Oklahoma Man Who Beat His Wife to Death In Front of Their Children, and Forced Them to Clean Up the Mess, Finally Learns His Fate
An Oklahoma father managed to avoide the death penalty for brutally beating his wife to death in front of his kids, ordering his children to clean up evidence of the abuse, and telling them "not to talk to anyone" about it, authorities say. Joshua Brown, 34, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the beating death of his wife, 34-year-old Shawntae Brown. Joshua Christian Brown avoided the death penalty in gruesome case. (Courtesy: Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office) This was initially a death penalty case, but prosecutors agreed to remove that option as part of a plea deal that ensures Brown will spend the rest of his life incarcerated without the possibility of parole. The victim’s family said they were notified of the plea agreement late last week, according to News 9. ‘You Really Crashing Out!’: Baltimore Cop Turns a Simple Stop Into a Wild Chase That Ends Badly — Then His Boss Saw the Video and Things Got Worse "I know a lot of my family wanted the death penalty," said Aliesha Brown, the oldest of their three children. The murder happened on Sept. 30, 2020, at the couple's home in Oklahoma City. According to KFOR, Brown's children called 911. When police arrived, they found Shawntae's body and evidence of a violent struggle. Investigators say the mother had been dead for hours and found lacerations, bruises, and contusions all over her body. Surveillance footage reportedly showed Brown repeatedly beating and strangling Shawntae over the course of two days, KOKH reported. Brown waived his Miranda Rights and admitted that he punched and strangled his wife, stating that he "went too far." A probable cause affidavit cited by The Oklahoman contains witness statements from Brown's children who told investigators what happened before and after their mother was killed. One of the children who witnessed the grisly beating said that Brown beat Shawntae with a handgun, a shoe, a belt, and a flag pole in the hours before her death. In the affidavit, investigators wrote that "a semi-automatic handgun was recovered and it appeared that Joshua Brown had beaten the victim with it so severely that the fiber optic front sight had shattered and was caked with blood and hair." Another of Brown's children said that after Shawntae died, Brown made all of the kids "clean up the blood and mess and told them not to talk to anyone about the incident," the affidavit also states. Brown's children were 7, 14, and 15 at the time of the murder. Investigators also found a large amount of blood evidence throughout the house, as well as broken items and holes that appeared to have been punched or kicked into the drywall. Brown must serve four consecutive life sentences in prison for the violent crime. He will not be allowed to appeal any of those sentences. After Brown was sentenced, his youngest daughter said she did not want her father to die, but did not think he should walk free. "It's been a long journey, and I've grown a lot since then," Aliesha Brown told KWTV. "Obviously I was a kid now I'm a young adult but it's not going to get any easier. Knowing justice has been served and due process has been done I can finally get some peace." Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna said prosecutors contemplated the children's wishes before reaching the plea deal. "I know this outcome does not ease the pain her family has endured, but it ensures the defendant will never harm another person again," Behenna said. "We remain committed to seeking justice for victims and their families, even when the road is long and difficult.”
