TACOMA, WA – On Monday, Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist is expected to deliver opening statements in the trial of Andrew James Boyd, 19, who is charged with the 2013 robbery and murder of Stadium District resident Lawrence Howse, 54. Opening statements will begin at 10:00 a.m. in room 2-B of the County-City Building in Tacoma.
On Sept. 5, 2013, Howse was robbed and killed in his condominium parking garage. Just before the robbery, a witness on a balcony above the entrance to the garage heard Boyd and an accomplice say, “Let’s go get him.”
Based on surveillance video and witness statements, police put together descriptions of the two suspects. A recent robbery of a Tacoma Walgreens involved a suspect wearing a distinctive jacket similar to one worn by Boyd. Jeremy Bennett was identified as the second suspect in the murder.
Bennett admitted to detectives that he and Boyd robbed Howse. He said that during the robbery, Boyd ordered Howse to take off his pants. Howse refused and Boyd shot him. Witnesses told detectives they saw Boyd with the gun hours before the shooting.
In November 2014, Bennett pleaded guilty to felony murder in the first degree as an accomplice and was sentenced to 28 years in prison.
Jheri Flood was charged with rendering criminal assistance in the first degree for helping Boyd and Bennett hide and destroying evidence after the murder. Flood pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 17 months in prison.
Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Heather Songer
Communications and Public Information Coordinator
Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
253-798-6265
253-380-5856
[email protected]