Mark Randall Howard dies in Sabine County shooting; father charged
Fatal Sabine County shooting death of Mark Randall Howard – Obituary
Mark Randall Howard, a 20-year-old with Down syndrome, was tragically shot and killed on Sunday night at his family’s lake house in the Fairmount Community near Toledo Bend. His father, 68-year-old Michael C. Howard, is accused of shooting his son and attempting to dispose of the body by burning it on a pile of wood and trash.
According to Sabine County Sheriff Tom Maddox, Michael Howard claimed he mistook his son for an intruder and fatally shot him with a 12-gauge shotgun. Howard reported the incident the following day, calling a deputy directly using contact information from a prior theft report.
Lead investigator J.P. McDonough revealed that Howard told deputies he used a backhoe to transport his son’s body to a remote part of the property before placing it on the burn pile. Deputies, alongside Texas Rangers, searched the property and recovered burned remains believed to be those of Mark Randall Howard.
Michael Howard, a Houston attorney, has been charged with murder and tampering with evidence. During questioning, he declined to explain why he burned the body, instead requesting an attorney. A judge has set his bond at $20 million.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to uncover further details surrounding the incident.