A Florida man who killed a woman he met through a dating app and later burned her dismembered body will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Daniel Stearns, 32, was found guilty in October of second-degree murder, abuse of a dead human body, and evidence tampering. His conviction came more than two years after he was accused of killing 44-year-old Nancy Howery, a mother of two.
Howery was Reported Missing in Feb 2023 After She Failed to Pick Up Her Kids from School
Howery was reported missing on Feb. 18, 2023, when she didn't show up to pick up her children from school, prompting her ex-husband to alert authorities. She was last seen on Feb. 15, 2023, and had informed a friend that she planned to meet Stearns that day in Palm Bay.
Deputies with the Broward County Sheriff's Office began tracking Stearns, who eventually led investigators to a remote area known as the Compound. According to a press release, "While in the area, Stearns was observed attempting to dispose of evidence. He was then detained by members of the Game Over Task Force." Human remains recovered in the area were later confirmed to be Howery's.
Investigators later determined that Stearns and Howery had engaged in a heated dispute on Feb. 15, during which Stearns shot her. Officials said Stearns then "dismembered and burned the body, burying the remains in several different locations." The extensive disposal effort spanned several days and resulted in five distinct crime scenes within the Compound.
Stearns Killed Howery Because She Was Not 'Following His Relationship Rules'
During Thursday's sentencing hearing, prosecutor Samantha Barrett stated, "The defendant was angry at Ms. Howery. He was jealous, because she was seeing other men and that their relationship was not exclusive. She was not, to quote him, 'following his relationship rules.'"
For the murder conviction, Stearns received a life sentence. He was also given an additional 22-plus years for the charges related to abuse of a dead body and evidence tampering.
