On a Sunday afternoon in West Burlington, Iowa, a burst of gunfire shattered the peace at Pat Klein Park. It was November 14, 2021, when 18-year-old Owen Michael Laird, a White/Caucasian male, was fatally shot. Police responded to reports of shots fired in the 600 block of Swan Street around 3:14 p.m. and discovered Laird with gunshot wounds. He was rushed to the Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center, but his life could not be saved, and he was pronounced dead. Laird, who was originally from Maryland, was a resident of Burlington, Iowa at the time of his death.
The investigation into the shooting was a collaborative effort involving the West Burlington and Burlington Police Departments, the Des Moines County Sheriff's Department, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Their work quickly led to a suspect, a 15-year-old juvenile who was taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting. This individual was later identified as Philup Howard. The case drew considerable attention as the community grappled with the violent loss of a young life and the alleged involvement of another youth.
In a significant legal development in December 2021, a ruling was made to charge Philup Howard as an adult, and he initially faced a charge of first-degree murder. The case proceeded through the justice system, and on November 1, 2022, Howard pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of second-degree murder. As part of a plea agreement, a 50-year prison sentence was recommended with no mandatory minimum. Additionally, Howard was ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution to Owen Laird's family. His sentencing was scheduled for December 12, 2022, at the Des Moines County Courthouse.
