Andrew Wilson recalls haunting nightmares of father's murder decades later

In a tragic incident in East Texas, a father has been charged with the murder of his adult son, who was diagnosed with Down syndrome. Michael C. Howard, 68, reported that he mistook his son, Mark Randall Howard, for an intruder and shot him with a shotgun on a Sunday evening. The relationship between the father and son was not detailed, though it was noted that Mark was high functioning and had a job. Instead of calling the authorities immediately, Michael waited about 17 hours before he contacted them the following day. During that time, he transported his son’s body to a remote area on his property using a backhoe, where he placed it on a wood trash pile and attempted to cremate it. This act of disposing of the body raised suspicions among investigators, leading them to classify the situation as a bizarre crime. Michael justified his actions to investigators, claiming he cremated his son in line with what he believed Mark would have wanted, but authorities indicated that his attempt to cover up the crime scene suggested otherwise. As of now, Michael C. Howard remains incarcerated in Sabine County with bonds totaling $20 million, charged with murder and tampering with evidence, with additional charges anticipated as the case develops. The motive behind the shooting has not been confirmed, but the day before the tragic event, Howard had reported a theft of property from the home, which may have contributed to his mistaken belief regarding his son’s presence. The community is grappling with the fallout of this gruesome incident, and questions remain regarding the circumstances and the family's relationship in the lead-up to this tragedy.