A 79-year-old Colorado man has been indicted in the 1981 strangulation death of a Texas flight attendant after investigators compared DNA recovered from his trash with blood found on the victim’s clothing. Larry Dean Brown was arrested on June 8 in Colorado and indicted on June 29 by a Tarrant County grand jury for the murder of Beverly "Casey" Bruneau, a 35-year-old Braniff Airlines flight attendant found dead in her Grapevine apartment on February 13, 1981. Brown was later extradited to North Texas and booked into the Tarrant County Jail.
Key Details of the Case
The victim was discovered by her boyfriend, who found her on the living room floor with an electrical cord wrapped around her neck and blood on her face and nightgown. The Tarrant County medical examiner determined she had been strangled during the midmorning. Investigators noted signs of a struggle in the apartment.
Investigation and DNA Breakthrough
Brown came to investigators’ attention on the day of the killing when detectives spoke with his wife, who was Bruneau’s best friend and former roommate. Both women worked as flight attendants and jointly owned a house in Dallas. Brown, who was present when detectives arrived, was described as evasive and had a fresh injury beneath his right thumbnail. DNA evidence from Brown’s trash was later matched to blood found on Bruneau’s clothing, leading to his indictment.
Background and Context
Brown, a Vietnam veteran and former Navy pilot, has no prior criminal record. The case is one of several recent cold cases solved using advanced DNA technology. Criminologist Alex del Carmen noted that preserving evidence over decades has become crucial as forensic techniques evolve, allowing authorities to solve cases that were previously unsolvable.
Related Cold Cases
Other notable cases resolved through DNA include the Colonial Parkway Murders in Virginia, the Yogurt Shop Murders in Texas, and the identification of a Minnesota Jane Doe as Denise Hartley. These advancements highlight the growing role of DNA in solving decades-old crimes.