Shivangi Sinha
When Chad Entzel’s remains were discovered in his home in January 2020, investigators quickly determined that his death was not the result of an accident. Surveillance footage showed his wife, Nikki Entzel, repeatedly entering and leaving the house with another man. He was later identified as Earl Howard, who was having an affair with Nikki and was ultimately convicted as an accomplice in the crime. Although the precise sequence of events inside the home has never been fully revealed, authorities concluded that Howard shared equal responsibility. The evidence that led police to him and the details of his arrest were later explored in ABC’s ‘20/20: The Last Strike’.
Earl Howard Alleged That Nikki Entzel Shot Her Husband
Earl Roy Howard had established a stable life in Bellewood, Ontario, where he was married and operated a caring-related business. It was through this work that he first came into contact with Nikki Entzel, who at the time was living in Bismarck, North Dakota, running a home-based baking business and raising two children while married to Chad Entzel. The two began communicating in 2019 and arranged to meet in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on December 26, 2019. Nikki told Chad she was traveling for work and exchanged messages that later proved to be misleading. When she returned home on December 30, 2019, she was not alone as Howard had traveled with her.
On January 2, 2020, Nikki called the police to report a fire at the house, prompting an immediate investigation. Authorities soon determined that Chad’s death was not caused by an accidental fire but by two gunshot wounds. As the case unfolded, police uncovered Nikki’s affair with Howard and reviewed surveillance footage showing the two of them entering and leaving the home on December 30 and 31, 2019. They were also seen kissing at a Walmart a few days before the incident. Investigators also learned that Nikki was the beneficiary of Chad’s life insurance and other insurance policies, which led to further questioning. During interviews, Nikki gave inconsistent accounts of the events, at times alleging that Chad had been abusive and alleging that Earl shot him during an argument while she remained outside in a car.
Nikki claimed that over the following two days, she and Earl Howard attempted to set the house on fire to destroy evidence. She was arrested on charges including conspiracy to commit murder, while Howard had not yet been located. On January 9, 2020, Howard was stopped at the US–Canada border crossing between Port Huron, Michigan, and Sarnia, Ontario, as he was returning to Bellewood. An arrest warrant had been issued in his name based on Nikki’s statements. After his arrest, Howard alleged that Nikki was the one who shot Chad and said he only assisted by helping set the house on fire. He alleged Nikki told him Chad was abusive and that he believed he was helping her leave the relationship. According to Howard, he spoke with Chad on December 30, but there was no argument; he alleged that Nikki later entered the house and shot her husband.
Earl Howard is in a North Dakota Prison Today
Earl Howard was charged with multiple offenses, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, arson, conspiracy to commit arson, and conspiracy to tamper with physical evidence. In October 2021, he accepted a plea agreement, pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit arson, and arson, with the murder charge dismissed as part of the deal. Howard was expected to testify during Nikki Entzel’s trial in October 2022, but prosecutors ultimately chose not to call him, believing he would invoke his Fifth Amendment rights, which could weaken their case. In February 2022, Howard was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Now 47 years old, he is incarcerated at the James River Correctional Center in Jamestown, North Dakota, with an estimated release date in 2040.
Read More: Where is Chad Entzel’s Family Now?
