On February 18, 2022, Elizabeth Howell, a 21-year-old female student at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music, was tragically shot and killed. Known as Beth to her friends and family, she was a talented cellist and an aspiring music teacher with a bright future. That evening, at approximately 5:51 p.m., police responded to a report of an unconscious woman on College Park Road, near the music school. Howell was found with gunshot wounds and was rushed to Canton-Potsdam Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The investigation quickly led police to 31-year-old Michael Snow of Massena, New York, who had no affiliation with the college. His gray Honda Civic was reportedly seen on camera near the scene of the shooting. Snow was arrested the following day and charged with one count of second-degree murder. He was arraigned in the Town of Potsdam Court and held at the St. Lawrence County Jail without bail. Initially, the motive for the killing was a mystery, with authorities and Howell's family believing it to be a random act of violence, as there was no known connection between Snow and Howell.
Further investigation revealed a chilling motive. Snow had originally intended to target former co-workers and a family member. One of these intended targets worked at SUNY Potsdam, and Snow's plan evolved into an attack on the university's reputation through an act of violence. On the evening of the murder, he drove to the campus with a plan to kill someone. He lured Howell to his vehicle by pretending to need directions. As the helpful and pleasant young woman approached to offer assistance, Snow shot her three times with a. 22 caliber 'ghost gun' he had purchased online.
Michael Snow, who was 32 at the time of sentencing, initially faced additional charges including murder in the first degree, manslaughter, assault, and criminal use of a firearm. In June 2023, he pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder. During his sentencing, Snow expressed remorse for his actions. In July 2023, he was sentenced to 22 years to life in prison. The judge presiding over the case described the killing of Elizabeth Howell as 'cold, random and senseless' and Snow's actions as 'evil.'
