Duluth man pleads guilty to first-degree murder

The St. Louis County District Attorney's Office reports that Dale John Howard, 25, of Duluth pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend, Allisa Vollan, on March 22, 2024. Documents show that Howard admitted to causing Vollan's death by strangulation.

“Intimate partner violence is a serious problem we face in our community and it affects individuals
of all genders, ages and backgrounds. It includes various forms of abuse, including
physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse that occurs within a romantic or intimate relationship
relationship,” said St. Louis County Attorney Kim Maki

The expected sentence for this crime is 150 months in prison according to the Minnesota Guidelines. However, Howard agreed to a longer sentence of 20 years as part of the plea agreement.

The court had imposed a domestic violence restraining order to prevent Howard from having contact with Vollan at the time of her death. Legally, this allows for a higher sentence.

The Domestic Abuse Intervention Project can be contacted at theduluthmodel.org or 218-722-2781.