Brandon Howell, 34, did not speak a word during the three-minute hearing in court recently. He was accused of killing five people this year in the Woodbridge area of south Kansas City. His arraignment Monday in Jackson County Circuit Court caused quite a stir amongst locals as well as citizens nationwide.

His attorney, Patrick Berrigan, told members of the court that Howell was pleading not guilty on all charges, which includes five counts of first-degree murder. Prosecutors had originally charged Howell with three counts of first-degree murder for the shotgun slayings of Susan Choucroun, 69, Lorene Hurst, 88, and her son Darrel Hurst, 63 on September 2nd, earlier this fall. At that time, prosecutors also charged Howell with assault for attacks on George and Anna Taylor. Howell was arrested later that night on multiple charges after police spent hours investigating and searching for his whereabouts.

A week later, George and Anna Taylor both passed away due to injuries sustained during their attacks, which eventually led the grand jury to amend the original assault charges this past Friday. Howell finds himself facing lesser charges of burglary, illegal possession of weapons, vehicle theft and four counts of armed criminal action, in conjunction with the five counts of first-degree murder. Brandon Howell faces 12 felony counts in the deaths of the victims: George and Anna Taylor, Alice (Lorene) Hurst, her son, Darrel Hurst, and Susan Choucroun.

In the wake of destruction and Howell’s apparent disregard for human life, family, extended relatives, and neighbors have all declined to comment on the upgraded charges and the events of the shotgun slaying.