Pennsylvania mom murdered by business partner who transferred money within hours of disappearance: authorities

A former good friend and enterprise accomplice of slain Pennsylvania mom Jennifer Brown was arrested this week for her slaying, Montgomery County District Lawyer Kevin Steele introduced. 

Blair Watts, 33, was taken into custody on Thursday morning and charged with first-degree homicide, theft by illegal taking, and fraudulently accessing a tool. 

“For 37 days since this devoted mom was reported lacking, detectives have been accumulating proof, piece by piece, bringing into focus what occurred to Jennifer and who murdered her,” Steele stated on Thursday. “That image exhibits Blair Watts murdered Jennifer Brown on Jan. third, then moved her physique and finally buried her in a shallow grave.”

Brown was initially reported lacking on Jan. 4 by Watts, who advised police that she had failed to choose up her 8-year-old son from the varsity bus that afternoon. 

Her son had spent the night time at Watts’ residence the night time earlier than on Jan. 3 to “give Brown a break,” Watts advised investigators. 

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A two-week search ensued and Brown’s physique was ultimately discovered buried in a shallow grave behind a warehouse in Royersford on Jan. 18. A medical expert decided that she was murdered and had three damaged ribs. 

Blair Watts, 33, was arrested and charged with the homicide of his former enterprise accomplice on Thursday.   (Montgomery County District Lawyer’s Workplace)

Earlier than her dying, Brown and Watts had deliberate to open a restaurant collectively in late January referred to as “Birdies Kitchen” in Phoenixville. 

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Investigators discovered that on Jan. 3, the final day anybody noticed Brown, two money transfers value a complete of $17,000 have been despatched from Brown to accounts managed by Watts. That switch was “by no means a part of a written settlement between Brown and Watts,” the district lawyer stated. 

Property house owners who had been in dialogue to lease out their area for the duo’s restaurant additionally advised investigators that on Jan. 4, the day Brown was reported lacking, Watts confirmed up unannounced “now saying he had cash to place down on a lease.”

Detectives additionally searched two Jeeps that have been owned by Watts and his spouse. A cadaver canine indicated on the backseat space of each autos, which means that human stays had been in autos sooner or later. 

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Brown’s son advised police that he observed Watts had his mom’s cellphone on Jan. 3, which he acknowledged due to the telephone’s lock display. 

“The actions of Watts’ cell telephones and the actions of Jennifer’s private cellphone present that Watts was in possession of her cellphone till it grew to become inactive on the morning of Jan. 4,” Steele stated Thursday.