Content Warning: The article mentions details about a homicide.
An 18-year-old New Jersey teenager has been charged with murder. Authorities responded to a 911 call and found his 69-year-old grandmother dead inside his home, with two knives lodged in her face, head, and neck. The motive behind the brutal murder remains unknown at the time of writing.
According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Louis W. Brown of Jackson Township was charged on May 18 with murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose in connection with the death of his grandmother, Darlene Brown.
According to AOL, authorities say the emergency call came around 7 a.m., reporting that “someone had been murdered.” Authorities allege Louis Brown made the call and confirmed the victim was already dead when he was questioned about it. They found Brown standing at the front door when the cops arrived. He allegedly left with the authorities, hands raised, while holding a cell phone. Brown admitted to being drunk during the attack and told officers the only weapons inside were knives.
Investigators found Darlene Brown dead in her bedroom with stab wounds to her face, head, and neck. Two knives stuck out from her face as she lay beneath a blood-soaked blanket. Authorities also searched the 18-year-old’s vehicle, personal belongings, and collected DNA samples.
View this post on Instagram
During the search, detectives found a blue-handled knife and a black-handled knife on the victim’s body. Orange County investigators also found 11 additional knives in Brown’s bedroom. Another black knife was found lodged between a nightstand and the bed in Darlene Brown’s room.
Investigation records showed that the victim’s daughter repeatedly tried to contact both Louis and Darlene. She was worried about her mother’s well-being, but several calls went unanswered. Initially, she believed her mother might have been asleep, but as time passed and she did not hear back from her, she grew more worried. The woman said that when she spoke to Louis before worrying about her mother, he appeared confused and “did not seem to be himself” in the days before the murder.
According to reports, the fatal attack has turned into a homicide investigation. It also counts as a domestic violence dispute, since the victim was a family member who lived in the same household as the 18-year-old. As investigators processed the crime scene, detectives reportedly found blood evidence in multiple areas throughout the home.
Police said they found patches of blood on carpeting, blood inside a bathroom sink, and what appeared to be blood spatter on walls within the Jackson Township home. After a thorough investigation, a nearby resident told investigators she heard extremely loud music coming from the home around 1 a.m., playing music was not unusual but the volume at odd hours was strange in the quiet neighborhood.
View this post on Instagram
According to reports, school officials also informed detectives that Brown had recently made concerning comments and gestures. These included statements about wanting to kill people. He also reportedly copied the motion of holding a firearm with his hand. Brown had reportedly lived with his grandmother for most of his life and had close relationships with many other relatives.
Still, police authorities emphasized that the charges against Louis Brown are allegations. They have not been proven at this stage of the legal process. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. Following his arrest, Louis W. Brown was taken to the Ocean County Jail. He remains in custody pending a detention hearing.
