HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Huntsville police have confirmed that 23-year-old Lazarus Howard, who had been missing since July, has been found dead off Highway 20, and investigators are now treating the case as a homicide.
According to the Huntsville Police Department (HPD), officers located Howard’s body on Wednesday in an area off Highway 20 after following up on new investigative leads.
Howard had been the subject of a missing person investigation since this summer, when he was first reported missing in Huntsville.
Preliminary evidence at the scene led detectives to believe that Howard was murdered. However, officials said a full autopsy will be needed to determine the exact cause and manner of death.
Authorities have not yet released further details about how long Howard may have been at the location or the condition in which he was found.
An anonymous tip played a critical role in moving the investigation forward.
That information helped investigators identify 19-year-old Kylan James Haley as a person of interest in the case.
Detectives traveled to Montgomery to interview Haley, and that interview ultimately led to a search in the area off Highway 20 where Howard’s body was discovered.
Following the discovery, a warrant for murder was issued for Haley.
HPD said Haley is currently in custody in another jurisdiction, and the extradition process is underway to bring him back to Madison County to face the charge.
Additional details on possible charges or court dates have not yet been made public.
Family members of Howard, who had spent months searching for answers after his disappearance, are now faced with the confirmation of his death and the uncertainty of what exactly happened in his final hours.
Community members have expressed shock and sadness as the case shifts from a missing person search to a homicide prosecution.
Huntsville police said the investigation remains active and ongoing.
Detectives are continuing to gather evidence and interview witnesses as they work to build a full timeline of events leading up to Howard’s death.
Anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact authorities.
