The North Country is crippled by the horrifying murder of 21-year-old Elizabeth Howell, a SUNY Potsdam senior student. According to multiple reports, Howell was found on the side of College Park Road with gunshot wounds on Friday, Feb.18. She was taken to Canton-Potsdam Hospital, where she was declared dead at 7 pm the same day.
Before her tragic death at the hands of a gunman, Elizabeth Howell—affectionately known as Beth by her loved ones—was described by SUNY Potsdam on Twitter as “a cellist who performed with the Crane Symphony Orchestra, and she was an aspiring educator with a bright future ahead of her.”
She Hails from the Putnam County town of Patterson. “She was just such a wonderful person who had a very promising life ahead of her. It is another case of senseless gun violence. I just don’t understand it,” said her Neighbor, Kim Carmody, to ABC7 News.
The New York Post quoted her father, Joe Howell. “[Elizabeth] was the type of person that didn’t have enemies, and certainly no one that would want to kill her. As soon as they told us, we figured wrong place, wrong time.”
According to the SUNY Potsdam Website (Feb. 19), the State Police have arrested Michael J. Snow. A 31-year-old man from Massena who has been charged with one count of murder in the second degree for the murder of Howell. “He [Snow] was arraigned in Potsdam Town Court and was remanded to St. Lawrence County Jail, with no bail,” the website reads. Neither the Potsdam Town Court, nor the St Lawrence County Clerk could confirm a court date for Mr. Snow’s case.
So far, investigators on the case have not unearthed any previous connection between Howell and Snow. There is no motive found, and the shooting is believed to be an isolated incident. Snow is not affiliated with the college in any way, the SUNY Potsdam administration reiterated.
“As a St. Lawrence Student and a young woman who can potentially be a victim of such violence, it was scary because [Elizabeth] did not know this guy who committed the shooting. It is scary that a shooting could be a threat on campus, which is something I don’t really think about, and I undermine, as young individuals do, the risk of being hurt on campus,” said Alleigh Szabo ‘24, reacting to the news. “I know it’s something that happened in Potsdam, but things are happening on this campus all the time. We have severe weather warnings, sexual assaults, and predatory people towards young women [where is the warning for that] on campus. I do not see the increase [in security], even though they did say there would be. And I imagine an increase is happening, but why don’t we always have this security around? There are a lot of threats around us,” said Szabo.
“Police determined that Snow passed through Potsdam, Hopkinton, Malone, Westville, Hogansburg and Massena between 5 and 8:30 pm on Friday,” according to Syracuse.com.They ask anyone who saw him or the car [gray Honda Civic with NY registration KVE2731 ] to call the state police at (518) 873-2750.”
In the aftermath of the shooting, SUNY Potsdam canceled classes on Monday, Feb. 21. There is a musical gathering planned on Wednesday, at 7:30 pm, on the SUNY Potsdam Campus, to pay respects to Howell. Dean Hagi Bradley confirmed that SLU has no planned remembrance for Howell’s life yet.
“As of Wednesday evening, Michael Snow has been moved from the St. Lawrence County Jail to an undisclosed location.” According to reports by WWNY, he is under heavy guard by several deputies. This is a developing story.