In the winter of 2022, just days before her 26th birthday, the life of 25-year-old Lacresha Howard was tragically cut short. On the night of Sunday, December 11th, police were called to an apartment building on Pierce Street in Lewiston, Maine, where they discovered her body in a hallway. The following day, the state medical examiner's office determined her death to be a homicide.
Investigators quickly identified a suspect, 40-year-old Eddie Massie, described as Howard's boyfriend.
Family members later revealed that Howard had been trying to end their relationship at the time of her death. A warrant for murder was issued for Massie, who was considered armed and dangerous. Police described him as a Black male, 6 feet, 4 inches tall, weighing 170 pounds, and walking with a limp. He was also known by the street names "Fast Eddie" and "TT".
A manhunt for Massie ensued, and a dedicated tip line was established for the public to provide information on his whereabouts. The search came to an end shortly after midnight on the following Thursday when the Maine State Police tactical team executed a search warrant at a residence on Allen Pond Road in Greene. Massie was taken into custody without incident and charged with murder.
Initially, Eddie Massie pleaded not guilty to the charge. However, he later changed his plea to guilty. In July 2024, after emotional impact statements from Howard's friends and family, a judge sentenced Massie to 30 years in prison. In addition to his prison sentence, he was ordered to pay over $1,500 in restitution to a victim's compensation fund. Family members, who remembered Lacresha as a beautiful and caring person and a loving mother, hoped the sentencing would bring some measure of closure and allow them to begin the healing process.
