In keeping with Joseph P. MacDonough of the Sabine County Sheriff’s Workplace (by way of KTRE), deputies have been referred to as to the house of Michael Howard round 2pm on December 2. When authorities arrived on the scene, MacDonough stated Howard informed them he had “by chance” shot his personal son, “who he had mistaken for an intruder on his personal property.”

Per MacDonough, Howard’s son, 20-year-old Mark Howard, was recognized with Down syndrome, and was described “high-functioning.”

The capturing, Howard allegedly stated, occurred on the night earlier than … with MacDonough saying there was an excellent 17 hours between when his son was killed and when he referred to as authorities.

Howard additionally allegedly informed deputies he threw the physique in a backhoe tractor and introduced it to a distant space of his property, the place he “cremated” his son on a pile of wooden and burnable materials. As for why he allegedly “cremated” to physique, MacDonough stated Howard informed them he did it “in accordance with what he felt his son would have wished.”

Calling it a “horrible accident,” Howard additionally allegedly confirmed authorities the shotgun used, earlier than deputies searched the realm to verify Mark was certainly lacking. After Howard additionally confirmed them the place he allegedly burned the physique, a search warrant was obtained for the property and so they found “what we consider to be physique components and bones, particularly a portion of the decrease jaw … which contained a number of tooth.”

Per MacDonough, there have been additionally “indications that the scene had truly been washed, cleaned with a water hose.”

In keeping with Sabine County District Legal professional Paul Robbins, who additionally spoke at a press convention on Thursday, Howard shall be charged with homicide, desecration of a corpse, and tampering with a criminal offense scene. His bail was set at $10 million per cost, per MacDonough, who referred to as it a “weird crime.”

The sheriff stated the person’s spouse and eldest son have been additionally interviewed, with MacDonough saying it is his “understanding” that Howard referred to as them each earlier than contacting authorities.

No person however the father and son duo have been on the dwelling on the time of the incident and, on the time, authorities do not consider there are every other suspects.