In a tragic turn of events stemming from a complex and troubled history, Edward Brown, a 59-year-old African American man, was brutally murdered in his Denver, Colorado apartment on August 5, 2002. The person responsible for his death was his roommate, Sean Paul Hanify. Their past was marred by a previous crime; Hanify had served a four-year prison sentence for stealing Brown's VCR.
In an act of forgiveness, Brown allowed Hanify to live with him after his release, a decision that would have fatal consequences.
The attack on Edward Brown was exceptionally violent. Hanify first bludgeoned him with a claw hammer before stabbing and eviscerating him. He then set Brown's body on fire. Firefighters made the gruesome discovery of Brown's remains on August 6, 2002, while responding to a fire at his apartment on East 12th Avenue.
During the police investigation, Hanify confessed to the murder, stating his motive was revenge for his prior incarceration. He attempted to use an insanity defense during his trial, but the jury rejected this claim, finding him legally sane at the time of the murder. In December 2005, Hanify was convicted of the first-degree murder of Edward Brown.
Subsequently, in January 2007, Hanify was also convicted of the 2000 murder of Mark Davis, a 44-year-old homeless man. For these two murders, Hanify received two life sentences without the possibility of parole. Hanify has claimed responsibility for other murders, though these confessions remain uncorroborated. He has described his actions as a 'personal choice.' In July 2011, the Colorado Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal, upholding his conviction.
