CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — A California man accused of attempting to kill his pregnant wife at Celebration Park earlier this year has pleaded not guilty and is now scheduled to stand trial this summer.
During a district court arraignment on Monday, Robert Seviano Howell entered a not guilty plea to two felony charges: battery with intent to commit murder and attempted first-degree murder.
Judge Gabriel McCarthy accepted the plea and set a jury trial for July 21 through July 24, with a pretrial conference scheduled for July 7.
Howell appeared in custody for the hearing, while his defense attorney appeared via Zoom. His attorney told the court they would enter a not guilty plea and request a trial setting, which was granted.
The charges stem from a January incident at Celebration Park in Canyon County, where prosecutors say Howell strangled his wife while the couple was traveling through Idaho with their five children.
As previously reported by Idaho News 6, investigators say Howell told detectives he sent the children away before returning to the family vehicle, where his wife was sitting. He then allegedly strangled her, later telling investigators he believed she had done something to harm their unborn child.
Court testimony during an earlier preliminary hearing revealed Howell had allegedly admitted he intended to kill his wife. Detectives also testified that surveillance footage from the park supported parts of the timeline described.
First responders said the woman, who was about seven months pregnant at the time, showed signs consistent with strangulation, including petechiae and bruising. Despite the injuries, both the woman and her baby survived.
The case will move forward toward trial unless resolved beforehand. Howell remains in custody as the case proceeds.
For Canyon County happenings, news, and more— join our Facebook Group: 2C Neighborhood News - Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
