The Dark Life Of Alvin Bud Brown: The Suspect Of Gruesome Portland Murders
A recent installment of Investigation Discovery's "Evil Lives Here" takes an unsettling look into the lives of Alvin "Bud" Brown and his spouse, Jackie Brown.
This episode meticulously documents the four macabre murders that Alvin is suspected of committing, while also focuses on the emotional nightmare Jackie was thrust into when her husband's hidden life came to light.
Curious about where this twisted tale has left Alvin and Jackie now? Read on to find out.
Who Is The Serial Killer Alvin Bud Brown And What Are His Crimes?
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A Perfect Cover
In the picturesque city of Portland, Alvin and Jackie Brown seemed to be living the marital dream. Jackie described her husband as the epitome of love and care, completely unaware of the dark secrets he harbored.
To her, Alvin was nothing short of the perfect husband, a caring family man to whom she was utterly devoted.
However, there were warning signs that Jackie now admits she overlooked. One such red flag was a visit from Alvin's brother, who cautioned her against marrying Alvin, claiming he was not the man she thought he was.
Despite the vagueness of his warning and the absence of any concrete evidence, Jackie, blinded by love, dismissed his concerns and asked him to leave.
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But the facade of marital bliss would soon crack, just not when Jackie could ever imagine. Just a month before a series of unsolved murders rocked Portland in 1981, Alvin was arrested on charges of rape and sodomy.
According to police, the victim was a 15-year-old high-school girl. They found out after a thorough investigation into Alvin “Bud” Brown's photography and documentary. Undoubtedly, he was found to be guilty.
Though Jackie remained in the dark about this chapter of Alvin's life, the arrest was a grim foreshadowing of the horrors that would soon engulf not just their marriage, but also the entire community.
Insidious Crimes
In the fateful year of 1981, the city of Portland fell prey to a harrowing spree of murders that left its residents gripped by fear and uncertainty. Despite the relentless efforts of law enforcement, the elusive perpetrator remained one step ahead, leaving behind a trail of terror and mystery.
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The nightmare began with the tragic demise of 17-year-old Kimberley Stevens, whose promising life was abruptly cut short. On May 8, 1981, her lifeless body was discovered near a local church, shattering the tranquility of the community. The incident thrust the whole city into a state of shock and mourning as authorities scrambled for an all-out investigation.
The most terrifying thing? Stevens was sexually assaulted before being murdered.
It soon became evident to police that they were dealing with a calculated serial killer.
Tragedy struck once again just ten days later, on May 18, 1981, when they discovered Norene K. Davis’ body in town. A mother of two young children, 31, stated that Norene had mysteriously vanished from her workplace after being called away by an unknown person the day before.
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Her disappearance sent shockwaves through the community, since the cause of death this time is also rape and strangulation.
May of 1981 again and again proved to be a distressing month for Portland's police force, as two additional missing persons reports emerged from the same area.
On May 9, the first report detailed the disappearance of 17-year-old high schooler Melina Crist, last seen on the Sylvania campus of Portland Community College.
The second report, on May 29, 1981, pertained to Sheila Burnett, who had mysteriously gone missing. Tragically, both missing women were later found deceased, intensifying the urgency and gravity of the ongoing investigation into the serial killer terrorizing the city.
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Become The Prime Suspect
Who was the murderer? That's the riddle that consumed Portland police Detective Mike Hefley during his inaugural major case in 1981. His gaze settled on a local landscaper, Alvin Brown, a convicted rapist.
"In my neighborhood," Hefley recounted, "A couple of times I ran into him with my kids."
Alvin, often known as "Bud," hailed from Portland, growing up in the Southwest part of the city, as noted by JD Chandler, a renowned local crime author.
A notable detail: Alvin attended Jackson High School, a decade ahead of Kimberly Stevens, where he not only played football but also dabbled in the school band.
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Chandler recalled him as a car enthusiast, frequently mingling with a cadre of automobile aficionados. However, Hefley's investigation went on to suspect the former athlete and car enthusiast, one of a shrewd and violent rapist.
However, despite tireless detective work, they struggled to amass the evidence required for a conviction, inflicting further anguish upon the victims' families, including Kimberly's sister.
"It was an agonizing day-to-day, month-to-month, and year-to-year ordeal," she recounted, "a relentless nightmare."
The long-awaited breakthrough came ten years after Kimberly's tragic demise when an assailant threw a woman from an I-5 overpass, nearly claiming her life. It was Hefley's relentless investigations and surveillance that eventually led to Brown's apprehension, and the culmination was the fateful day of November 1991, Thanksgiving Day.
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Hefley explained that Brown's arrest allowed them to collect his blood sample, revealing DNA connections between Brown and the victims—Kimberly and Norene Davis.
Brown faced legal proceedings for the freeway assault, prompting police to organize a press conference, alerting the public to their discovery of Sheila Burnett's remains at a property formerly leased by Brown.
He was officially declared the prime suspect in all four murder cases, with Melina Crist's remains located approximately two years after her disappearance.
Hefley recalled Brown's violent tendencies, recounting an intense encounter during an interview where Brown explosively grabbed his necktie. Fortunately, Hefley managed to restrain him and secure his handcuffing. It was in this restrained state that Brown made unsettling remarks, uttering:
"I'm just like Hannibal Lecter. That's my favorite movie."
Alvin Bud Brown Age: Is He Dead Or Alive
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How Old Is Him When He Committed His Crime?
Being 10 years older than victim Kimberley Stevens when the murder happened, Alvin “Bud” Brown was about 26-27. He was born in 1954
Is Alvin Bud Brown Dead Or Alive?
Alvin Brown passed away from natural causes in 2002, at the age of 47.
At the time of his death in 2002, Brown remained incarcerated, his passing attributed to natural causes.
Inside The Life Of Alvin Bud Brown And His “Clueless” Wife
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Jackie expressed profound shock and disbelief when Alvin was apprehended from their home on Thanksgiving Day in 1991. She was utterly taken aback, struggling to realize her husband with the accusations of murder and rape.
In the aftermath of Alvin's arrest, the national media extensively covered the grim allegations against him.
Jackie revealed that initially, she shielded herself from all forms of media, steadfastly refusing to accept the negativity associated with her husband.
Nevertheless, Jackie and Alvin began to experience a growing emotional distance from the very moment of his arrest. She asserted that this emotional detachment became an inevitable reality.
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Shortly after Alvin's arrest in 1991, Jackie and her husband decided to separate. She explained that after staunchly defending their relationship, she felt profoundly betrayed when Alvin was ultimately convicted of these horrible crimes, prompting her decision to leave.
Jackie emphasized that, in her heart and mind, she always considered herself Alvin's wife and remained committed to him.
However, she now consciously focuses on the cherished, joyful memories they shared rather than dwelling on the haunting events that cast a shadow over their lives.
She has filled her surroundings with happy photographs and recollections to help her cope with the horrid reality. Additionally, Jackie's current whereabouts remain private, as it appears she prefers to maintain a low profile away from the public eye.
Did Alvin Bud Brown Pay For His Crime?
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Despite the chilling comparison to Hannibal and the prime suspect, Brown was never convicted of the murders. Hefley revealed that he was incarcerated for unrelated crimes, eventually succumbing behind bars in 2002.
Reflecting on the case, Kimberly's sister expressed her perplexity regarding what drives a person to embody such pure malevolence and darkness. Her family never truly recovered from the loss of Kimberly.
"In an instant," she lamented, "her entire future and life were mercilessly stolen. It's just not fair." She concluded by voicing her desire to share Kimberly's story and hoped that, somehow, Kimberly could now find solace in knowing that her tormentor was no more.
A Final Word
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Alvin “Bud” Brown was accused of raping and murdering four women in 1981. This string of wicked crimes was a nightmare that continues to haunt the city of Portland until this day.
Not only did his crimes severely damage the lives of multiple victims and their families, but they also wreaked havoc on his wife, Jackie Brown, for the following years.
What’s worse is that he remained the prime suspect until he died in 2002, and never had to pay fully for his crimes.