In the late hours of a spring evening in South Bend, Indiana, tragedy befell 31-year-old Joseph Michael Brown Jr. On May 18, 2017, police responded to a call of a home invasion and shooting at a residence on South Kendall Street. Upon arrival, officers discovered two men with gunshot wounds. One of them was Joseph Brown, who was rushed to Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
The second victim, 29-year-old Dustin Bierwagen, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released. Brown and Bierwagen were roommates at the home where the incident occurred.
The investigation into Brown's death quickly pointed to a violent altercation. The South Bend Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit identified two suspects in the case: 34-year-old Christopher Cornelius Brown and 30-year-old London Davis. Investigators believe that Christopher Brown held a belief that Joseph Brown had been involved in a prior incident where Christopher had been shot. This belief is thought to have been the motive that led to the fatal confrontation.
Following the investigation, both Christopher Brown and London Davis were arrested and faced charges related to the murder of Joseph Brown. Christopher Brown was charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder, while London Davis was charged with conspiracy to commit murder. The case proceeded through the legal system with multiple hearings. The prosecution built its case on evidence from the crime scene, witness statements, and digital communications between the suspects.
