In the late hours of a November day in Shreveport, Louisiana, the life of 23-year-old Brittany Leann Green was tragically cut short. On November 27, 2015, the young mother was fatally shot, leaving behind a beloved son, Aiden, and a devastated family. Brittany, born on January 1, 1992, in Shreveport, was a waitress who had attended Huntington High School.
Those who knew her described her as someone who loved life, but above all, cherished her role as a mother.
The circumstances of her death unfolded at the home of a family friend, where Brittany was confronted by her 31-year-old boyfriend, Brett Wayne Burnley. Armed with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, Burnley opened fire, striking Green three times and ending her life. The violent act left a community in mourning and a family grappling with an immense loss. Her funeral services were held the following week, with friends and family gathering to say their final goodbyes as she was laid to rest at Centuries Memorial Park.
In the aftermath of the shooting, law enforcement identified Brett Wayne Burnley as the sole suspect. His criminal history, which included prior felony convictions for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and criminal mischief in 2010, became a factor in the legal proceedings that followed. In a turn of events that would bring a close to the case, Burnley pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter in the death of Brittany Leann Green.
On a Monday in July 2018, a judge handed down a sentence that reflected the gravity of the crime and Burnley's status as a habitual offender. Brett Wayne Burnley was sentenced to 60 years in prison for the killing of his girlfriend. The sentence was to be served without the possibility of suspension or probation, ensuring that he would spend a significant portion of his life behind bars for the violent end he brought to the life of a young woman.
