police reports.

Both Hoch and East were soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Both were specialists, and Hoch was promoted posthumously to sergeant.

Kentucky State Police said Jeremy James Demer, 35, of Clarksville, Kentucky, kicked in the door of the house in Oak Grove and opened fire, killing both of them shortly after 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 2. He fled with his 2-year-old son and was apprehended at his home about two hours later, according to the report. The toddler wasn’t injured, but a 16-year-old at the Oak Grove home was injured in the fight with Demar, police said.

Back home in Ferndale, Hoch’s father told The Daily Tribune his son had proposed to his girlfriend, Dominique House, a day before he was killed. East had come to her best friend’s apartment seeking shelter from Demer, Mark Hoch said.

“It was Feb. 1 when Chris bought the ring and proposed to her,” the soldier’s father said. “It was the following day when the tragedy occurred.”

The Leaf-Chronicle said East and Demer had a long history of violence and East believed her life was in danger. She had applied for and received a protection order against him, but was dismissed in October without a hearing. The reason wasn’t clear.

In a court petition obtained by The Leaf-Chronicle, East detailed escalating violence. Among other things, he had insisted on hourly check-ins while she was at work, had choked her until she was unconscious and had “threatened that if he ever found out I was cheating on him he would take me out and put a bullet in my head.”

Hoch, who had served in Afghanistan and elsewhere overseas, had received several commendations, the Army said in a news release. His decorations included the Army Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Operation Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman's Badge, and Air Assault Badge.

Hoch’s funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at William Sullivan and Son Funeral Home, 705 W. Mile Road in Royal Oak. Burial with full military honors will follow at Roseland Park Cemetery in Berkley. Visitation is from 4-8 p.m. Saturday and 2-8 p.m. Sunday. The full obituary is found here.

Photo via U.S. Army