In a tragic turn of events within a family, James Bawn, a 35-year-old man, was killed in his brother's home in Blooming Grove, New York. On the afternoon of Tuesday, February 6, 2018, police responded to a 911 call reporting shots fired at a residence on Pioneer Trail in the Mountain Lodge section of the town. Upon their arrival, officers discovered James Bawn deceased inside the home from a gunshot wound.
The investigation quickly identified the suspect as James's older brother,
37-year-old George Bawn. George was located near the residence and taken into custody by the New York State Police. The incident was the result of a domestic dispute that escalated to a fatal confrontation. Prosecutors later revealed that James had been shot four times in the head and torso with a. 45 caliber pistol.
Following his arrest, George Bawn was charged with second-degree murder. In September 2018, he pleaded guilty to the charge, admitting in court that he had intentionally killed his brother. This plea was part of an agreement that would see him sentenced to a significant prison term.
In October 2018, an Orange County Court Judge sentenced George Bawn to 20 years to life in prison for the murder of his brother, James. District Attorney David Hoovler described the crime as an 'intentional violent murder of an unarmed man' and stated that the community would be safer with George Bawn incarcerated.
