Quintuple-homicide suspect Brandon Howell, aka ‘Cul-de-sac Killer’, convicted on five counts of first-degree murder, after he beat an elderly Kansas City couple to death before fatally shooting three witnesses during auto theft in 2014
Brandon Howell was convicted on five counts of first-degree murder and seven other felonies associated with the Missouri killings
Howell, 39, aka ‘Cul-de-sac Killer’ beat an elderly Kansas City couple to death before fatally shooting three witnesses after stealing a car in 2014
A Jackson County jury deliberated less than two hours before convicting Howell on Monday, and prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty
Court records indicate the killings began when Howell beat 80-year-old George Taylor and his wife, Anna Taylor, 86, trying to steal a car from their home
Unable to start the Taylor’s classic Jaguar, he made off with their SUV instead, stopping to shoot their neighbor Susan Choucroun, 69, as he fled
He also shot Lorene Hurst, 88 and her son, Darrel Hurst, 63, after they witnessed him driving away from the scene
Police found the Taylors severely beaten in their basement, the elderly couple died in a hospital a week later
The suspect was serving a 12-year sentence for a vicious 1999 home invasion robbery when he was acquitted in the deaths of his classmate Nick Travis, 18, and Tabitha Brewer, 16
Howell was the last person seen with Travis and Brewer before the couple disappeared from Johnson County, Kansas in 1998
Travis, was found buried in the yard of a duplex that was being renovated by Howell’s father, while Brewer’s body has never been found
Brandon Howell, aka, ‘Cul-de-sac Killer’, was convicted Monday on five counts of first-degree murder and seven other felonies associated with the killings
A Kansas man dubbed the ‘Cul-de-sac Killer’ was convicted Monday on five counts of first-degree murder.
Brandon Howell, reportedly, beat an elderly Missouri couple to death and stole their SUV before fatally shooting three of their Kansas City neighbors who witnessed the theft was convicted by a jury on Monday.
Howell, 39, was found guilty on five counts of first-degree murder and seven other felonies in the killings.
Prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty.
The Jackson County jury deliberated less than two hours after getting the case Monday morning.
The defense did not call any witnesses during the week-long trial, according to the Kansas City Star reported.
Court records indicated Howell beat 80-year-old George Taylor and his wife, Anna Mae ‘Ann’ Taylor, 86, before trying to steal a classic Jaguar from the home.
Police have said Howell couldn’t get the car started, so he stole the Taylors’ sports utility vehicle instead.
Home owners George Taylor, 80, his wife, Anna Mae ‘Ann’ Taylor, 86, [left], and were attacked by Brandon Howell before he stole their SUV. Both died in a hospital a week later. Susan Choucroun, 69, [right],was fatally shot by Howell after she saw him fleeing in her neighbors’ SUV
George Taylor, 80, his wife, Anna Mae ‘Ann’ Taylor, 86, and were beaten by Brandon Howell before he stole their SUV in 2014. Both victims died in a hospital a week after the attack. Susan Choucroun, 69, was shot and killed by Howell after she saw him driving away from the scene
Witnesses told police they saw the driver of the Taylors’ vehicle stop in front of Susan Choucroun’s house next door, the Kansas City Star reported.
He got out and shot Choucroun in her driveway before leaving. Arriving officers found the Taylors severely beaten in their basement. They died a week later in a hospital.
Two other potential witnesses to the theft – 88-year-old Lorene Hurst and her son, 63-year-old Darrel Hurst – also were shot to death, possibly as they were returning from the grocery store.
The SUV later was found abandoned near a Motel 6 in neighboring Platte County, where Howell is charged with assaulting three people.
Brandon Howell [photo] in court, was found guilty by a Jackson County jury on all counts in a September 2014 quintuple killing in a south Kansas City neighborhood
Howell also shot and killed Lorene Hurst [left], 88, and her son, Darrel Hurst [right], 63, after they witnessed him driving away from the scene
Brandon Howell seeing being [white shirt] led into court, killed 5 people trying to steal a car during a home invasion in a south Kansas City neighborhood, Sept 2014
The suspect who had long been on the radar of law enforcement was arrested that night walking along a freeway carrying a shotgun in his pants. In 1998, the body of his 18-year-old classmate, Nick Travis, was found buried in the Kansas City, Missouri yard of a duplex that was being renovated by Howell’s father.
Howell was the last person seen with Travis and Tabitha Brewer, 16, before the couple disappeared from Johnson County, Kansas.
Brewer’s body has never been found, although her partially-burned purse was discovered in a trash container.
While that case was under investigation, Howell was arrested in a 1999 home invasion robbery in Gardner, Kansas, in which a pet cat was beheaded.
He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Before he was freed, Jackson County, Missouri, jurors acquitted him in the deaths of Travis and Brewer.
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