On February 13, 2023, at approximately 3:15 a.m., 78-year-old Raymond "Ray" Lewis Howard was fatally shot in his apartment in the 14600 block of Moorpark Street in Sherman Oaks, California. The incident stemmed from a dispute between Howard and his neighbor, 42-year-old Hadis Haile, reportedly over a noise complaint. Howard, known among neighbors for being loud and disruptive, was pronounced dead at the scene by responding officers.
Following the shooting, Haile contacted authorities himself and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder. A weapon registered to Haile was recovered at the scene. He is currently being held on a $2 million bond.
Raymond Howard was a retired history teacher and a licensed Marriage and Family Child Counselor. He was an advocate for the LGBTQ community and believed in social justice for marginalized and underserved people. Howard is survived by his twin brother, Robert, his sister, Marianne, his brother, Donald, and several nephews and nieces.
