New hearing for suspect goes smoothly

The suspect faces six felony charges in Trumbull County.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Jason Howard got a few weeks to cool off, and made another appearance Thursday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court on murder and attempted murder charges.
This time he made no comments, and his hearing was routine, except for a short exchange with courtroom spectators before his hearing when he was first led into the courtroom. The date for another pretrial hearing was set for July 20.
When Howard, 24, of Liberty, appeared before Judge John M. Stuard on June 23, he admitted a three-day crime spree. "I'm guilty of all this," Howard said during his arraignment on six felony charges -- throwing a copy of his indictment onto the courtroom floor.
Howard had been set to appear before Judge Stuard last week, but the matter was reset until this week. Chris Becker, assistant Trumbull County prosecutor, said at the time that the additional week would allow Howard to "cool off" a bit.
Becker said Howard faces life in prison without parole on the Warren charges. He is also a person of interest in the Columbus slayings of his former girlfriend and her three children, one of whom Howard fathered.
The bodies of Jameila West, 28, formerly of Warren; her daughter, Jamiere Erwin, 10; and sons, Trever Williams, 6, and Jakia Howard, 3, were found in their Columbus home June 21. Jakia was Howard's son.
Columbus police say the investigation into the quadruple murder is ongoing.
Warren crimes
In Warren, Howard is accused of the shooting death of Phillip Dally, whose body was found June 19 in a vacant lot on Front Street.
According to court papers filed in the case, Howard shot Dally in the back of the head with a handgun in the vacant lot. Howard "lured Mr. Dally from a residence at 208 Ohio St. with the specific purpose to kill Mr. Dally," the prosecutor's office said.
Attempted murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping charges arise out of the June 18 shooting of Mario Sowell, 30, of First Street.
According to the police report, Sowell had given Howard a ride in his mother's car. He told police Howard pulled a handgun on him and demanded money. Sowell responded that he didn't have any money, but Howard eventually got $110 from him, prosecutors said.
The prosecutor's office said Howard ordered Sowell out of the car and onto the ground and shot him in the back in a Warren park.
Howard is also accused of the June 21 wounding of Dontai Young, 26, of Lane Drive, who told police he was shot in the arm by Howard after the two struggled over a handgun. Prosecutors said Howard chased Young out of the car, firing two shots at him.