Develle Sprawls, a 39-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life on April 6, 2021, in Chicago, Illinois. The circumstances surrounding his death were both violent and deeply unsettling. Develle Sprawls was fatally shot by his childhood friend, Marvin Browder, during an argument at Browder's residence on the West Side of Chicago. The incident occurred in the basement of the home, which Browder shared with his 91-year-old grandmother.
The confrontation escalated quickly, leading Browder to shoot Sprawls multiple times. Despite his injuries, Sprawls managed to crawl up the stairs to the kitchen, where Browder continued to shoot him until he collapsed at the back door threshold.
The investigation revealed that Sprawls was shot a total of 14 times. When police arrived at the scene, they found Sprawls lying in the yard with a pistol in his hand. However, the gun was suspiciously clean, with no blood on it, despite Sprawls' hand being severely mangled and covered in blood. Detectives also discovered bloody drag marks leading from the home's back door to Sprawls' shoes, indicating that his body had been moved. Five shell casings were found on top of the kitchen garbage can, and Browder's grandmother, who suffers from dementia, admitted to picking them up off the floor earlier. Additional shell casings were found in the basement.
Marvin Browder, a 37-year-old African American male, was arrested and charged with the murder of Develle Sprawls. Browder, who had a history of criminal activity, was on federal pretrial release at the time of the incident, facing charges related to being an armed habitual criminal. He also had a pending misdemeanor state charge for driving under the influence and resisting arrest. During his interview with detectives, Browder claimed that Sprawls had fired a gun at him in the basement and that the shooting occurred during a struggle for control of the firearm. However, police found no evidence of bullet holes in the basement from missed shots, casting doubt on Browder's account of the events.
The case against Marvin Browder proceeded through the legal system, with Judge Arthur Willis ordering him to be held without bail. The tragic death of Develle Sprawls highlighted the ongoing issues of gun violence and the complexities of the criminal justice system in Chicago. The investigation and subsequent legal proceedings aimed to bring justice for Sprawls and his family, shedding light on the circumstances that led to this devastating loss.
