Men nabbed at Whitewater State Park; wanted for triple homicide

OFF THE WIRE
Men nabbed at Whitewater State Park; wanted for triple homicide
StoryDiscussionMen nabbed at Whitewater State Park; wanted for triple homicide
By Nolan Rosenkrans
Deputies captured two fugitives wanted in a triple homicide in Florida after raiding a camper trailer early Thursday at Whitewater State Park.

James Lindsey Howze, 38, of O’Brien, Fla., and Lonnie Robert Munn, 47, of Live Oak, Fla., were arrested about 1:40 a.m. when the Winona County Emergency Response Team stormed the camper where the men were sleeping, Winona County Sheriff Dave Brand said.

A woman, Vickie Lynn Waldrop, 52, was with the men but was not arrested. She told police she met Howze and Munn in Wisconsin, and the camper belonged to her, Brand said.

The men are wanted in the Aug. 26 execution-style slayings of 57-year-old Joseph Militello Jr., his 68-year-old wife, Nancy Militello, and their 32-year-old nephew Angelo Rosales in the town of McAlpin in Suwannee County, Fla.

Police found them dead in their home, each with an “obvious 9mm gunshot wound to the head,” according to Florida court documents obtained by the Daily News. Three spent 9mm shell casings recovered at the crime scene matched casings police found at Munn’s home.

Winona deputies found the weapon they believe was used in the killings when they searched the camper Thursday afternoon, Brand said.

Investigators determined Munn and Howze stole about $30,000 from a safe in the home. Five witnesses told Florida police that Howze and Munn described their plan to rob a hay farm in McAlpin that had a large amount of money in a safe. The pair said they would leave no witnesses, court documents state, and displayed a 9mm and a .32-caliber handgun.

A former employee of the Militellos admitted telling Howze that the couple frequently kept between $40,000 and $50,000 in cash in the home. Both Munn and Howze are charged with three counts of first-degree murder while armed with a firearm, and one count each of home invasion while armed with a firearm, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit home invasion.

Munn has served prison sentences seven times since 1988 for crimes that include robbery, drug offenses and dealing in stolen property, according to Florida Department of Corrections records. Howe has previously been convicted of second-degree murder and battery on a law enforcement officer. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 1993 but served just 14 years and was released early in 2008.

Howze and Munn are suspected members of the Tampa chapter of the Black Pistons biker gang. The U.S. Department of Justice says the Black Pistons are the official support club for the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, whose members fought with Hells Angels in Minneiska, Minn., during an annual motorcycle run in April.

A third suspect in the killings, Keith Allen Hughes, 35, was recently arrested in Florida.

Services for the victims were held Thursday.
THE RAID
The U.S. Marshals Service tracked the men to Winona County after they used an ATM card Wednesday afternoon at Mike’s Food Center in St. Charles, Minn., Brand said.

Local authorities were notified about 6 p.m. Wednesday. After searching the town, a Winona County deputy found the fugitives’ truck in Whitewater State Park. The truck had the former plates for a pickup registered to a woman police believe is Munn’s girlfriend, according to court documents filed in Winona.

Plain-clothed officers hid in the woods and watched the men’s campsite until dark, and a federal marshal identified Munn coming out of the camper.

Members of the St. Charles Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol and Winona County Emergency Response Team then converged on the park. The fugitives were asleep when the 13-member response team stormed the camper using stun grenades, Brand said.

Howze and Munn were arrested without incident.

THE AFTERMATH
Howze and Munn appeared in shackles Thursday morning for a court hearing filled with extra security. They waived extradition after being charged with being fugitives from justice in another state. As Howze was led into court, he winked at Munn.

Assistant County Attorney Kevin O’Laughlin said he would dismiss the charges when the men were returned to Florida.

Waldrop, who has not been arrested, was taken to a Winona motel with her pet pug.

She answered the door there Thursday to briefly answer questions.

Dressed in a robe, and holding the yapping dog under her arm while standing in her motel room door, Waldrop said she met Howze and Munn only recently, and insisted she didn’t know they were fugitives. She said she was not helping them avoid authorities.

Waldrop said she met the men at a club but couldn’t remember where.

Brand said authorities are not sure what brought the fugitives to Winona County, or if they have any links to the area. He anticipates Howze and Munn will be transported back to Florida by the end of next week at the latest.

For Brand, the sooner, the better. “We can't have dangerous people in our county,” he said.