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GARLAND, Texas - A Garland man says he was held hostage by his ‘friend’ in the same home where his girlfriend was murdered. Police say the man’s friend confessed to her killing.
Garland police say Ryan Howell confessed that he stabbed a 62-year-old Nancy Nolan to death inside a home on Sunday.
It's a harrowing tale if it is true. The victim’s boyfriend, Jerry McGee, says he was beaten and tied up by Howell inside the home for two days before he made his escape and ran to a neighbor's house for help.
Police questioned McGee for hours but was released on Wednesday after police failed to charge him with a crime.
McGee is still processing the two days he says he spent as a prisoner in his home.
It all started Sunday when he walked in the door.
McGee said his longtime friend, Howell, hit him over the head with a baseball bat.
McGee had welcomed Howell into his home to live with him in March after his father died.
That image of Howell wielding a baseball bat is all McGee says he remembers before blacking out.
"And then Monday, I found out that my girlfriend was dead,” McGee said. “He told me that himself."
McGee says he saw the outline of his girlfriend underneath a sheet, lying beside him.
Garland police say Nolan was stabbed.
McGee says Howell, who was paranoid and is bipolar, used furniture to barricade doors and would not let him out of his sight until Tuesday afternoon.
"He tied me up thinking he had tied me up real good,” recalled McGee. By the grace of God, I managed to break free."
When Howell went to the store, McGee says he ran to a neighbor for help. That run made more difficult without his crutches. McGee is an amputee. He lost his leg in a car crash over a decade ago. Howell had taken his crutches away.
Garland police say Howell confessed he killed Nolan when they arrived at the home on Meadowdale Circle Tuesday afternoon.
"My heart is saddened because of my girlfriend being gone,” said McGee.
Nolan, from Seagoville, has two grown children and grandchildren.
McGee says he doesn't want to use the word hate, but he is angry at his friend.
Howell has been charged with murder.