The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim of a shooting that recently took place; the sheriff’s office says the victim is 38-year-old Kristy Gladden Hancock – who was found Tuesday, dead – with a gunshot wound after the officers had responded to a call, off of County Road 221, in Collinsville.
Neighbors encountered a man in that area and he was soon ID’d as James Michael Howard Jr., age 27; and they soon told officers about him.
Howard was interviewed and investigators soon determined that he was at the victim’s home – earlier in the day. Authorities interviewed several other people and they processed the scene before arresting and charging Howard with Murder and Public Intoxication.
Court documents state the murder occurred around 7:00am on Tuesday, and he was arrested just before 9:00am Wednesday.
Howard is being held at the DeKalb County Detention Center.
Hancock’s family has now started a “GoFundMe” page to help pay for her funeral expenses, which you can find here .
(WHNT News/Nexstar Media)