Naman Shrestha
In CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Pact,’ the viewers are provided with all the intricate details surrounding the 1969 murder case of 15-year-old John McCabe. Even after decades of the murder, the authorities did not stop trying to crack the case. Thanks to their determination, the mysterious and complicated murder was solved as Edward Alan Brown confessed to his involvement in the crime on the fateful night in 1969 and also revealed certain details that assisted the authorities in nabbing the main culprit. The episode also features interviews with the officials linked to the case, giving a detailed account of the case from their perspective and how Edward Brown and Mike Ferreira were connected to the murder.
Edward Brown and Mike Ferreira Were Arrested in the Murder Case of John McCabe
Michael “Mike” Ferreira and Walter Shelley were apprehended for being involved in the murder of a 15-year-old boy named John McCabe in September 1969. Just 16 years old at the time, Mike claimed that he barely knew the victim when the police questioned him. As per his claims, all he and his friend, Nancy Williams, did was pick John up from the middle of the road and drop him off at the dance he was going to. After that, Mike said he went to meet up with his best friend, Walter Shelley, and they went to buy some beers in his car.
However, it turned out that Mike was reportedly not completely truthful about the night. Decades later, in 2003, the police decided to question Mike again as there were some new developments in the case. At the time, Mike, a resident of Salem, New Hampshire, worked as a forklift operator and was married to his childhood friend, Nancy. He claimed that he and Walter were accompanied by another man named Edward Alan Brown on the fateful night. Finally, in 2011, the police got the opportunity to interview Edward (who was only 17 years old on the night of the murder). He was a 30-year Air Force veteran residing in Londonderry, New Hampshire, with his wife Carolyn Brown at the time.
During his time in the army, Edward served in Iraq and Afghanistan. When he failed his polygraph test, he broke down and admitted to being present during the murder of John McCabe. He claimed that Mike and Walter picked him up from his Tewksbury home that night and asked him to join them as they taught John a lesson for flirting with Walter’s alleged girlfriend. He further added that the trio spotted the 15-year-old walking home after the Knights of Columbus dance and proceeded to grab and put him in the backseat of the car. Edward claimed that after that Mike allegedly assaulted John.
Edward claimed, “Michael tied his ankles, then went around and tied his — wrists together. Then he took another piece of rope … around his ankles and attached it up to his neck. …they had put tape on his mouth. John’s — squirming, wiggling, trying to get out. …He’s lying on his belly … uh, with his legs up in the air and his head turned sideways.” Then, they left John in a vacant field off Maple Street in Lowell. Edward said that they returned to the field after driving around for a while, only to find him unresponsive and not breathing. When the trio realized the 15-year-old boy was dead, they made a pact not to mention the incident to anyone. But, finally, in April 2011, all three were arrested in the murder case of John McCabe.
Edward Alan Brown is a Retired Army Veteran Living in New Hampshire
Edward Alan Brown agreed to a plea deal, which included him testifying against the other two accused, Michael Ferreira and Walter Shelley. In return, he received a lesser charge of manslaughter that put him on probation for five years. On January 18, 2013, during Mike’s trial, Edward testified against the latter and made several allegations in court claiming Mike was involved in the crime. He clarified his decision to take the stand, saying, “I’m a parent. If something happened to one of my children, I’d want to know.”
After serving in the US Air Force for over four decades, starting in 1970, he officially retired in 2016. Still living in Londonderry, New Hampshire, Edward likes to reminisce on the good old days when he was an integral part of the US Air Force. In May 2024, he and one of his acquaintances seemingly visited a museum or exhibition of sorts that displayed models of battle tanks from different years in the 1900s.
Mike Ferreira Appears to be Leading a Private Life
In January 2013, Michael “Mike” Ferreira stood trial for the murder of John McCabe in 1969. After several weeks into the trial, the jury found the defendant not guilty of first-degree murder. However, a few years down the line, Mike still faced juvenile murder charges and a perjury charge that alleged he “falsely denied having any knowledge of what happened to McCabe.” As per a 2021 report, he eventually ended up pleading guilty to the perjury charge and got sentenced to 5 years of probation. Ever since then, he has ensured that the matters of his life are away from the eyes of the media.
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