Bail Bondsman Charged With Manslaughter After Shooting At SW OKC Hotel Room
Oklahoma City OK Jan 18 2020
A bail bondsman has been charged with manslaughter after a shooting death at a southwest Oklahoma City hotel, according to Oklahoma County court documents.
Howard Latrell Burnett, who also goes by Howard Barnett, was charged on Friday with one count of manslaughter in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman inside a hotel room.
The altercation happened late Nov. 28, 2019, at a hotel in the 1800 block of S Meridian Avenue.
Burnett, 49, was trying to arrest Todd Willis in his capacity as a bail bondsman, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Burnett told police he entered a hotel room when he pushed a woman when she was trying to enter the room. He told police he did not know if Willis was inside the room prior to entering the room and he did identify himself to the woman, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Burnett said he was not wearing any markings or writings on his clothes to identify who he was and did not wear any type of badge.
Once he was inside, Burnett said a physical altercation happened between himself, the woman and Willis. Burnett fired his 9mm handgun twice, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The woman, who was identified as Jennifer Dunn, was hit once and died from her injuries.
Willis told police he thought he was being robbed because he had illegal narcotics in the room and he had been robbed before, according to the probable cause affidavit.
