AUBURN — A Lewiston man who admitted Tuesday to fatally shooting a Lewiston woman in 2022 was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Eddie Massie Maine State Police photo In an agreement reached with prosecutors, Eddie Massie, 41, pleaded guilty in Androscoggin County Superior Court to the intentional or knowing murder of 25-year-old Lacresha Howard on Dec. 11, 2022.
Murder is punishable in Maine by 25 years to life in prison. Members of Howard’s family spoke lovingly about the victim and the devastating effect her death has had on them. Heather Conley, Howard’s mother, said Howard was her “baby girl” and her best friend.
Howard suffered from substance abuse addiction and mental health issues, “but she was still a beautiful person and she didn’t deserve this,” Conley said. “What he’s taken from me is my life,” she said of Massie. “He took everything from us.
” Massie also has deprived Conley’s seven-year-old grandson the continued companionship of his mother. “He won’t get to have his mom hold him when he needs it the most,” she said. “I would never wish this pain on anybody.
I didn’t know anybody could hurt like this,” Conley said. “I know that she’s with me,” Conley said of her daughter. “I feel her often.
But, man, I miss her so much.” Heather Todd, Howard’s aunt and the guardian of her son, said that all Howard’s son has now is his mother’s ashes and “a lifetime of pain and missing pieces.” Although Massie took Howard’s life, Todd said, he could never take away her memory.
“She didn’t deserve to die,” Todd said. She deserves justice.” Howard’s sister, Kearra, said “I want this monster to know that what he did was wrong.
” Patrick Johnson, Howard’s father, said his daughter “had her whole life ahead of her and now she’s gone.” Her loss has given him nightmares. He misses talking to her and thinks about her “all the time,” he said.
“I know she’s up in heaven watching the rest of the family. The family needs closure. I need closure,” he said.
“I know nothing can bring her back,” he said. Massie made no statement before Justice Jennifer Archer imposed sentence. When he’s released from prison, Massie will be required to pay $1,546 in restitution.
Assistant Attorney General Lisa Bogue told Archer that Massie had been convicted earlier of theft and drug crimes and that his admission to the murder had been a factor in the plea agreement. Massie had been held at Androscoggin County Jail without bail pending trial and appeared Tuesday in an orange jail suit. Police said they discovered Howard late at night on Dec.
11, 2022, in the hallway of 108 Pierce St. She was bleeding from the head and with no pulse after a dispatcher received a 911 call. A medical examiner who conducted an autopsy observed a single gunshot wound at the back of Howard’s head.
Several witnesses who had been in the apartment building at the time of Howard’s death said they heard Massie, also known as “TT,” and Howard, identified by the witnesses as his girlfriend, arguing shortly before the sound of a gunshot and the discovery of Howard’s body in the hallway, police said. Witnesses said Massie had become angry about the attention Howard had paid to another man shortly before her death. Comments are not available on this story.
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