Houston Attorney charged with murdering and cremating son in Sabine County

68-year-old Michael C. Howard courtesy of Sabine County

The Sabine County Sheriff's Office said that on Monday, Dec. 2, deputies were contacted by 68-year-old Houston Attorney Michael C. Howard who said that he mistakenly shot his son, 20-year-old Mark Howard. Howard said that he mistook his son for an intruder.

Howard then said the shooting actually occurred Sunday evening at the families lake house in the 2500 block of Mount Sinai Rd. He explained that he had placed his son's body in the front-loading bucket of a backhoe tractor and carried it to a remote area on his property. He then claimed that he placed the body on a trash pile and "cremated" his body saying that the incident was a "horrible accident." 

Sabine County Sheriff Deputies and Texas Rangers found what they believed were the mans remains.

"All bones appeared to have been burned based on charring and the area they were found in, was heavy with soot and ash," Sabine County said. "The recovered body parts have been sent to the Medical Examiner’s Office. Howard was arrested and is currently charged with murder and tampering with evidence."

Michael Howard is being held in the Sabine County Jail on a $10,000,000 bond.

ETB will update our readers as more information becomes available.