Former National Football League (NFL) star Sergio Brown, who had not been seen since his mother's body was discovered last month, has been taken into custody. According to the police, he will likely be charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death after he is extradited from California to Illinois.
Police from Maywood, Illinois, have issued an arrest warrant for Sergio for the murder of his mother, Myrtle Brown, 73. On September 16, police reportedly found the Myrtle's corpse in a creek.
A law enforcement official involved with the investigation reported that Sergio was apprehended in San Diego, California, on Tuesday, October 10, after being deported from Mexico. Police said they have a murder charge against the former athlete, and he is now pending extradition from San Diego to Maywood.
A Mother's Death
Sergio's mom, Myrtle, was discovered dead near where the family lived.
According to CNN, both of them were reported missing on September 16 by worried family members who had not been able to locate or get in touch with them. On the same day, police searched their house and reportedly discovered the mother's corpse along a stream in the area.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office determined that Myrtle's death was a murder because of the injuries from the assaults she sustained before her death.
Three days after Myrtle's death came to light, authorities said that they were informed of at least one video circulating on social media that seemed to show Sergio in a tropical locale. As reported by TMZ, he was babbling about "fake news" and stating he believed his mother was on vacation. When or where this video was shot is unclear.
In a statement issued last week, Myrtle's family urged authorities to go through with the investigation and said that they believed police had enough evidence to make an arrest. "No family should bear the weight of uncertainty regarding the circumstances of their loved one's passing," the family said in a statement.
Sergio has apparently cut off all communication with his family.
Commotion During Deportation Flight
Mexican officials knew where Sergio was since at least September 19, according to the law enforcement source cited by CNN. Still, they were unable to deport him until Illinois authorities got an arrest warrant.
However, Sergio's transfer to the US was not smooth for him.
After causing a scene on an extradition flight from Mexico City to Tijuana, the former professional footballer was threatened to be removed from the aircraft, the source claimed.
Sergio was apprehended in San Diego with the help of both local and federal authorities. He is being detained by the San Diego Sheriff's Department on a felony fugitive arrest warrant and is due in court on November 13.
Sergio, at 35 years old, has not played professional football in a long time. After his time at Notre Dame, he went undrafted and signed with the New England Patriots in 2010. After that, he spent seven years in the NFL with the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Buffalo Bills.
