Eunice Howard

Eunice Howard, a 75-year-old woman, had made her home on Oak Street in Columbia, South Carolina. In the summer of 1984, the quiet residential street became the scene of a violent crime that has remained unsolved for decades. The little that is known about what happened to Eunice in her final moments comes from the official record, leaving a void where the story of her life should be.

Just before midnight on Monday, June 11, 1984, the sound of screams, followed by gunshots, shattered the peace of the neighborhood. Alarmed residents near the 1400 block of Oak Street immediately contacted the police. When officers from the Columbia Police Department arrived at Eunice’s residence at 1404 Oak Street, they made a grim discovery. At 11:59 p.m., they found Eunice Howard inside her home; she had been shot and killed.

The scene within the house told a story of a violent intrusion. It was clear that Eunice’s home had been burglarized. The space where she should have been safest had been ransacked, its contents disturbed and searched by her killer or killers. The motive appeared to be robbery, but the violent outcome left a permanent scar on the community and a case that would frustrate investigators for years to come. The brutality of the crime—a home invasion that ended the life of an elderly resident—was a stark reminder of the random violence that can disrupt any community.

The Columbia Police Department opened an investigation under case file number 84-35905. In the initial stages of the inquiry, detectives processed the crime scene, searching for any piece of evidence that might lead to a suspect. They canvassed the neighborhood, speaking with the residents who had heard the screams and gunshots, hoping for a description or a detail that could provide a lead. However, the trail seems to have grown cold. In the years that followed, no arrests were made, and no persons of interest have ever been publicly named in connection with the murder.

Decades have passed since Eunice Howard was killed, and her case is now considered a cold case. It remains on the official list of unsolved homicides maintained by the Columbia Police Department. The lack of public information regarding the investigation suggests that few significant leads have emerged over the years. There is no readily available information about whether physical evidence, such as fingerprints or DNA, was recovered from the scene and whether modern forensic techniques have been applied to the case.

Without memories from family or friends, details about who Eunice Howard was as a person have faded from the public record. There are no available obituaries or news articles from the time that speak of her life, her family, her career, or the interests she pursued. Her story is now defined almost entirely by the tragic circumstances of her death. The case stands as a silent testament to a life cut short by a brutal act of violence.

As of 2026, the murder of Eunice Howard remains an open and active investigation within the Columbia Police Department's Cold Case Unit. Authorities have not given up hope that someone, somewhere, holds the key to solving the crime. No reward has been publicly offered for information. Investigators continue to ask that anyone who might know something, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. Tips can be directed to the Cold Case Unit at 803-545-3525.