VIENNA — The two men charged with first degree murder and other felony charges in Pulaski County — as reported in the July 15 Maries County Advocate — were involved in two separate shooting incidents in late June and on and early July 4, ending in one fatality.

According to probable cause statements by Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputy Detective Kyle Heidler about Ray Gene Howard, 19, Dixon, and Andrew Schablow, 22, Vienna, the crime spree began June 27 at 504 North Oak Street in Dixon.

The two men were in a vehicle driven by Schablow. They drove by the Dixon residence with Howard, in the passenger side of the vehicle, pointing a handgun toward the house. At the home were Cheyenne Rosario-Reed, Dylan Smith and their nine month old child AJS, and Ryan Christian, who was holding the child. They were standing on the porch and watched the vehicle go by as the gun was pointed at them and discharged.

According to the report they were scared and feared being shot, including the child.

Neighborhood residents also witnessed the shooting incident and heard the pop of the gunfire. Surveillance video also captured the sound of the gunfire as the vehicle was in front of the home and the people on the porch were seen rushing inside to get away from the gunfire.

The crime spree continued, according to police, on July 4 when shots were fired at the Red Roof Inn in St. Robert. When they arrived at the scene, officers of the St. Robert Police Department found a male in room 105. He was dead from a gunshot wound. Officers found a small, plastic bag containing a white, crystalline substance and took it as evidence. There was a bullet hole in the side of a chest of drawers and a bullet projectile was collected as evidence. Photographs were taken.

While officers were responding to the call Lt. Jayme Gettys made contact with a male running in the area of Mobil On The Run. Paul N. Fergot, 35, Dixon, was taken to the St. Robert Police Department. He told the police he was picked up at his residence by Schablow and Howard. He needed cigarettes and they drove toward St. Robert. They asked him if he knew where Megan was. They ended up at Red Roof Inn and he went to room 105 and made contact with Gene Piatt in order to get drugs. While there he saw, Piatt, the victim, and Howard in the doorway of the room with a silver and black pistol held at his side. The two began fighting and then, according to the probable cause statement, Howard shot Piatt. Fergot then began chasing Howard and that’s when the police officer saw him and stopped him. It was noted Fergot did not tell law enforcement the vehicle with the suspected shooter was next to Fergot at the time the police officer had contact with him.

In the probable cause statement, Detective Anderson said Howard went to the Red Roof Inn armed with a firearm to obtain illegal narcotics and got into an altercation with Eugene Piatt in the doorway of the room and shot Piatt in the chest, which killed Piatt. There were multiple persons in the adjoining rooms of the hotel who were placed in danger when Howard discharged the firearm. Howard then fled the scene of the shooting and disposed of the weapon.

Howard and Schablow were wanted by law enforcement and after a week on the lamb they turned themselves in. For the June 27 incident, Howard and Schablow are charged with second degree assault special victim, and three counts of second degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful possession of a firearm, and armed criminal action. For the July 4 shooting, Howard and Schablow are charged with first degree murder, armed criminal action, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, leaving the scene of a shooting, and tampering with physical evidence.

An arraignment was held July 9 and a preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 10 in Pulaski County. They remain in the Pulaski County Jail on $100,000 bond.