Charniese Brown's boyfriend Ranon Brownlee accused her of cheating on him which had allegedly led to the fight.
Trigger warning: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence that some readers may find distressing
A Wisconsin woman's last moments were recorded in a 911 call as she was reportedly being killed by her boyfriend. Charniese Brown was crying for help to the emergency responders when she was allegedly stabbed multiple times and shot dead. "He's trying to kill me," Brown screamed, according to the recording. The 26-year-old woman had called 911 around 5:20 pm on March 8. The 911 dispatchers alerted the cops after hearing the sounds of someone being stabbed and shot. The cops had arrived within two minutes but Brown had been murdered by then, reported People.
The cops and paramedics attempted to revive Brown at the scene but were unsuccessful. Her body was found on a stairwell exit from the home, suggesting she was trying to escape. Charniese Brown's boyfriend Ranon Brownlee, 51, surrendered at the scene. He was found with injuries on his hands.
Brownlee, a Kenosha native, drove a truck for a food delivery company for a living. The pair had reportedly been living together for roughly a year, according to the neighbors. They had a blended family of six children, and all six were in the house at the time and said they had heard the argument.
The man had reportedly accused his girlfriend of cheating on him over the weekend. Kenosha County Deputy District Attorney Angelina Gabriele said the text messages allegedly exchanged by the pair suggested the same. "You played me all weekend. Have fun tonight like it's your last," Gabriele quoted Brownlee as texting, during the bond hearing, reported WGTD. Brownlee's texts appeared to suggest it was a premeditated murder. "You already cheated. The crime is done. The state can have my kids. They're better off. I don't care what happens to me. Life is over to me. I'm done. I can't take it no more."
An autopsy revealed that the 26-year-old woman had been stabbed multiple times and was also shot once on the back of her shoulder. District Attorney Gabriele spoke about the 911 call during the hearing. "In listening to the recording, Ms. Brown can be heard screaming for help, crying, saying 'he's trying to kill me,'" Gabriele told the court. "The dispatcher asks Ms. Brown if she's still with her," continued Gabriele. "There's silence, and then there's the sound of what appears to be a shotgun going off." The 911 recording also includes a man's voice asking repeatedly, "Who are you f******?"
According to Kenosha News, friends on social media described Brown as a "rock-star mom." She is believed to be the mother of four young children. The neighbors didn't realize what was happening until cops showed up at the home. The kids were reportedly playing in the yard when the incident happened. The yard was strewn with toys when the cops arrived along with paramedics. The cops then proceeded to tape the scene of the crime. “The kids were out playing in the yard when it happened, the police yelled at them to get on the porch, and they ran across the street and were watching from the porch there,” said one of the neighbors.
At first, Brownlee claimed that he was acting in self-defense, but Gabriele noted in court that the injuries to his hands didn't point to them being defensive wounds. He was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and is currently held on a $1 million bond. Cops also confirmed that Brownlee would face charges of domestic violence. He hasn't entered into a plea deal as of yet. He also has a history of abuse and was charged with domestic violence-related battery and disorderly conduct in October 2019. The bond conditions suggested it was Brown who was the victim of the case. However, the charges were eventually dismissed.
A GoFundMe campaign has been started in the name of the deceased mother and the funds raised will be used for funeral expenses and to help her four children.
If you are being subjected to domestic abuse or know of anyone else who is, please visit The National Domestic Violence Hotline website, call 1-800-799-7233, or text LOVEIS to 22522.
References:
https://people.com/crime/wisconsin-woman-911-trying-kill-me-boyfriend-allegedly-murdered-her/
https://www.wgtd.org/news/kenosha-woman-dies-she-begs-help-911-dispatchers
https://www.gofundme.com/f/charniese-browns-memorial-fund
Image source: Charniese Brown/GoFundMe
