Videos, 911 calls released in Seminole County triple-murder-suicide

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County Sheriff’s Office officials announced Thursday the results of its investigation into the triple homicide of a mother and her two children.

Officials said Henry Brown, the estranged husband of Chericia Brown, murdered her and their two children on April 17, before he killed himself.

Raw: New video released in investigation of triple-murder-suicide

Raw: Deputies release results of investigation into triple-murder-suicide

“In my entire law enforcement career, I have never seen a subject so determined to end another’s life,” SCSO Sheriff Don Eslinger said.

Eslinger said the investigation showed deputies were dealing with an enraged and unstable man who had been stalking Chericia Brown for weeks. He said this case shows how dangerous domestic violence situations can be.

Some of the details deputies released about the investigating included videos from the night the family was killed and excerpts from Chericia Brown’s diary detailing her volatile relationship with her husband.

Related story: 'I don't know what he's capable of doing,' victim of murder-suicide tells judge in January

Related story: Channel 9 speaks with domestic violence survivor in wake of murder suicide

Related story: 911 calls detail scene where man stabbed wife, hit her with car before killing children

“We cannot imagine the grief both families must feel on the loss of their children and their grandchildren. Throughout this investigation we have never lost sight of the tremendous pain that has been caused, and we extend our sincere condolences.” Eslinger said. %INLINE%

Deputies said the victim was stabbed at least 15 times and then run over by Henry Brown in a Chili’s parking lot before he drove from the scene. Chericia Brown was at the restaurant with a man named Donald Jones.

At a press conference Thursday, detectives discussed how Henry Brown managed to hide and surprise his wife with the attack.

Video from the restaurant shows the moments leading up to when Henry Brown ran over his wife outside the Chili’s.

“Henry Brown jumps out of the trunk and batters Jones. Jones then runs into the Chili’s and gets help. Chericia is heard screaming for help and stabbed 15 times outside of the bushes in front of the restaurant,” said Lt. Mark Pegola of the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.

Henry Brown gunned the engine before he floored his friend’s car onto the sidewalk, where a nurse and firefighter were tending to Chericia Brown’s multiple stab wounds.

The nurse, identified as Reynatta Vitkute, and firefighter were injured as well.

Vitkute’s husband, Josh Ziss, said she’s suffering from post-traumatic stress, but was able to return to work this week.

Henry Brown left the area and picked up his children from their babysitter before going to the Central Florida Regional Hospital, in Sanford, Florida, to try and see his wife.

Raw Part 1: Babysitter calls 911, suspecting deputies were looking for Henry Brown

Raw Part 2: A babysitter called 911 to ask information about Henry Brown

Deputies said the man and law enforcement officials exchanged gunfire at the hospital, and Henry Brown nearly made it into the trauma unit.

Investigators released video from two different body cameras from the shootout.

They said Henry Brown fired five shots at law enforcement, while a deputy fired eight shots and two Sanford officers fired a total of six shots.

Henry Brown's vehicle was brought to a halt with the use of stop-sticks by Sanford officers near the hospital. Deputies said the man killed himself as authorities approached the vehicle.
Both children were found dead inside the car, deputies said.

Chericia’s Brown’s diaries detailed day-by-day the torture at the hands of her husband.

He had been following her for months, torturing her and violating an injunction several times by calling, emailing and attempting to make physical contact, investigators said.

Timeline: The history of Chericia and Henry's volatile relationship

A 911 call details the problems she had with Henry Brown.

“I had an argument with my ex-husband. I have an injunction against him. We were arguing. I left, and when I went to get my car, he had disabled my car,” she told a 911 dispatcher.

It all began when Chericia Brown left him after learning of the affair. Desperate, Henry Brown even asked his girlfriend to kill his estranged wife.

"He tells her that he didn't want her in the picture. Giselle states, ‘I can't do that’ and was too scared to call law enforcement,’” said Pegola.

Pegola added that Henry brown used technology to follow his wife.

"We know that he set up an account with GPS alerts and we found it on Chericia's car after the incident,” said Pegola.

Detectives said that GPS monitor is what led Henry Brown to the Chili’s.

Cox Media Group