Vincelina Howard case: Murder suspect faces new charges

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By Linda Cook | Tuesday, January 30, 2007 12:09 AM CST | () comments

A suspect in the drive-by shooting death of a Davenport woman has been charged with trying to tamper with witnesses from Scott County Jail, where he is incarcerated.

Don Christopher White, 21, of Rock Island, was charged on Saturday with 10 counts of tampering with witnesses. Police allege that White made several phone calls since Jan. 5 directing the harassment of witnesses to influence their testimony.

White Jr.’s first trial in the death of Vincelina Howard, 19, of Davenport, ended in a hung jury in December. His second trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 26.

White and three other people have been or are being prosecuted in connection with Howard’s death:

* Ron Millbrook, 21, and Terrell Lobley, 19, were sentenced Jan. 18 for their roles in the shooting. Millbrook was sentenced to life plus 15 years after he was convicted of first-degree murder and intimidation at trial Dec. 26. Consecutive to the life sentence, Millbrook also was ordered to serve a 10-year sentence for intimidation and a five-year sentence on a probation revocation for second-degree theft.

* Lobley, who originally was charged with first-degree murder, was convicted of second-degree murder and intimidation at trial Dec. 22, 2006. He was sentenced to 50 years on the murder charge and 10 years for intimidation.

* Rasheem Bogan, 15, originally was charged as a minor, but his case was moved to adult court. His trial also is scheduled for Feb. 26, the same day that White’s second trial is set.

White’s bond of $1,115,000 includes the first-degree murder and witness tampering charges, as well as an interstate detainer out of Rock Island, according to the Scott County Sheriff’s Department.

Prosecutors say that the four were retaliating for the April 19, 2006, slaying of Andrell Hearn, 20, in Rock Island. The four allegedly got in a van in Rock Island, then drove to Davenport, where they circled the party Howard was attending and shot numerous times into the crowd, prosecutors say.

Howard, who had just graduated from high school and had just started her first job, was shot and killed Aug. 19, 2006, outside her grandmother’s house during a party.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2450 or newsroom@qctimes.com.