Triple murder suspect faces more charges for separate crime

The suspect charged with murder in a triple fatal car crash from earlier this month is also facing attempted murder charges for another crime.

Jeffrey Howe, 18, from Mulga, has been charged with three counts of murder in connection to an Oct. 1 car crash that killed a family of three.

Bessemer courthouse officials say Howe is also charged with attempted murder, reckless endangerment and attempting to elude police for an incident that happened on September 26, four days before the robbery in Cordova and fatal crash on Birmingport Road.

Howe appeared before a judge in the Bessemer Courthouse Monday, Oct. 15 wearing a red and white striped Jefferson County Jail uniform. His mother, sister and aunt approached the judge's bench with Howe, his mother hugging him the whole time.

After reading the charges against Howe, the judge appointed an attorney for him in this case. The total bond against Howe for the Sept. 26 charges is $32,000.

According to the affidavit, the Sept. 26 incident happened around 5 p.m. at the Mulga Mart on Mulga Loop Road. A victim claims Howe shot a handgun in his direction from the passenger side of a later model Nissan Altima as it slowly drove by the victim. The affidavit says the bullet hit the side of the Mulga Mart near the victim. It also says the victim told officials that Howe "verbally intimidated" him earlier in the week at a Dollar General.

"Due to the earlier confrontation there is probably cause to substantiate that the suspect (Jeffrey Howe) was intending to murder the victim by attempting to shoot the victim with a handgun," the affidavit states.

Howe's next court date for these charges will be Nov. 6 at 2 p.m. Howe and the other suspect charged in the triple fatal crash, Dominique Smith, will have preliminary hearings before Jefferson County Judge Katrina Ross on Jan. 22, 2013.

Copyright 2012 WBRC. All rights reserved.