Woman faces attempted murder charge
Published 12:00 am Saturday, October 23, 2004
MURFREESBORO – A Norfolk woman is in custody in the Hertford County Jail this morning facing charges of attempted murder of a resident of Maney’s Neck Mobile Home Park near Murfreesboro.
According to Hertford County Sheriff Juan Vaughan, Lakeiser Lacole Howard, 25, of 2403 West Ave. Apt. B, Norfolk, Va., turned herself in to Norfolk authorities around 3 a.m. Tuesday following a shooting that occurred around 6:20 Monday evening.
&uot;Our office received a call that shots had been fired in Maney’s Neck Mobile Home Park,&uot; Vaughan said. &uot;As our officers were in route, we were dispatched that the victim was at the Murfreesboro Police Department.
&uot;Nobody got hit by bullets, but what turned out to be bad enough, could have easily been much worse,&uot; he added.
According to the report filed by the officers responding to the scene, Lequesha Harrell was apparently leaving the mobile home park when she was approached by a white Nissan Ultima and a black Nissan Sentra – both with Virginia tags.
&uot;A female, who we later determined to be the Howard suspect, jumped out of one of the vehicles and started shooting toward the vehicle occupied by Harrell, another female subject and a child,&uot; Vaughan stated.
&uot;When Harrell attempted to drive away, it is our understanding that her car was bumped by one of the other vehicles, trying to block her path, but she was able to get passed them and she sped away, going to the Murfreesboro Police Department,&uot; the sheriff added.
However, before pulling away from the scene, the female passenger in Harrell’s vehicle jumped out and started running. She was no identified in the report.
The Hertford County Sheriff’s Office put out a dispatch to surrounding authorities, and warrants were later obtained on the Howard subject.
&uot;Howard turned herself in to the Norfolk Police Department around 3 a.m. Tuesday,&uot; Vaughan said. &uot;She waived extradition Thursday and we brought her back to the Hertford
County Jail where she was charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and one count of discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle.&uot;
Howard now faces attempted murder charges and Vaughan said he expected the addition charge would be given late Friday. She remains in Hertford County Jail under a $200,000 secured bond.
The officers investigating the incident are deputies Johnny Joyner and Matt Bradley.
&uot;The officers did an outstanding job with a quick response and a thorough investigation,&uot; Vaughan said. &uot;We are continuing the investigation into the motive, but at this time believe it may be hinged on a relationship gone bad. We cannot say for sure right now.&uot;
Vaughan went on to say he was glad no serious bodily harm came to anyone. And because of the time of day, misfired shots could have easily been deadly to innocent bystanders.