Olan Howard to Appear for Status Hearing This Morning

A man charged with Murder and Dealing in a Schedule I Controlled Substance will appear for a status conference this morning at 9 a.m. in Marshall Superior Court I. While there has been no official confirmation as to whether or not the case again Olan Howard will go to trial, plea negotiations continue in the case but it doesn’t appear likely that a plea agreement will be reached.

Howard is accused of murdering Stephen O. Vires on May 19, 2012 while committing or attempting to commit dealing in a scheduled I controlled substance. It is alleged the controlled substance was heroin and/or morphine. He was arrested shortly after an indictment in this case was filed by a Marshall County Grand Jury.

He appeared for his initial hearing March 1 via video conference and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Judge Robert Bowen appointed Tom Black as Howard’s attorney after finding him to be indigent, and set two jury trial settings: Sept. 10 and Oct. 1.

Howard remains in the Marshall County Jail on a cash bond of $100,000, having been arrested after a Marshall County Grand Jury filed an indictment in the case.