Sergeant John Hugh Howell, II, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina

Sergeant John Hugh Howell, II

Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina

End of Watch Sunday, August 26, 1973

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John Hugh Howell, II

Sergeant John Howell was shot and killed after responding to a domestic dispute in which a man had assaulted his daughter at 6:39 p.m.

When Sergeant Howell arrived at the location, the man's son let him into the house. While inside, he exchanged shots with the father, who was armed with a .22 caliber rifle. Sergeant Howell was struck in the chest and hand. He was able to make it to his patrol car and called for assistance before succumbing to his wounds.

The suspect was arrested and charged with murder and assault. He was convicted of second-degree murder on March 1st, 1974, and sentenced to 25 years in prison. He was released on May 28, 1982. In May of 1995, he was killed when a tractor turned over on top of him.

Sergeant Howell was a U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran and Bronze Star recipient who had served with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office for two years. He was survived by his parents.

Bio

Age 24
Tour 2 years
Badge Not available
Military Veteran

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Rifle; .22 caliber
Offender Sentenced to 25 years

domestic

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Memorial Service Planned for Officer Slain in 1973

Posted on August 21, 2024 WHKY NEWS

A memorial service for Sgt. John Hugh Howell, II will be held at 3 p.m., Monday, August 26. The service will be conducted in the new Lincoln County Courthouse at 120 Justice Drive in Lincolnton.

Sgt. Howell was 24 years old when he was shot and killed on August 26, 1973, while responding to a domestic dispute in which a man had assaulted his daughter. The father shot Sgt. Howell in the chest and hand with a .22 caliber rifle. Sergeant Howell made it to his patrol car and radioed for assistance before he passed away.

Sgt. Howell joined the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in 1971 after serving in the U.S. Army in Vietnam. He is honored with a plaque in the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center and another plaque at the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial in Washington, D.C. The street that runs past the law enforcement center is John Howell Memorial Drive.

The suspect was convicted of second-degree murder in March of 1974 and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He served only eight years before his release in May of 1982. He was killed in a tractor accident in May of 1995.

Retired Police Officer
NYPD

August 22, 2024