Details of dentist murder case revealed after 20 years
Details of a case involving a dentist who killed his wife and his lover’s husband have emerged after 20 years.
Yesterday, a court heard that Colin Howell, a 51 year old dentist, killed his wife, Lesley and his lover’s husband, Trevor Buchanan, in a “devious and professional manner.” Mr Howell finally admitted to the charges of murder almost 20 years after the incident occurred.
Colin Howell is a devout Christian and the murders only came to light last January when he confessed the acts to church elders; they subsequently called the police and Howell was arrested.
Lesley Howell and Constable Terry Buchanan were killed by Howell at their homes in County Londonderry in May 1991. Howell attached a contraption made from half a baby’s bottle and a garden hose to the engine of his car, a Renault Savanna, in order to pump carbon monoxide into his victims’ homes as they slept. He then drove the bodies to a property six miles away and fled the scene; the crime scene was left to look as though the pair had died in a suicide pact after finding out about Howell’s affair with Buchanan’s wife, Hazel. Mrs Howell’s father had died just days before the incident and this tragedy was highlighted as an additional motive for Mrs Howell to take her own life.
A post-mortem examination confirmed that the victims had died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning and the court heard that Mrs Howell had tried to call out to her son, Matthew for help after she realised that she was in danger. The court also heard that Mr Howell had been involved in a physical struggle with Terry Buchanan and feared that he may fall victim to the toxic fumes himself.
Mr Howell has now pleaded guilty to the murders and details of the case were revealed for the first time in court yesterday, almost 20 years after Mrs Howell and Constable Buchanan were murdered. In court, Crown lawyer, Kieran Murphy told the judge, Mr Justice Anthony Hart, that the murders were “premeditated” and part of a “meticulous and devious plan.” Howell has already been sentenced to life imprisonment and will find out on Friday the minimum jail term he will serve.
Hazel Stewart, formerly Buchanan, has denied allegations of murder and her case will begin in February; it is expected to last a month.
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