[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 01/03/20]
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LEESBURG, Florida — A 25-year-old Leesburg man is starting off the new year in deep legal trouble after being charged with three serious felonies, including attempted murder, stemming from a shooting in Leesburg Sunday.
Leesburg Police already had a warrant for the arrest of Shymiere Montese ”Milly” Howell for allegedly shooting his neighbor in the neck Sunday, when a female companion called LPD Wednesday and said Howell attacked her. She said she was having a casual conversation with Howell when he suddenly became aggressive and hit her in the face numerous times. She ran out of his apartment at 1020 Birchwood Court and called police.
Police arrived and ordered Howell out of the apartment numerous times to no avail. Howell hid in the attic and failed to comply with multiple commands to show his hands and exit peacefully, the affidavit states. He was struck with an officer’s taser and still refused to comply. He attempted to conceal his hands again and was shocked with a taser a second time. He complied after the second shock and was taken into custody.
Around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, a man was found lying outside at Birchwood Villas, near 1704 Birchwood Court with a gunshot wound to the neck. The man told police “Milly” shot him with a, “small, white pistol with a wheel.” The victim was then airlifted to Ocala Regional Medical Center.
Upon searching the scene, police found a black T-shirt, a gray knit cap and a black puffy vest, all belonging to the victim. Protruding from the collar of the vest, police found a small caliber bullet inside a piece of bloody, cotton-like material. “It appeared the bullet struck the collar of the vest pushing the stuffing material from inside the collar out, and entered the victim’s neck; however the bullet got stuck in the stuffing material and somehow retracted from the victim’s neck,” the probable cause affidavit states.
The victim later told police he asked Howell about a $40 debt about a week before the shooting. Howell told him he was going to pay the debt and that was the end of their conversation, he said. On Sunday morning, Howell came outside and shot at the victim twice with a small, silver or white handgun from about 30 feet away. The first time Howell pulled the trigger, the gun did not fire, the victim told police, the second time it did fire, but the shot missed the victim. The victim ran inside with his hands up, but did not call law enforcement because he, “thought it was over,” he told police.
Later that same afternoon, Howell came outside, took the same gun from his right front pocket and shot the victim in the neck. The victim fell to the ground and Howell ran. The victim told police he only knew Howell as “Milly” or “Smiley” and they had met about 10 months prior at the Lake County Jail before becoming neighbors three months ago.
Howell is facing numerous charges from both cases and a failure to appear from a prior theft charge. In addition to the failure to appear, he is charged with attempted first degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, battery and resisting without violence. He is being held at the Lake County Jail on $139,000 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. In addition, she has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
