In the early hours of a cold January morning in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a residence on the city's north side became the scene of a brutal triple homicide. Inside the home, which had been ransacked, police discovered the bodies of 52-year-old Cara Brown, her 28-year-old son Thomas Lee Brown, and 58-year-old Kenneth Sellers. All three had been fatally shot. The discovery was made around 2 a.m.
on January 16, 2017, after a neighbor reported hearing shouting and gunfire.
Investigators at the scene quickly determined that the home had been thoroughly searched, leading them to suspect the motive was drug-related. It was believed that Cara Brown's son, Thomas, was the primary target of the violent attack. There were no signs of forced entry, suggesting the assailants may have been known to the victims. The shocking crime marked the third, fourth, and fifth homicides in Tulsa for that year.
The investigation into the tragic deaths of Cara Brown and the other victims would span several years. In February 2017, authorities charged a Tulsa man with first-degree murder in connection with the killings. The case eventually went to trial in 2021, culminating in the conviction of Melvin Porter and Christopher President. A jury found both men guilty on three counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed robbery. The prosecution's case was strengthened by forensic evidence, including cell phone records that contradicted the defendants' accounts. Both men were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, bringing a measure of justice to the families of Cara Brown, Thomas Lee Brown, and Kenneth Sellers.
