Popular outlaw country singer Randy Howard was killed in a shootout at his Tennessee home this week following a face off with a bounty hunter. The singer’s death has raised questions about the legality of Howard’s death. According to WSMV Nashville, the bounty hunter claims he fired in self-defense, but fans are calling foul, claiming Randy shouldn’t have been killed.
While many states require bounty hunters to have a license, Tennessee is one of the few states that doesn’t, leading to several incidents where bounty hunters overstepped their bounds.
Complicating matters is the fact that while the bounty hunter did have a warrant, according to investigative authorities speaking to WSMV Nashville.
“Howard was inside his home where he did have a right to defend himself.”
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is currently looking to the incident that killed Randy and whether charges will be filed. As previously reported by the Inquisir , the bounty hunter, who has been vaguely identified as Jackie Shell from A Plus Bail Bonding in Dunlap, Tennessee, maintains he merely returned fire in self-defense.
While Howard was killed instantly , the bounty hunter, who was also seriously wounded, is expected to recover.
According to Fox News, Randy Howard was a “member of country music’s ‘Outlaw’ movement, which rejected Nashville’s polished music in favor of a rougher sound.” He worked with the likes of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings. and Hank Williams Jr. and wrote songs for Hank Williams III. Hank Williams III shared a photo of himself smiling with Howard on Facebook after learning Randy was killed, captioned “RIP Randy Howard.”
“[Randy] was a giving person,” said Terry Dotson, who was close to the singer before he was killed . “He would do anything for you. If you asked for the shirt off his back, he’d give it to you. He was a good guy.”
Randy was supposed to be in court for a fourth DUI charge, but never made it.
“One morning I went over there to take him to court and he wasn’t ready,” Dotson said. “He said, ‘Well, I’ll call them in a couple hours.’ And that’s when I got mad at him. I said, ‘Look, we’re supposed to be there at 9 o’clock.’”
After Howard failed to appear , a bench warrant was issued, setting into motion the events that would lead to Randy being killed in his own home.
“He said he wasn’t going back to jail. That’s what he told me,” Dotson said.
Dotson also sounded off about the man who killed Randy Howard.
“I don’t believe they had the right to come in [Randy’s] house, no,” Dotson said.
[Image from YouTube]
