By Hannah Wever
Published: March 20, 2008

A teenager from New York will stand trial in federal court for a Gordonsville murder that occurred more than two years ago. On Feb. 22, 2006 Katherine Danielle Howard, 22, of Louisa County, was found lying next to her car on Cadmus Drive in Gordonsville, dead from gunshot wounds. And according to federal prosecutors, Howard was killed when she tried to stop a juvenile drug dealer and the cousin of her boyfriend, from stealing her car.

U.S. Attorney John L. Brownlee, Orange County Commonwealth’s Attorney Diana Wheeler, Orange County Sheriff Mark Amos and Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Resident Agent in Charge Bill Dunham announced last week that a federal grand jury charged 18-year-old Gary Christopher Johnson in Howard’s murder. Two other men, Justin Harris and Howard’s boyfriend, Curtis Waldron are being held on charges related to Howard’s murder.

“Dani Howard was a much-loved young woman whose life was cut short by a dangerous and violent man,” Brownlee said. “I am grateful to the investigators and prosecutors who solved this tragic and senseless murder. We will do everything in our power to bring justice to Dani and her family,” he promised.

According to Brownlee, the four-count indictment includes murder, as well as drug and weapons charges. And although Johnson was still a juvenile at the time of Howard’s murder, Brownlee successfully requested that the court transfer him to adult status because of the violent nature of the charges. If convicted of all counts, Johnson could be behind bars for the rest of his life and face a fine of $2,500,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig “Jake” Jacobsen will prosecute the case.
During last week’s press conference, Brownlee’s account of the events surrounding Howard’s murder brought the slain woman’s family to tears.
In the winter of 2006, the defendant was staying at the Gordonsville home of Howard and Waldron, after running away from his New York foster home, according to prosecutors. Brownlee said Waldron was a known cocaine dealer, who sold substantial amounts of the drug in the Charlottesville area. Waldron kept cocaine, guns and large amounts of cash hidden inside his home.

“On Feb. 21, 2006, Waldron and Howard drove to Pennsylvania to buy a new car for Howard,” Brownlee explained. “Gary Johnson, and another man, Justin Harris, stayed behind in Waldron’s home in Gordonsville.”
While Howard and Waldron were still on their out-of-state trip, Brownlee continued, Johnson and Harris stole approximately 300 grams of cocaine, $34,000 in drug money and two firearms-a MAC 11 and .357 pistol-from Waldron.

“At approximately midnight, Johnson and Harris loaded the cash, guns and cocaine into Howard’s white minivan and left for Pennsylvania,” Brownlee said.

Howard returned from her trip, in her new Saab, to see that Johnson and Harris had stolen her minivan, and were driving away in the opposite direction. Harris was in the passenger seat; Johnson was in the driver’s seat of Howard’s van carrying a loaded .357 pistol, according to prosecutors. Howard turned her Saab around followed the minivan, honking the horn. As Howard caught up with the minivan, Johnson pulled over, leaned out of the open driver’s side door, and shot Howard.
“Moments later, the lifeless body of Dani Howard was found lying in a road next to her Saab,” Brownlee said. “The engine of her car was still running when she was found. One .357 Sig bullet casing was recovered from the scene. There was no murder weapon found and police had no motive for the shooting.”

Brownlee said Howard’s death was a “cold-blooded killing of a woman who just wanted to know know why her car was stolen.”

When investigators executed a search warrant at Howard’s home later on the day of the shooting, Brownlee said, they recovered a videotape, made the day before the murder, showing the victim, Waldron, Harris and Johnson inside the residence. Police also recovered an empty Glock model 33, and a .357 Sig pistol case with two .357 Sig rounds inside. A sales receipt from a Charlottesville pawn shop was also found in the pistol case, and revealed that the Glock .357 had been purchased in September 2005 by Howard. Brownlee said Waldron later said Howard had bought the firearm for him as a birthday present.

Police traced the weapon to its original owner, who said he used it for target practice behind his house. In that area, police were able to recover five .357 Sig casings and five spent bullets, Brownlee said.

“On March 7, 2006, police discovered Ms. Howard’s missing white minivan in Culpeper,” Brownlee said. “Police recovered a .357 Sig shell casing near the driver’s seat of the van. Lab analysis later determined that the bullet casings recovered at the crime scene, in the van, and behind the prior owner’s house, all had been fired from the same gun.”
Currently, Johnson is being held in federal custody, Brownlee said. Harris pleaded guilty to narcotics trafficking and being an accessory after the fact in Howard’s murder. Her boyfriend, Waldron, has been charged with drug trafficking and is in federal custody in Pennsylvania.

Orange County’s sheriff and commonwealth’s attorney thanked law enforcement and offered condolences to the Howard family at last week’s press conference.

“For more than two years the Howard family has grieved over the loss of their beloved daughter Dani,” Amos said. “Thanks to the tireless effort of some of the finest law enforcement officials I have ever had the pleasure to work with, the process of bringing this defendant to justice begins today.”

Wheeler said it was the hard work of several law enforcement agencies that led to Johnson’s indictment.

“I am extremely proud of how well the local, state and federal agencies worked together on investigating this very difficult case,” she said. “I hope today’s indictment offers a sense of justice and comfort to the Howard family.”

Brownlee said the case remained in the investigation stages for so long because initially, law enforcement had little to point them in the right direction.

“This was a very difficult case. There was no murder weapon found and police didn’t know the motive. That’s why it’s been two years. It’s a tough case,” he said.

The victim’s cousin, Denida Howard, said the past two years have been very difficult for the Howard family. But last week’s announcement of an indictment against Johnson is the first step toward a sense of closure.
“It begins to help the family start healing,” she said. “It’s been a rough road for everyone.”

A court date for Johnson has not yet been posted, according to Brownlee. But when the accused murderer next appears before a judge for an arraignment, the date for his trial will be set.