In the quiet town of Seymour, Connecticut, a tragedy unfolded that left a family and community in sorrow. Donna Jean Howell, a 77-year-old Caucasian female, was found deceased in her Manners Avenue home on March 29, 2022. A caring wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, Donna's sudden and violent death was a shock to those who knew her as a loving, kind, and friendly person with a memorable laugh.
She was known for her dedication to her family, her volunteer work with her church, and her joy in singing and dancing.
The grim discovery was made by her son, who had become concerned after being unable to reach his parents. Arriving at their yellow raised ranch-style house, he found both his mother and father, Bobby Howell, deceased and immediately called 911. The subsequent investigation by Seymour Police, with assistance from the Connecticut State Police Major Crime Squad, brought to light the heartbreaking circumstances of their deaths.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Donna Howell's death was a homicide, caused by gunshot wounds to her neck and torso. Her husband, Bobby Howell, also died from a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a suicide. Investigators recovered a firearm at the scene and concluded that the incident was a murder-suicide. There had been no recent domestic disturbance calls to the couple's address, leaving family and friends to grapple with the unexpected and devastating loss of a couple who had built a life and family together.
