Vietnam Veteran Charged in 1981 Texas Cold Case Murder

Larry Dean Brown, a 79-year-old Vietnam veteran, faces charges following advancements in the 1981 cold case murder of Beverly Bruneau, found strangled with an electrical cord in Texas. Currently detained without bond at Tarrant County Corrections Center after being extradited from Colorado, Brown was indicted for Bruneau’s murder by a grand jury last month, according to Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Background and Case Details

Bruneau, a 35-year-old flight attendant, shared a mortgage on a Dallas property with her best friend, Thelma, whom Brown married. After their marriage, Thelma continued to be responsible for part of their mortgage, causing friction when she and Brown bought a new home in Grapevine. Tensions rose as Brown, a former Navy pilot and partial owner of a construction firm, urged Bruneau to modify the mortgage agreement, which she refused several times.

The situation escalated with a suspicious fire at Bruneau’s house. The fire, initially extinguished, was reignited and led to extensive damage. Post-fire, Brown was implicated in attempting to manipulate insurance forms, which Bruneau refused to sign. A confrontation occurred days before Bruneau’s death.

The Crime Scene

Bruneau’s boyfriend discovered her body lying on her apartment floor, the door unlocked, and an electrical cord tied around her neck. She exhibited signs of a struggle, though no sexual assault occurred. Evidence included bloodstains and fingerprints at the scene. Her preserved nightgown later played a crucial role in investigations.

DNA Evidence Links Brown to Case

By 2010, developments in DNA analysis encouraged researchers to re-evaluate the case, leading to an unidentified male profile from Bruneau’s nightgown being entered into the national database without immediate matches. Progress was made this year after detectives obtained Brown’s DNA covertly from discarded soda bottles in Colorado; results matched male DNA from Bruneau’s nightgown.

Brown was subsequently apprehended in Colorado in May and transferred to Tarrant County Jail. His legal team argues the evidence mainly consists of circumstantial elements and aims to secure bail, citing his age and recent medical diagnosis warranting veteran benefits.