Avis Baker Brown - Gone from us but not forgotten

I first met Avis when we were in middle school. She was close friends with my best friend, Laci. Avis was a petite blond haired girl who always had a smile on her face and never had a mean bone in her body. She was also very pretty and the boys all loved her as much as she loved all the boys. Avis, Laci and I spent many days and nights at my home or one of their homes. We would do our hair and make up, take bad photos of ourselves, play runway model and also sneak out to meet the boys. Where ever Avis was, there too were all the boys, so naturally Laci and I loved hangin with Avis. We should have known then that Avis would not be long on this earth. She lived her life to the fullest with no regrets. Lessons lived and learned was her motto. She loved to have fun and was always fun to be around. I think she would have been right at home if she had been a teenager in the 60's during the time of free love and abandonment. A butterfly is how I see our friend Avis. Totally free and flying from one place to the other stopping at each flower. To know Avis, was to love Avis.

She married a guy named James Brown. Nope, not the God Father of Soul. This James Brown is the devil himself. A man with no soul for he pulled Avis's wings off her back and grounded her to a life where he controlled every move she made and every breath she took. A monster, a child abuser and a wife abuser. How do I know this ? Well, for one, Avis told me. She also told me she was going to get out, taking her children and moving with her Mother to get far away from James Brown, devil himself. She didn't get her belongings out of his house fast enough. On Saturday night at 8 pm October 18th, 2008, Avis died. Shot to death by her husband, James Brown. I will relate to you her story as to what happened the best I can.

It was nearly 8 pm when Avis's 8 year old son was playing with a toy truck when he accidentally hit his father in the head with the toy. This enraged James who grabbed the boy by his jaw. Avis saw this and ran to intervene to protect her son. They were shouting and fighting and James beat Avis yet again. Then James pulled out his 410 shotgun and shot Avis dead right there in their home in front of their son. He shot her once in the chest and to make sure she was dead he shot her a second time in the stomach. Avis was gone. The Hunt County Sheriffs were called to the home. James Brown told the sheriffs that he thought he heard an intruder and so he shot at who he thought was the intruder but it was his wife by mistake. That lying toad ! He had been beating her as they went from one end of the house to the other. The proof of that is in all the broken objects and turned over funtiure. Other witnesses told the officers that the couple had been having a loud argument just before the gun went off. At some point the boy talked to the investigators and told them the truth as to what really happened. His Father shot and killed his Mother right in front of him and his sister! James Brown was arrested and charged with murder in the death of his wife, Avis Baker Brown. She was only 28 years old.

The light that shone so brightly suddenly and forever went out.

Earlier this month James Brown plead guilty to the charge of murder in his wife's death at the pre trial just a couple of days before his jury trial was to begin. He is scheduled to be sentenced in the Hunt County Court House on July 23rd. That hearing was re set for August 3rd and has been re set yet again. Brown is facing 5 to 99 years in prison.

Hardly anyone knew what had happened to Avis. Small articles had been in the Greenville Hearld Banner but had been over looked by Avis's friends. I was told Friday night by Avis's ex Step Father's wife, who had been left a message by Avis's Mother back in March. A message they had only recently gotten because they had been out of town all this time.


NONE OF AVIS'S FRIENDS KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO AVIS !!!!
NO ONE WAS THERE TO CRY FOR HER WHEN SHE DIED !!!!


For all those who knew and loved Avis or just liked Avis, please come to the sentencing of James Brown on July 23rd at the Hunt County Court House. We do not want this creep to get off with a light sentence. We must show our support for Avis and all ask the judge to please give James Brown the maximum sentence of 99 years in prison !! We were not there for Avis when she died but we can be there for her when her killer is sentenced. For Avis we all need to do this. For the pretty young girl who always had a smile for everyone she met.


Avis left behind her Mother, Elizabeth, a daughter, Starr, her son , Jimmie and another daughter, Ali. To Avis her children were her life and she loved them with all her heart. Her Mother was also her closest friend who was always there for her.

Elizabeth, we send to you our love and our sincerest sympathy for your loss.

We love you Avis !!!

Alicia Murley

Please share your memories, photos and thoughts of Avis with us on this blog. We would love to see them. We plan on printing the comments off and giving them to Avis's Mother.