A Centralia woman has been charged with two counts of murder in connection with a car-pedestrian accident that occurred Thursday at the Dollar General in Dix.
Reports from Marion County say the charges were filed against 54 year old Melissa Howes. She’s accused of pushing her husband, 49 year old Jeffrey Howes, to the ground and running him over with a vehicle, resulting in his death. Melissa Howes had already been charged with two counts of aggravated DUI. A probable cause statement read in Jefferson County Court Thursday afternoon indicated the murder charges were filed after Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputies were provided video Wednesday from the Rome Meadows apartments, showing her shoving her husband down in the Dollar General parking lot where he lied motionless. The statement went on to say she she got into her vehicle, backed up and pulled forward, running over him, with the car resting on him until deputies arrived to jack up the vehicle and free him. Jeffrey Howes was later taken to SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon, IL and pronounced dead.
Melissa Howes was ordered held without bond after Thursday’s court appearance. An autopsy was conducted at the Williamson County Morgue in Marion, with the results pending.
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