Lisa Kerr Murder Update
Lisa Kerr Murder – The Killer Closer: Roadside Homicide’ on Investigation Discovery investigates the savage killing of 32-year-old Lisa Kerr in March 1999 in the San Fernando Valley, California.
The rest of the episode shows how obsession can be fatal and how the hunt for the murderer ultimately led to his or her capture and prosecution. We’ve got your back if you want to learn more about the incident, the perpetrator’s name, and where they are right now. Let’s get going, shall we?
How Did Lisa Kerr Die?
Firefighters put out a 1994 Ford Probe on fire on March 24, 1999, in the San Fernando Valley, near the Roscoe Boulevard exit ramp of the Hollywood Freeway.
When they discovered a burned body inside the vehicle, they called the police and an arson investigator to the scene. They obtained a driver’s license from the handbag that was discovered in the vehicle, and this allowed them to determine that the burned body belonged to 32-year-old Lisa Lorraine Kerr. The authorities also discovered traces of the usage of an accelerant as well as evidence that suggested the fire was started on purpose.
The autopsy report stated smoke inhalation and thermal injuries as the primary cause of death. It further disclosed that while strangulation may have also played a role, the charred remains make it impossible to evaluate. However, the medical examiner concluded that Lisa was alive when the fire started but probably unconscious as she did not make any attempt to escape. Her toxicology report also showed that she had low levels of carbon monoxide in her bloodstream, thus confirming the suspicion of the use of an accelerant.
Who Killed Lisa Kerr?
Calvin Kerr, Lisa Kerr’s ex-husband, was at first thought to be responsible for the murder. Calvin and Lisa had a tumultuous relationship, according to the detectives, but Calvin was ultimately excluded as a suspect.
The authorities were able to identify Donald Lewis Brooks Jr., a plumber by trade, when they dug deeper into Lisa’s past. Since the day of the crime, he had vanished. In October 1997, Lisa and Donald connected at a dance hosted by AA.
They allegedly had a covert relationship for ten months, with Donald finally confessing to Mark Harvey, another AA member, in August 1998.
Donald admitted to being in love with Lisa but was angry and frustrated when Lisa had lately decided to reconcile with Calvin for their son’s sake. The show further mentioned Donald did not want to end the affair and even allegedly said he aspired to stab Calvin or take other measures to “get him out of the picture.” As a jealous and vengeful Donald started to show his true colors, Lisa admitted to many friends and acquaintances that she was afraid of him.
An obsessed Donald had resorted to stalking and harassing her, as Lisa confided to one of her friends that he was there “every time she turned around,” standing outside her home or workplace and watching her. Despite her fears, Lisa used to take financial assistance from Donald after splitting up with Calvin. She moved to her apartment in January 1999. Donald had signed the rental agreement where he had named both him and Lisa as tenants. According to many friends and acquaintances, Lisa allowed Donald in her life “only for the money.”
When the detectives spoke with Mark, they learned that Donald had allegedly threatened to hurt him and his kids if he gave Lisa a room to rent in his home.
When they looked into Donald’s mobile phone records, they discovered that he had called the police from the crime site at roughly 4:23 am on March 24, 1999, some minutes before the firefighters arrived. Additionally, his mobile tower positions showed that he had placed two calls that evening from close to Lisa’s house. He had been residing in Colorado under a false name, and the authorities were able to locate him there.
As per the show, Donald had even confessed to one of his roommates, David Jayne, that he had strangled his ex-girlfriend. He was arrested four months later, in July 1999. After being extradited to California 5 days later, he confessed to his former plumbing assistant that he had heard Lisa and Mark belittling him on March 23, 1998. A jealous Donald “just couldn’t take it” and confronted Lisa just when she was leaving, strangling her and laying the unconscious woman in the backseat of her car. Then he had driven to the crime scene and lit the car on fire before escaping to Colorado.
Where is Donald Brooks Today?
Donald Brooks went to trial in June 2001 and was found guilty on counts of first-degree murder, stalking, and arson causing great bodily injury. The jury rejected the defense’s account that tried to make him guilty of the heat of passion voluntary manslaughter instead. They also asserted the “special circumstance allegations of murder during the commission of a kidnapping and murder involving the infliction of torture.”
In the end, Donald received a death sentence. In March 2017, he attempted to challenge it, but the California Supreme Court affirmed the decision. The 57-year-old is currently housed in a jail cell on execution row at the San Quentin State Prison in California, according to official court records.
SOURCE: Ghnewslive.com
