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The 21-year-old SUNY student who died last week after being attacked at random was shot three times by her killer in a drive-by shooting, and tried to run to safety but collapsed.
Beth Howell, 21, was standing outside the building where she practiced cello in Potsdam, upstate New York, on February 18, when she was shot by Michael J. Snow.
Snow fired at her three times from his grey four-door sedan then fled. She was found outside by friends, having tried to run to safety but collapsed. Howell, whose family lives in Patterson, New York, died in the hospital later.
Snow fled back to Massena, where he lives in a run-down house with a handful of other people including a man who was last week arrested for robbing the bank across the street.
He was taken into custody on February 19 – his birthday – at around 4.22pm.
His motive remains unclear but friends and family of the victim say it seems to have been a random attack.
Beth Howell, 21, was standing outside the building where she practiced cello in Potsdam, upstate New York, on February 18, when she was shot by Michael J. Snow (right in a Facebook image)
New York State Troopers told DailyMail.com they are yet to find any connection between the pair.
Snow had, until recently, been living in the home he shared with his late mother Paula, who died ‘unexpectedly’ in 2019.
Friends and locals say she died by suicide in 2019, leaving Michael behind along with a ‘long-term partner’ who lives in Madrid. The circumstances surrounding her death are not entirely clear.
Sometime afterwards, Snow had a friend, Raymond Lancto III, move in with him to the house but that man also died in 2020.
His death was ruled as an overdose from fake fentanyl.
Lancto’s sister Angela Mossow told DailyMail.com she has always wondered where he got the drugs from.
Snow fired three shots from his grey Honda, fatally injuring Beth before he drove away. It is unclear where he got the gun
Snow was arrested in his home in Massena, New York, (above) on his birthday – February 19. He had been living in his late mother’s old house, but moved to the shared house above sometime after 2020
Police told DailyMail.com there is no connection between Snow (shown in his mugshot) and Howell
Tragic background: In April 2019, Snow’s mother Paula died mysteriously and unexpectedly in their home. The following year, his roommate Raymond Lancto, right, died from a suspected overdose
Snow’s newer roommate, Jeffrey Howell (no connection to his victim) was arrested earlier this month for robbing the bank across from their home
She said she previously employed Snow to work as a dishwasher in her restaurant, but that he could not hold down the job because he was addicted to smoking crack and had to go to rehab.
Police would not confirm whether or not he is addicted to drugs or if he was under the influence when he shot Howell last week.
He remains in the custody of St. Lawrence County Sheriffs, who will not say if he is being held in the county jail or if he is in the hospital.
Snow has been arraigned on a second degree murder charge.
His next court date has not yet been set.
Snow is said to have been living in the house on Main Street with Jeffrey Howell, who is in custody for robbing Massena Loans and Savings, a bank across the street from their home.
Beth Howell’s family say she was a ‘sweet’ girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time
Howell, 34, is in custody after fleeing the bank with $5,000.
He was chased two blocks by the bank’s president before tossing the money in a snow bank and being apprehended by the police.
Howell’s family and friends have described her as a ‘sweet’ girl who was in the ‘wrong place at the wrong time.’
She was due to graduate from SUNY Potsdam this year.
Snow remains in the custody of St Lawrence County Sheriffs on a second degree murder charge. He has been denied bail.
SUNY Potsdam in upstate New York. The victim was due to graduate this year
Source: dailymail
