On the evening of June 6, 2026, Henry Christopher Howard, 26, was shot and killed in the parking lot of Mi Mexico restaurant on Highway 43 in Thomasville, Alabama. Police arrived about 10 p.m., found Howard with a gunshot wound, and he was taken to Grove Hill Memorial Hospital where he died. He is described as a Black man, employed at UPS and known in his community.

A 51-year-old man, identified as Hector Hugo Duran Gutierrez, was found hiding under the back of the restaurant shortly after the shooting and was taken into custody without incident. Authorities charged Gutierrez with murder and discharging a firearm into a dwelling or business; police said the preliminary investigation pointed to an argument between Howard and Gutierrez.

The restaurant remained closed as a crime scene and showed visible damage, including a large hole in a window. Friends and coworkers remembered Howard as a good kid with a vibrant, humorous presence. If anyone saw what happened that night or has information about the shooting, please share what is known.