An 18-year-old has been charged with murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old James Brown, who was found dead on Madison Avenue in Evansville shortly before 11 p.m. last Sunday. Keaton M. Howard was tracked down days later in Morganfield, Kentucky, and remains in custody there awaiting extradition back to Vanderburgh County.
According to 14news.com, Howard was taken into custody in Morganfield and is still being held in Kentucky while authorities arrange to bring him back to Evansville to face the charge. Police say officers were called Sunday night to reports of gunfire in the area of Washington and Kentucky avenues, and arriving officers found Brown dead of a gunshot wound in front of a home on Madison Avenue. The Evansville Police Department, in a release shared on Evansville Police Department’s Facebook page, said officers were dispatched to the area of Washington Avenue and Kentucky Avenue just before 11 p.m. and found a deceased 17-year-old juvenile.
tristatehomepage.com reports that arriving officers discovered Brown already dead at the scene. The same report notes that an investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.
911 Calls Described Dozens of Gunshots
Police say they received numerous 911 calls shortly before 11 p.m. reporting between 10 and 20 gunshots heard on Madison Avenue, with callers also reporting a person down in the 800 block of the street, per the police release. Detectives began interviewing witnesses and canvassing the area for evidence immediately after the shooting, according to the same release.
Witnesses told officers a dark-colored sedan sped away from the scene right after the gunfire, and police later stopped the vehicle near Washington and South Kentucky avenues. The driver was identified as 20-year-old Christian T. Simpson, who police say was wearing some type of ski mask or hood covering his face when the car was stopped, the station’s report states.
Weapons, Blood and Marijuana Found in Vehicle Search
A search of Simpson’s vehicle turned up a Glock handgun, a second pistol with drops of blood on it, and marijuana, per the same account. Simpson was arrested and charged with Dangerous Control of a Firearm, Contributing to Delinquency of a Minor, and Possession of Marijuana, the report notes. wabx.net also reported on the arrest of a man connected to the deadly shooting.
Detectives later recovered shell casings from at least two different firearm calibers at the scene, according to 14news.com’s coverage of a community vigil. That detail underscores how much investigators are still piecing together about exactly how the shooting unfolded even as the murder charge against Howard moves forward.
Multiple Agencies Helped Track Down Howard
Howard, who police say is 18 years old, was preliminarily charged with murder before being located out of state. The Evansville Police Department credited the U.S. Marshals Service, Kentucky State Police, Indiana State Police, the Union County Sheriff’s Office and the Morganfield Police Department with assisting in locating and taking him into custody. He is expected to be extradited to the Vanderburgh County Confinement Center at a later date, though the exact timing has not been announced.
Community Mourns With Prayer Vigil
Dozens of community members gathered for a prayer vigil honoring Brown, according to 14news.com. Pastor Jeremi Taylor told the station that the community is tired of the violence and wants justice for the teenager.
The Evansville Police Department says its investigation remains ongoing and is asking anyone with information to contact its Adult Investigation Unit at 812-436-7979.
