Shivangi Sinha
In June 2019, police received a tip about a possible murder. The 911 caller reported seeing the doors and windows of a house in Evansville, Indiana, open and spotted a man lying in a pool of blood. When authorities arrived at the scene, they identified the man as Corey Lee Hughes. He was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead a few hours later. Since he had suffered a gunshot wound to the head, the case was treated as a homicide. Investigation Discovery’s ‘See No Evil’ episode titled ‘Like a Brother to Me’ delves into the police investigation that eventually uncovered the identity of the killer.
Corey Hughes Passed Away After in a Hospital
Corey Lee Hughes was born to Jeff and Susie Hughes on February 18, 1992. Growing up in Dubois County, Indiana, he shared his childhood with three siblings, fostering a close-knit bond, especially with his sister, Sara Davis. His brothers, Joey and Scott Harger, always enjoyed good times together, but Corey stood out for his sensitivity. He had a unique ability to understand and anticipate the needs of others, often going out of his way to help. Known for his kindness and empathetic nature, Corey was always ready to lend an ear, making him a cherished friend and a dependable person everyone loved having by their side.
By June 2019, Corey Lee Hughes was a devoted father to three children: Eric Hughes, Karson Hughes, and Kali Snow Hughes, whom he loved deeply. He always made time for them and often went camping or fishing with them. Corey maintained a healthy co-parenting relationship with Megan Frazier, the mother of two of his children, and they successfully raised their kids without any significant issues. However, on the morning of June 21, 2019, at around 7:30 am, a concerned individual called 911 after noticing that the doors of a house in Evansville, Indiana, were open and a window was broken. The caller had seen a man lying face down in a pool of blood and feared something terrible had occurred.
The police quickly arrived at the scene and identified the man as Corey. He had been home alone and was found with a single gunshot wound to his head. Although he was still breathing, he was immediately rushed to Deaconess Hospital in Indiana. Despite the medical team’s best efforts, he passed away. The nature of his injury made it clear to the authorities that this was a homicide, prompting an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
CCTV Footage Led the Police to Corey Hughes’ Killer
The first step in the investigation was examining Corey Lee Hughes’ phone to determine the timeline of the crime. The last activity on his cellphone was recorded at 7:14 am on June 21, just about 20 minutes before the 911 call came in. He had taken a picture of himself, which did not mark anything unusual in his surroundings. Inside the house, the police discovered a .380 shell casing on the floor, but no gun was found. This led investigators to believe that the shooter had likely approached through the door. To gather more clues, the police turned to CCTV footage as the most promising way to identify the perpetrator.
A surveillance camera across the street from Corey’s house provided the police with footage of his front door. The video revealed that a white SUV had parked outside his home for 4-6 minutes, and a man exited the house shortly after 7:15 am. A few days later, the police received a tip identifying Brandon Key Brown as the man who shot Corey. Upon running a background check, they discovered that Brandon had a criminal history, having been involved in multiple offenses in the past.
Corey’s Killer Claimed He Blacked Out and Didn’t Remember the Crime
In 1999, Brandon Key Brown had been convicted of battery and contempt of court and was released in 2003. In 2005, he was arrested again for robbery and released in 2009. In 2010, he was incarcerated on charges of domestic battery, serving a four-month sentence. By 2011, he was found guilty of theft and sentenced to about 11 months in jail. As the police investigated his connection to Corey Hughes’ murder, they soon discovered that Brown’s vehicle matched the one seen outside Corey’s house on the morning of the crime.
The police arrested Brandon Key Brown and began interrogating him. Initially, he denied ever going to Corey’s house, but the police had strong evidence against him. During a search of Brown’s car, they found traces of blood that matched Corey’s, and in his house, they discovered a handgun that matched the shell casing found at the crime scene. Under pressure, Brown claimed that he had knocked on Corey’s door, and Corey had come out with a knife, cutting his fingers.
However, the police did not find any such knife in Corey’s house, further weakening Brown’s defense. Brown further claimed that after being attacked, he blacked out and couldn’t remember much. He recalled only hearing a loud bang and driving away, and only then did he realize what he had done. Based on the evidence, Brown was given preliminary charges of murder and possession of a firearm by a felon. He remained in custody until his trial, which began in June 2020.
Brandon Brown is Incarcerated Today
Before the trial, the prosecution labeled Brandon Brown as a habitual offender and added a sentencing enhancement for committing a felony while armed with a firearm. On June 8, 2020, Brown entered a guilty plea to murder and being a habitual offender. In exchange, the Level 4 felony firearm charge and the firearm enhancement were dropped. Brown was sentenced to 65 years in prison. In July 2020, he appealed the sentence, but the appeal was dismissed. He is currently incarcerated at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Indiana, and at 43 years old, he still has a long way to go before completing his sentence.
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