Joy, justice and a sense of closure: Erin Howlett’s family is expressing relief that her killer is now in prison.
A jury in St. Catharines decided Michael Ball’s fate on Sunday afternoon, convicting the 27-year-old Kitchener man of first-degree murder.
The conviction comes with an automatic life sentence.
As soon as the word “guilty” was said out loud, the Howlett family breathed a sigh of relief.
“As they are delivering justice, they are also delivering some closure to a family that’s been through a lot,” says Erin Howlett’s brother Dale.
The Howletts endured two trials over the course of six years, hearing a tangled tale of how the pair had dated in early 2013, their relationship fueled by sex and drugs.
The prosecution argued that Ball choked Howlett to death in a jealous rage, stuffed her body in a duffel bag and dumped it in the Grand River.
A jury in the first trial couldn’t decide if Ball did it—the judge in 2016 declared a mistrial—but they did find him guilty of indignity to a body.
At the time, Ball told CTV Kitchener, “It’s a wrongful conviction,” as he exited the Kitchener courthouse.
Because of time served, Ball spent one night in jail for that crime. According to court documents, he filed an appeal for that conviction, but there’s been no movement on that case for some time.
“He’s going to prison for 25 years before the possibility of parole and we couldn’t ask for more I guess,” says Dale Howlett.
After the verdict, the Howlett family gave victim impact statements.
“People were drawn to the light that seemed to shine through her,” Erin’s mother said. She added: “No one should have to endure this type of heartache. It’s the kind of heartache that feels as though someone has reached in and ripped your heart out.”
Ball declined to address the court. His family and defence team quickly left the courthouse, not wanting to comment.
Ball has 30 days to appeal his first-degree murder conviction.
