I can’t pretend to even begin to fully understand what drives people to commit violent crimes. My sense of justice finds a few things completely inexcusable, but my empathetic self tries to fully understand where people are coming from most of the time. Though there is no excuse for anyone to commit a violent crime, I can’t help but wonder what drove someone to it.
Did the person they assaulted actually wrong them in some way? Were they suffering from endless abuse? Do they have a mental disability? In my head, there has to be something triggering heinous acts … otherwise, we’re living in a rather bleak existence.
It remains to be seen what New Jersey teen Louis Brown was thinking when he allegedly murdered his grandmother in cold blood.
According to People, 18-year-old Louis Brown is suspected of killing Darlene Brown, 69, in her own home. A news release from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office states that a 911 call was placed reporting Darlene Brown’s murder. When officers arrived at the house in Jackson Township, Louis left with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody.
It was then that officers made their way to the bedroom, where they found the woman’s lifeless body, the release added. She was covered in stab wounds on her face and neck. Officers noted that two knives were still protruding from her body.
Louis consented to remain at Ocean County Jail pending a trial.
The young man stands accused of murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon, the prosecutor’s news release noted.
“The charges referenced above are merely accusations, and the press and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” the release stated.
On a Facebook post from the prosecutor’s office, community members expressed their grief and outrage.
Many of the commenters referred to Louis as a “monster.” “It’s nice to see a dangerous person remanded for a change,” wrote one follower.
Still, it is little consolation in the face of such a disturbing tragedy.
Data the FBI shared from 2011 states that 54.3% of murder victims were killed by someone they knew, like an acquaintance, neighbor, friend, or boyfriend, while 24.8% of victims were killed by relatives.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women’s shelter (domesticshelters.org).
