We had a youth model shotgun in the house that had smelled like it recently had been fired, Martin said. Last year, Jordan Brown, now 12, was charged with murdering Kenzie Houk, his father's eight-and-a-half month pregnant fiancee while she was asleep. The Lawrence County District Attorney's Office initially filed the charges in adult court because that is required in Pennsylvania homicide cases, regardless of a defendant's age. He was almost 21 when Pennsylvania's highest court said prosecutors had not presented enough evidence to support a conviction. Another issue Jordans attorneys raised was that there was no blood or tissue found on the gun or Jordan Browns clothing that day. He needed to drive four hours every day, he said, to visit Jordan because hes my son., Jordan Brown said those visits were a lifeline: I dont know what I wouldve done without them.". We must demand to know how the Pennsylvania State Police could establish policies that would allow this tragedy to occur, and, even more to the point, encourage the occurrence of tragedies like this one.. WAMPUM, Pa. -- Jordan Brown was 11 years old when he was arrested and initially charged as an adult for the murder of his pregnant, soon-to-be stepmother. Within a day, Harvey was cleared as a suspect. But authorities transferred him to a juvenile center in March 2009 after his attorneys argued that the adult jail with its three cell blocks couldn't accommodate an 11-year-old boy. Deborah Houk, Kenzie Houks mother, said she remains convinced Brown did it. April 13, 2012. 5 Theories Explain HowCayleeAnthony Really Died. It also mentions that he had a significant motive. 6 New Details About The Woman Who May Have Falsely Accused Emmett Till, discussed her reaction to the decision with local CBS station WKBN, Groom Invites His Nephews To His Wedding But Excludes Brother's Stepdaughter Her Mom Is Debating Whether To Attend, What Jon Hamm Says Changed His Mind About Marriage After Swearing It Off During His 18-Year Relationship With Jennifer Westfeldt, Man Insists Landlords Should Get Tipped By Tenants If They're Going To Tip Baristas, Latest Updates And News About The Murder Of1stGrader AprilTinsley And The Man Finally Arrested After 30 Years. Dara's mother, 64-year-old Linda McAllister, was shot dead in 2017, and the Hodges' daughter, 23-year-old Jordan Hodge, was convicted of the two murders, along with her boyfriend, 30-year-old . As the conversation petered out, she hugged mea stronger one than usual. This was way beyond shoddy police work! In Season Two of Guilt Ryan travels to Waiuku New Zealand in an attempt to . PROVO A Provo man who police say "groomed" a 13-year-old girl for sex has been charged with multiple counts of rape. And just feeling so sorry for him at that moment, Colafella said. She stood by her confession and . Police also said they found a 20-gauge shotgun shell casing in pristine condition next to the familys driveway the next day. Brown then drove off in a black . Just 11 years old when he was charged with fatally shooting his pregnant, would-be stepmother, Jordan Brown is finally a free man more than nine years later. Under Pennsylvania law, an adjudicated juvenile offender cannot be held in custody past his 21st birthday. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. Inside the family's farmhouse, police had found handguns, rifles, several rounds of ammunition and a child-sized shotgun that belonged to Jordan. Police said she told them she saw Jordan moving his guns that morning. On May 1, 2011, hours after a meeting of the neo-Nazi group at Hall's house in Southern California, the boy took his father's revolver from the upstairs bedroom where his stepmother was sleeping. She leaned against the Formica island, her sandy blond hair done up in a bulbous, frizzy ball. They attempted CPR, but it was too late. Finally, it felt like a big weight had been lifted off of me. [12] Judge Hodge would announce Brown's disposition (the equivalent of a juvenile sentence) at a later date. Two years ago, Howard County State's Attorney Rich Gibson decided not to charge a Woodbine homeowner who shot and killed a drunken man at his door.The stranger had come to the wrong house . Jordan Brown was charged Saturday as an adult in the shooting death of 26-year-old Kenzie Marie Houk, who was 8 months pregnant, Lawrence County District Attorney John Bongivengo said at a news . But what police did discover during their interview with Harvey was that he had recently discovered 4-year-old Adalynn, who was believed to be his and Houks daughter, was in fact, not his biological child at all. And then they took me straight to the county jail. And that's when we realized that it was a homicide.. Houks mother Debbie Houk told 20/20, Jordan's a murderer. I was happy. The blended family seemed to be bonding. He had 120 seconds to kill her and clean up. Police found several rounds of ammunition inside the family's farmhouse. [7][8][9][10] Judge Hodge held that Brown's juvenile hearing would not be open to the public or to the news media. Went to school.. The Mesquite High School student had just left a party . Our website services, content and products are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. In a split panel decision dated September 1, 2016, titled In re J.B. III, 147 A.3d 1204 (Pa.Super. Brown could be held in a juvenile rehabilitative treatment facility only until he turned 21 in August 2018. I was so young. Houks older daughter, then 7, also said she had heard a loud noise in the house around the time of the shooting. If I would read something and come across a word I didnt know, [I would] look it up. Shes bawling and crying, Mr. Houk said. I was just going to walk in to wake her [Kenzie Houk] up. I went back in the house and I remember a very nice cop had sat me on the chair. The search for her killer ended with the most surprising murder suspect residents of Wampum, Pennsylvania, had ever seen: 11-year-old Jordan Brown, the son of the victim's fianc. Alan's stepmother, Rosalind L. Brown, and her brother, Montel Pettiford, were eventually convicted of his murder. Just 18 hours before, Chris Brown had lost his fiance and unborn child. He was granted transfer of his case into the juvenile court system. The Pennsylvania Superior Court rejected an appeal by three area newspapers (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and New Castle News) to overturn Hodge's ruling and open the hearing to the public. The teen was killed on Tuesday around 12:30 . Wright says more than that, the evidence investigators gave to prosecutors was improperly gathered, mischaracterized or fabricated to support a theory that the then 11-year-old had committed the murder something he would have had to do and clean up without missing anything in the space of about 120 seconds. He acknowledged to authorities that he and Houk had argued about money. In my 25 years, I believe it was the only one in that area that I can remember.. Jordan Browns lawyers announced they would appeal two months after his conviction. Seriously the alibi for the ex boyfriend that threatened to kill her was he had some snow on his truck still..give me a break. Pay for the crime that you did, Deborah Houk said in a phone interview Wednesday. I think has just ruined us [from] ever having closure and the person who did this, and for the person who actually did this to pay for it.". As for whether or not an 11 year old could commit this crime, I absolutely believe it is more than possible. It used to bother me all the time. A young Jordan Brown is seen here in this undated family photo. Harvey also drove a black truck. Christopher Brown and his once-partner, Mildred Krause, gladly welcomed Jordan Brown into their lives on August 12, 1997. Jordan Brown is ruled . They literally said because he cried in the interview he was still in love with her & because the car had snow on it? Please consult your doctor before taking any action. On July 18, 2018, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction in a 50 decision. Yet we are supposed to believe that an 11 year old kid left no physical evidence while committing a murder and hiding evidence within a few minutes while his sister sits in the other room waiting for him. [13] He was to remain on juvenile court probation until he turned 21. I don't think the kid did it and I honestly do think the cops jumped on him and didn't do their homework. The farmhouse in Wampum where Chris Brown lived with his fiance Kenzie Houk, his son Jordan Brown and her two daughters, Janessa and Adalynn. [Then] she told me that when she was waiting downstairs for Jordan to come downstairs and go get the school bus like they normally do, she heard a big boom and she identified it as the sound of a gun, added retired Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Bobby McGraw. Jordan denied to "20/20" doing anything with his guns that morning, saying I never touched them.. She was thrilled, thats what she wanted, Houks mother Debbie Houk told 20/20. The clothing was washed. Trooper McGraw believed Jordan threw the shell to the ground as he was walking to the bus the morning of the murders. Dr. Stiles helped her overcome this fear and realize she wasn't like her mother. Were going through hell. I'm not going to be mad at you. Both children were interviewed and, according to police, neither said anything out of the ordinary had happened that morning. I saw a gentleman in front of me that was crying, said Martin. Houk's 4-year-old daughter alerted nearby tree cutters roughly 45 minutes after Jordan Brown and Houk's 7-year-old daughter got on a school bus. Martin said the autopsy report determined that Houk had been killed with a shotgun and she had a single gunshot wound to the back of the head. You know, it's just a truck, he told "20/20." Boy who killed dad's pregnant fiancee to get juvenile review. Dispensary owner Alden Linn said the impact of Brown's death has been felt . Brown, who initially was charged as an . The daily journey, however, wreaked havoc on his finances, Chris Brown said. So that's what I was going to get.. The mother of Kenzie Houk, who was 26 when she was murdered in 2009, and other relatives confirmed Monday's decision by a Lawrence County judge to release Jordan Brown following a juvenile. A former Lawrence County man is suing a handful of retired state police investigators and officials alleging malicious prosecution after he spent most of his childhood in prison for the shotgun killing of his fathers pregnant fiance before the state Supreme Court overturned his conviction. You can customize your WPXI News App to receive breaking news alerts. And none of us wanted to put handcuffs on an 11-year-old. In their decision, justices questioned prosecutors reliance on circumstantial evidence, including a questionable conclusion that a shotgun found in Browns bedroom was the murder weapon. I would not bet that she can recall time and detail to provide evidence for the case. And her phone rang.. Lawsuit claims evidence fabricated in case of man exonerated in pregnant stepmothers murder Lawsuit claims evidence fabricated in case of man exonerated in pregnant stepmothers murder. But because few people seem to agree with him, he said, Krause decided to speak out Wednesday on behalf of Jordan Anthony Brown, 11, who is charged with two counts of murder in the shooting death of his father's pregnant fiancee last week in New Galilee. Jordan. Meika's father, Spencer Jordan, and stepmother, Marie Magoon, were initially convicted in June of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 17 years.. Cinnamon Brown, who at age 14 carried out her father's command to kill her stepmother, was denied early release Tuesday by the state youth parole board despite her cooperation with authorities in . I'm your dad. In an exclusive interview with 20/20, she told her own account of what happened that morning of Feb. 20, 2009, and some of it conflicts with the police timeline. They told me that her and the baby were gone, and I remember collapsing in the yard, Brown said. The justices attacked the evidence as insufficient and said that the juvenile trial evidence pointing to a shotgun in Brown's bedroom as the murder weapon supported an equally-reasonable conclusion that it was not the murder weapon.[1]. While the decision did not declare him innocent of the charges, he cannot be retried. We did not get this wrong, McGraw told 20/20. There is not a trooper on scene that day that has lost one second of sleep over this case.. The two of them, plus Browns then-11-year-old son Jordan and Houks two daughters, then-7-year-old daughter Jenessa and then-4-year-old daughter Adalynn, all from their previous relationships, had recently all moved in together in a farmhouse. Throughout Jordan Browns stay in detention in Erie, his father continued to ask him whether he'd killed Houk. Finally, the truth finally got out, Jordan Brown said. [I] went downstairs, got my clothes, went in the bathroom, got dressed. The discovery of that shell was not significant.. In her first interview, the girl said she did not hear or see anything unusual, according to the lawsuit. [1][14] The two Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices who did not participate had previously ruled in Jordan's favor on his earlier appeal while they had served as judges in the Pennsylvania Superior Court. Judge Hodge adjudicated the now-15-year-old Jordan Brown to be delinquent (the juvenile court equivalent of a guilty verdict). This was their first child together a baby boy they had already named Christopher. Like he couldnt have parked nearby overnight watching the house then pull up when he went to kill her WITHOUT dusting off his car prior? I didn't think anything of it. I am very curious to see if the 7 year old step sister will ever speak out on what she saw/heard that morning now as an adult. Jordan Brown was a fifth-grader in February 2009 when Pennsylvania police arrived to take him away as the sole suspect in the shotgun slaying of his dad's pregnant fiance, Kenzie Houk. Jordan Brown's age is 25. That decision, he told 20/20, is something that's haunted me.. Her unborn son died as well. Though life had taken them in different directions for a while, they reconnected and were getting ready to officially tie the knot, and give birth to a baby boy they had already named Christopher. It's more of a weapon of opportunity. Police say 23-year-old Jordan Brown was witnessed firing a handgun from inside a vehicle. I agree, the more I think about the more unlikely it seems. WAMPUM, Pa. -- Jordan Brown was 11 years old when he was arrested and initially charged as an adult for the murder of his pregnant, soon-to-be stepmother. Wonder what the other children think of it all. Read that Supreme Court order and realize that this kid was done wrong., 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Of course a killer is going to say I didnt kill her, and of course a violent man who would kill his pregnant ex would be raised by an equally violent man who would have no problem providing an alibi for his son. That mug shot of Jordan Brown that sort of became an icon of the story spread across the world, said Pittsburgh-based ABC affiliate WTAE reporter Bob Mayo. Judge Hodge ruled that Jordan would not be released pending that hearing. Janessa Houk is seen here in this undated family photo. In April 2017, when Roy Oliver, a 37-year-old white police officer in Balch Springs, a suburb east of Dallas, shot and killed an unarmed 15-year-old black teenager named Jordan Edwards as he. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. There was a small amount of gun residue on Jordan's jacket, explained by his lawyers as being from a hunt the boy had been on a few days prior. The rounds struck a victim's vehicle and an unoccupied apartment building. He kept shifting and obviously upset. They attempted CPR, but it was too late. I didnt care. Jordan Brown was 11 years old when he was arrested in the 2009 killing of 26-year-old Kenzie Houk and her unborn child in New Beaver. Jordan said he and Houk had a strong relationship, and he even called her Mom., She was really nice. I thought, you know, it was just some guy there doing work or something. "It was Adam Harvey, after all, who had been engaged in a bitter paternity and child-support battle with Kenzie and who, after paying for the support of Kenzies youngest daughter Adalynn for years, discovered through DNA testing that Adalynn is not his daughter afteralland that Kenzie had not been honest with him in more ways than one. Not only did the individual defendants in this case fail all of us, the institution of policing failed us as well, Alec Wright, an attorney with the OBrien Law firm in Pittsburgh who represents Brown, wrote in an emailed statement. Jordan Brown, who was convicted, then exonerated, of murdering his father's fiance when he was a preadolescent, has filed suit against those who his attorney said robbed him of his childhood, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Its frustrating that they gave up so easily on Kenzies ex, Adam, so quickly. The Jordan Brown case. The Jordan Brown case involves Jordan Brown (born August 12, 1997), who was initially charged at 11 as an adult in the fatal shooting of his father's fiance, Kenzie Marie Houk, 26, in New Beaver, Pennsylvania, which occurred on the morning of February 20, 2009.Jordan was interviewed by Pennsylvania State Police twice that day and arrested before sunrise the next morning. Now 21, Brown, who spent more than. ???? >>PREVIOUS STORY: Man convicted at 11 of pregnant stepmoms 2009 murder exonerated of crime. In a 5-0 ruling, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned the conviction of Jordan Brown, who was 11-years-old when he was arrested, booked into an adult jail and initially charged as an adult for the 2009 murder of his father's pregnant fiance. (CBS/AP) PITTSBURGH - A judge on Friday found 14-year-old Jordan Brown guilty of killing his father's pregnant fiance . Brown, now nearly 23, said this week he hopes the lawsuit will be the definitive finding of his innocence as well as providing some compensation for his father, Chris Brown, who paid child support, taxes, lawyers fees and expenses to travel more than 100 miles every day to see him while he was incarcerated. When first responders arrived, Renee claimed her back gave out while she was bathing Lily, causing her to drop the child. Especially grief-sticken was the younger . The 20/20 interview also gave me the hunch he was guilty. Everything is gone. Now I can see an adult sticking with their story for a long period of time, but a young kid? Houk, a hairstylist and a stay-at-home mom, was sleeping in a bedroom downstairs at the time, which was to become Jordans room after the baby was born. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://people.com/crime/jordan-brown-case-murder-kenzie-houk-interview-after-prison/. Under Pennsylvania Law, those who are under 15 and being tried as an adult are sentenced to life with parole after 25 years. Thanks! Jordan is the prime suspect in the 2009 murder of his father's 26 year-old fianc, Kenzie Houk, who was also 8 months pregnant at the time of her death. Police are still confident Jordan Brown did it.. 11 is pretty young to straight up plan and commit a murder like that, perhaps though some here know of other instances. That day, she said she remembered being woken up by the sound of a gunshot. After Pennsylvania's Superior Court ruled that Judge Motto violated Brown's Fifth Amendment rights, Judge Motto recused himself from the case, and Judge John W. Hodge granted the decertification petition and ruled that Brown should be tried as a juvenile.[6]. ", https://wandervogeldiary.wordpress.com/tag/jordan-brown-innocent/. Jordan Brown spent seven summers in detention and was released in 2016 when he was 18. Speakman said Brown's family lives out of state, so when he heard Jordan was murdered, he reached out to the family on Facebook. Her mom said she doesnt care what Browns next step is; she believes he killed her daughter. Meika's mother and stepfather, Kyla and. Adalynn Houk is seen here in the undated family photo. In fact, the prosecutions forensics expert had testified that these particles can be transferred. Wright says in the lawsuit that state police investigators failed to include any exculpatory evidence that indicated someone else could have committed the murders in their affidavit to charge Brown although he said plenty existed. Judge Hodge put Brown on probation in the custody of an uncle who lived in Ohio, just across the border from Lawrence County. And that made me happy. Season Two 21st June 2004, Jim Donnelly goes to work as usual at the Glenbrook Steel Mill, places his lunch on the bench, gets changed into his work clothes - and is never seen again. 2023 Cox Media Group. All I remember was they came and got me at 3:00 in the morning, Jordan Brown said. Jordan Brown is alleged to have shot 26-year-old Kenzie Marie Houk, who was eight months pregnant, before catching the school bus on Friday morning, according to the Lawrence County district. Officials say it has been determined that a physical altercation occurred between the victim and Dequan Blount, who . Its been a nightmare for nine-and-a-half years, Chris Brown said. Bongivengo said police found a spent shotgun shell in the yard. Jordan Brown was 11 years old when he was arrested in the 2009 New Beaver, Pennsylvania, killing of 26-year-old Kenzie Houk and her unborn child. If in fact the blanket was shot through then there would have been fibers in the victims hair or embedded in her skull. I was standing right at the edge of the doorway, and I remember the coroner saying, as he started to touch the body, We have a problem, Martin said. What happened to me is so horrible, even though when I was young I would say I didnt understand what was happening I look back and see all the blatant injustices, and that angers me, he said. The trial lasted three days. I just read about this and came to this subreddit looking to see if anyone posted anything about it. It's ridiculous. But in the complaint filed in federal district court Wednesday, Brown and his attorneys say state police investigators manipulated interviews, evidence and procedures to push the narrative that Brown had killed his soon-to-be stepmom. After his February 21, 2009 arrest, Jordan was placed in the Lawrence County Jail, a facility for adults. Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, was murdered at her Los Angeles home on June 12, 1994, along with friend Ronald Goldman. They routinely shot on that property. I just did & dont understand the grounds they dismissed her ex as innocent. Had to bc this case fascinates me and I was looking for a good discussion on here and this is literally the only one I can find. On May 8, 2013, Superior Court, in the second appeal that came before it in this case, ruled that "the juvenile court committed a palpable abuse of discretion in rendering a ruling that is plainly contrary to the evidence" and vacated the juvenile court's disposition of delinquency. ", I just read about this case on people.com. Im from the nearby area also. Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were only 10 when they killed that poor toddler. But omg! Jordan Brown, now 14, was found delinquent by Lawrence County Judge John Hodge - the juvenile court equivalent of a guilty verdict. Authorities said Harvey cooperated during the investigation and agreed to take a polygraph. Investigators on the case told "20/20" in that rural area of Pennsylvania, Its fairly common, most especially young males would grow up with learning to shoot firearms.. In my opinion, [it was] jealousy, jealousy of the impending birth, he said. [I'd say,] Jordan, listen, if something happens. After the arrest, prosecutor John Bongivengo told reporters he was confident in his case against Jordan Brown. "Sure enough, his dad was the first person to reach out to me . Now 21, Brown, who spent more than seven . As the years passed, Jordan Brown said he spent much of his time absorbed in the books his father brought him, reading with a dictionary next to him. I did not know what the sound was, said Adalynn, who was 4 years old at the time and is now 13. Jordans conviction was overturned. Two of the statements did not show that Brown was guilty, and the others were built on lies that were fed to her by the investigators. She never testified under oath. In a later interview, after investigators told her grandparents they believed Brown killed Houk, the girl said she saw him with guns that morning and heard a bang. Houk had a restraining order against Harvey because Houk had claimed Harvey threatened to kill her and her family. Even with the relationship they had, Adam was still in love with Kenzie. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. On November 20, 2010, Renee King, 29, of Macomb County, Michigan, called 911 to say her stepdaughter, two-year-old Lily Furneaux, was unconscious. I have never expected to have the murder weapon to be a shotgun, Martin said. The 4 year old who is speaking now; she sure does remember some details from a tragic event. Cinnamon confessed to fatally shooting her step-mother and was sentenced to 27 years to life in prison. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Houk,. Judging by 20/20s recreations the house was very small. Its my belief, especially after watching 20/20 that the police had tunnel vision. The arrest of an 11-year-old for murder quickly gained wide media attention, and suddenly Wampum, Pennsylvania, a town with a population of roughly 600 people, had millions of eyes on it. At 9 a.m., tree trimming workers arrived to work around the house. The work on this case like so many unsolved cases was shoddy. And I just remember looking at him thinking, How can this kid have any more hope?. My sister Jenessa woke me up, said Jordan Brown. Tacoma Police say. Judge Hodge issued a juvenile court opinion on April 19, 2015, again finding that Jordan was the individual who killed Kenzie Houk and her unborn child on the morning of February 20, 2009. The 26-year-old Houk and her unborn baby died Feb. 20, 2009, when she was shot in the New Beaver Borough farmhouse she shared with her daughters, her fianc, Chris Brown, and his son Jordan,. Jordans motive, McGraw believed, was that he was jealous of the new baby. Adrian Jones's short, tortured life was spent isolated from outsiders, confined in filthy, mice-infested houses where he was "home-schooled" by the parents who ultimately killed him, according. Where is any evidence showing abuses by the son towards his stepmom. TACOMA, Wash. - A memorial stands outside the doors of World of Weed in Tacoma honoring the life of an employee killed during an armed robbery that happened this past weekend. My wife is so much in shock I think Im gonna have to take her to the hospital. Accidents happen, buddy. Simpson became the immediate suspect, and seemingly fled from . Presiding Judge Dominick Motto of the Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, Common Pleas Court initially denied decertification and transfer to juvenile court because Jordan would not admit his involvement in the crime. [11] After those newspapers decided not to pursue their appeal further, Judge Hodge was directed by another panel of the Superior Court to move swiftly to hold an adjudication hearing. Marie Magoon, Spencer Jordan tortured 6-year-old Meika Jordan before death, alleges Crown Spencer Jordan, Meika's father, and Marie Magoon, her stepmother, were originally charged with. Enough evidence without a reasonable doubt? ". When Jenessa was re-interviewed, police said she had a startling recollection. At that point, we assumed that somehow she had hemorrhaged, Martin told 20/20. We didn't touch her, we didn't move her. Convictions of first-degree murder against a father and stepmother who killed six-year-old Meika Jordan have been upheld by Canada's top court. She wanted financial support payments for Adalynn but he had refused, saying he first wanted proof that the child was his. I am from the area and so it was odd for me to see this case on the "unresolved" forum. They never said he wasnt guilty. Brown was found guilty of first-degree murder and homicide of an unborn child in connection with the death of his father's fiance Kenzie Houk. Pregnant Mother's Murder Leads Police to Arrest Her Step-Son Chris Brown and Kenzie Houk had been friends since they were teenagers.
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