Houston Attorney Charged After Fatally Shooting Son and Burning His Body

Michael Howard, 68, claimed he mistook his 20-year-old son with Down syndrome for an intruder and waited 17 hours before reporting the incident to authorities.

Michael Howard, a Houston-based lawyer, told investigators he accidentally shot his son, Mark Howard, at their rural property in Sabine County, Texas, believing he was an intruder.
After the shooting, Howard transported his son's body using a backhoe, placed it on a woodpile, and burned it, describing the act as a form of 'cremation' he believed his son would have wanted.
Authorities discovered charred remains, including bones and body parts, at the burn site and evidence suggesting Howard attempted to clean the crime scene with a water hose.
Howard waited 17 hours before contacting law enforcement, during which he reportedly called family members and moved the body to a remote area on his 2,500-acre property.
Howard has been charged with murder and evidence tampering, with authorities indicating that additional charges may follow pending further investigation and a grand jury review.