Trial Begins In Tulsa County For Man Charged With Double Homicide

The trial started for a Tulsa man charged with killing his ex-girlfriend and her 16-year-old niece. Howard Peeples was charged with two counts of first degree murder in the fall of 2020. Peeples is accused of killing Chantel Dean then shooting and killing her Niece Na’Veha Alexander.

After a full day of jury selection, a jury was seated just before 5 p.m. and attorneys for both sides gave their opening statements.

Investigators say Na’veha’s younger sister hid behind a bedroom door, saw her sister get shot, then waited until she thought she was safe and used her sister’s phone to call 911.

The sister told them Peeples had been fighting with Chantel Dean earlier in the night, according to investigators. Prosecutors played the 911 call in court for the jury.

The young girl testified that she saw Peeples in the house before she went to bed, saw her sister get shot, then saw Peeples searching the bedroom.

She testified that once Peeples left the room, she went and hid in a closet. She said she used her sisters cell phone to call 911.

Attorneys for Peeples argued this was a rush to judgement by Tulsa Police to make Peeples their suspect. Attorney’s say a camera crew for A&E’s “The First 48” was at the scene with homicide investigators the night of the murders. Attorneys argued this made police rush to find their suspect.

They also argued the younger sister, who was a witness, didn’t know Peeples name, but instead told investigators the suspect was Chantel Dean’s boyfriend. They say she only knew Peeples name after a family member told her.

Tulsa Police arrested Peeples about a mile away from the scene, five hours after the 911 call.

The judge said she expects both sides to finish testimony on March 2 and the case is expected to go to the jury on Thursday, March 3.

Records show Peeples has previous convictions for child abuse.