Man Admits To Killing Woman At Their Garland Home
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GARLAND (CBSDFW.COM) - Police in Garland are trying to figure out why a woman was murdered at her home, and why it took three days to discover her body. Two men were taken into custody in this case, however, investigators are still working to determine a motive for the killing.
Ryan Howell is now behind bars and facing a murder charge. According to police, the 60-year-old man has admitted to killing the female victim, but would not say why. Her identity has not been released by officials.
Officers responded to the Garland home, located along Meadowdale Circle, on Tuesday afternoon. They found Howell outside of the home and a woman stabbed to death on the inside. Police said that the victim's body had been there since sometime on Sunday.
Officials stated that, when officers arrived at the scene, Howell bluntly told them, "She's dead inside. I killed her."
Howell lived at the home with the woman and a second man. The relationship of the three individuals has not been released.
Authorities received two different phone calls providing tips in this case. "We got a call from a male from the location in which the female was found dead," said Lt. Pedro Barineau with the Garland Police Department. "We also received a phone call from a witness."
That witness was a nearby neighbor. The second man -- on crutches -- rushed to the neighbor's home for help. "He was scared to death. He thought this guy might have been behind him, might have seen him leave, and was chasing him down the street," the neighbor recalled early Wednesday. "He has a leg off to the hip. He was sweating profusely when he come to the door. He was slumped over."
Both of the men were questioned about the murder, but only Howell has been charged at this time. "We received information that there was another suspect on another street, on Meadow Cove, and we made contact with him," continued Barineau. "He too has been arrested as a possible suspect in the murder."
The second man has since been released from police custody, still with no charges against him. His friendly neighbor believes that he is innocent. "This guy had him tied up on the floor and in a chair for two days," the neighbor claimed. "I wouldn't have let him sleep in my house if it had been the other way."
Howell has no previous history with the Garland PD. Police said that both men have been cooperative. A murder charge could still be coming for the second man, pending the outcome of a full investigation. But, as for Howell, the neighbor said, "I didn't trust him, I'll out it to you that way."