Howard's Game Part 6

Notice of Discipline Referral

Student: Howard Talbot
Teacher: Mrs. Reynolds

Mike Renfro ran up to me in tears this morning, claiming that Howard told him “shovel man” was going to bury him out back with his dad. I approached Howard, and he told me to “fuck off”. His voice didn’t sound right. He wasn’t even stuttering like usual. I sent Mr. Fontenot in with Howard immediately.

9/28/09, 10:13 AM



To: mm_talbot@gmail.com
From: gboling@usd166.org
Date: 9.28.2009
Subject: Howard

Dear Mrs. Talbot,

Howard had another difficult day at school today. He threatened another boy on the playground—the same child he bit last week. He kept saying something about “way out back in a little shallow hole” when I had him in my office to talk about the incident. I asked him what that meant, and he said that’s where “shovel man” was going to put the other boy, right next to his father.

Do you have any idea what Howard is talking about? Please contact me at your earliest opportunity. Again, our office number is (811) 766-6109.

Thank you,

Mr. Gerard Boling,
Principal, Suncrest Elementary



from Mitchell Saunders police report, September 29th, 2009

Officer Clarke and I traveled to the Talbot residence at 1430 hours to follow up on a call Mrs. Talbot placed in regard to her missing husband. She showed us a fresh plot of upturned earth measuring approximately six feet by three feet in her backyard behind a small garden shed. Mrs. Talbot explained she didn't own a shovel. Officer Clarke and I made a cursory search, verifying no digging tools on the premises. The dirt in the plot was soft and freshly upturned. Officer Clarke probed the soil with his baton, noting firmness about eight inches below the surface. With a shovel from the cruiser, we uncovered partial human remains in the initial stages of decomposition, and at that time called in forensics for exhumation.