Lenexa police went to home multiple times before suspected double-homicide: court documents
A Lenexa man has been charged with two counts of first degree murder after allegedly admitting to fatally shooting his mother and aunt in their home Tuesday, according to court records.
Luke Anthony Howard, 34, was charged with murder in Johnson County District Court Thursday.
He was brought into custody after walking into a Walgreen’s pharmacy in Liberty, Missouri, with blood on his clothes, a court affidavit said. According to court documents, Howard allegedly told pharmacists that he needed to turn himself into authorities, and Walgreen’s staff called the police, the affidavit said.
Howard allegedly admitted to Liberty Police that he shot and killed his aunt, Joyce E. Austin, and mother, Valerie A. Howard, because they evicted him from the house they were living in together, the affidavit said. He told police that the gun he used was in his vehicle in Liberty.
Police search of the home
Lenexa Police officers responded to the house, in the 15400 block of West 90th Street to conduct a welfare check after a caller said people may have been shot. They found Valerie Howard on the floor of the living room with two gunshot wounds to her abdomen, the affidavit said. Officers attempted life saving measures, then realized she had been dead for some time.
Austin was found dead on a couch in the living room with gunshot wounds and was cold to the touch, the affidavit said.
In their search of the home, officers found about a dozen shell casings in the living room.
In an interview with police, a family member said that Luke Howard had a 10mm Hi-Point carbine rifle and a 10mm glock handgun, court records said. The family member said Austin had a 9mm handgun that she kept in her closet.
Lenexa police responded to home 3 times before murders
In the days before the double homicide, Lenexa police had two encounters with the family for disturbances, the affidavit said.
On Feb. 10, Luke Howard allegedly told officers that Valerie Howard had grabbed him around his neck and pushed him. Valerie Howard told police at the time that Luke Howard broke an ash tray and pushed her, causing her to fall, the affidavit said.
According to court documents, Valerie Howard told police that Luke Howard had been violent toward her a few years ago and that she and Austin resorted to locking themselves in their rooms as often as possible.
Austin had called police claiming Luke Howard had threatened her. Austin told officers that he suffers from bipolar disorder and that she feared him because of his erratic behavior, the affidavit said.
On Feb. 11, Luke Howard called Lenexa police saying he was being kicked out of the house. He allegedly told officers that Austin had pointed a gun at him, then recanted that statement, according to court documents. Austin later told officers an argument ensued after she presented Luke Howard with a 30-day eviction notice, the affidavit said.
Austin told police she knew of Luke Howard having two firearms, but did not know where he kept them, according to the affidavit. Johnson County Mental Health spoke with Luke Howard on Feb. 11 and he denied having weapons. When authorities searched his room for weapons, they did not find any, the affidavit said.
Luke Howard is being held on a $5 million bond, according to Johnson County District Court records. As of Friday morning, no court events have yet been scheduled in the case.
This story was originally published February 13, 2025 at 12:46 PM.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misidentified the number of times police had previously responded to the house, which was two times.
