Lauren Juma, a 16-year-old sophomore at Nimitz High School, had just made it to her school cheer team when she was shot dead after being held captive by Van Henry Brisbon, her mother's then-boyfriend, after an alleged r*pe attempt in April 2022.
The 62-year-old (60 at the time of the crime) Brisbon from Humble, Texas, was arrested at the scene on the day of the crime as he surrendered to the police, according to the reports.
On October 17, 2024, Brisbon was sentenced to life in prison without parole or possibility of release for capital murder after a nine-day trial, where the jury heard testimonies and evidence, including the body cam footage that recorded the victim's scream.
Details on Lauren Juma's murder
The incident happened just Over 1 am on October 29, 2022. According to prosecutors, Lauren Juma was home alone with her mother's boyfriend, Van Henry Brisbon, 62, when she called her mom, Laurie Young, and informed her that Bisborn was acting weird. Laurie, who was away from town because of work, asked her elder daughter to go to the house. When the elder daughter reached the place, she found that Lauren was held captive by Brisbon at gunpoint.
The Harris County Deputies, who arrived at the scene after being called, said they heard a gunshot followed by Lauren's scream for help and another gunshot a few seconds later. According to KHOU11, Brisbon came out of the house and asked them to do what they had to do.
The investigators at the scene retrieved the 9mm handgun that was allegedly used to shoot Lauren. According to reports from Click2Houston, Brisbon was walking out of the crime scene while pulling up his pants, and the police found Laure Juma's dead body with her pants down below the knee and multiple gunshot wounds, which led investigators and officials to believe that he attempted to r*pe Lauren.
Events leading to the conviction of Van Henry Brisbon
After his arrest on the day of the crime, Brisbon was produced before the court and was provided with a bond of $1 million with conditions, but the bond was later increased to $2 million after a second hearing.
After a 9-day trial where the jury was presented evidence and testimonies against Brisbon, he was found guilty of capital murder. Brisbon was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of his then-girlfriend's teenage daughter, Lauren Juma, while trying to r*pe her.
Talking about the crime, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said,
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This defendant was a predator with a gun, and his choice to hurt a young girl and take her life was senseless and horrific,” Ogg said. “He not only took a promising young woman’s life, his actions have destroyed a family.
ADA Katie Warren thanked the jurors for their service and verdict while mentioning how difficult it was to listen to the body cam footage that recorded Lauren Juma's scream for help and the Gunshots that killed her, which was used as evidence to convict Brisbon.
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