Updated as of 12/7/2023 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Former NFL Player Sergio Brown entered a not guilty plea Wednesday in the murder of his mother. The plea comes two months after the former athlete was found after going missing following his mother’s death.
Back in September, authorities say the body of Myrtle Brown was discovered near Chicago creek. They said she died from blunt force trauma and ruled her cause of death as a homicide. Brown went off-grid after his mother’s remains were found but police tracked him down in San Diego after he was deported from Mexico, according to CNN. He admitted in court this week he went out of the country with his mother’s belongings, per The AP.
Another finding revealed in court is the claim that investigators found similarities between Brown’s DNA from a toothbrush and the DNA samples taken from his mother’s fingernails, the report says. Brown’s attorneys argued no one witnessed the crime so the evidence submitted was “circumstantial.”
Brown is due back in court Jan. 24. He faces charges of first-degree murder and concealing a homicide.
Brown’s Previous Whereabouts
The cops have been trying to hunt down former NFL player Sergio Brown for the past few weeks after he disappeared following his mother’s death. He’s finally been found and brought into custody as a suspect in her alleged murder.
Authorities say Brown, 35, went off the grid after the body of his mother, Myrtle, was found in a creek behind her home in Maywood, Ill last month. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office ruled her death a homicide, citing injuries like that of an assault, per CNN.
“Myrtle was a beautiful, loving, and inspirational soul that made everyone around her feel like they mattered. With her contagious smile and personality, our loss of Myrtle has left an indescribable void not only in our lives, but in our communities,” the family said in a statement.
Brown’s family said they couldn’t track him down following the death and took to social media asking the public for tips. Last week, they called for an arrest to be made.
Just after their call to action, Brown was captured while entering the United States from Mexico, police say. San Diego Sheriff’s Department booking website says he was placed in custody Wednesday and was not given bail. CNN’s report says Brown’s arrest warrant in connection to his mother’s death led Mexican law enforcement to deport him. He also caused a scene on his flight from Mexico City to Tijuana.
He’s been charged as a fugitive for now. The Root reached out to the Maywood Police Department for information on Brown being transferred to Illinois from California during the pending murder investigation. The department previously stated they plan to extradite him on a first-degree murder charge.