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Man charged in 3 shooting deaths in Kansas City

By WTOP Staff

BILL DRAPER
Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A tip from an “average citizen” led to the end of a frantic manhunt and the filing of more than a dozen felony charges for a 34-year-old convicted felon with a history of violence.

Prosecutors charged Brandon B. Howell on Wednesday, one day after police say he fatally shot three people and critically wounded two others in quiet south Kansas City neighborhood. Eleven hours after the shooting, police found Howell walking along Interstate 29 near midnight with a loaded .12-gauge shotgun down his pants.

Howell faces 12 felony charges in Jackson County, including three counts of first-degree murder, for the shooting deaths of Alice Hurst, 88; her son, Darrel Hurst, 63; and Susan Choucroun, 69. He also is accused of severely beating George and Anna Taylor, who remained in critical condition at a local hospital Wednesday, Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said.

He was also charged in Platte County with burglary, three counts of assault and other offenses related to three assaults at a Motel 6 in north Kansas City about two hours after the shootings.

The shootings appeared to be random, Peters Baker said.

Kansas City police responded to a 911 call from Anna Taylor at 12:50 p.m. Tuesday. Officers found Choucroun’s body in the driveway of one of the homes in this tidy, middle-class cul-de-sac lined with duplexes. The Taylors were next door in their basement suffering from critical injuries, and a few houses away, the Hursts’ bodies lay in the front yard.

Witnesses told police they heard several shots and saw a beige Toyota Highlander stop in front of Choucroun’s home and a man get out carrying a long gun, the probable cause statement said. Prosecutors said the man shot the woman, got back into the Toyota and drove away.

Two hours later, police received a report that three people had been assaulted at a Motel 6 about 30 miles from the shooting scene. While canvassing the commercial area, officers found the stolen SUV in a restaurant parking lot near the motel.

Kansas City was gripped by the news, as it appeared to be a random shooting spree. Schools near the motel were locked down and residents were urged to stay inside and lock their doors Tuesday evening as the search for the suspect continued.

“This is not a crime spree,” Baker said at a news conference. “This was an individual who committed heinous acts and he is going to pay for his acts.”

Howell is being held without bond in the Jackson County jail. Kansas court records show he was paroled in 2011 after a conviction for a home invasion in Johnson County, Kansas, in which one victim was cut on the hand and a cat was killed.

Peters Baker said the shotgun Howell had at the time of his arrest Tuesday was the same one he bought in January 2000, eight months before pleading guilty to several charges in the 1999 home invasion and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Howell also was acquitted in 2009 in the killings of two Kansas teenagers who were last seen in 1998. One victim’s body was later found buried outside a Kansas City home being renovated by Howell’s father; the other body has never been found.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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