Change of venue granted in Scott County murder case

BENTON, Mo. -- A change of venue was granted in front of a new judge for murder suspect Neil Howland, who appeared for a trial setting Thursday. Howland is charged with first-degree murder and other felony charges in connection with the death of his mother, Cynthia Canoy of Scott City.

Howland appeared in front of Circuit Court Judge Fred Copeland of New Madrid, Mo., on Thursday after being granted a change of judge by the Missouri Supreme Court earlier this week.

Copeland set a status hearing date for Jan. 14 to allow time for Howland's regular public defender, Amy Commean, to return from maternity leave. The judge also ordered the change of venue to New Madrid County,

Howland's acting attorney, Ella Boone, asked for a change of venue to be granted to Cape Girardeau County on a matter of convenient access to her client. But Scott County Prosecuting Attorney Austin Crowe said his office is more comfortable using New Madrid County for cases going to trial.

The judge also ordered the prosecution to provide discovery to the defense within 15 days.

"We hope to have discovery to the defense by the middle of next week," said Crowe, who added he will know by the end of the year whether he plans to seek the death penalty in the case.

Since Howland's preliminary hearing last month, a grand jury indictment was handed down and a cash-only bond was issued for $500,000.

Howland is charged with first-degree murder, abandonment of a corpse, tampering with evidence and knowingly burning -- all felonies. He faces two additional class D felonies of animal abuse. Along with allegations he strangled his mother and torched her body in her car, Howland is accused of putting two of her pet dogs in the vehicle before setting it afire.

On Aug. 7, crews responding to a car fire off County Road 323 discovered a body in the car. An autopsy showed Canoy died before the fire.

Howland is charged with killing Canoy by strangling her with a dog leash. Police say Howland transported Canoy's body and two of her dogs to a field near the county road and set the vehicle on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence.

He was arrested Aug. 9, two days after his mother's body was found, on charges of third-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon in connection with a May 18 incident in which Canoy and her husband, Jerry Canoy, told police Howland had threatened them with a machete and firearms.

While in jail on those charges, Howland was charged with Cynthia Canoy's murder.

Howland's girlfriend, Tiffany Warner, faces charges of tampering with evidence in connection to Canoy's death and has a preliminary hearing set for Nov. 27.

skluesner@semissourian.com

388-3648

Pertinent address:

Benton, MO

Scott City, MO

County Road 323, Kelso, MO