On December 25, 2020, tragedy struck in the Spanish Lake area of St. Louis County, Missouri, when 28-year-old female Charese Garvin was found deceased in her home. The grim discovery was made on Christmas evening after concerned family members, who had not heard from her throughout the holiday, requested a welfare check. Upon entering the residence on Lakeside Lane around 7:00 p.m., police officers located Garvin and her 23-month-old daughter, Alayah Butler, both unresponsive.
Investigators determined that the mother and toddler had been shot to death earlier that morning, marking a horrific end to the holiday for their grieving loved ones.
Garvin was a mother of three and was reportedly three months pregnant with her fourth child at the time of her murder. Her two other children, aged four and six, were found unharmed inside the home where the shootings took place. Witnesses and family members quickly directed law enforcement’s attention toward Garvin's ex-boyfriend, 30-year-old Timothy Brown, who was the father of the two surviving children. According to reports, Brown had a history of domestic issues with the victim and had previously made threatening remarks, allegedly stating that if he could not have her, no one could. Witnesses also reported seeing Brown's vehicle in the driveway of the home on the morning of the killings.
Following the discovery, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Timothy Brown with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action. A manhunt ensued as authorities considered him armed and dangerous. The search concluded days later on December 29, 2020, when police tracked Brown to a residence in Velda City. Officers attempted to make contact, but shots were fired from inside the house, leading to a standoff that lasted for several hours. Crisis negotiators attempted to communicate with Brown, but the situation ended in silence.
When a police robot was eventually deployed to enter the home, it discovered Timothy Brown deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. His death brought a sudden end to the criminal proceedings, leaving the community and Garvin’s family to grapple with the loss of a mother and her young child. The case highlighted the severe dangers of domestic violence, with family members expressing their devastation that the protective order and previous warning signs were not enough to prevent the double homicide.
