In the summer of 2014, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a man's life was cut short in a violent encounter that remains shrouded in mystery. Michael Howell, a 46-year-old Black male, was found deceased inside his Bristol Park apartment on June 8th. The discovery was made after concerned neighbors reported hearing the sharp crack of gunshots echoing through the complex.
Responding to the 911 calls shortly after 11 p.m., Tulsa Police Department officers were led to Howell's apartment.
Inside, they found him shot to death. The investigation into his death would reveal that he had been shot in the chest, and a bullet had pierced his apartment door.
Witnesses provided investigators with fragmented clues from the moments leading up to and following the fatal shots. Some reported seeing Michael Howell engaged in a conversation with an unknown African American man just a short time before the shooting. In the chaotic aftermath of the gunshots, other witnesses saw four masked individuals hastily fleeing from the building. They were seen getting into a gold or silver SUV before disappearing into the night.
In the course of their investigation, police learned that Howell had a history of altercations with several other residents within the apartment complex, which led them to initially focus on individuals living in his immediate vicinity. Despite these early leads and witness accounts, the investigation has been hampered by a lack of substantial evidence. The motive for the killing is suspected to be a dispute that spiraled out of control. To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Michael Howell, and his case has become a cold case, leaving his family and community still waiting for answers and for justice to be served.
