On the evening of February 12, 2016, 35-year-old Patrick Brown, a former military man, was shot and killed in his apartment on South Lynhurst Drive in Indianapolis, Indiana. A white male, Brown was found by emergency responders with a gunshot wound to his chest and was transported to a nearby hospital where he died from his injuries. Another individual, Cecelia 'Cece' Land, who was Brown's ex-girlfriend, was also shot at the scene but survived her critical injuries.
The perpetrator,
26-year-old Rebecca Lawson, was arrested at the scene after she called 911 to report the shooting and surrendered peacefully to the authorities. The investigation revealed a tumultuous history between Lawson and Brown. Lawson had reportedly driven to Brown's apartment to retrieve some of her belongings and became upset when she saw Land's vehicle parked outside. An altercation ensued, during which Lawson shot both Brown and Land. Friends of Brown described Lawson as having been obsessive during her past relationship with him.
Lawson was charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder. In January 2017, a Marion County jury found her guilty on both counts following a three-day trial. During the legal proceedings, Lawson claimed she acted in self-defense. She was subsequently sentenced to a total of 85 years in prison—55 years for the murder of Patrick Brown and 30 years for the attempted murder of Cecelia Land. Although an appeals court later reversed the initial conviction due to an error in jury instructions, a subsequent trial in August 2018 resulted in the same verdict and sentence.
