In the late hours of a September night in 2017, the parking lot of a Lafayette, Louisiana, IHOP became a crime scene that would leave a family and community in mourning. Larry Brown, a 45-year-old man, was found shot to death alongside a female companion, 49-year-old Madrona Brown of New Orleans. The discovery was made by Lafayette Police officers who were responding to a call on September 29th.
Both victims were found deceased in the parking lot of the restaurant located on the Evangeline Thruway, having suffered fatal gunshot wounds.
The investigation into the double homicide led authorities to a suspect, John Christopher McGraw of New Orleans. Less than two weeks after the shooting, on a Friday, McGraw was apprehended in Marrero by the U.S. Marshall Service Violent Offender Task Force. Following his arrest, McGraw was charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Larry Brown and Madrona Brown.
Larry Brown was known as a caring and lovable man who worked as a car salesman at LA Auto Sales and had attended Lafayette High. His sudden and violent death left a void in the lives of those who knew him. The case progressed through the legal system, with the arrest of McGraw marking a significant development in the pursuit of justice for Larry Brown and Madrona Brown.
