More murder charges in five deaths

A grand jury has indicted a man for two more south Kansas City murders.

Brandon Howell, 34, had been charged previously with three first-degree murders for related shotgun killings.

Charges for the Sept. 2 attack on five people had been first-degree assault for the beatings of George and Anna Taylor.

After the wounded couple died, Jackson County prosecutors moved to upgrade those charges to murder as well.

Howell now faces 12 felony counts in the killings in the Woodbridge area of South Kansas City.

Besides the five murders, he is charged with burglary, stealing a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a firearm and four counts of armed criminal action.

Police found the Taylors beaten inside their home on Woodbridge Lane. They found Susan Choucroun, 69, Lorene Hurst, 88, and her son Darrel Hurst, 63, in their yards or driveways.

Witnesses told police that they heard shots and saw Howell driving the Taylors’ SUV away.

Police soon arrested Howell on I-29 near NW 72^nd Street. That was after other victims at a motel near there told them that Howell had assaulted them.