Ex-St. John's Walk-on Howell Donaldson III Arrested on Multiple Murder Charges

Howell Emanuel Donaldson III was arrested Tuesday in Tampa on four counts of first-degree murder for his alleged involvement in four slayings in October and November, according to Howard Altman of the Tampa Bay Times.

Per Rob Dauster of College Basketball Talk, Donaldson was a walk-on for the St. John's Red Storm during the 2011-12 season, although he did not appear in any games.

Donaldson graduated from St. John's University this year.

According to Altman, Donaldson is suspected of murdering 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell, 32-year-old Monica Hoffa, 20-year-old Anthony Naiboa and 60-year-old Ronald Felton in Tampa's Seminole Heights neighborhood.

The 24-year-old Donaldson arrived at McDonald's—his place of employment—on Tuesday and asked his manager to hold a loaded, semiautomatic pistol for him while he went to Amscot to get a payday loan.

That resulted in his manager notifying an officer who was inside the restaurant, and Donaldson was subsequently arrested.