In the quiet city of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, a tragic and calculated act of violence unfolded on April 18, 2015, forever altering the lives of a family. Lawrence Howard Jr., a 39-year-old male, was found in his vehicle in the parking lot of the Chase Run apartment complex, having suffered from multiple gunshot wounds. The discovery of his body marked the beginning of a homicide investigation that would soon uncover a chilling family dynamic.
Investigators quickly identified a suspect,
not a stranger, but a woman connected to Howard through his child: 52-year-old Mary Bigford, the grandmother of his daughter. The connection between the victim and the alleged perpetrator added a layer of complexity and sorrow to the case. Bigford was promptly arrested and taken into custody at the Isabella County Jail, where she would await arraignment on charges of open murder.
As the legal proceedings began, a clearer picture of the motive started to emerge. Testimony presented during the court hearings revealed a contentious and ongoing custody dispute over the granddaughter she shared with Howard. Prosecutors argued that this was not a spontaneous act of violence, but a premeditated plan to end Howard's life. Witnesses provided testimony that supported the prosecution's claim that Bigford had planned the killing of her granddaughter's father, painting a grim portrait of a woman driven to extreme measures.
The trial of Mary Bigford brought all the harrowing details to light. After hearing the evidence and witness accounts, an Isabella County jury took just over two hours to deliberate before returning with a verdict. They found Mary Lou Bigford guilty of first-degree murder, a conviction that carried a mandatory sentence. Subsequently, Bigford was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring she would spend the remainder of her days behind bars for the calculated murder of Lawrence Howard Jr.
