A 28-year-old man from Rome, Georgia, Desmond Lavonta Brown, has been convicted of the murder of two half-sisters. The verdict was reached on November 21, 2023, by an Alabama jury, which found Brown guilty in the murders of Vanita Richardson, 18, and Truvenia Campbell, 30. The catalyst for the crime was Brown’s false belief that the sisters had stolen his wallet during a birthday party.
The incident took place on May 12, 2020, and the trial was conducted in Alabama, where the crimes are thought to have occurred. A crucial development in the case came when Brown’s mother located his wallet behind his TV, negating his earlier suspicion. GBI Special Agent Ghee Wilson recounted Brown’s reaction upon learning of his mistake, cursing that he killed two people for nothing. After reviewing 130 pieces of evidence and hearing from 33 witnesses in the seventh trial, the jury reached their verdict in under an hour, sentencing Brown to life without the possibility of parole.
The trial exposed the grim details of the murders. Co-defendant Christopher Pullen, 26, testified that he, Brown, and another co-defendant, Devin Watts, 40, deceived the sisters into getting into their vehicle under the guise of a drug deal. Brown subsequently interrogated and shot the women over his wallet. Their bodies were later found beneath a bridge over the Etowah River in Rome, Georgia, with their heads covered by bags.
District Attorney Summer Summerford, representing DeKalb and Cherokee Counties in Alabama, acknowledged the extensive efforts in investigating and prosecuting the case, noting the impact on the victims’ families. As the case wraps up, co-defendants Pullen and Watts are still detained at the Cherokee County Jail in Alabama.
