More delays in Howell murder case

An unavailable witness and no autopsy report led Friday to a further delay in criminal proceedings against four people charged in the death of a Gardnerville man.

East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl continued a preliminary hearing set for Friday to Aug. 28 after conferring with the defendants' attorneys.

The request was made in a motion filed by prosecutor Tom Gregory because Investigator Greg Rooney was unavailable for Friday's hearing to determine if there was enough evidence to bind the two men and two juveniles over to district court.

Defendants Anthony Gomez, 30; Jason Waugh, 28; Jimmy Holman, 15, and Alexandrew Vail, 15, are charged as principals to open murder and have been in Douglas County Jail since June 22.

Holman and Vail are being tried as adults.

The four are accused of confronting 54-year-old Terrence "Joe" Howell on June 21 after an alleged argument between Howell's and Gomez's young daughters at their Gardnerville apartment complex.

According to reports, Howell was kicked, punched and shoved. He died the next day after surgery.

Attorney Kris Brown, representing Holman, dropped opposition to the continuance after EnEarl set a bail hearing for Aug. 3.

EnEarl previously lowered the bail from $100,000 to $10,000 cash for each suspect, but they have remained in custody.

Tod Young, representing Vail, and Stephen Rye, representing Waugh, requested their clients be included in the bail hearing.

Lawyer Ken Stover said his client, Gomez, felt it was in his best interest to remain in custody.

In his motion, Gregory said he was advised by Washoe County not to expect autopsy results for eight or nine weeks after reports were submitted June 25.

Young said he wanted the court to know that a series of comments on The Record-Courier Web site reportedly posted by a defendant's attorney in response to the news stories about the incident didn't come from his office.

That was echoed by Brown and Rye.

"Well, I've been weeded out," Stover said, admitting he was the author.

His comments appear on the Web site under "anhonestvoice."

"I will defend my client in the community as well as in the courtroom," Stover said.

EnEarl said he hadn't read any coverage of the case in the newspaper or on the Web.