Bletchley man jailed for life with minimum of 39 years for murdering partner and neighbour on Christmas Day

Warning: this article contains graphic details.

A man will be spending at least the next 39 years behind bars for murdering his partner and neighbour on Christmas Day in Bletchley.

Jazwell Brown, 49, was sentenced today (17 June) at Luton Crown Court.

On 25 December 2024, Brown fatally attacked his partner, Joanne (Jo) Pearson, 38, at the property they shared on Santa Cruz Avenue in Bletchley.

He stabbed her 31 times and assaulted her with a baseball bat in what police described as a wholly unprovoked attack.

Armed with the same knife, he attempted to kill a teenager, who was 17 at the time, at the property by stabbing him, and striking him with the bat he used as a weapon.

In what was described as an incomprehensible move, Brown then went to a neighbouring flat, letting himself in as the door was unlocked, where he stabbed and killed Teohna Grant, 24.

He attempted to murder her partner, Bradley Latter, 29, by inflicting him multiple stab wounds. Police said he was stabbed over 20 times in the neck alone.

During his spree of extreme violence, Brown stabbed Jo Pearson’s dog, Tilly, a Staffordshire bull terrier, before leaving the scene by car.

Footage released by police showed Tilly, injured and covered in blood, roaming nearby streets.

He drove at speed without using external lights, failed to stop for police officers, and ignored traffic signals. He was stopped and arrested shortly afterwards.

Police later found out he had been under the influence of cocaine, and presented with traces of cannabis in his system.

The court today heard he made a number of unsolicited comments, prior to a custody interview, in which he said "oh Jesus, what happened tonight", "pure madness, "I’ve gone crazy", and "I lost my cool tonight'."

He then went on to say "not self-defence, murder. It’s just plain murder."

Investigators confirmed that Brown had acted without provocation. He was charged two days after his arrest.

At a previous hearing on 15 April, Brown pleaded guilty to all crimes he was charged with, which include two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, possession of a knife in a public place, and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

One of the victims, the teenager, was the one to raise the alarm on Brown's attack by calling police as he made off. Officers arrived at the scene shortly after.

The prosecution said that before the events, he had arrived at the property, in the afternoon, to Jazwell Brown and Joanne Pearson sat in the living room, seemingly consuming drugs.

His impression was that Joanne was reluctant to take drugs in front of him, which he said Brown found suspicious.

What followed was a "frenzied attack", first turning on Joanne Pearson, while the teenager tried to separate Brown from his first victim.

Brown then attacked the teenager, who managed to run away and lock himself in the bathroom, where he dialled 999.

Moments later, the defendant managed to get into the bathroom, proceeding to beat the teenager repeatedly as he pleaded him to stop. The teenager then ran out of the flat.

He later told police Joanne Pearson had been "butchered" by her killer, and it was "like watching a horror film."

Brown proceeded to let himself into a neighbouring flat, where he attacked Teohna Grant, who suffered a serious neck injury, dragging herself to the balcony, pleading for help.

In that time, the defendant turned on Teohna's partner Bradley Latter, who he proceeded to stab repeatedly, before making off.

Despite his severe injuries, Bradley was able to dial 999, telling the operators he was scared, he was about to lose consciousness, describing Brown as ‘crazy’.

Police later said detailed accounts of the violent events are rare in these cases, and were made possible thanks to the two survivors.

'The stigma of this will be around me for the rest of my life'

In a victim statement read to the court today, Jazwell Brown's son said what his father did and caused was 'unforgivable.'

He said: 'Watching people you love being stabbed is heart-breaking. Every night I have nightmares, I hear Joanna screaming for her life, begging for him to stop.'

The 18-year-old went on to say: 'Whilst others my age are going on their first holidays, meeting the loves of their lives, doing their driving tests I am having to deal with a murder investigation, all because of my Dad. The stigma of this will be around me for the rest of my life, I will always be the person that got ‘stabbed up’ by my Dad. In Milton Keynes everybody knows what happened to me.

'When I go out, I feel like everybody is staring at me; I feel like people slowdown in their cars to stare at me. I question what my life, and what Jo’s life would be like now had this not happened. I question what my Dad’s life would be like now. What did I do for you to try and kill me, what did Jo do. So many question’s with little answers.'

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Brangwin, from Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Unit, said: "First and foremost, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the families of Jo and Teohna, who tragically died in this shocking incident on Christmas Day.

"The events that unfolded on that day were truly horrific and tragic. We may never know what prompted Brown to behave the way he did. In his own home, he stabbed his partner Jo 31 times, before turning the knife and a baseball bat on a teenage boy. Brown also repeatedly stabbed Jo’s dog, Tilly, who survived despite her injuries.

"What remains even more incomprehensible is why Brown then left his home and tried the front door of a nearby flat, taking the knife and baseball bat with him. It was in this flat that he stabbed Teohna multiple times, causing fatal injuries. Teohna’s partner Bradley was also brutally attacked, sustaining more than 20 injuries to his neck alone. Somehow, Bradley survived.

"The scenes that responding emergency services faced that evening are indescribable. As a credit to their incredible bravery and dedication to protecting the public and saving lives, the outcome could have been even worse were it not for their decisive actions.

"The surviving victims and the families of Teohna and Jo have suffered enormously throughout this process. I would like to thank them for placing their trust in Thames Valley Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, allowing us the time and space to thoroughly investigate and bring Brown to justice.

"Family members have described today’s sentencing as ‘part of the healing journey’. We know there is a long way to go but I hope that after today they can at least start that process."

Paying tribute to her, Jo's family said:

"Jo was a loving daughter, sister, mother, auntie, cousin, friend and neighbour. Her life was needlessly and cruelly cut short in horrendous circumstances on Christmas Day, in her own home at the hands of her partner. We will never be able to understand why.

"Jo experienced many good and happy times and achieved lots in her short life. These should not be overshadowed by the difficulties she experienced. Jo sometimes did not make the best decisions, but who of us can say we don’t get things wrong from time to time.

"Jo always cared for everyone around her, which was evident even in her last moments of her life. She was inseparable from her dog Tilly who she told us was her rock.

"We are sure Jo will be remembered with love and affection by all who knew her. There will certainly always be a huge Jo shaped hole in our lives.

"RIP Jo we all love you."

Teohna's family also paid tribute to their beloved family member, and said:

"Teohna had a huge heart full of love and kindness, she was such a kind and caring daughter and sister. Teohna is irreplaceable and she has left a huge void in our lives and in our hearts.

"As a family we are heartbroken to have lost her. The heartbreak is intensified by the realisation that we lost her due to the senseless, cruel actions of someone else. Our world is emptier, full of sadness and holds a lot less laughter now that she has gone.

"Teohna deserved more time to live and deserved the chance to experience the good things life still had to offer her. The world is a darker place without Teohna's beautiful smile. We desperately wish that we could have made many more happy memories with Teohna, but all we can do now is cherish the past 24 years of treasured memories we made with Teohna when she was alive, which nobody can take from us.

"The pain will never go away, and there is no way of filling the void in our hearts. We know that Teohna would want us to live, not just survive. So for Teohna, we will somehow find the strength to do just that in memory of the most loved and cherished daughter and sister.

"Teohna we will miss you every day for the rest of our lives, and we will love you for just as long."

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