Naman Shrestha
Investigation Discovery’s ‘Fear Thy Neighbor: Get off My Property’ delves deep into the unfortunate murder of 22-year-old Joseph Booker in the summer of 2016. When the police began the investigation, they learned about a neighborly feud that could be the reason for the victim’s untimely demise. Thanks to the in-depth interviews with the loved ones of Joseph, the episode provides a detailed account of the case as well as the investigation that ensued.
A Dispute Over Loud Music Turned Fatal For Joseph Booker
Born on September 11, 1993, in Michigan, Joseph Richard Booker was raised in the company of his beloved sister, Shirley Robinson. Around the time of his murder, he had been living with Amber and Kim Perryman, their two daughters, and Amber’s mother, Tammy Perryman. Joseph was known to be an empathetic and compassionate soul who would keep his needs aside in order to help someone else in need. He was also seemingly close to his aunt, Lynn Nagengast.
When he moved into a new residence on the 3300 block of Starkweather Street in Flint, Michigan, with the Perryman family, things were looking great for them. Little did they know that the quiet and peaceful neighborhood would turn into a battleground between the Perrymans and the neighbors — Kenneth and Christina Brett — who lived directly across the street with their daughters, Paige and Cici. What started the rivalry between the two families was the loud music played by the new family during get-togethers and parties with their loved ones. The simple disagreement over noise escalated into something bigger, which resulted in the murder of Joseph.
When the dispute between the two neighbors reached its boiling point, a brawl between them ignited right on the street on May 30, 2016. During the fight and commotion, Kenneth Brett picked up a baseball bat and struck Joseph Booker in the head with it, leaving him unconscious on the floor. The nearby neighbors heard the fight noises and called the police. When the authorities arrived at the scene and stopped the fight, they found Joseph bleeding and unresponsive. He was immediately rushed to Hurley Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition as he had suffered major head and brain trauma. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries a few days later, on June 3, 2016.
Kenneth Michael Brett Was Brought to Justice For Killing His Neighbor
It didn’t take long for the detectives to connect the dots and arrest 45-year-old Kenneth Michael Brett for assaulting Joseph Booker. However, after the 22-year-old man died in the hospital, the assault charge against Kenneth was dismissed as he was then charged with homicide. On June 7, 2016, he was officially arraigned on the charge. Less than a year later, around March 2017, the accused’s trial commenced. He pleaded no contest to an amended charge of voluntary manslaughter and received a five-year imprisonment sentence for his crimes.
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