Sean Thomas Brabson was a 33-year-old Black man from Fort Wayne, Indiana, known for his big heart and love for his family. A proud father to three children, Latoya, Sean, and Angel, he was born in Fort Wayne as one of six siblings. His obituary remembered him as someone who loved to laugh, enjoyed life, and cherished any occasion that brought his family together, especially his mother, Elayne.
Tragedy struck in the early morning of Sunday, October 22, 2023.
At approximately 6:42 a.m., Fort Wayne police were called to the 5000 block of South Calhoun Street following reports of a shooting. Officers arrived to find Sean Brabson suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Allen County Coroner’s Office later determined his cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds and ruled his death a homicide, the 23rd in the county for 2023. The violence came just two days after Brabson's wife, 34-year-old Vanessa Lynn Brabson, had been found shot to death in a separate incident.
The investigation into Brabson’s murder quickly led police to a suspect: James Saylor, his 33-year-old brother-in-law. According to court records, a witness who was with Brabson said someone in a dark hoodie ran up behind them in an alley and began shooting. Investigators obtained video surveillance footage that reportedly showed Saylor running into the alley behind Brabson just moments before the gunfire. Saylor was arrested and charged with murder.
At trial, prosecutors presented the jury with witness testimony, phone data, and video evidence pointing to Saylor as the killer. In August 2024, a jury found James Saylor guilty of murder and an additional sentencing enhancement for using a firearm during the crime. He was subsequently sentenced to 80 years in prison for the death of his brother-in-law.
