A man from Florida, identified as Daniel Stearns, 32, is facing charges of second-degree murder with a firearm, mutilation of a dead body, and evidence tampering after he allegedly gunned down his girlfriend, Nancy Howery, 44, during an argument and left her to die in the woods.
Stearns is accused of returning to the scene days later, burning her corpse, and scattering her remains in several locations on a massive undeveloped property in Palm Bay. According to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, investigators directly witnessed Stearns attempting to bury some of the remains after burning the victim's body to destroy evidence that could connect him to the crime. Howery had been reported missing by her ex-husband and two children on Feb. Police found her abandoned car near the Compound, a The investigation turned from a missing person case to a homicide when authorities discovered the remains of Howery scattered in several locations.
A friend who saw her last on Feb. However, when police interviewed Stearns, he allegedly made deceptive statements and identified himself as a prime suspect. As a result, investigators placed him under hour surveillance and followed him to one of five crime scenes where portions of Howery's remains had been dumped. According to Ivey, Stearns' actions were an attempt to destroy evidence that could link him to the crime. To await his upcoming trial on the accusations against him, he is being held without bond at the Brevard County Prison.
The alleged murder of Nancy Howery and the burning of her body by her boyfriend, Daniel Stearns, shocked the local community.
Stearns' attempt to destroy evidence by scattering her remains in several locations has made the investigation more challenging for law enforcement officials. However, the direct observation of Stearns burying some of the remains by investigators helped them make an arrest.
