John William Lomax III Charged with Jasper Howard UConn Football Murder

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Daily Blotter

(Facebook Photo)

Photo: Jasper Howard.

STORRS, Conn. (CBS/AP) John William Lomax III is charged with murder in the stabbing death of University of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard outside a school-sanctioned dance, according to officials.

PICTURES: Slain UConn Player Jasper Howard

But Lomax's defense attorney says he was just trying to break up a fight.

Two others also were charged in the fight that led to the death of the 20-year-old UConn football star, of Miami.

Lomax, 21, was arrested Tuesday morning and charged with murder, police said. His bond was set at $2 million.

Police would not discuss evidence or a motive during a news conference Tuesday.

Police charged Hakim Muhammad, 20, with conspiracy to commit assault and Jamal Todd, 21, with a felony charge of falsely reporting an incident and a misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment. Police say he pulled the fire alarm that emptied the dance early Oct. 18, triggering the fight.

Lomax, who is not a UConn student and lives 30 miles from campus, wasn't present when the argument started and doesn't know what it was about, but tried to break up the fight, said his attorney, Deron Freeman.

"He was just partying," Freeman said. "Often people from out of town go to the UConn campus to party."

Howard, a starting cornerback whose nickname was Jazz, was stabbed outside a university-sanctioned dance, hours after helping his team to a homecoming game win over Louisville.

Several players said Tuesday they had never heard of Lomax, and don't know how Lomax and Howard crossed paths.

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PICTURES: Slain UConn Player Jasper Howard

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