Man accused of abusing elderly mother-in-law accepts plea agreement
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BLACKFOOT — Prosecutors reduced a man’s felony charge to a misdemeanor for the alleged abuse of his 78-year-old mother-in-law. The man’s son admitted to killing the woman five years ago, according to detectives.
In a court hearing, Douglas Howell said he intends to plead guilty to the abuse of Naoma Ware that reportedly left her bedridden for months. The intent to plead guilty comes as Howell’s attorney, Robert Beck, struck a deal with Bingham County prosecutors to reduce the felony charge of abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult to the misdemeanor level if Howell pleaded guilty.
The abuse occurred nearly five years ago before investigators located Ware’s remains buried in her backyard. The case only came to light when authorities tried to contact Ware about her daughter, Danielle L. Howell, being killed in a car crash last year.
According to court documents, Ware’s Grandson, 24-year-old Harley L. Howell, told detectives he killed his grandmother in October 2014, left her in a closet and months later, buried her in the backyard. Harley Howell told detectives Douglas Howell kicked Ware in the hip, leaving her bedridden for about two months before she died.
Along with Douglas Howell announcing his intent to plead guilty, Beck addressed issues of media coverage, asking Magistrate Judge James H. Barrett Jr. to seal court records and ban the media from the courtroom. Barrett denied the request.
“Many of the news articles are inaccurate and false,” Beck writes in a motion. “….Any and all news articles that discuss the events that led up to the charges filed in the defendant’s case … suggest that someone murdered Noama Ware and then buried her body in the backyard to avoid prosecution in Bingham County.”
In further documents, Beck writes Douglas Howell “strongly believes” prosecutors have no factual basis to charge him with any crime. He told investigators he got into an argument with Ware because she had over 30 cats living in her bedroom. That’s when he allegedly kicked her.
“He is very upset and concerned that there are numerous newspaper articles suggesting that he is guilty of murdering his mother-in-law even though he has not been charged with this crime (murder),” the affidavit reads.
Since Douglas Howell is now charged with misdemeanor abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult, a change of plea and sentencing hearing is scheduled Sept. 4 at the Bingham County Courthouse.
Harley Howell, who is charged with felony abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult along with felony failure to report a death, appeared after his father, waving his preliminary hearing. A competency evaluation presented to the court on Aug. 20 determined Harley Howell is fit to stand trial.
He is scheduled for arraignment in District Court on Sept. 9.
