Robert Howard (triple jumper)

On August 14, 2004, shortly after his failure to make the Olympic team and in the opening hours of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Howard violently murdered his wife, Robin Mitchell, the chief neurosurgery resident at UAMS, and later leapt to his death from the 10th story of a medical school dormitory. Police found Mitchell dead in the couple's bed with dozens of stab wounds to the head and torso.

In 1999, Howard missed the majority of the season with an injury.

Admitted to medical school in 1999, Howard worked in his jumping around his schooling, studying at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to be a neurosurgeon. He had deferred his medical studies for one year to train for the 2000 Olympics and again for the 2004 Olympics. He finished fifth in the 2004 Olympic Trials, falling short in his attempt to make the Olympic team for the third time.

Howard graduated from the university in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in pre-medicine/microbiology.

Howard competed at the 1997 World University Games, finishing third in the triple jump. In 1997, he was named Collegiate Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News magazine for winning all four jumps in the two NCAA championship competitions.

Howard qualified for the US Olympic team in the triple jump twice, making the finals in both Atlanta and Sydney. He finished seventh in 1996 and eighth in 2000. He won the triple jump competition at the 2000 Olympic Trials with a leap of 55-9 (16.99). His best finish in USATF competitions was a second in the triple jump in 2001.

Robert Howard (November 26, 1975 in Brooklyn, New York – August 14, 2004 in Little Rock, Arkansas) was an American world-class triple and long jumper and a nine-time NCAA collegiate champion.

Howard graduated from Shea High School in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1994. His top triple jump while competing in the high school ranks was 51-5.75 (15.69m). He received the Tom Doherty Memorial Award as the state's male athlete of the year.