Bryan Hower

Case record: Bryan Hower

Background

Bryan Hower was charged in the death of his wife, Bonnie Hower. Bryan Hower’s defence asserted that he strangled his wife in self-defense during a confrontation in the garage.

Bonnie Hower was 33. Bryan Hower was 34 at the time of the trial. Hayle was 11 and Tyler was 8.

Sheri Galvez, Bonnie Hower’s mother, described Hayle and Tyler touching their mother’s urn every day. Galvez, 55, spoke near the wooded area behind the couple’s home on Timberlake Road West where Bonnie Hower’s remains were discovered on June 11, 2010. Galvez discussed “years of abuse she said Bonnie Hower endured.”

Galvez said she had custody of Hayle and Tyler. She said she planned to explain the sentencing later that day to the children, and that she soon would return with the children to Lodi, Calif., where she lives. Galvez and her brother, Tim Ward, were cleaning the house and mowing the yard on the day of the remains being discovered.

Galvez said she saw hints of Bryan Hower’s temper when he struck Bonnie’s arm in the car as she attempted to change the radio station. Galvez said he often called his wife a “jerk” and told her to shut up. Galvez said, “It was always of the utmost importance to Bonnie to keep her family together,” and added, “She was a product of divorce and stayed with him all the time.”

Galvez said the couple met at a Sacramento, Calif., skating rink when they were both 14, were friends for years, and married at 19. She said they later moved to Reno. She said Bryan Hower wanted to leave Reno for Florida about five years before the killing. Galvez said the family of four had lived for two years in a gray, two-story home, with few indications they had lived there.

Galvez said her grandchildren continued to remember their mom. She said that whenever they ate chocolate ice cream, one of them always pointed out that it was Bonnie Hower’s favorite flavor. She said that on Mother’s Day, the children drew pictures of their mom, using yellow yarn for their mother’s blond hair. Galvez said, “Falling asleep at night, they always say, ‘I love you, Mama,'?”

The offence

Bryan Hower strangled his wife, Bonnie Hower, during an argument. Investigators said he killed Bonnie Hower because he feared she would leave and take the couple’s children.

According to Bryan Hower’s testimony, the confrontation began during an argument over who would have custody of their two children. During the struggle, Bonnie Hower grabbed a knife. Bryan Hower said he disarmed her and attempted to restrain her, and that she kept trying to get a wrench as they struggled on the floor of the garage.

Detectives said Bonnie Hower was killed in the garage while the children were upstairs.

According to investigators and prosecutors, Bryan Hower spent minutes choking his wife until she died. Prosecutors argued he had a conscious decision to kill and had enough time to reflect on what he was doing.

Investigation

A deputy searching the backyard found Bonnie Hower’s body and purse dumped in a hole where the Hower family typically got rid of dead animals. A hand truck was found near the hole, and her purse was buried with her.

Investigators said Bryan Hower hid Bonnie Hower’s body and lied about her whereabouts to family, friends and investigators if he was acting in self defense.

State records showed the couple operated their own company, Red Rock Solutions, advertising “land and tractor services,” including excavating, mowing and stump removal.

Arrest

Bryan Hower was arrested and charged with murder in his wife’s death. He was being held without bail in the Polk County Jail.

His first court appearance was scheduled for 9 a.m. the day after he was arrested.

Trial

The trial began with jury deliberations after opening statements were given.

Assistant State Attorney Hope Pattey told jurors that Bryan and Bonnie Hower had been married for 14 years. Pattey said Bryan Hower was not acting in fear of his life when he strangled his wife, and said Bryan Hower told detectives he was upset his wife was going to leave with their two children. Pattey said, “He was not going to allow that to happen,” and the couple’s 10-year-old daughter was worried because her mother was missing and her father was acting strangely.

Blair Allen, one of Bryan Hower’s two assistant public defenders, told jurors Bryan Hower was acting in self-defense and did not intend to kill his wife. Allen described Bonnie Hower as being capable of “explosive violence” and “surprising strength.” Allen said an argument took place in the garage of the couple’s home and escalated into a deadly confrontation. Allen also said Bryan Hower told his wife the kids wanted to stay with him, that Bonnie Hower was enraged and grabbed a knife, and that Bryan Hower attempted to disarm and restrain her. Allen said afterward Bryan Hower was filled with “shock and horror” that his wife died, and that he did not know how to tell people what happened. Allen said detectives did not give Bryan Hower a fair opportunity to explain what took place and that they kept interrupting him and putting words into his mouth.

During closing arguments, Assistant State Attorney Paul Wallace insisted Bryan Hower made a conscious decision to kill his wife and had enough time to reflect. Wallace said, “There is only one thing on his mind: I’ve got to do what is necessary so Bonnie doesn’t leave and take my children.” Wallace urged jurors to consider why Bryan Hower hid his wife’s body and then lied about her whereabouts to family, friends and investigators if he was acting in self defense, and said, “It’s entirely inconsistent.”

Howardene Garrett, an Assistant Public Defender, said Bryan Hower was trying to stop Bonnie Hower from attacking him and that he “simply tried to restrain her until she calmed down.” Garrett suggested the choking might have lasted just a matter of seconds if pressure was applied to a nerve in Bonnie Hower’s neck and her heart stopped. Garrett said Bryan Hower hid her body because he panicked afterward, adding, “He couldn’t cope,” and “He didn’t know what to do.”

The jury rejected Bryan Hower’s self-defense claim and found him guilty of first-degree murder. Jurors spent more than three hours deliberating before reaching a decision.

After the verdict was announced, Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen sentenced Bryan Hower to life imprisonment for the killing of 33-year-old Bonnie Hower.

As a bailiff was fingerprinting Bryan Hower, he turned to his wife’s family members and apologized.

Sentencing

Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen sentenced Bryan Hower to life imprisonment on August 30, 2011.

After the sentencing, Bryan Hower told Sheri Galvez, “I’m sorry, Sheri,” and added, “I really am.”

Outcome

A jury found Bryan Hower guilty of first-degree murder.

Aftermath

Hayle and Tyler were placed with family friends in Winter Haven after the killing. They did not know yet that their father had been sentenced.

Galvez said she received an apology from Bryan Hower after he was sentenced. She also said that Tyler, who goes by T, said he hated his dad and called him a “stupid head,” and that Hayle was “so conflicted.” Galvez said, “She was daddy’s special princess,” and “Hayle is so conflicted.”

Galvez said she felt guilty about not confronting her daughter about her troubled marriage.

Tyler and Hayle would touch their mother’s urn every day and drew pictures of their mom on Mother’s Day, using yellow yarn for her blond hair.

Tim Ward reported Bonnie Hower missing after he received an early morning phone call from Hayle who was worried after her mother went missing and her father began acting strangely, according to reports.

The Florida Department of Children and Families handled the custody issues involving the couple’s children. DCF spokeswoman Carrie Hoeppner said a deputy search had found the body, and that custody issues involved the couple’s children. She said, “Hopefully this is an interim temporary placement until the family gets here.”

Timeline

• June 11, 2010 — Bonnie Hower’s remains were discovered in a wooded area behind the couple’s home on Timberlake Road West.
• August 24, 2011 — Testimony began in the trial of Bryan Hower accused of first-degree murder.
• August 30, 2011 — Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen sentenced Bryan Hower to life imprisonment.
• August 31, 2011 — A jury rejected Bryan Hower’s self-defense claim and found him guilty of first-degree murder; Bryan Hower was sentenced to life imprisonment.
• September 1, 2011 — Coverage described Bonnie Hower’s children touching their mother’s urn and Galvez’s account of abuse she said Bonnie Hower endured.

Other details

Timothy Ward was identified as Bonnie Hower’s uncle. The reports said he lived in Jacksonville and drove to the couple’s house at 4010 Timberlake Road W. north of Lakeland after receiving a call.

Bonnie Hower was reported missing about 5 p.m. Friday by her uncle, Timothy Ward, according to arrest reports and investigative accounts. Ward said he had been called about 4 a.m. by Hower’s daughter who worried because her mother was missing and her father was acting strange.

Ward said Bryan Hower told him his wife was “gone,” but Bryan Hower told different stories about how she left, so Ward called the Sheriff’s Office.

In one story, Hower told Ward she “left on foot,” but then said he saw her get into someone’s car and leave.

After being questioned further, Bryan Hower told investigators he strangled his wife about 3 p.m. Thursday after she came at him with a knife during an argument in the garage of their home. Bryan Hower said he blocked the attack and took her to the ground in a choke hold, where she tried to grab a wrench.

The arrest report quotations included: “He said he covered her mouth with his right hand so the children would not hear the struggle,” and “He said he kept squeezing her neck until she stopped moving.” The report also said, “Hower stated after the decedent stopped moving, he placed her body in the hole.” It further said, “Hower stated multiple times he felt he needed to kill the decedent in order to prevent her from taking their children away from him.”

Neighbors described the couple as seemingly cordial and said they did not know them well, including Hunter Foskey, who said, “I don’t know. These days, it doesn’t seem there needs to be something wrong for things to be wrong,” and “It’s such a pointless death.”