5 Shocking Facts Surrounding the Murder of Tommy Brown

On September 5, 2013, Tommy Brown, a resident of Fort Worth, Texas, was murdered in his home. Following the initiation of the investigation, law enforcement quickly gathered substantial evidence pinpointing the culprits.

Braylon Ellis and Cristina Rodriguez, who was once romantically involved with Tommy, were convicted of his murder in 2017 and received life sentences. Braylon Ellis has the possibility of parole after several decades, while Cristina was sentenced to life imprisonment without the chance for parole.

The upcoming episode of Snapped: Behind Bars, season 2, episode 6, titled Cristina Rodriguez, will delve into the murder of Tommy, featuring Rodriguez herself sharing her perspective on the events. This episode is scheduled to air on Oxygen on October 6, 2024, at 7 PM EST.

The summary for the episode states:

“Cristina Rodriguez recounts the harrowing experience of witnessing her lover murder her boyfriend, as well as the emotional turmoil when he testified against her; another convicted accomplice divulges new insights about the case.”

1) Discovery of Tommy Brown’s remains came two days post-murder

Tommy Brown is believed to have been killed on October 5, 2013, by Braylon Ellis. Initially, Tommy’s family remained unaware of the tragedy that had unfolded. After trying unsuccessfully to contact him for hours, his sister Andrea visited his home. Upon entering, she was met with the sight of Tommy’s lifeless body outside the bathroom.

The crime scene was scarring (Image by Thom Masat/Unsplash)

As reported by Oxygen True Crime, Andrea found Tommy’s body lying on the floor, his face obscured by a bag and his hands restrained behind him with a shoelace. Items including his car, a television, cards, and his cellphone were missing, leading investigators to hypothesize the involvement of two assailants due to the presence of two distinct sets of footprints at the crime scene.

3) Tommy Brown suffered multiple blows with a toilet lid

Braylon Ellis assaulted Tommy brutally with a porcelain toilet lid, resulting in significant lacerations to his head. It was also disclosed that Cristina supplied Ellis with the murder weapon. Coroner reports indicated that Tommy succumbed to blunt force trauma and suffocation.

Commenting on Tommy’s condition, authorities described it to Snapped as:

“He had bruises and contusions all over his body. Part of his head was split open. I mean, his face looked like he had gotten into a fight with Mike Tyson. It was one of the most savage beatings that I’ve ever seen.”

4) Cristina Rodriguez’s history of violence

Oxygen True Crime reported that prosecutor Bill Vasser revealed Cristina Rodriguez had a troubling past, including a violent incident where she impersonated a healthcare worker to assault and rob an elderly man. This crime led to her arrest in 2002 and a subsequent 10-year prison sentence.

5) Cristina Rodriguez deceived both Tommy Brown and Braylon Ellis

In 2013, while Tommy and his girlfriend Moreno were planning to have a baby, they chose Rodriguez to be their surrogate. Shortly after, Rodriguez falsely claimed that she was expecting Tommy’s child. Furthermore, she lied to her boyfriend Braylon Ellis, asserting that they were having a child together and that Tommy had been abusive towards her, which ultimately led them to plot Tommy’s murder.

Tune in to Snapped: Behind Bars Season 2, episode 6 on Oxygen tonight to uncover the complete story behind this tragic homicide.

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