Charges: After argument, Robbinsdale man hit and dragged woman with vehicle, killing her
A Robbinsdale man is charged with murder after allegedly hitting and dragging a woman with a vehicle after they got into an argument.
Jordan Latrell Jefferson, 29, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the death of 28-year-old Ochea Brown. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office says Brown died of multiple blunt force injuries on May 29 and ruled the manner of death as homicide.
According to a criminal complaint, Minneapolis police officers found a vehicle crashed near the intersection of 17th and Bryant Avenues at about 3:15 a.m. on May 29. After noticing significant damage to the front of the vehicle, officers saw Brown in the back seat, bleeding from severe head trauma. She was pronounced dead.
Police: Woman found dead inside a car in Minneapolis
A witness told investigators she was riding with Brown and Jefferson in the vehicle when Brown and Jefferson got into a verbal argument. The witness said Jefferson, who was driving, began punching Brown in the face. The complaint states the witness said she tried to intervene but Jefferson continued punching Brown. Jefferson then demanded Brown get out of the vehicle and, when she did and started walking away, the witness said Jefferson accelerated at a high rate of speed and aimed the vehicle directly at Brown, hitting her and trapping her under the vehicle.
The complaint states Jefferson continued dragging Brown until he crashed the vehicle into the front porch of a home. At that point, he allegedly got out of the vehicle and then slapped her and said her name to get her to respond. However, she was unresponsive.
According to the complaint, Jefferson then put Brown's body in the back seat of the vehicle and drove away from the scene, but he crashed the vehicle soon after, leaving it inoperable. The witness said Jefferson then called a friend to come pick him and the witness up. The friend first went to the scene and couldn't find Brown's pulse, saying her neck was broken. They then left the scene and went to the friend's residence, where Jefferson showered, disposed of his clothes and told the witness to take the truth about Brown's death to the grave.
Jefferson was later taken into custody. His first court appearance was Friday, and his bail was set at $1 million. His next hearing is set for July 1.
If convicted, each second-degree murder charge carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in jail.