Crime & Safety

Authorities Investigating Connection Between Brown and Ladson-Singleton Murders

Local police and county detectives are reportedly investigating a possible connection between the Christmas night murder of Paul Brown and the Oct. 20 murder of Ryan Ladson-Singleton.

Norristown Police and Montgomery County Detectives continue to investigate the Christmas night shooting death of 24-year-old Paul Brown. Brown was reportedly found by police who responded to West Scott Alley behind the 120 Wayne Avenue shortly after 4:40 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 25 for a reported shooting. Brown was discovered sitting in the driver's seat of his 1997 Buick Sedan with multiple gunshot wounds. Police reportedly recovered 15 shells from the scene of the crime.

Brown was reportedly transported by Plymouth Ambulance to Mercy Suburban Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Police currently have no suspects in the crime.

Tracy Brown, the victim's aunt, told The Times Herald that Brown was on his way to Christmas dinner at his mother's house, but for reason's unknown went to West Scott Alley. She told the Herald she believes her nephew was ambushed.

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Authorities are reportedly investigating possible links between this homicide and the Oct. 20 murder of Ryan Ladson-Singleton. According to Norristown Police Lt. Michael Crescitelli, Brown was named as "a person of interest" and interviewed by detectives in the Ladson-Singleton case, but was "not very forthcoming with information." Rumors continue to persist in the community implicating Brown in the crime, however.

"There was no actual evidence linking [Brown] to the murder," Lt. Crescitelli wrote to Norristown Patch in an email. He also noted that no weapon was found in Brown's car or at the crime scene at the time of his murder.

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Lt. Crescitelli noted that police have learned that Brown and , were friends. Wells reportedly told police that he believed there was a contract on his life in connection with the Ladson-Singleton murder.

Tracy Brown told the Herald that her nephew was "a tough kid" with a criminal history, but that he seemed stressed recently. He reportedly told a family member, "I might need you." 

"It just seemed like he was not all there," Brown told the Herald. "And now, he’s gone. I am devastated by this. Paul had issues, but he was a good kid."

Brown is not implicated in any of the recent shootings Wells was allegedly involved in.

Norristown Police and the Montgomery County Detectives continue to investigate Brown's murder and ask anyone with information to call the Norristown Police Department at 610-270-0977 or Montgomery County Detective Bureau 610-278-3368.

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