Suspect in triple murders had troubled past

The ties that bound the Engelhardts were so close that three family members paid the ultimate price trying to protect each other during a night of terror in Hoffman Estates.

Prosecutors say Alan Engelhardt, 57, his daughter Conant High School senior Laura, 18, and mother-in-law Marlene Gacek, 73, died at the hands of D'Andre D. Howard during a stabbing rampage Friday.

Howard, a 20-year-old with a history of mental illness and criminal arrests, had been dating 23-year-old Amanda Engelhardt for three years, according to authorities.

Cook County Judge Samuel Betar today denied bond for Howard, who was under police guard at Alexian Brothers Medical Center, recovering from wounds inflicted by Laura, who risked her life in a desperate attempt to help her mother and sister, Amanda.

Howard is charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and aggravated unlawful restraint.

Listed in critical condition at St. Alexius Hospital in Hoffman Estates is Shelly Engelhardt, mother of Laura, Amanda and college student Jeff, a Southern Illinois University student.

Neighbor and close friend Gayle Irvine sat in shock during bond court. She described a loving family that supported each other through thick and thin.

"I'm just numb," Irvine said. "I just want people to know how wonderful they were."

Public Defender Stephen Herczeg said Howard, who has lived in Chicago most of his life, had been abused and neglected as a child and suffered from mental health issues but did not elaborate. Illinois Department of Children and Family Services officials had no comment.

Howard's parents' rights to custody were terminated when he was 14, officials said. In 2004, he was charged as a juvenile with aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

The triple homicide started as a quarrel late Thursday between Amanda Engelhardt and Howard at his apartment in the 900 block of Evanston Street in Hoffman Estates.

Howard ordered Engelhardt out and she left with their baby daughter to the place she felt safest - her parents' home in the 1000 block of Bluebonnet Lane.

Prosecutors allege Howard followed Amanda and the argument continued at 1:30 a.m., waking up Shelly and Laura, who rushed down to the first floor to help.

"The defendant became increasingly angry," Cook County prosecutor Maria McCarthy said. "He grabbed a butcher knife and waved it in his girlfriend's face."

Howard used yarn to tie up the women and stuffed a sock in Laura's mouth. He was interrupted by Shelly's sister, who is disabled, and he ordered her to sit on the couch, McCarthy said.

At some point, Howard started to untie Laura, who seized the butcher knife and cut him on the arm. He wrestled the weapon away and slashed at her and Shelly, McCarthy said.

The commotion drew Marilyn Gacek down to the kitchen where Howard killed her, McCarthy said.

The next victim was Alan Engelhardt, a stay-at-home dad and coach. Howard slit Engelhardt's throat, but before he died he managed to stagger into the family room where his teenage daughter and wife lay wounded.

The last family member to come on the scene was Alan's mother, who is 85. "She saw her son lying lifeless," McCarthy said.

Amanda Engelhardt, who along with her paternal grandmother and aunt was physically uninjured, pleaded with Howard to let her call 911 but he ripped the phone jack from the wall.

After trying to wipe the blood off the kitchen floor with bleach, Howard apparently relented and allowed Amanda to alert police, which she did around 6:44 a.m.

Laura died in hospital Friday afternoon but was conscious and to tell authorities what happened. She suffered stab wounds to her back, stomach, abdomen and aorta.

In 2004, Howard was convicted in juvenile court of aggravated criminal sexual assault in Cook County. He violated his probation but was placed on probation again in 2006, officials said. He also is charged with battery and has a court date in May in that case.

In addition, there is an order of protection against him issued by a Lake County judge.

McCarthy is asking that the case be treated as a capital crime. The next court date is Monday.

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