On Christmas Day police received a call not realising at the time it was made by a teenager who had just nearly been killed by his crack cocaine-fuelled father. Jazwell Brownwas given a life sentencewith a minimum of 39 years for the murders of Joanne Pearson, 38, and Teohna Grant, 24, at a block of flats in Santa Cruz Avenue, Bletchley, in Milton Keynes. Brown, 49, also admitted attempting to murder his son, Jake Brown, 18, and his 29-year-old neighbour, Bradley Latter. Det Ch Insp Stuart Brangwin, from Thames Valley Police, said both Mr Latter and Jake, who was 17 at the time, "gave us a really clear account of what happened – we don't normally get that". Jake described the events as they unfolded in the flat where Ms Pearson lived with Brown, who was her partner. On Tuesday, during sentencing, Luton Crown Court heard Ms Pearson and her killer had been smoking crack cocaine on Christmas Day, and the attack happened after sherefused to hand over the crack pipe in front of the Brown's son. She was later found by police just inside the doorway to her flat. Mr Latter, who lived with his partner Ms Grant, in the flat across the communal landing, was found semi-conscious at the bottom of the stairs as police arrived. He told police Brown came across the landing and walked into their flat, which was unlocked, and then started his attack with a baseball bat and a knife. Officers found Ms Grant on the balcony. Mr Latter "himself suffered something like 20 knife injuries to his neck alone and somehow survived", said Det Ch Insp Brangwin. He added that there were "two crystal clear accounts of exactly what has happened" and "after that, it was all about making sure every little bit of that corroborated". "We had forensic examinations of the scene, we had lots of members of the public living in nearby properties phoning us as well – each of them had heard little bits of the attack," he continued. "One of them [members of the public] even gave us a description and told us his name and told us the registration number of the car Brown got into and used to get away." Det Ch Insp Brangwin said: "We were very fortunate in that an unmarked car managed to identify Brown's car as he made off, and then we managed to coordinate a number of armed response vehicles, and he was arrested within half an hour. "We were well supported by the community and they did everything to help us build that picture around the two initial accounts we were given." When Brown was interviewed by police, he answered no comment throughout. He gave some unsolicited comments outside of the formal interview in which he simply said he went "loopy", "lost the plot" and "lost his cool", said Det Ch Insp Brangwin. "He made some other comments about it not being self-defence, but we do not really know much other than that about what prompted him to behave the way he did - It almost seems to have come out of nowhere," said the detective. Evidence suggested his relationship with Ms Pearson was volatile at times, but there was no clear evidence that it was violent. "What is clear from the evidence presented by other witnesses is that drugs featured in both his and Jo's life and their lives did involve the use of cocaine and cannabis," added Det Ch Insp Brangwin. "We know he was likely under the influence of cocaine, but really, there is nothing that seems to have prompted it or started it on Christmas Day. "A number of the families have said the sentencing is just the beginning of the healing process, and I hope it does provide them with an opportunity to start moving forward." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news onBBC Sounds,Facebook,InstagramandX.
How a community helped to convict a double murderer
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"Community Support Aids in Conviction of Man for Double Murder on Christmas Day"
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TruthLens AI Summary
On Christmas Day, police in Milton Keynes responded to a distress call made by a teenager, Jake Brown, who had narrowly escaped a deadly attack by his father, Jazwell Brown. The incident unfolded in a flat shared by Brown's partner, Joanne Pearson, and culminated in the tragic murders of both Pearson, 38, and Teohna Grant, 24. Jazwell Brown, 49, was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 39 years for these crimes, as well as for attempting to murder his son and a neighbor, Bradley Latter. During the sentencing at Luton Crown Court, it was revealed that both Pearson and Brown had been using crack cocaine on Christmas Day, and the violence erupted when Pearson refused to surrender a crack pipe in front of Jake. The police found Pearson deceased at the entrance of her flat, while Latter, who suffered severe injuries from the attack, provided a detailed account of the events leading to the violence, stating that Brown had entered their unlocked flat and initiated the assault with a baseball bat and a knife.
Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Brangwin highlighted the importance of community cooperation in the investigation, noting that witnesses provided crucial information that helped build a clear narrative of the events. He emphasized the rapid response of law enforcement, which included the identification of Brown's vehicle and a coordinated arrest within half an hour. Despite Brown's attempts to downplay his actions during police interviews, stating he 'went loopy' and 'lost his cool,' the investigation revealed a troubling history of drug use and volatile behavior in his relationship with Pearson. The community's support was instrumental in corroborating witness accounts and gathering forensic evidence, leading to a successful conviction. Many families affected by the tragedy expressed that the sentencing marks the beginning of their healing process, hoping it allows them to move forward amid the pain of their loss.
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