Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Killing spree - two people, one dog dead

Killing spree - two people, one dog dead
San Diego, CA (US)

Incident Date: Sunday, Mar 20, 2005
County: San Diego
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted

Abuser/Suspect: Michael Monroe Brown

Case Updates: 6 update(s) available

Case ID: 4093

Classification: Beating

Animal: dog (non pit-bull)

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A 48-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of killing his mother and step-father, and seriously injuring his 44-year-old brother Sunday, police said. Michael Brown allegedly called police about 7 a.m. and said he had killed his mother, father and brother in the couple's home in the 11000 block of Delphinus Way in Mira Mesa, San Diego homicide Lt. Kevin Rooney said.

Police arrived to find Brown outside the residence. One victim was found in a bedroom and two in the living room, Rooney said.

The victims had all been struck on the head, police said.

The step-father died at the scene and his wife died later at a hospital, according to Rooney. Brown's 44-year-old brother � who was found in a bedroom � was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in grave condition, Rooney said.

A dog also was found beaten to death in the living room, Rooney said.

Officers searching the suspect's home in the 4800 block of Elsa Road in Grantville found another beaten dog, which was later euthanized, police said.

Brown was to be booked into the county jail on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and animal cruelty, Rooney said.

Case Updates

A San Diego man convicted of fatally bludgeoning his mother, stepfather, brother and two dogs with an aluminum bat was committed last week to a state mental hospital.

Michael Monroe Brown, 50, will be transferred from county jail to Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino. Brown was committed to the hospital for three life terms; however, he could ask to be released if doctors determine he has regained his sanity.

Brown, who has a history of mental illness, pleaded guilty Feb. 26 to first-degree murder, animal cruelty and special-circumstance allegations, including lying in wait.

San Diego Superior Court Judge William Kennedy determined last month that Brown was unable to distinguish right from wrong at the time of the killings, citing evidence presented at trial that Brown had suffered a psychotic episode.

On March 20, 2005, Brown clubbed his Doberman pinscher to death at his home in the Grantville-Allied Gardens area, then drove to Mira Mesa, where he attacked his mother, Shizuko Taeko Beck, 69; stepfather, Joseph Beck, 70; and brother, Kenneth Brown, 44.

The Becks died soon after they were discovered in the living room of their home on Delphinus Way. Kenneth Brown, who was found in a back bedroom, died two days later.

The family's dog, a Pomeranian, was found dead in the house; its skull had been crushed.

Source: San Diego Union Tribune - Aprol 25, 2007
Update posted on Apr 29, 2007 - 2:16PM

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A Grantville man was insane when he used an aluminum baseball bat to kill his mother, stepfather, brother and two dogs in 2004, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Michael Monroe Brown, 50, pleaded guilty last month to three counts of first-degree murder, animal cruelty and special circumstance allegations of multiple murders, lying in wait and mayhem.

"I wrestled with this case as you might guess," Judge William Kennedy said.

In reaching his verdict, the judge said he found himself "trying to make sense out of nonsense," looking at the "surreal life" of a delusional schizophrenic.

The judge said Brown's interviews with police and doctors after his arrest "clearly depicts a psychotic mind."

Kennedy said the defendant was struggling with two moral "rights" when he committed the killings -- a command from God to kill his family members so he could go to prison and save mankind, and his love from his family.

"The command from God won out," the judge said.

In his closing argument, Deputy District Attorney Rick Clabby said Brown did not suffer from delusions and made very direct statements to a 911 operator and police officers after his arrest on March 20, 2004.

Clabby said during the trial that Brown killed his Doberman pinscher, then was able to drive the 12 miles from his home to his parents' home in Mira Mesa.

Once there, Brown killed his 70-year-old stepfather, Joseph Beck, at the door, then killed his 69-year-old mother, Sizuko Taeko Beck, and his 44-year-old brother, Kenneth, and the family's Pomeranian dog, according to authorities.

Defense attorney Richard Gates said Brown had been keeping a lid on his schizophrenia and psychotic behavior for more than 20 years, but "decompensated" and carried out the slayings.

The schizophrenia was never diagnosed, but Brown's mother went with a friend to a psychologist in 1985 for help in dealing with her son's violent mood swings, according to court records.

Brown left a note for his wife, who was being treated for an illness at the hospital, that apologized for what he was about to do, Clabby said.

Brown will be evaluated by doctors who will recommend placement as an outpatient or lifetime confinement to a state mental hospital.

If the defendant had been found to be sane at the time of the murders, he would have been sent to prison for life without the possibility of parole.

"I consider this to be a very dangerous as well as a very ill person," Kennedy said as the hearing concluded.

Sentencing was set for April 24.

Source: 10 News - March 28, 2007
Update posted on Mar 28, 2007 - 3:27PM

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A man pleaded guilty Monday to killing his mother, stepfather, brother and two dogs with an aluminum baseball bat, but said he was insane at the time.

Michael Monroe Brown, 50, pleaded guilty to three counts of murder with special circumstance allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait, according to the county court clerk. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of animal cruelty.

Since Brown maintained he was insane at the time, a sanity phase trial will be held.

Brown waived his right to a jury trial, leaving Judge William H. Kennedy to decide whether Brown will go to prison or be confined to a state mental hospital.

According to Deputy District Attorney Rick Clabby, Brown clubbed his dog over the head several times at his home in Grantville on March 20, 2004, then drove to his mother's Mira Mesa home.

There, the district attorney said Brown bludgeoned his mother Shizuko Beck, 69, stepfather Joseph Beck, 70, and his brother Kenneth, 44, over the head several times. He also beat the family's Pomeranian.

The prosecutor said Brown hit his mother over the head again when he found her alive, then called 911 to report he had an "episode."

Brown's sanity phase trial is set for sometime in March.

Source: NBC San Diego - Feb 27, 2007
Update posted on Feb 27, 2007 - 12:53PM

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The District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday it will not seek the execution of a San Diego man accused of bludgeoning his mother, stepfather and brother to death with an aluminum bat and killing two dogs.

Michael Monroe Brown, 49, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murder and animal-cruelty charges. He also is accused of special allegations of committing multiple murders and lying in wait. The allegations allowed prosecutors the option of seeking the death penalty in the case. Now, if convicted, Brown could be sent to prison for life without the possibility of parole. If a San Diego Superior Court jury finds Brown guilty of the charges but determines during a second phase of the trial that he was legally insane at the time of the slayings, he would be sent to a state mental hospital rather than prison. The trial is scheduled to start Sept. 14, 2006.

Prosecutors said Brown clubbed his dog, a Doberman pinscher, to death at his home in the Grantville-Allied Gardens area March 20, 2005, then drove to Mira Mesa and attacked his mother, Shizuko Taeko Beck, 69; stepfather, Joseph Beck, 70; and brother, Kenneth Brown, 44. The Becks died soon after they were found in the living room of their home on Delphinus Way. Kenneth Brown was found in a back bedroom and died at a hospital two days later, according to testimony at a previous court hearing. The family's dog, a Pomeranian, also was found in the house with a crushed skull.

Source: San Diego News - March 16, 2006
Update posted on Mar 22, 2006 - 3:54PM

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An insanity plea was entered Monday on behalf of a self-employed house painter accused of using an aluminum baseball bat to kill his stepfather, mother, brother and their dog, along with his own pet.

Michael Monroe Brown, 48, is charged with three counts of murder, a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders and two counts of animal cruelty.

A decision on whether Brown will face the death penalty or life in prison without parole, if convicted, will be made before a Jan. 23 status conference, prosecutor Rick Clabby told Superior Court Judge Michael Wellington.

Brown actually entered two pleas, not guilty and innocent by reason of insanity.

The judge told Brown that he could spend the rest of his life in a state mental hospital if he's convicted of the murders but found to have been insane at the time.

On the day of Brown's arraignment, Gates said his client had a "psychotic episode" at the time of the killings and that there was a history of schizophrenia in the family.

At that hearing, Clabby said the defendant called 911 about 7 a.m. last March 20, saying he had an "episode" and "in fact committed the acts."

According to court documents, a one-time friend went with Brown's mother in 1985 to see a psychologist for help in dealing with her son's delusions and violent mood swings.

Brown wrote a note to his wife, who was being treated at a hospital for an undisclosed illness, saying, "I apologize for what I'm about to do," Clabby said at the defendant's March 23 arraignment.

Brown allegedly clubbed his Doberman pinscher over the head several times at his Grantville residence before driving to his mother's home in Mira Mesa.

The defendant allegedly met his stepfather, 70-year-old Joseph Beck, at the door at hit him several times in the head with the metal bat.

When 69-year-old Shizuko Taeko Beck came into the living room to see what was going on, her son clubbed her numerous times in the head, Clabby alleged.

The defendant then went into a bedroom and woke his 44-year-old brother, Kenneth, who asked, "Why?" before being fatally beaten over the head with the bat, the prosecutor alleged.

Brown then allegedly killed the family dog, before returning to the living room where his mother was still alive. The woman was again hit in the head and died an hour or two later at a hospital, the prosecutor said.

Source: Sign on San Diego - Nov 7, 2005
Update posted on Nov 7, 2005 - 9:20PM

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A house painter who allegedly used a baseball bat to kill his stepfather, mother, brother and their dog, as well as his own pet, was ordered Tuesday to stand trial on charges that could lead to the death penalty.

Michael Monroe Brown, 48, will be back in court Sept. 15 for arraignment on three counts of murder and a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, along with two counts of animal cruelty.

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis should decide by then if her office will seek the death penalty against Brown if he is convicted, prosecutor Rick Clabby said.

Superior Court Judge Leo Valentine Jr. ruled after a half-day preliminary hearing that there was enough evidence to hold the defendant to answer to the charges.

Clabby said at Brown's initial arraignment on March 23 that the defendant called 911 about 7 a.m. on March 20, saying he had an "episode" and in fact committed the acts."

Prior to the killings, Brown wrote a note to his wife, who was being treated at a hospital for an undisclosed illness, saying "I apologize for what I'm about to do," according to the prosecutor.

According to court documents, a one-time friend went with Brown's mother in 1985 to see a psychologist for help in dealing with her son's delusions and violent mood swings.

Brown allegedly clubbed his Doberman pinscher over the head several times at his Grantville residence before driving to his mother's home in Mira Mesa.

The defendant allegedly met his stepfather, 70-year-old Joseph Beck, at the door and hit him several times in the head with the aluminum baseball bat.

When 69-year-old Shizuko Taeko Beck came into the living room to see what was going on, her son clubbed her numerous times in the head, Clabby alleged.

The defendant then went into a bedroom and woke his 44-year-old brother, Kenneth, who asked "Why?" before he was fatally beaten over the head with the bat, the prosecutor alleged.

Brown then allegedly killed the family dog before returning to the living room where his mother was still alive. The woman was again hit in the head and died an hour or two later at a hospital, the prosecutor said.

Source: 10 News - June 21, 2005
Update posted on Jun 28, 2005 - 8:44PM

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References

	SignOnSanDiego - March 20, 2005
	NBC San Diego - March 20, 2005
	San Diego Union Tribune - March 21, 2005
	Washington Times - March 21, 2005
	ABC News - March 21, 2005
	Fox News - March 21, 2005
	Miami Herald - March 21, 2005
	SanLuisObispo.Com - March 21, 2005

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Killing spree - two people, one dog deadSan Diego, CA (US)

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Killing spree - two people, one dog dead
San Diego, CA (US)