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‘Like an earthquake’: Sheriff says tight-knit community shocked by triple murder

Johnnie Bernard Brown, 46, held without bond on 3 counts of second-degree murder of his longtime partner, 2 stepdaughters

LAWTEY, Fla. – It doesn’t happen here. It happens on TV.

That’s how Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith described a deadly triple shooting early Tuesday morning that rocked the tight-knit community of Lawtey.

RELATED: ‘Evil struck our county’: 11-year-old girl reports triple murder of grandmother, 2 aunts; suspect in custody | ‘Come now. Just come’: 11-year-old girl’s frightened plea to 911 brings deputies to scene of triple murder

Johnnie Bernard Brown, 46, has been charged with three counts of second-degree murder for killing his longtime partner, Quinque “Cat” Robinson, 49, and her two adult daughters -- Denesha Sims, 27, and Winshay Roddey, 25 -- Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith said.

Brown appeared in court on March 18 and was ordered to be held without bond.

His partner’s 11-year-old granddaughter witnessed the shooting and was hit by bullet shrapnel.

“This morning, evil struck our county,” Smith told News4JAX. “The whole situation is just tragic.”

Johnnie Brown mug shot (Bradford County jail)

The 11-year-old is the one who called the police and gave them the address of the mobile home on Northeast 17th Avenue, west of U.S. 301 just outside the Lawtey city limit

“She’s a strong little young lady,” Smith said. “She’s so resilient but at the end of the day what long-term effects does this have on this child?”

The girl was treated at the hospital and released. So was Brown, who was found wandering around the front yard of the mobile home with cuts on his body after deputies responded to the girl’s 911 call.

Two deputies went with Brown to Shands UF Gainesville Hospital while investigators tried to sort out what happened.

After he was released from the hospital, he was charged in Alachua County with three counts of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder for the 11-year-old. He will be returned to Bradford County.

“These are things we watch on TV. We come to our sanctuary here in Bradford County... so this is shocking. It has shocked a great, loving hard-working community,” Smith said.

Smith, who knows the family, said the girl was at the Sheriff’s Office as social workers tried to find a family member to take custody of her.

“I think she’s very resilient and she’s got plenty of people around her to love her through this process,” Smith said.

Domestic violence

Smith said while domestic violence incidents happen regularly, as in any community, it’s been years since their community has had a homicide, let alone a triple murder.

“It’s like an earthquake moving throughout our community because it is so shocking,” Smith said. “Not just one person, but three. Their lives were taken from them. And to us, it’s our job to make sure that individual is held accountable.”

WATCH FULL INTERVIEW: Dr. Theresa Beachy, Executive Director of Peaceful Paths

RELATED: ‘That’s when they realized that I wasn’t dead’: Domestic violence survivor shares her story to help others

He urged those in the community to speak up if they witness domestic violence.

“Nobody has the right to put their hands on anybody else in a relationship, period. And you shouldn’t have to live with that fear. If you’re in a relationship and that fear is there, you’re in the wrong relationship. Get out of it,” Sheriff Smith said. “But people got to speak up, do the right thing. And it’s not always easy. It’s not easy. When it’s your friend, it’s not easy. When it’s your brother or your sister, it’s not easy -- because you don’t want to be labeled the bad person for telling. But you know what, they may be mad right now, but at the end of the day, one day, they’re going to thank you.”

Resources

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233

County-by-county help:

Northeast Florida

Duval and Baker counties: Domestic Violence Services, Shelter, and Safety - Hubbard House

Clay County: Quigley House

St. Johns County: Betty Griffin Center – St. Johns County Support Services for Victims of Sexual & Domestic Abuse

Nassau County: Micah’s Place

Putnam County: Domestic violence center in Palatka (leeconleehouse.org)

Alachua, Bradford, Union counties: Peaceful Paths | Domestic Violence Agency | Gainesville

Southeast Georgia

Camden and Charlton counties: Camden House

Ware County: Magnolia House

Glynn County: Glynn Community Crisis Center


About the Authors
Francine Frazier headshot

A Jacksonville native and proud University of North Florida alum, Francine Frazier has been with News4Jax since 2014 after spending nine years at The Florida Times-Union.

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