Man sentenced to life for killing mother, burning her body; mouth taped shut at hearing

A judge sentenced a Scott City man Friday to life in prison without parole for strangling his mother with a braided dog leash.

Neil Howland Jr., 29, also was sentenced by Judge Fred Copeland to four years each on five other charges, bringing his total sentence to 120 years.

During the sentencing hearing in New Madrid, Missouri, Copeland ordered deputies to duct tape Howland�s mouth after repeated outbursts, special prosecutor Morley Swingle said.

A New Madrid County jury convicted Howland last month of first-degree murder, abandonment of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, knowingly burning a vehicle and two counts of animal abuse.

The jury found Howland had killed his mother, Cynthia Canoy, on Aug. 7, 2013, at her home in Scott City. The jury also found Howland placed her body and her two pet dogs into her SUV, drove the vehicle into a cornfield and burned it.

Three days after the killing, Howland confessed to the crime while being held in custody as a suspect at the Scott County Jail in Benton, Missouri.

During the trial, he said his murder confession was a lie, but rebuttal testimony from his girlfriend, Tiffany Warner, indicated Howland had put the dog leash around his mother�s neck.

Swingle said he felt the sentence was justified.

�If you kill your own mother, you will kill anybody,� Swingle said after sentencing.

�There was not a shred of remorse,� the prosecutor said of Howland.

The victim�s husband, Jerry Canoy, testified at the sentencing hearing, explaining how the murder had devastated his life, Swingle said.

Howland repeatedly interrupted Canoy during his statement and made insulting remarks, according to the prosecutor.

Copeland warned Howland to be quiet, but Howland continued the verbal assault, Swingle said.

The judge then ordered Howland�s mouth duct taped while Canoy finished testifying, the prosecutor said.

After Canoy made his statement to the court and Howland calmed down, the judge handed down the sentence, Swingle said.

More than four years after the crime was committed, �justice was achieved here,� Swingle said.

The case was heard in New Madrid County on a change of venue.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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