Double Homicide Suspect Arrested

[Surfing USA]

Byron Howard has been arrested in the shooting deaths of a couple in University Heights.

Updated: 04/24/09 01:32 PM

Arrest made in double slaying in January on Dartmouth

By Gene Warner

News Staff Reporter

Buffalo homicide detectives have arrested a 21-year-old man accused of shooting to death two people whose bodies later were found in a burning University Heights house on Jan. 18.

Byron Howard of Easton Avenue is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the shootings of Chisha Hawkins, 27, and Vernard Millner, 38, of Sumner Place.

Hawkins lived in the burning home at 39 Dartmouth Ave., while Millner lived on Sumner Place.

The two victims, whose bodies were burned beyond recognition, had been shot to death before the fire started, police sources have said.

Hawkins and Millner had a 3-year-old son together but then broke up, sources said. They had resumed their romance not long before the killings, after Hawkins had ended a relationship with Howard, police said.

At a late-morning press conference, Buffalo police and fire officials confirmed that the shootings were sparked by the breakup between Hawkins and Howard.

"He broke into the house, executed them and set the fire to cover up the crime," Buffalo Police Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson said.

Mayor Byron W. Brown praised the collaboration between Buffalo homicide detectives and fire investigators in solving this case. The Thursday night arrest means that homicide detectives have cleared eight of the city's 12 homicides so far this year.

Hawkins had turned 27 the day before her body was found. She and Millner apparently had gone out to celebrate, returned to the house early in the morning and were killed before the fire was set.

The fire was reported at about 6:45 a.m. Jan. 18, as flames sent a plume of thick, black smoke billowing through the University Heights neighborhood.

The couple's 3-year-old son and Hawkins' 23-year-old sister, who has a disability, reportedly had been taken to a relative's or friend's home before the couple left home to celebrate on the night before the fire.

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregio...ry/650244.html

[Surfing USA]

I bet he's hoping he goes in front of Justice M. William Boller.

[Save Us]

I think that we should be utilizing the death penalty with greater gusto

Make simple, humane and quick, public and be done with it. period. End of story. Fine'

[Save Us]

Byron Howard has been arrested in the shooting deaths of a couple in University Heights.

and see surf, therising says you never post anything of substance,,,, silly rising.

[Dougles]

I think that we should be utilizing the death penalty with greater gusto

Make simple, humane and quick, public and be done with it. period. End of story. Fine'

NYS no longer has the US of the Death penalty, this would have been a perfect case!

[cheekman]

I bet he's hoping he goes in front of Justice M. William Boller.

nice........., or judge green remember all the names when election time comes!

[Dumbfounded]

You know, if Patterson's going to bend most New Yorker's over and push for gay marriage (fine),
why doesn't he PUSH for the damned DEATH PENALTY?
Bring the death penalty back to New York State
AND
AMEND the laws governing violent crimes comitted by minors so that worthless punk loser trash (12 years and up) can get what they DESERVE because
they
are
never
going
to
REFORM
and become "good people."
It RARELY HAPPENS.


I HATE Texas but I LOVE their death penalty and how well they use it (although "W" abused it)

Wouldn't it be "poetic";Wonderful if human TRASH like this THING were EXECUTED, once convicted 1000% DNA guilty?
Wouldn't it be SWEET to read the morning edition of 'The Buffalo News' and see the photo Surfing posted with the caption:

"Byron Howard given lethal injection for __________" (name of crimes, victims)


I don't care that the death penalty is not a deterrent;Its JUSTICE which is all that counts and THIS is coming from a LIBERAL.

And CUT DOWN ON THE NUMBER AND TIME FOR APPEALS for death row convicts!!



Yes, I'm aware that innocent people have been executed;
'The Trials Of Daryl Hunt,' a documentary about one such railroaded innocent is tragic
but I'll reiterate;I'm for the death penalty when there is a 1000% certainty that the suspect is guilty.

[joe d.]

Byron Howard has been arrested in the shooting deaths of a couple in University Heights.

BTW...AS REPORTED on ch 4 today...he is the cousin of CURTIS BYERS, THE STUDENT who assaulted another student in WILLIAMSVILLE , RECENTLY,,,on helluva gene pool eh?

[Dougles]

BTW...AS REPORTED on ch 4 today...he is the cousin of CURTIS BYERS, THE STUDENT who assaulted another student in WILLIAMSVILLE , RECENTLY,,,on helluva gene pool eh?

I wonder if Curtis participated in this?

niether of them look smart enough to come up with a plan like this!

[Dumbfounded]

So I'm reading today's 'Buffalo News' about the physics teacher arrested for the double homicide of his ex-fiance' and her boyfriend and I'm reading on and
it said how he waited at least three hours for the two to come home and that's not including the time he HAD to have spent planning the murder-ambush.

Yet WHY was this THING charged with SECOND DEGREE MURDER
when CLEARLY
it was PREMEDITATED?!

The very least the DA or whoever could have done was to charge Oppenheimer with FIRST degree murder and with the usual plea bargaining done for ultra-violent offenders in NYS, they could have agreed with Dr. Hawkins and his lawyer on a second degree murder charge.

Just incredulous that he was not charged with first degree murder.
It was premeditated.
Could someone explain what makes SENSE about his LENIENT charges?

[BorderBob]

Yet WHY was this THING charged with SECOND DEGREE MURDER
when CLEARLY
it was PREMEDITATED?!

I thought we went through this. First Degree Murder is reserved for the killing of policemen. It has nothing do do with premeditation. That would be manslaughter. Second degree carries the same sentence anyway with perhaps some sentencing provision regarding parole, I would have to look it up.

b.b.

[Dumbfounded]

I thought we went through this. First Degree Murder is reserved for the killing of policemen. It has nothing do do with premeditation. That would be manslaughter. Second degree carries the same sentence anyway with perhaps some sentencing provision regarding parole, I would have to look it up.

b.b.

Thanks for clearing that up.
Such a brutal crime deserving of the death penalty if New York State still had it.

[Dougles]

I thought we went through this. First Degree Murder is reserved for the killing of policemen. It has nothing do do with premeditation. That would be manslaughter. Second degree carries the same sentence anyway with perhaps some sentencing provision regarding parole, I would have to look it up.

b.b.

By what I've read their is no longer a difference between first and second degree muder, just who you killed. The only MAIN difference was first degree murder which would be killing an officer of the law, a witness to another crime or killing someone during the commisioning of another felony could result in the death penalty. both are now top off at live without parole and can go as low as 15 or 20 years.

the difference between felony murder and manslaughter is premedition.

[Anotherview]

BTW...AS REPORTED on ch 4 today...he is the cousin of CURTIS BYERS, THE STUDENT who assaulted another student in WILLIAMSVILLE , RECENTLY,,,on helluva gene pool eh?

Wow, anger must be inherent