In the late summer of 2014, the community of Montgomery, Alabama, was unsettled by the discovery of a local man's body. Roger Hails, a 55-year-old Black male, was found deceased on August 31, 2014, in a wooded area near his home. The nature of his death was violent, with an autopsy revealing that he had sustained multiple stab wounds. The discovery prompted an immediate and intensive investigation by the Montgomery Police Department.
As detectives began to piece together the final days of Hails' life, they learned that he had been involved in some personal disputes. This information led them to focus on individuals who may have had a conflict with him. Their investigation quickly zeroed in on a 25-year-old man named Michael J. Howard. Evidence gathered by the police linked Howard to the crime scene, and he was subsequently arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with Roger Hails' death.
During questioning by investigators, Howard allegedly admitted to his involvement in the killing. While the specifics of a motive were not publicly detailed, it was suggested that the homicide was the result of an ongoing personal conflict between the two men. Following his arrest, Michael J. Howard was held without bond as the case began to move through the legal system. The brutal nature of the crime and the subsequent arrest brought a sense of shock to the local community as they awaited justice for Roger Hails. The final disposition of the capital murder charge against Michael J. Howard, including details of a trial, conviction, or sentence, is not readily available in online sources.
