Patricia Brown's crime — A detailed case overview

In 1991, Patricia Brown shocked the peaceful town of Siler City, North Carolina, when it was revealed she had orchestrated the murder of her husband, Frederic Chester Brown Jr. Driven by greed and an obsession with exotic birds, she planned a calculated murder-for-hire scheme. Initially believed to be a random robbery, the retired Army veteran's death on a rural road soon pointed to a far more sinister plot close to home.

The case, characterized by greed, betrayal, and an explosive family conspiracy, transpired over years and culminated in a dramatic confession that revealed the truth. This story is explored on Oxygen's true-crime show Snapped, season 30, episode 21, titled Patricia Brown.

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The real story behind Patricia Brown's crime

Pat's habit of breeding exotic birds led to Fred's murder (Image via Unsplash)

Patricia "Pat" Brown was raised by a single mother and was close to her younger sister, Sheila. When Pat was 21, she met Frederic "Fred" Brown, a Vietnam War veteran, while he was training at Fort Sill's Noncommissioned Officer Academy.

The couple married after six months of dating and had a son and a daughter. After Fred retired from the Army in 1988, they settled in North Carolina, where Patricia Brown worked in real estate before becoming an instructor at Randolph Community College. After an open heart surgery in 1990, her focus shifted to and later developed an intense obsession with exotic birds, which she began collecting and selling, as per Oxygen.

This hobby, involving 50–60 birds, strained the couple's finances and marriage, as Pat's spending grew excessive. Fred, a respected business instructor at Guilford Technical Community College, expressed concerns about her behavior, even confiding to others his fear that she might want him dead, as per Oxygen. This backdrop of marital tension and financial stress set the stage for the events that followed.

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The crime: A murder-for-hire plot

Pat hired her brother-in-law to kill Fred (Image via Unsplash)

In April 1991, Fred Brown was found murdered beside a country road in Siler City, North Carolina, and shot several times with a .22 caliber revolver, according to court documents. The police initially thought it was a robbery that resulted in death since his body was lying in a ditch and his wallet was missing, with no suspects readily available.

Patricia Brown, his wife, had an ironclad alibi, and there was little evidence, which made the case turn cold, according to Oxygen. Yet, doubts remained regarding Pat's participation. Upon further investigation, authorities found the Browns had a troubled marriage stemming from her expensive collection of exotic birds.

The turning point occurred three years later, in 1994, when Leroy Wetzel, Patricia Brown's sister Sheila's estranged husband, wrote two letters, which were turned over to Pennsylvania's Reading Police Department. In the letters, Leroy admitted to having murdered Fred, claiming Pat had hired him, offering him $30,000 from Fred's life insurance, according to Oxygen.

The motive was clear: Patricia sought the insurance payout, exceeding $140,000, to fund her lifestyle and bird obsession. Leroy's detailed confession matched crime scene evidence, confirming the murder was a calculated act and not a random robbery gone wrong, as per Oxygen.

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Investigation and resolution

Pat, Sheila, and Leroy were all convicted of murder (Image via Unsplash)

The case's turning point came when Leroy Wetzel, arrested in Pennsylvania for unrelated charges, provided a full confession. His letters, originally meant to be opened only after his death, were turned over to authorities by his daughter. Leroy described how Patricia Brown manipulated him, leveraging their familial connection and the promise of a significant payout, as per court documents.

During the trial, both Leroy and Sheila testified against Pat, detailing her role as the mastermind. Despite defense efforts to discredit the testimonies, Patricia Brown was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation, and sentenced to life in prison. She died in 2002 at age 53 while incarcerated, as per court documents.

Leroy Wentzel pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, conspiracy, and armed robbery, receiving a life sentence plus 30 years. Sheila Wentzel pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and conspiracy, earning a 50-year sentence, but was paroled in 2011. Leroy remains incarcerated at North Carolina's Southern Correctional Institution, as per Oxygen.

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Watch the episode available on Oxygen.

Edited by Ankita Barat