{"id":20532,"date":"2026-07-29T03:18:33","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T22:18:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=20532"},"modified":"2026-07-29T03:18:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T22:18:33","slug":"ebony-duncans-ex-convicted-of-murder-after-chilling-texts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=20532","title":{"rendered":"Ebony Duncan&#8217;s Ex Convicted Of Murder After Chilling Texts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"listicle-slide\" data-page-number=\"0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"450\" width=\"652\" src=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?w=652&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"Ebony Duncan, Charles Smith-Howell, Convicted\" class=\"wp-image-1683381\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?strip=all&amp;quality=80 1008w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=153%2C106&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 153w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=378%2C261&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 378w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=768%2C530&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 768w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=652%2C450&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 652w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=180%2C124&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 180w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=145%2C100&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 145w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=290%2C200&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 290w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=72%2C50&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 72w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=695%2C480&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 695w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=869%2C600&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 869w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=450%2C311&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 450w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=600%2C414&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 600w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=900%2C621&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 900w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=250%2C173&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 250w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=213%2C147&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 213w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=245%2C169&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 245w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=125%2C86&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 125w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=144%2C99&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 144w, https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?resize=50%2C35&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 652px) 100vw, 652px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: Photo courtesy of Facebook\/People \/ Ebony Duncan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Charles Smith-Howell, the former boyfriend of 44-year-old Ebony Duncan, has been convicted in connection with the murder of the mother of three, according to reports from <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/killer-texted-daughter-of-woman-found-dead-in-woods-12026582\"><em>People<\/em><\/a><em>,<\/em> <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kansascity.com\/news\/local\/crime\/article316604913.html\"><em>the Kansas City Star<\/em><\/a>, and other outlets.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-ebony-ducan-murder-charles-smith-howell-convicted-of-second-degree-murder-among-other-charges\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ebony Ducan murder: Charles Smith-Howell convicted of second-degree murder among other charges.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On July 17, a Jackson County jury found the 44-year-old guilty of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, abandonment of a corpse, and two counts of tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution, according to Jackson County court records <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kansascity.com\/news\/local\/crime\/article316604913.html\">cited by<\/a> <em>the Kansas City Star<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>RELATED CONTENT: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/1558023\/tiktok-star-girlalala-dead\/\"><strong>TikTok Star Girlalala, 21, Tragically Shot Dead \u2014 Boyfriend Arrested For Her Murder As City Girls\u2019 JT And More Pay Tribute<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-ebony-duncan-went-missing-in-2023\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ebony Duncan went missing in 2023.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Authorities had long considered Smith-Howell a suspect in Duncan\u2019s disappearance before his arrest. Duncan was reported missing by her daughter on Sept. 7, 2023, after co-workers at Sunterra Springs became concerned when she failed to report to work that morning, according to a probable cause statement filed in support of his arrest.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to <em>People<\/em>, Duncan <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/killer-texted-daughter-of-woman-found-dead-in-woods-12026582\">was last seen <\/a>on Sept. 6, 2023, getting into a vehicle in Independence, Missouri, police said at the time. Nearly two months later, on Oct. 31, 2023, her remains were discovered in a wooded area in Kansas City, Missouri, authorities confirmed in an update. A medical examiner later determined she had a bullet lodged in her body.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"listicle-slide\" data-page-number=\"1\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"\/>\n<h3 id=\"h-charles-smith-howell-was-arrested-a-year-later\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Charles Smith-Howell was arrested a year later.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Smith-Howell was arrested in July 2024 and charged with Duncan\u2019s murder, according to online court records obtained by the outlet.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Investigators said friends and co-workers told police that Duncan and Smith-Howell had previously been in a relationship but had argued the day before she disappeared because she had begun dating other people, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by <em>People.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the search for Duncan continued, her daughter contacted Smith-Howell to ask whether he had seen or spoken to her mother, investigators said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His response raised alarm.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"listicle-slide\" data-page-number=\"2\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI saw your mother last night,\u201d he responded. \u201cI\u2019m sorry if something bad happened to her.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"\/>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the affidavit, investigators used cellphone records, surveillance footage from the day Duncan disappeared, and statements from friends and co-workers to identify Smith-Howell as a person of interest in the case.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Authorities also discovered Duncan\u2019s blood inside a vehicle belonging to Smith-Howell\u2019s then-girlfriend, according to the affidavit, although the woman was not accused of any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Duncan is remembered by loved ones as a devoted mother of three with a strong work ethic and determination. According to her online obituary, she earned her G.E.D. and became a certified nursing assistant while pregnant before later graduating from culinary school.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Outside of work, she \u201cenjoyed spending time with family and friends and dressing exceptionally well,\u201d<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kcgoldengate.com\/obituaries\/ebony-duncan\"> her obituary reads.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDuring her life Ebony accomplished an array of things, most of all being a loving daughter, sister, niece, auntie, cousin, and friend,\u201d the obituary added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Smith-Howell remains in custody at the Jackson County Detention Center. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 5.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>RELATED CONTENT: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/1668943\/dead-pregnant-woman-ashanti-allen-houston\/\"><strong>\u201cI\u2019m Not Coming Back\u201d \u2014 Pregnant Houston Woman Found Dead After Ominous Text, Father Of Unborn Child Accused And On The Run<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Source: Photo courtesy of Facebook\/People \/ Ebony Duncan. Charles Smith-Howell, the former boyfriend of 44-year-old Ebony Duncan, has been convicted in connection with the murder of the mother of three, according to reports from People, the Kansas City Star, and other outlets. Ebony Ducan murder: Charles Smith-Howell convicted of second-degree murder among other charges. On&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20533,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/madamenoire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/17852403748362.png?strip=all&quality=80&w=1008&crop=0,0,100,696px","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-gossip"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20532"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20532\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}