By Tiffany Williams –
Former New England Patriots Safety Sergio Brown appeared before Circuit Court Judge Teresa Gonzalez on Wednesday in Cook County, Illinois.
Brown pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and concealing a homicide in the death of his mother, 73-year-old Myrtle Brown,
Myrtle Brown was initially reported missing when she was last seen on September 14, 2023. Days later, on September 16 2023, Myrtle Brown’s body was found near a creek in Maywood, Illinois, about 12 miles west of Chicago.
Another son of Myrtle Brown’s became worried after he stopped receiving text messages from his mother. On September 16, he went to his mother’s home, which she shared with her son Sergio Brown. According to the son, no one appeared to be home noer were there any signs of forced entry.
Hours larer the son returned to Myrtle Brown’s home, but this time with the police who found some blood on a back patio.
About 100 to 150 feet from the back door of the home, Myrtle Brown’s body was located.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office did an autopsy and determined Myrtle Brown had suffered several injuries from an assault, and her death was ruled a homicide.
During their investigation police found Ajax in the bathtub drain, which the Cook County State Attorney’s Office said “Possibly indicative of it recently being cleaned.” Poli e also reviewed video from the area and the Cook County State Attorney’s Office said cameras in the area captured Sergio Brown burning items in a firepit in the evening hours of September 14, where burnt fabric was later discovered.
The Cook County State Attorney’s Office said Myrtle Brown and Sergio Brown’s phones stopped pinging on September 15, and that Sergio Brown booked a one-way ticket to Cancun and flew out during the early morning hours of September 15.
Authorities in Mexico knew Sergio Brown’s whereabouts, and he was detained on October 7 in Mexico City. He was then deported back to the United States, to San Diego, where he was arrested on October 10, and was found in possession of Myrtle Brown’s iPad, credit and bank cards and cell phone.
Sergio Brown was extradited from San Diego to Maywood, where he was formally charged in the case on October 24.
Brown will be back in court on January 24 for a status hearing.
The New England Patriots signed Brown as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2010. He was waived during final cuts on September 4, 2010, and re-signed to the team’s practice squad the next day. Brown was promoted to the 53-man roster on October 23 and made his NFL debut the next day against the San Diego Chargers. Brown played in 11 games for the Patriots in 2010, all as a reserve.
Brown also played with the Indianapolis Colts (2012–2014), Jacksonville Jaguars (2015), Atlanta Falcons (2016), and Buffalo Bills (2016).