• Myrtle Jean Simmons-Brown was found dead near her home in Chicago and her death was ruled a homicide.
• Sergio Brown, Myrtle’s son, was arrested on a warrant for first-degree murder in connection with her death.
• Sergio’s NFL career and personal life have taken a downward spiral leading up to his arrest.
Here is what happened:
Relatives of Myrtle Jean Simmons-Brown and Sergio Brown became concerned when they were unable to reach the mother and son. They contacted the police, and the following day, Myrtle’s body was found near their home in Maywood, Chicago. The cause of death was determined to be multiple injuries due to assault, and the case was ruled a homicide. Sergio, Myrtle’s son, was initially reported missing, but he was later arrested on a warrant for first-degree murder and is awaiting extradition to Illinois.
Sergio Brown was born in Maywood to Myrtle and Mario Brown. After Mario’s death in 2002, Sergio attended Proviso East High School where he played football and competed in track and field. He later attended Notre Dame, starting for the Irish as a junior and earning his degree in business marketing. Sergio went on to play for the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Buffalo Bills during his NFL career.
Following his time in the NFL, Sergio pursued other ventures, including receiving an MBA from the University of Miami and working for Google. He later became the founder and CEO of Tastemakers LLC, a creative agency specializing in integrated marketing. After his mother’s death, Sergio was initially considered a missing person, and there were reports of him denying her death in a video. He was ultimately arrested on October 10 in San Diego.
The investigation into Myrtle’s death is ongoing, and Sergio has yet to be formally charged. The Maywood Police Department and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office have been contacted for comments but have yet to respond. Sergio’s brother, Nick, expressed frustration with the lack of progress in his mother’s case and the search for his missing brother.
