In the early hours of December 9, 2018, the life of 15-year-old Brian Marques Brown Jr. was tragically cut short in Lawton, Oklahoma. A freshman at Lawton High School, Brian was known affectionately as 'Junior' or 'Junebug' to his family and friends. He was a member of the school's Wolverines football team.
Lawton police responded to a call about a homicide in the 1200 block of Bishop Road shortly after midnight.
Upon their arrival, they discovered Brian with multiple gunshot wounds; he was pronounced dead at the scene. The individual responsible for the shooting was identified as 35-year-old David Winbush. Winbush alleged that Brian had stolen his vehicle and admitted to firing the shots that resulted in the teenager's death.
Following the incident, David Winbush was arrested and subsequently charged with second-degree murder. This was not Winbush's first time in the public eye; he had made headlines in October of the same year when his puppy was severely beaten by a neighbor's child. Brian's death deeply affected the Lawton community, leaving his family and friends to mourn the loss of a young life full of potential. A month after his death, his family gathered at his grave to mark what would have been his 16th birthday.
