On a late Tuesday evening in Portsmouth, Virginia, on August 6, 2019, the life of 31-year-old Jamel Howell was tragically cut short. Emergency medics were called to the Churchland Forest Apartments in the 30 block of Pebble Point Court around 11:30 p.m., where they found Howell, who was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound. His death quickly shook the local community, leaving friends and family to grapple with the sudden and violent loss of a man they describe as a loving husband
and father of three.
Howell was remembered by those who knew him as a compassionate and caring individual who was deeply involved in his community. A skilled mechanic and the CEO of King Head Auto, he was known for his generosity and willingness to help anyone in trouble. Friends recalled how they could reach out to him at any time for assistance, and he would readily lend a hand. His death was described as a great loss, not just for his family, but for the entire community that he so actively cared for.
The investigation into Howell's death led to a swift arrest. Detectives from the Portsmouth Police Department's Major Crimes Unit identified 19-year-old Jahquan Shallah Jones of Portsmouth as the suspect. Jones was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. In the wake of the shooting and the arrest, the Portsmouth Police Department held a R.E.S.E.T. walk in the neighborhood to reassure residents and to continue their investigation by speaking with community members. Friends, family, and neighbors gathered to remember Howell, calling for peace and an end to gun violence as they mourned the loss of a man who had meant so much to them.
