On a tragic Fourth of July in 1979, the life of 17-year-old Christopher Phillips, an African American male, was brutally cut short in Richmond, Virginia. The perpetrators were the notorious Briley brothers: Linwood, James, and Anthony. The fatal encounter began when the brothers spotted Phillips near their parked car and suspected him of trying to steal it.
Acting on this suspicion, the three brothers forcibly dragged the teenager into a nearby backyard.
Despite Phillips's desperate cries for help, his assailants overpowered him. In a final act of unspeakable violence, Linwood Briley dropped a cinderblock on Phillips's head, ending his life. This senseless murder was just one act in a seven-month reign of terror by the Briley brothers and an accomplice, Duncan Meekins, that left at least 11 people dead in the Richmond area.
The Briley brothers' crime spree, which included home invasions, robberies, sexual assaults, and murders, struck fear into the heart of the community due to the random and brutal nature of their attacks. Following their eventual capture, the full scope of their horrific actions came to light.
In the subsequent legal proceedings, Linwood and James Briley were sentenced to death for their numerous crimes and were executed in 1984 and 1985, respectively. Their younger brother, Anthony, received a sentence of life in prison. Duncan Meekins, who cooperated with the authorities and provided detailed testimony about the crimes, was sentenced to life imprisonment plus additional years, thereby avoiding the death penalty. The capture and prosecution of the Briley brothers brought an end to one of Richmond's most violent and terrifying crime sprees.
