In the early morning hours of July 31, 2021, a burst of gunfire shattered the quiet in the Lewisdale area of Hyattsville, Maryland, leading to the tragic death of 44-year-old Angel Antonio Olivares of Capitol Heights. Police responded to the 6700 block of 22nd Place around 3:20 a.m. to find a crashed van with Olivares in the driver's seat, suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the shooting revealed that Olivares was not the only victim of the violent attack. Two women were also discovered inside the van, both of whom had been shot but survived their injuries. Authorities began the task of piecing together the events that led to the fatal shooting. The motive for the incident remains under investigation, and it is believed that the suspect and the victims did not know each other.
Nearly a year later, in July 2022, a significant development was made in the case with the arrest of Reginald Howell Jr., a 37-year-old from Silver Spring. He was taken into custody and subsequently charged with first and second-degree murder in connection with the death of Angel Olivares. In addition to the murder charges, Howell also faces two counts of attempted first and second-degree murder for the injuries sustained by the two female victims in the van. Following his arrest, he was held without bond at the county Department of Corrections.
