A Maine woman has sued her uncle for killing her parents – and sensationally claimed that her other uncle tricked him into committing the murders.
Tina and Richard Bowden Jr., both 64, were shot and killed by Tina’s brother, Glenn Brown, in their quaint cottage on October 5, 2020, reported News Center Maine.
Belfast Police said Glenn walked into their station on that day and told officers he ‘shot two exotic birds,’ according to WABI.
Glenn, 71, denied he went to the Bowden’s house with the intent to kill them, but he pleaded no contest to their murders and was sentenced to life in prison in April 2022.
Glenn told the judge at his sentencing, ‘Things went absolutely crazy, out of hand, and we all know the end result of that.’
Now, the Bowden’s daughter, Diahanne Morse, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit claiming her other uncle, Mitchell Brown, for allegedly manipulating Glenn into killing her parents.
Morse alleged that Mitchell told Glenn lies about how Tina was managing their stepfather’s trust, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by the Bangor Daily News.
‘[Mitchell Brown] acted as an accomplice to the murders by encouraging, facilitating and otherwise enabling Glenn Brown in acting to wrongfully, through intentional, reckless and negligent actions, shoot and kill Tina J. Bowden and Richard Bowden, Jr.,’ the lawsuit said.
Tina and Richard Bowden Jr. (pictured), both 64, were killed by Tina’s brother following a family dispute over their stepfather’s trust
Tina’s brother, Glenn Brown, shot and killed the couple in their quaint Maine cottage (pictured) on October 5, 2020
Glenn (pictured), 71, denied he went to the Bowden’s house with the intent to kill them, but he pleaded no contest to their murders and was sentenced to life in prison
‘[His conduct] was so extreme and outrageous as to exceed all possible bounds of decency and must be regarded as atrocious, utterly intolerable in a civilized community.’
The filing claims that family tensions escalated in February 2019 when Mitchell assaulted Tina and their stepfather, Cecil Armstrong Jr.
A protection from abuse order against Mitchell was put in place in April, and Tina became the sole trustee for Armstrong’s estate.
According to the lawsuit, once Mitchell stepped down, he started telling their other siblings that Tina was stealing from the trust.
In one instance, Mitchell allegedly called Armstrong’s healthcare worker, who was with Tina at the time, and said on speaker phone, ‘Most people aren’t afraid to die, but now you should be.’
Mitchell would Glenn and ‘wind him up’ with claims that Tina was stealing from the trust, according to the lawsuit. Court filings state that Tina was not taking any funds.
The lawsuit claimed that the brothers were together the day of the Bowden’s murders, which Mitchell initially denied to police.
Glenn allegedly drove to Mitchell’s house after the killings and left an envelope with all of his life savings intended for his wife, according to the lawsuit.
The Bowden’s daughter, Diahanne Morse (left), has filed a wrongful death lawsuit claiming her other uncle, Mitchell Brown, manipulated Glenn into killing her parents
Morse alleged that Mitchell (pictured) told Glenn lies about how Tina was managing their stepfather’s trust
The filings allege that the gun used to kill the couple belonged to Mitchell, and he gave it to his brother when the protection from abuse order was finalized.
Mitchell ‘categorically denies the allegations’ and ‘will defend himself to the fullest extent possible against these unfounded claims,’ his attorney Matt Morgan told the local news outlet.
His lawyer also claimed that Mitchell gave his brother his gun because he had no history of violence.
