Trigger Warning: This article has mention of murder and killing.
This Oklahoma-based family witnessed one of the most shocking episodes after the 34-year-old Joshua Brown beat his wife to death in front of their three kids. The murder occurred three years ago, on September 30, 2020, when police were alerted to the gruesome incident by the couple’s three children, who bravely called 911.
The horrific scene became even more disturbing when Joshua threatened his children and forced them to clean up the mess, removing all signs of the abuse. He demanded that they not tell anyone about what had happened.
However, the kids did call up the police, who, upon arrival, found Joshua’s wife, Shawntae Brown, lying dead on the floor of the family’s Oklahoma residence. The authorities found clearly visible signs of abuse and struggle, while investigators deduced that the woman had been dead for hours. She had multiple bruises, contusions, lacerations, and other serious injury marks all over her body.
Later on, surveillance footage accessed by the police showed Joshua repeatedly hitting and punching Shawntae for a period of two days. The suspect later admitted that he punched and strangled his wife, adding that he went too far.
⚠️WARNING: This post contains graphic details of extreme domestic violence and child abuse.
An Oklahoma father has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after admitting to beating his wife to death in front of their three children over a two-day period.
Joshua Brown,… pic.twitter.com/vzZsxlU3C8
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Joshua Brown was charged with first-degree murder after he pleaded guilty to beating his wife to death. Evidently, the case was already determined to be a death penalty case. However, the prosecutors agreed to remove this option as a part of the plea deal, which strictly ensures that the suspect will spend the rest of his life in jail without the possibility of parole. This recent change in the verdict was confirmed to the family only last week, as per a report by News9.
The alarming case, which involved shocking violence in front of minors, required them to pool in as witnesses to the investigation. An affidavit cited by The Oklahoman contains statements from the Brown’s children, who revealed the chilling incidents that unfolded before and after their mother was beaten to death by their father. One of them noted that Joshua attacked Shawntae with a handgun, a shoe, a belt, and a flag pole, which then ultimately led to her death.
Investigators recovered a semi-automatic handgun from the crime scene, which Joshua Brown had allegedly used on his wife so violently that its fiber-optic front sight was shattered and caked with blood and hair. Meanwhile, one of the other children shockingly revealed their father had demanded them to clean up the blood and the mess, and warned them not to reveal it to anyone. For the unversed, Joshua and Shawntae’s children were aged 7, 14, and 15 during the time of the crime.
Given the violent nature of the crime, Joshua Brown was sentenced to four consecutive life terms in prison. At the same time, he won’t be allowed to appeal for any of those sentences. On the other hand, his youngest daughter mentioned that while she did not want her father to get the death penalty, she also did not want him to walk away free after the enormous crime he committed.
Aliesha Brown, who has grown up in the past few years, further said, “It’s been a long journey, and I’ve grown a lot since then. Obviously, I was a kid now I’m a young adult, but it’s not going to get any easier. Knowing justice has been served and due process has been done, I can finally get some peace.”
Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna mentioned that the prosecutors of the case considered the wishes of the children before reaching the latest plea deal. She added, “I know this outcome does not ease the pain her family has endured, but it ensures the defendant will never harm another person again. We remain committed to seeking justice for victims and their families, even when the road is long and difficult.”
