Tulare Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing Girlfriend

Yesterday in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Tulare man John Brown, age 34, was sentenced to life in prison for murder and other violent crimes. On December 23, 2019, Brown pleaded to all charges filed against him – one count of second-degree murder with the special allegation that a deadly weapon was used, two counts of felony child abuse, and two counts of felony animal cruelty.

At 8:40 am on June 15, 2016, Tulare County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence in Tulare. Brown was the reporting party, and advised 911 that his girlfriend had been strangled to death and a rope was around her neck. When deputies arrived, they found the deceased female and began to search the rest of the house, eventually finding the couple’s children in a bedroom. During the search, deputies matched the rope wrapped around the victim’s neck with a clothesline on the property. They found no signs of forced entry, despite Brown’s claims that someone killed the victim while he was asleep. Brown was taken into custody that day.

An autopsy the next day revealed that the victim died from ligature strangulation. The rope had been wrapped tightly around her neck four times. Through investigation, detectives also learned of the deaths about a week prior of two pug puppies owned by Brown that were tied up without food or water in the summer elements, and buried in the yard.

Under California law, Brown will not be eligible for parole for 24 years.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Kirk Davis and was investigated by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department.

Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Assistant District Attorney Dave Alavezos (559) 636-5494