A former NFL player Wednesday made his first appearance in an Illinois court as he faces first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of his 73-year-old mother, whose body was found last month near her suburban Chicago home.
Sergio Brown, 35, was formally charged Tuesday by Maywood police with first-degree murder and concealment of a dead body in the death of his mother. Earlier this month, Brown was extradited to Illinois after being arrested in Southern California as he tried to reenter the United States from Mexico, a report from the Associated Press said.
Here's a breakdown of how the case unfolded, and where things stand.
Sergio and mother Myrtle reported missing
According to a press release from the Maywood Police Department, Sergio Brown and his mother, Myrtle were reported missing on Sept. 16 by family members and law enforcement authorities.
A search of their Maywood, Illinois, home ultimately led to the discovery of Myrtle's body in a creek not far from the residence they shared, the release said.
An autopsy revealed Myrtle had suffered several injuries from an assault, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
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Though Myrtle's body had been recovered, Sergio remained missing.
On Sept.19, a Maywood police spokesperson told the Associated Press that police were aware of Instagram videos that appeared to show Brown discussing the recent death of his mother.
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One such video posted to an Instagram page that appeared to belong to Brown shows a man resembling Brown calling reports about the death of his 73-year-old mother “fake news.”
“Fake news, fake news, fake news. It has to be the FBI,” the man says in the rambling, expletive-filled video, in which he says he thought his mother “was on vacation” in the Mexican state of Sinaloa.
In another video posted to the same account's Instagram story, the man references the film “Finding Nemo,” repeating the movie’s famous line, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming,” the Chicago Tribune reported.
Brown arrested in California in connection to mother's death
Brown was initially apprehended on Oct. 10 in San Diego, following a stay of over two weeks in Tijuana, Mexico. Brown later consented to extradition on Oct. 12 and was transported back to Illinois.
Myrtle Brown’s family issued a statement through an attorney following the news of Sergio Brown’s arrest:
“We are also heartened by the news that Sergio Brown has been apprehended and returned to the United States unharmed. Our family is prayerful that, as the investigation progresses, more answers will become available, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding this heartbreaking incident,” the statement reads.
Brown was formally charged on Oct. 24 in Maywood with first-degree murder and concealment of a dead body in the death of his mother.
Maywood, Illinois, is approximately 12 miles west of Chicago.
Brown appears in court
During Brown's initial court appearance Wednesday, a Cook County judge deemed Brown a threat to others, as well as a community and flight risk, NBC Chicago's Regina Waldroup reported from the courtroom. As a result, Brown will remained detained.
According to Waldroup, Brown will be represented by a public defender. His next court date is Nov. 22, Waldroup said.
Who is Sergio Brown?
Sergio Brown, who graduated from Proviso East High School in Maywood, played college football for Notre Dame before his time with the NFL. He played defensive back from 2010 through 2016 with the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills.
