PALM BAY, Fla. – The man accused of killing a woman, dismembering and burning her body, and burying it in Palm Bay’s Compound told investigators that he was forced to kill the woman after she tried to take his gun, according to documents released in the case earlier this month.
Daniel Stearns is facing charges of second-degree murder, mutilation of a dead human body and tampering with evidence for the February death of Nancy Howery.
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In an affidavit for a search warrant related to Howery’s Apple iCloud account, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office offered new details into the investigation of the case.
In questioning by investigators, Stearns told them he had stopped talking to Howery in mid-February because of a falling out. Stearns said Howery would send him pictures of her with other men. He claimed he hadn’t seen her since.
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However, the affidavit says a query of Stearns’ vehicle and license plate showed the vehicle made several trips to the undeveloped area known as the Compound between Feb. 15, when Howery was last seen, and March 7.
Investigators said they followed Stearns to the Compound on March 9, where they say they saw him walk into the woods and use a shovel to dig. A sheriff’s office canine unit checked out the places where they saw Stearns, and the dog alerted to the presence of human decomposition. In one spot investigators discovered burned human bone fragments.
The affidavit said after that discovery, Stearns admitted that he had taken Howery to the Compound to teach her how to use a gun. Stearns claimed Howery lunged at the weapon and tried to take it from Stearns, causing him to shoot her once in the head.
Investigators said Stearns claimed he did not trust law enforcement, so instead of reporting her death he burned her body and buried her remains in different areas of the Compound over the course of several days.
“The Compound” has been the scene of several crimes, including the deadly shooting of two teens on Christmas, which remains unsolved.
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