The Murder of Paul Howell
Wednesday, July 28th, 1999
On the night of July 28th, 1999, Paul Howell was brutally murdered in front of his sister and two daughters as he pulled into his parents’ driveway after an evening of back-to-school shopping. On that same night, friends Julius Jones and Christopher Jordan were driving around Edmond looking for a Suburban to steal. They saw Paul’s brown Suburban pull into a local ice cream store. Jordan, who was driving, followed the Suburban and waited in the parking lot for Paul to get their order from the drive-through window.
A witness saw the Cutlass, that was shared by Jordan and Jones, in the parking lot. The car circled the parking lot and moved between spaces before finally backing into a space from which both parking lot exits were visible. One of the men in the car was wearing a white shirt, and one (whom the witness believed to be the driver) had corn rows. At the time of the murder, Jordan had corn rows and Jones had short hair.
Jordan then followed the Suburban to Paul’s parents’ neighborhood. As the car prepared to pull into the driveway, Jones instructed Jordan to let him out. Jones was wearing a red bandana over his nose and mouth and carrying a gun. Jones walked up to the car and put the gun to Paul’s head, pulling the trigger. As Paul’s sister was rushing the girls out of the car and towards the house, Jones fired another shot before driving away in the Suburban. Paul’s sister told police that the killer was wearing a red bandana, a white shirt, and a black stocking cap.
Shortly after the murder, Jones met Jordan at Ladell King’s apartment with the Suburban because King was supposed to help them find a buyer for the car. King testified that Jones drove the Suburban, and was wearing a red bandana that was hanging around his neck, a cap, and possibly a white T-shirt. Jones did not want King to touch the Suburban. King’s girlfriend also saw Jones and the Suburban that night, as did their neighbor. Eventually, Jordan and Jones left in the Cutlass, leaving the Suburban in the parking lot of King’s apartment.
Thursday, July 29th, 1999
The following day, Jones drove the Suburban to a convenience store (where he was captured on CCTV), and left it near the auto shop of Kermit Lottie, the person to whom King hoped to sell the Suburban. King drove Jones to Lottie’s shop, but Lottie refused to take the car because he knew about the murder. Lottie did not see Jones, who stayed in the car. King confronted Jones about the murder and Jones admitted killing Paul Howell.
Friday, July 30th, 1999
Police found the Suburban parked at the convenience store, which led them to Lottie’s known chop shop. Police questioned Lottie, who gave them King’s name. King told police Jordan and Jones were responsible for the crime and eventually led police to Jones’ parents’ home. Jones answered Detective Jerry Flowers’ call to the family residence. Detective Flowers asked Jones to come outside. After the call was disconnected, the front door of the residence opened, a person looked out and then closed the door. Unfortunately, officers assigned to the back of the home were not at the correct address, and Jones was able to escape. Jones met up with Jordan and borrowed his car. Jones went to King’s home, where he told King’s girlfriend about his escape from the police through a second story window.
Saturday, July 31st, 1999
Jones was arrested the following day at the home of Jordan’s brother.