A is for...

Jmo, I think that the original report did have Steve's last name on it but Josh, or the person he claimed sent it to him, marked it out so we couldn't see it. I've got a picture of the original I can post. This report is very interesting to me.

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On 10/11/89, at approx. 2000 hrs, I received the attached information that I believe is pertinent to this case. This information was spurred by a recent showing of the TV program "California's Most Wanted" relating to the "Keddie Homicide." The informant in this report wishes to remain anonymous, but related as follows:

During the past week my informant was in contact with her sister in Sacramento and they discussed the strange behavior of a subject known to them as Steve. After viewing the above "Keddie Homicide" program on TV, he became extremely upset and uneasy. After the program was over he went to an old shed at the rear of her sister's property and retrieved what appeared to be a duffle bag, or something of that nature, put it into his truck and drove away from the residence. The sister said that they were surprised as they did not know anything about the bag even being there.

After some discussion about the suspect, my informant recalled the night of the homicide and of her contact with him. In the early morning hours, he came to her residence in what she called a panic and begged for a place to stay, or the use of her car. My informant described him as distressed, and his appearance was extremely filthy and his hair was dirty and matted. The informant described his hair as shoulder-length, stringy and matted. In the past my informant has known the suspect from the time he was a kid as he was a friend of her son's. The night in question due to the (S) acting as strange as he was, scared her, and she refused to allow him to stay or use her car. The informant also recalled that the (S) was wearing wire rim glasses. My informant said that the suspect and a friend he was running with knew the (V) in the homicide and that the second subject was understood to be a friend of (V) Wingates or a friend of the family. The informant stated that the second subject was extremely strange and added that she was afraid of the (S), due to his mannerism, she could not remember his name but stated that she would attempt to find out.

Please note: After the night in question, the (S) left the area almost immediately, and lived with my informant's sister and family for a short time.

After reviewing this info and comparing the composite drawing with the suspect's 1975 booking photo, and the informant's description, there is a remarkable resemblance. The above info leads me to believe that further investigation is warranted.

The attached info was turned over to Lt. Story for further disposition and contact with D.O.J.

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187/207PC - Murder/kidnap v: SHARP/WINGATE 81-1644

10-12-89. Deputy Gamberg told me that an informant had information from her
sister that a friend of the sisters by the name of Steven Howard, was
acting strangely recently after viewing a showing of the Keddie homicide
information on TV. The sister told the informant that , who
apparently lives with the sister in Sacramento (----- Rhonda Ln., Pauma
Valley Ca.) went to a shed located on their property right after viewing
the program and took out what appeared to be a duffel bag and left with it.
She didn't know what was in it or even that it existed prior to this.

While discussing the incident with her sister. the informant recalled that
on the morning after the homicide in Keddie, Howard, who she knew because
he was friends with one of her sons, came to her home in what she described
as a panic and wanted to stay there or burrow her car. She said he wore
wire rimmed glasses at the time and his hair was shoulder length. Because
of his unusual behavior that morning. she did not let him stay there or
borrow the car. The informant added that Howard ran around with another
male at the time but she couldn't remember his name. He was supposed to be
acquainted with Dana Wingate. She will attempt to remember or find out his
name and give it to Deputy Gamberg.

Steve Howard is a brother to Kathy Howard who was murdered in Yuba County
near LaPorte several Years prior to the Keddie homicides. (73-6758) At
the time she was murdered, she and her brother lived in Quincy. He has a
Plumas Co. Jail number which is ----.

On checking for vehicles owned by Howard, we found he had a motorcycle and
a pick-·up registered to him. The pick-up is a 1955 Chev. Cal lic -------.

On comparison of the composite drawings of the suspects in this case and
the booking photo on file for Howard, there is a similarity between the
two.

10·12-89. I attempted to contact Joe Sypnicki to compare the evidence held
fingerprint with prints from Howard. Sypnicki was on assignment and
unavailable.

10-13-89. approx. 1050 hrs. I contacted Sypnicki who will do the examination
and get back to me.

10-23-89. Deputy Gamberg advised that his informant remembered the name of
the second subject. Monty ------. This subject is Montgomery Baxter
---------------------------------. He also is similar to the composite
drawing of one of the suspects.

11-13-89. I have received wrap sheets on (Monty) and photographs of both
subjects· All information placed in the "Howard/(Monty)" file. Further
investigation to include comparison between the Keddie case and the
Howard murder and to attempt to establish activities and whereabouts of
both subjects at the time of the Keddie murders.

11-15-89. I completed review of the Howard case in 1973. Information in
that investigative file indicates that Steve Howard (brother of V/ Kathy)
was friends with Monty ------ at that time. Both were involved in drug
related activities as well as thefts and burglaries. They were both
friends with a Baird McKnight Jr. and Danny Alvey, also of Quincy. The
only mention of (Monty) in the Howard case is that he saw Kathy Howard
walking in the area of Quincy just prior to her disappearance while he was
riding around town with Ann Cable. Ann Cable was reported to be a 38 year
old witch who liked to hang around younger people at the time. The
investigators questioned them both at the time but came up with no
information sufficient to list either as a suspect in that case. It
appears from the reports that the investigators felt Steve Howard and Monty
------ were not being truthful to them about their activities at the time
of Kathy Howard's disappearance but they wouldn't take a polygraph and the
investigators couldn't prove otherwise.

In researching the Keddie case, I located a supplement by myself and
Detective Forcino where we talked to Richard Meeks of Quincv on June 3
1981. Meeks told us that a couple of weeks prior he was talking to a guy
named "Steve" about the Keddie murders and the guy said he was in Keddie on
the night of the homicides and walked past the Sharp home around 2300 hrs
and again around 0200 hrs. Meeks didn't know the guys last name but said he
was about 6-1. 190 lbs, around 28 years old and had a mustache. The guy told
Meeks that he was "toasted on acid at the time." We have never been able
to identify "Steve" however with the new information concerning Steve
Howard from Mrs. Alvey, he could be the one Meeks was talking to. At that
time, Steve Howard was 25 years old. brown hair, 6-l, at least 165 lbs and
had a mustache.

I see no obvious connection between Howard, (Monty), the Kathy Howard
murder and the Keddie case other than Howard and (Monty) were mentioned in
both cases. 11-15-89. I attempted to contact Joe Sypnicki reference the
fingerprint comparison of Howard and to give him the additional name of
(Monty) but he was unavailable. Further investigation to follow.
Deputies Hitch and Gamberg will attempt to find information on the current
whereabouts and activities of both Howard and (Monty).

D. Stoy/Lieutenant November 15. 1989

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We think it was probably Marylee also because she and her family lived in Quincy and moved around '74/'75 and she probably had children around Steve's age. It's obvious he was friends with both Jackie and Marylee's families just wonder if maybe he was dating Marylee's daughter or was just crashing with her family? JMO the vehicle registration report is no longer available on MeanKitty's forum would you happen to have that? If so please post or PM! In a 2011 chat on Josh's forum a member by the name of "NotSure" said that member "Salem" was the one who called the police for her sister. If that's true then that would mean that Mrs. Alvey was on the forums and if so I guess she never discussed the report. I don't know how "NotSure" knew that unless they were from Quincy also.