In the quiet suburb of Cockeysville, Maryland, the life of 45-year-old John Browning, a respected attorney, came to a tragic and violent end on February 1, 2008. He, along with his wife Tamara, 44, and their two younger sons, 13-year-old Gregory and 11-year-old Benjamin, were found shot to death in their home. John Browning was discovered on a ground-floor room, while his wife and two sons were found in upstairs bedrooms.
The investigation into the shocking murders quickly focused on a
suspect from within the family circle: the Brownings' eldest son, 15-year-old Nicholas Waggoner Browning. Police reports indicate that Nicholas had been having disagreements with his father. On the night of the killings, after his family had gone to sleep, Nicholas used his father's handgun to shoot each of them. Following the murders, he discarded the weapon in nearby bushes and spent the night and the following day with friends. The next evening, after being dropped off at home, Nicholas entered the house and then re-emerged to tell his friends that his father was dead, at which point he called 911.
Nicholas Browning was arrested on February 3, 2008, and subsequently confessed to the murders of his parents and brothers. He was charged as an adult with four counts of first-degree murder. While Nicholas alleged he had been abused by his father, prosecutors argued that the motive was to be free from parental rules and to gain his inheritance. In a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and in January 2009, was sentenced to four life terms, with two to be served consecutively. Nicholas Browning may become eligible for parole in 2031.
