Kathy Pinna
Shooting Spree
June 23, 2006 at 1:18 am
Jason Howard was on supervised release from prison, where he had served 5 months of a 1 year sentence for domestic violence and violation of protective order. He had been released sometime last year.
Police began looking for Howard as a result of two shootings in which two men were injured, one Wednesday and one Saturday. He is also a suspect in the murder of another man who was found Monday. Howard was located and taken into custody Wednesday after a short standoff with police and has been charged with 2 counts of felonious assault.
Also on Wednesday, his girlfriend’s mother had not heard from her in several days and she and her son went to the girlfriend’s home looking for her. At the home they found the bodies of Jameila West, 27; her daughter, Jameire Ervin, 10; and her sons, Tre’vion Williams, 5, and Jakia Howard, 3, dead from gunshot wounds. Some reports say that the youngest child is a child that West had with Howard. Police believe the family may have been dead for several days, maybe longer.
Howard did not reside with West, but had been going there to visit her and his son.
Police have said that Howard is a person of interest in the murders, and they are attempting to question him. They are not saying if the shootings are connected.
A girlfriend/mother, 3 children, and another man killed, and two others injured from gunshot wounds, and Howard is suspected or charged in all.
There are still a lot of unanswered questions here. How long the family had been dead, what led up to the shootings, and whether the shootings were related. I also wonder who the domestic violence charges were with. The family has reported that Howard and West had known each other a long time and their child was 3 years old, but there is no indication if the previous domestic violence charges were filed by her.
But no matter the reasons, no matter why, 5 people dead including 3 innocent children, and two others injured. And they all seem to center on one man.
The domestic violence that Jason Howard went to prison for was for violence against Jamelia West. Reportedly, West had called police in July of 2004 and stated that Howard grabbed her neck, threw her to the floor and threatened to kill her. He was convicted of domestic violence a protective order was issued, and he was fined. Later the same month West reported that Howard had come to the home, pushed her, tried to smother her with a pillow, and slapped her leg leaving a visable hand print. He was convicted and sent to prison. Howard has also had cocaine convictions in recent years.
The autopsy has been completed on Jamelia and her oldest daughter. According to the coroner, Jamelia had been shot, but 10-year-old Jameire Erwin had been strangled. The initial reports from police said that all of the victims had been shot, but police explain this by the fact that the bodies had begun decomposing. Autopsies are expected to be completed on the two younger children on Friday.
Jamelia’s family says that she never failed to call her father on Father’s day. But this year they never heard from her. The last contact they had with her was a phone call late on Sat.
Police have talked with Howard, but he has not admitted involvement. Police believe the family was killed late on Sat. or early Sun.
Jason Howard spoke out in court today. He told the judge that he was guilty of the felonious assault and the aggravated murder of the men. But he stated he did not kill West or his children, and he asked that they find out who murdered them. Autopsies have been completed on the two youngest children, and the cause of death was determined to be smothering.
Jamelia West and her oldest daughter Jameria Irvin were found in the basement covered with blankets. The two younger boys were found in an upstairs bedroom.
Jason T. Howard has been arrested for the murder of the family. Howard is the ex-boyfriend of Jamelia West, and previously convicted of domestic violence against her. According to police and family, Howard was the father of 3 year old Jakia Howard.
Howard had been previously charged with the murder of two other men, but those charges have been dropped. He is still charged with the murder of another man.
It is theorized that Jamelia West and her children had been dead for three or four days before their bodies were found.
At a court hearing for Jason Howard two men have been charged with assaulting him (misdemeanor). Reportedly a brother and a cousin began hitting him while he was shackled and at the defense table. According to one article, Jameila’s mother also admitted to “patting” Howard on the back of the head and a deputy grabbed her and put her on the floor. Hearing was rescheduled til 9 am Wednesday, and the judge has said that no one who was involved in the melee will be attending.
Jameila West’s mother said she had a bad back and was taken to the hospital per ambulance.
Though police have charged Jason Howard in the shooting of Jameila West, he was not formally indicted as of Jan. 2007.
In Jan. of 2007 Jason Howard pleaded guilty to the death of David Dally and the shooting of two other men. On the 6 charges that he pleaded guilty to, he was sentenced to 44 years to life in prison. However Howard has continued to deny that he had killed Jameila West or her children.
Jason Howard was on supervised release from prison, where he had served 5 months of a 1 year sentence for domestic violence and violation of protective order. He had been released sometime last year.
Police began looking for Howard as a result of two shootings in which two men were injured, one Wednesday and one Saturday. He is also a suspect in the murder of another man who was found Monday. Howard was located and taken into custody Wednesday after a short standoff with police and has been charged with 2 counts of felonious assault.
Also on Wednesday, his girlfriend’s mother had not heard from her in several days and she and her son went to the girlfriend’s home looking for her. At the home they found the bodies of Jameila West, 27; her daughter, Jameire Ervin, 10; and her sons, Tre’vion Williams, 5, and Jakia Howard, 3, dead from gunshot wounds. Some reports say that the youngest child is a child that West had with Howard. Police believe the family may have been dead for several days, maybe longer.
Howard did not reside with West, but had been going there to visit her and his son.
Police have said that Howard is a person of interest in the murders, and they are attempting to question him. They are not saying if the shootings are connected.
A girlfriend/mother, 3 children, and another man killed, and two others injured from gunshot wounds, and Howard is suspected or charged in all.
There are still a lot of unanswered questions here. How long the family had been dead, what led up to the shootings, and whether the shootings were related. I also wonder who the domestic violence charges were with. The family has reported that Howard and West had known each other a long time and their child was 3 years old, but there is no indication if the previous domestic violence charges were filed by her.
But no matter the reasons, no matter why, 5 people dead including 3 innocent children, and two others injured. And they all seem to center on one man.
The domestic violence that Jason Howard went to prison for was for violence against Jamelia West. Reportedly, West had called police in July of 2004 and stated that Howard grabbed her neck, threw her to the floor and threatened to kill her. He was convicted of domestic violence a protective order was issued, and he was fined. Later the same month West reported that Howard had come to the home, pushed her, tried to smother her with a pillow, and slapped her leg leaving a visable hand print. He was convicted and sent to prison. Howard has also had cocaine convictions in recent years.
The autopsy has been completed on Jamelia and her oldest daughter. According to the coroner, Jamelia had been shot, but 10-year-old Jameire Erwin had been strangled. The initial reports from police said that all of the victims had been shot, but police explain this by the fact that the bodies had begun decomposing. Autopsies are expected to be completed on the two younger children on Friday.
Jamelia’s family says that she never failed to call her father on Father’s day. But this year they never heard from her. The last contact they had with her was a phone call late on Sat.
Police have talked with Howard, but he has not admitted involvement. Police believe the family was killed late on Sat. or early Sun.
Jason Howard spoke out in court today. He told the judge that he was guilty of the felonious assault and the aggravated murder of the men. But he stated he did not kill West or his children, and he asked that they find out who murdered them. Autopsies have been completed on the two youngest children, and the cause of death was determined to be smothering.
Jamelia West and her oldest daughter Jameria Irvin were found in the basement covered with blankets. The two younger boys were found in an upstairs bedroom.
Jason T. Howard has been arrested for the murder of the family. Howard is the ex-boyfriend of Jamelia West, and previously convicted of domestic violence against her. According to police and family, Howard was the father of 3 year old Jakia Howard.
Howard had been previously charged with the murder of two other men, but those charges have been dropped. He is still charged with the murder of another man.
It is theorized that Jamelia West and her children had been dead for three or four days before their bodies were found.
At a court hearing for Jason Howard two men have been charged with assaulting him (misdemeanor). Reportedly a brother and a cousin began hitting him while he was shackled and at the defense table. According to one article, Jameila’s mother also admitted to “patting” Howard on the back of the head and a deputy grabbed her and put her on the floor. Hearing was rescheduled til 9 am Wednesday, and the judge has said that no one who was involved in the melee will be attending.
Jameila West’s mother said she had a bad back and was taken to the hospital per ambulance.
Though police have charged Jason Howard in the shooting of Jameila West, he was not formally indicted as of Jan. 2007.
In Jan. of 2007 Jason Howard pleaded guilty to the death of David Dally and the shooting of two other men. On the 6 charges that he pleaded guilty to, he was sentenced to 44 years to life in prison. However Howard has continued to deny that he had killed Jameila West or her children.
