Pasco shooting suspect accused of murder over brother’s argument

A 34-year-old Richland man pleaded innocent Tuesday to allegations that he killed a Pasco man after his half-brother got into an argument with the victim.

Simeon C.E. Howard faces a tentative trial date of March 6 in Franklin County Superior Court.

He is charged with premeditated first-degree murder, drive-by shooting and first-degree unlawful possession of a 9 mm pistol.

Later Tuesday, prosecutors filed charges against the second suspect, Nathaniel L. Thompson, of Kennewick, for his alleged role in the fatal shooting.

Thompson, 26, was charged with premeditated first-degree murder, first-degree conspiracy to commit murder and drive-by shooting.

His next court appearance is Jan. 17.

Howard and Thompson are being held on $1 million bail each in the Franklin County jail.

Shane Silverthorn, the court-appointed lawyer for Howard, did not argue for a bail reduction.

Prosecutors accused Howard of shooting Thomas Contreras De Leon early Dec. 30 at South Myrtle Avenue and East B Street in Pasco.

De Leon, a farmworker, was driven to the hospital by a friend. The 27-year-old died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Before the shooting, De Leon and Thompson reportedly exchanged words with each other at Joker’s in Richland on Dec. 29.

After leaving the nightclub, an upset De Leon called for Thompson to meet him near his Pasco home to settle things, documents said.

De Leon intended to fight Thompson, but Thompson brought his half-brother along and at one point Howard pulled out a gun and started firing, a witness said.

Investigators found several shell casings in the northeast corner of the intersection, and a second batch of casings about 40 yards to the northwest.

This story was originally published January 10, 2017 at 12:48 PM with the headline "Pasco shooting suspect accused of murder over brother’s argument."