In the late afternoon of August 25, 2020, a chance encounter at an Apex Chevron gas station on North Avenue in Athens, Georgia, brought a simmering dispute to a tragic and fatal end for 52-year-old Mark Alden Howard. The male victim was at the station when he crossed paths with Reginald Lang Kelley, a man with whom he had a history of bad blood. This long-standing feud reportedly began after an altercation over Kelley allegedly selling drugs to Howard's son, an incident that had previously
resulted in Howard's hand being cut.
On that Tuesday, both men were at the gas station for several minutes before Howard moved his vehicle next to Kelley's. Howard then got out of his car and approached Kelley's vehicle. Following an exchange of words, Howard pulled on the car door. As the door opened, Kelley, who was seated in the driver's seat, fired a handgun, striking Howard twice at close range. The shooting happened in broad daylight, with multiple witnesses present. After the shots were fired, Kelley exited his car, placed the weapon on a newspaper stand, and waited for law enforcement to arrive. Howard succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Reginald Lang Kelley, then 45 years old, was taken into custody without incident and was later charged with malice murder and felony murder. He was initially held in the Athens-Clarke County jail without bond. In the ensuing legal proceedings, Kelley's defense argued that he had acted in self-defense. In September 2020, a judge granted Kelley a $50,000 bond, placing him on house arrest with an ankle monitor. This decision was met with anguish by Howard's widow, Natalie, who had been married to him for nearly 22 years.
In January 2021, the conditions of Kelley's bond were amended, lifting the house arrest and replacing it with a nighttime curfew. The case reached its conclusion nearly two years after the shooting. In June 2022, after reviewing evidence that included surveillance footage and witness testimony, a judge granted Kelley immunity from prosecution. The court ruled that the evidence supported the claim of self-defense, concluding that Kelley was trapped in his vehicle by Howard's aggressive actions and had no alternative but to use his weapon to protect himself. All charges against Reginald Lang Kelley were dismissed.
