Teen kills father, hides body, hosts parties

When Michael Joseph Howell was just 50 years old, he was tragically murdered. His daughter, Crystal Brooke Howell, who was 17 years old at the time, played a sinister role in his demise. Driven by her desire to live life on her own terms and access her father's wealth, she orchestrated his death.

On February 24th, 2014, Crystal Brooke Howell carried out a heinous act while her father, Michael Joseph Howell, was asleep on the couch. She shot and killed him, with the intention of using his wealth to fund her desired lifestyle, including purchasing a stripper pole for the kitchen. After the murder, she concealed his body so that she could throw parties at his home.

Michael Howell relocated to his family's spacious eight-bedroom cabin in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, following his divorce in the late 2000s. His daughter, Crystal, also resided with him, and their relationship appeared to be harmonious until a dreadful incident in February 2014.

Michael Howell and his daughter, Crystal. 

On that day, Michael discovered that Crystal had committed shoplifting, which he disapproved of. Unbeknownst to him, Crystal had been contemplating her father's murder for some time, driven by her desire to lead a carefree party lifestyle that she believed his wealth would facilitate.

After waiting for Michael to doze off on the couch, Crystal took advantage of the moment and shot him at close range in the head with a shotgun. This act provided her with the freedom to pursue her desires without hindrance.

In order to avoid getting caught, Crystal meticulously removed any incriminating evidence from the crime scene. She discarded the couch and disposed of the ejected shell, and then proceeded to conceal Michael's body inside a plastic container. The container was then rolled into a shed situated on the property, and to further avoid detection, she covered it with a sleeping bag.

Crystal quickly fabricated a lie to her friends that her father had committed suicide in Georgia, and they easily believed her. In fact, some of them even moved in with her at the cabin for about a month while Michael's body remained undiscovered. After the murder,

Crystal became more daring and began hosting wild parties fueled by drugs at the cabin. She even installed a stripper pole in the kitchen to entertain her guests. 
Dozens of people would attend these parties, indulging in excessive drinking and drug use, all while completely oblivious to the terrible crime that had occurred and the high price that was paid for these gatherings.

Despite her father being the one funding her extravagant lifestyle, Crystal continued to indulge in her newfound freedom and spent his money recklessly, even driving his car around. However, her carefree lifestyle came to an abrupt end on March 22nd when some of her friends made a shocking discovery.

While moving a pinball machine into the shed, they stumbled upon a container that appeared suspicious. They decided to open the lid, only to be met with a ghastly sight that left them horrified.

Upon learning that her father's body had been discovered, the teenage girl fled to her mother's house in Augusta, but her stay there was brief. She claimed to her mother that her father had finally released her from his custody. She then proceeded to sell the gun she used to murder him and quickly packed a U-Haul truck with all her possessions before leaving.

Crystal managed to make it to Richmond County, Georgia but was soon apprehended by the police the following day after being found hiding out in a motel.

Despite her defense's argument that Crystal had mental health issues, the state was able to prove that she was mentally sound enough to premeditate her crime and cover it up. As a result, she was found guilty of first-degree murder, concealment of death, and failure to report a death not from natural causes.

Her sentence was 60-84 months in prison, with an additional 25 years before she could apply for parole. Crystal is currently serving her sentence at Anson Correctional Institution in Polkton, North Carolina.

In a 10-part podcast series titled "Killing Dad: A First-Degree Mistake," Crystal Howell shared her side of the story, claiming that she had not planned her father's murder in advance.

“I never sat there and thought about killing anyone or hurting anyone. It happened so fast that there was no thinking… it was basically like an impulse,” she said.

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