Inset: Robert Seviano Howell (Canyon County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Celebration Park in Idaho (Google Maps).
In a disturbing incident at an Idaho park, a California resident stands accused of attempting to murder his pregnant wife, allegedly by strangling her in their car while their five children were nearby. The suspect, 32-year-old Robert Seviano Howell, was apprehended last week and now faces a felony charge for attempted murder, as announced by local authorities.
The Canyon County Sheriff’s Office detailed the events in a news release. Deputies were dispatched to Celebration Park in Melba, Idaho, following reports of a strangulation attempt. En route, they were informed that Howell had confessed to park employees about choking his wife.
Upon their arrival, law enforcement swiftly detained Howell, allowing emergency medical personnel to administer critical care to the victim. She was urgently transported to a hospital in Boise, where she was admitted in critical condition.
Court documents reveal that Howell admitted to the act, stating his intention was to kill his wife. He allegedly orchestrated the incident by directing the children, aged between 1 and 14, to move away from the vehicle, though they remained nearby. Howell is said to have entered the car’s backseat, where the assault took place.
In recently filed court documents, authorities say Howell confessed that he strangled his wife and intended to kill her.
Howell allegedly said that after arriving at the park with his wife and five children, he sent the kids “away from the family vehicle.” However, the children, who range in age from 1 to 14, “remained close by” the car. Howell then got into the backseat of the car “and began strangling the victim with the intent to kill her.”
“Howell stated he continued strangling the victim and only stopped when he believed he accomplished his task of killing her,” the release states. “Howell told detectives he then exited the vehicle, leaving the victim inside. Howell stated he left and went and looked out over the Snake River for an unknown amount of time before returning to his vehicle. Court documents state that Howell opened the door and discovered the victim was still alive and ran to find help from park employees, who then contacted 911.”
When talking to authorities, Howell allegedly “clarified” that he and his wife had not been arguing prior to the attack and “he did not strangle her in the midst of a disturbance.” Rather, Howell said he “made the deliberate attempt to kill the victim and end her life.”
Howell’s children were found to be in “imminent danger” by the sheriff’s office and were placed into the custody of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
“Domestic violence is one of the most horrific crimes we encounter because it strikes at the very heart of safety and trust,” Sheriff Kieran Donahue said in a statement. “This case is tragic. A woman was nearly killed by someone she trusted. It is our sincere hope and prayer that she fully recovers from this horrible experience. Unfortunately, a family unit has been destroyed. This is the true face and tragedy of domestic violence.”
