A Putnam County community is grappling
with the heartbreaking death of a college student as police try to put the pieces together of her
murder.
Elizabeth
Howell was a graduate of Brewster High School, and many
in the area who knew her say she had a bright future ahead of her.
The
21-year-old was an accomplished cellist studying music education at SUNY
Potsdam in upstate New York, and she was set to graduate in
just a few months.
According to investigators, Howell
was found just before 6 p.m. on Friday on a road just off campus.
She was unconscious and had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
She was rushed to the hospital,
but died a short time later from her injuries.
The next day, police
arrested Michael Snow, 31, of Massena, New York.
Police released a photo of the car they say Snow was driving on the day of the
murder, a gray Honda Civic with the
license plate KVE2731 and with damage to the driver's door. State police are asking anyone who
may have seen the car in the area of the day of the murder to contact them at (518)
873-2750. Snow
is now charged with second-degree murder.
Police
are still trying to determine the circumstances around the shooting. College
officials say Snow has no connection to the school, as a student, employee or
graduate.
In the meantime, those who
knew Elizabeth Howell as Beth from this area are heartbroken. "No family,
no parent should ever lose a child, and in such a senseless manner, we're still
trying to wrap our heads around it," says Kim Carmody, a neighbor.
Brewster teachers are taking to Facebook
to give condolences saying:
"We
are deeply saddened by the news that a former student of ours, Elizabeth
"Beth" Howell was tragically killed on Friday night in Potsdam. She
was a 2018 graduate. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends and
all who had the privilege to teach, coach and
know her."
Howell was known as Beth at Sacred Heart
Catholic Church where she and her family attended
Mass. Now parishioners are praying
for the Howell family during this terrible time. "She volunteered with the ROTC, with our Ladies
Auxiliary for the VFW, collecting food and coats, doing the AmVet breakfast.
Any time you asked her to volunteer, she would," says Maureen
Lerner, of Sacred Heart Church.
SUNY
Potsdam says an open musical reading session will be held Wednesday night to
give students and faculty at the Crane School of Music a chance to express
their grief through music. The school says they will work with the Howell family to plan a full memorial concert and other
memorial events later in the semester.