(CNN) — Former NFL player Sergio Brown, who had been missing since the death of his mother last month, was arrested Tuesday after an arrest warrant was issued for him for the woman’s murder, police said in a statement. .
Brown, 35, was arrested in San Diego while returning to the United States from Mexico, authorities in Maywood, Illinois, said. Now Brown is awaiting extradition to that Chicago suburb to face murder charges, according to police.
Mexican law enforcement officials had known Brown’s whereabouts since at least September 19, a security source close to the investigation told CNN, which was the first outlet to report on his arrest. Mexican police deported the former player after Illinois authorities obtained an arrest warrant for the death of his mother, the source added.
San Diego Sheriff’s Department inmate records indicate that Brown was in the agency’s custody Wednesday morning and was arrested for being a fugitive for a felony.
The body of his mother, 73-year-old Myrtle Brown, was found in a creek behind her Maywood home on Sept. 16, local police said. Her relatives alerted authorities that they had been unable to find or contact her or her son, police said.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office determined she died from assault-related injuries and the manner of death was ruled a homicide, according to spokeswoman Natalia Derevyanny.
Sergio Brown played defensive back for Notre Dame before signing with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played seven seasons in the NFL as a member of the Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Buffalo Bills.
Myrtle Brown’s family remembered her as “a beautiful, loving and inspiring soul who made everyone around her feel like they mattered.”
The family said they had no contact with Brown
A day after his mother’s body was found, Sergio Brown’s brother took to social media asking for help finding her.
“My brother Sergio is still missing,” he wrote Nick Brown and Instagram. “If anyone knows where he is, I want him to know that I love him and to please come home.”
“This is a sad but hopeful time, and we will all get through this together,” wrote Nick Brown. “Mom always told me, ‘Hard times don’t last,’ and our last conversation about hard times being temporary is my ray of hope.”
“Mom, thank you for being strong, loving, diligent, elegant, funny and for saving my art. I will not let you down,” she added.
Maywood Police said last month they were aware of at least one video circulating on social media, which appears to show Sergio Brown in a tropical location rambling about “fake news” and claiming he thought his mother was in trouble. vacation. It is not clear where or when the video was recorded, and authorities did not confirm to CNN that the person in it is indeed Sergio Brown.
Last week, Myrtle Brown’s family issued a statement through attorney Christian Conway asking authorities to move forward with the investigation into her death, saying there was enough evidence for an arrest.
Former NFL player Sergio Brown faces a murder charge in the death of his 73-year-old mother. (Maywood Police Department)
“We call on law enforcement agencies, particularly the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, to work diligently and thoroughly in the pursuit of truth and accountability in the Myrtle Jean Simmons-Brown case. No family should bear the burden of uncertainty about the circumstances of their loved one’s death,” the family said.
The family also said they had not been in contact with Sergio Brown since his disappearance.
“We continue to pray for his well-being and advocate for his immediate and safe return to the United States. Let us work together to turn this tragic loss into a force for positive change and justice,” the statement read.
“Myrtle was a beautiful, loving and inspiring soul who made everyone around her feel like they mattered. With her infectious smile and personality, the loss of Myrtle has left an indescribable void not only in our lives, but in our communities as well. “said the family.
In the midst of the search for Sergio Brown, neighbors praised Myrtle Brown on CNN affiliate WBBM.
“Myrtle was an exceptional woman and I hope she is in the right place and with God,” Carlos Cortez, her next-door neighbor, told WBBM. “She wouldn’t have expected something like that in a million years.”
Neighbors described Myrtle as elegant, outgoing and someone who loved to go dancing.
“Just a lovely lady. Very soft-spoken, outgoing. Always on the go,” neighbor Kevin Grayer told CNN affiliate WLS. “Just a happy person. Her personality was just wonderful.”
“She didn’t deserve that,” Grayer said. “She was too good a person to die like that. She’s just sad.”
CNN’s Jared Formanek, Kevin Dotson, Nouran Salahieh, Mitchell McCluskey and Caroll Alvarado contributed to this report.
2023-10-11 20:20:00
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