In the quiet of a January evening in 2014, a dispute over a simple air mattress tragically escalated, leading to the death of 35-year-old William Conner Jr. in Stafford, Virginia. On the night of January 19th, Conner had gone to a local store to return the air mattress for his nephew, Mark Howsare, but was unsuccessful because the store required Howsare to be present. When Conner and his girlfriend returned to Howsare's residence on Belle Plains Road, they found themselves locked out.
An argument ensued through the closed door, with Howsare, who had been drinking, growing increasingly agitated.
The verbal altercation took a fatal turn when Howsare threatened his nephew, stating he had a loaded gun and intended to shoot him. While Conner's girlfriend retreated to their truck at his request, Conner continued to knock on the door. Shortly after, the door opened, and the sound of three to five gunshots shattered the night. Conner's girlfriend witnessed Howsare standing in the doorway with a handgun. Conner staggered off the porch and collapsed in the yard, having sustained gunshot wounds to his shoulder and abdomen. His girlfriend immediately called 911. When sheriff's deputies arrived at approximately 10:18 p.m., they found William Conner Jr. deceased in the yard.
What followed was a tense standoff as law enforcement established a perimeter around the house, unsure if the armed suspect was still inside. Numerous attempts to contact Howsare were made, and a Maryland State Police helicopter was called in to assist. After a nearly three-hour search, members of the Stafford Sheriff's Office SWAT Team entered the residence and found Mark Howsare in his bathroom, still armed with a handgun. He was taken into custody without further incident shortly after 1:25 a.m.
Mark Howsare, then 62, was arrested and subsequently charged with first-degree murder. During the investigation, when informed of his nephew's death, Howsare reportedly acted shocked. He was later indicted by a Stafford County grand jury for first-degree murder, aggravated malicious wounding, and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Following a jury trial, Howsare was convicted of the lesser charge of second-degree murder, in addition to the aggravated malicious wounding and firearm charges. He received a total sentence of 28 years of incarceration for his role in the tragic and senseless death of his nephew, William Conner Jr. An autopsy later confirmed that the gunshot wound to the shoulder, which passed through his lungs and heart, was the cause of death.
