Girls' argument may have sparked fatal beating

A preliminary hearing is July 9 for four suspects accused in the beating death of a 54-year-old man that may have resulted from an argument between two girls. All four appeared in East Fork Justice Court this morning.

The four suspects - two men and two 15-year-old boys - were incarcerated without bail in Douglas County Jail on charges of principal to open murder, stemming from a fight Sunday at a Gardnerville apartment complex at El Dorado Drive and Apollo Avenue.

Charged in connection with the death of Terrence Howell were Anthony Gomez, 30; his roommate Jason Waugh, 28; Gomez's stepson Jimmy Holman, 15, and Alexandrew Vail, 15.

East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl appointed attorneys for three of the defendants today.

Gomez said he earned $8 an hour as a supervisor at Dairy Queen. Waugh said he worked as a cook at the restaurant, but probably lost his job.

Vail told EnEarl he believed his parents might hire an attorney. He said he had been represented by lawyer Tod Young on a juvenile matter.

Prosecutor Tom Gregory asked EnEarl to continue the "no-bail" condition.

"On a murder case, there is no right to bail," Gregory said.

He also asked EnEarl to set the preliminary hearing for July 9 so he could begin subpoenaing witnesses.

Vail and Holman are being treated as adults because of the nature of the charges.

They were brought up individually from the Douglas County jail for Wednesday's arraignment and separated from the adults.

About a dozen deputies, investigators and juvenile probation officers attended the proceedings.

Only Holman asked that the charge be read aloud.

He and the other three defendants are accused of "willfully and with malice aforethought" killing Terrence Howell.

They are charged with aiding and abetting each other in punching, kneeing, shoving and kicking Howell. He died 24 hours after the fight.

According to court documents, Howell's 11-year-old daughter had a "verbal dispute" on Sunday with two other girls, including Gomez's 10-year-old daughter.

Howell was accused, according to reports, of having words with Gomez's daughter after the argument.

She reportedly called her father, who drove around the complex and found Howell riding his bicycle to the store.

Deputies were called at 6:25 p.m. by a witness who said four men "jumped" Howell and were hitting and kicking him.

By the time officers arrived, the combatants had fled the scene.

Deputies contacted Howell who complained of stomach and shoulder pain and had a large bruise on his arm. He refused medical treatment and drove himself to an emergency center where he was evaluated and sent home.

On Monday, Howell complained of breathing problems and was admitted to the emergency room. He was taken by medical helicopter to Carson Tahoe-Hospital.

According to court documents, he underwent emergency surgery at 5 p.m. He survived the procedure, but died of full arrest at 6:45 p.m.

The defendants were arrested Monday night.