SABINE COUNTY, Texas — A Houston lawyer has been arrested after allegedly shooting his son before burning his body in Deep East Texas.
According to the Sabine County Sheriff's Office, on Monday, Dec. 2, deputies were contacted by Michael C. Howard who stated he "accidentally" shot his son, Mark Randall Howard, who he says he mistook for an intruder, in the 2500 block of Mount Sinai Rd.
Michael Howard then said the shooting actually occurred Sunday evening and that he had placed his son's body in the front-loading bucket of a backhoe tractor and carried it to a remote area on his property. He then claimed he put Mark Howard's body on a trash pile and "cremated" his body.
Michael Howard told deputies the incident was a "horrible accident."
"[Michael] Howard also pointed out the shot gun that he claimed to have used in the incident which was located inside one of the buildings on the property," the SCSO said. "Deputies searched the structures and the area around for the son but did not locate him. Howard then indicated the area which he had taken his son to for what he called 'cremation'."
After obtaining a search warrant, SCSO reports deputies and Texas Rangers found what they believed were body parts and bones.
"All bones appeared to have been burned based on charring and the area they were found in, was heavy with soot and ash," the SCSO said. "The recovered body parts have sent to the Medical Examiner’s Office. Howard was arrested and is currently charged with murder and tampering with evidence."
The SCSO says the tampering charge stems from the burning of the body.
Michael Howard is being held in the Sabine County Jail on $10,000,000 bond.
The case remains under investigation.
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