Man Pleads Guilty to Murdering His 54-Year-Old Father; Sentenced to Life in Prison
6/11/2020
CLEVELAND – Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that Devontey Brown, 22, pled guilty to murdering his father, 54, in their Cleveland home.
“To gain access to his father’s money, this individual killed him, covered his body with chemicals, and buried his body in the backyard of their home,” said Prosecutor O’Malley. “He earned every day of this life sentence.”
On July 13, 2018, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department (WCSD) responded to a domestic violence call involving Brown and his mother in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Brown was arrested at a nearby motel, and while being interviewed, admitted to shooting and killing his father in June 2018. He stated he covered his father’s body with chemicals, buried him in the backyard of their Cleveland home, and stole his cellphone, wallet, and credit cards.
WCSD notified Cleveland Police (CPD) who responded to the victim’s residence on East 147th Street near Ross Avenue and discovered the decomposed body. CPD’s Homicide Unit and the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office (CCMEO) responded and processed the scene. The CCMEO ruled the death a homicide.
Further investigation revealed that DNA evidence collected from a glove, various articles of clothing, and a diary page confession linked Brown to the crime. He was later extradited to Cuyahoga County.
Brown pled guilty to the following charges:
•
One count of
Murder
•
One count of
Theft
•
One count of
Gross Abuse Of A Corpse
He was sentenced to life in prison, with first eligibility of parole after serving 18 years.