Photo of getaway car in reality TV director killing is released

Police on Tuesday released a surveillance photo of a green Mustang convertible believed to be involved in the Glassell Park killing of a reality television director and production manager.

Investigators are looking for witnesses and tips in the Nov. 27 home invasion shooting, in which James Marcus Howe was gunned down on his front porch, said Los Angeles police Officer Ryan Watterson of the Northeast Homicide Division.

Howe and his wife were in their home shortly before 11 a.m. in the 4400 block of West Avenue 42 when a person knocked on their door posing as a solicitor. Once the door was open, two people ambushed the couple and a struggled ensued. One of the intruders pulled out a handgun and fatally shot Howe. His wife was also seriously injured but survived.

HOMICIDE REPORT: Tracking killings in L.A. County

The two intruders fled in a green Mustang convertible with a tan top driven by a woman. The surveillance photo was taken near the killing, but Watterson declined to say where.

Watterson said detectives don’t have many leads on the three people believed to be involved but urged anyone who may have seen something to pick up the phone.

“Anyone who might know the suspects, might recognize the car … anything like that,” he said.

The L.A. City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a $75,000 reward for the case.

Howe’s family spoke out about the slaying on Monday at a news conference regarding the reward.

“We have 42 years of raising James Marcus under our belts, and what a very exciting life that was,” Howe’s father, Allan Howe of Evanston, Ill., said. “We are grief-stricken at its sudden end here; it’s beyond words.”

Howe worked on shows such as “America’s Next Top Model” and “A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila.”

The three people involved have been described by police as follows:

• A black male between the ages of 16 and 22, about 5 feet 10 inches tall and 150 pounds with short hair.
• A black male between the ages of 18 and 25, also 5 feet 10 inches tall and about 180 pounds.
• A black female between the ages of 18 and 25 with a thin build, a light complexion and shoulder-length hair.

Anyone with information can call LAPD’s Northeast Homicide Division at (323) 344-5744. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

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