Post by Melissa on Feb 1, 2011 22:47:28 GMT -5
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1164663/Boy-11-held-custody-shotgun-murder-fathers-fianc-e-unborn-baby.html
Boy, 11, held in custody after 'shotgun murder' of father's fiancée and unborn baby
An 11-year-old boy has been held in custody following the death of his father's pregnant fiancée.
A U.S. state trooper testified at the preliminary hearing yesterday that the boy's clothing had gunshot residue on it.
Trooper Troy Scott Steinheiser testified the clothing was taken from Jordan Brown on February 20, the day Kenzie Marie Houk, 26, was found dead in the bedroom of the farmhouse in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
She lived there with her two daughters, fiancé, and Jordan.
Another trooper, Sgt. Kenneth Markilinski, testified that he found a 20-gauge shotgun in Brown's upstairs bedroom and it smelled as though it had recently been fired.
Investigators contend that Brown placed the youth-model shotgun - a Christmas gift from his father - to Houk's head as she slept and shot her once, killing her and causing her unborn son to die of a lack of oxygen.
The fetus was nearly full-term.
Brown is charged with two counts of homicide.
At least one other case of a child allegedly killing a family member is making its way through the courts.
Houk's family has suggested that Brown was envious of Houk, but one of his attorneys has dismissed that claim and said there was no animosity.
Brown was led into the courtroom with his hands cuffed and shackled to a belt on his waist. He appeared to sit calmly throughout the two-hour hearing.
Defence lawyers said they need more evidence to understand what happened.
Brown denies shooting Houk, defence attorney Dennis Elisco said.
'There's never been an admission,' he said.
Christopher Brown attended the hearing but did not speak to reporters.
No trial date has been set.
Boy, 11, held in custody after 'shotgun murder' of father's fiancée and unborn baby
An 11-year-old boy has been held in custody following the death of his father's pregnant fiancée.
A U.S. state trooper testified at the preliminary hearing yesterday that the boy's clothing had gunshot residue on it.
Trooper Troy Scott Steinheiser testified the clothing was taken from Jordan Brown on February 20, the day Kenzie Marie Houk, 26, was found dead in the bedroom of the farmhouse in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
She lived there with her two daughters, fiancé, and Jordan.
Another trooper, Sgt. Kenneth Markilinski, testified that he found a 20-gauge shotgun in Brown's upstairs bedroom and it smelled as though it had recently been fired.
Investigators contend that Brown placed the youth-model shotgun - a Christmas gift from his father - to Houk's head as she slept and shot her once, killing her and causing her unborn son to die of a lack of oxygen.
The fetus was nearly full-term.
Brown is charged with two counts of homicide.
At least one other case of a child allegedly killing a family member is making its way through the courts.
Houk's family has suggested that Brown was envious of Houk, but one of his attorneys has dismissed that claim and said there was no animosity.
Brown was led into the courtroom with his hands cuffed and shackled to a belt on his waist. He appeared to sit calmly throughout the two-hour hearing.
Defence lawyers said they need more evidence to understand what happened.
Brown denies shooting Houk, defence attorney Dennis Elisco said.
'There's never been an admission,' he said.
Christopher Brown attended the hearing but did not speak to reporters.
No trial date has been set.