BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA: A mother and son from West Philadelphia were involved in a deadly plot to kill the mother’s ex-boyfriend, Christopher Wilson, 52.
Joyce Brown Rodriguez, 56, and her son Khalill Brown, 34, were both charged with murder and conspiracy for the shooting of Wilson in December 2020.
Who was Christopher Wilson?
Wilson who was a father of nine children was killed in the parking lot of his workplace, Kuusakoski Recycling, a company that provides recycling services for metal and electronics, in Langhorne, Pennsylvania.
He had been dating Brown Rodriguez for two years, but had ended the relationship and moved in with his new girlfriend a few days before his death.
Brown Rodriguez was unable to accept the breakup and harassed Wilson with calls and texts. She also asked her son’s friend for help in getting a gun and later called her son for his assistance.
She drove her son to Wilson’s workplace on the day of the shooting and waited in the car while he shot Wilson multiple times.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty and testified against her son as part of a plea deal
Brown Rodriguez pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and conspiracy as part of a plea deal and testified against her son at his trial in July 2021.
She was sentenced to 20-to-40 years in state prison on Monday by Bucks County Court Judge Jeffrey Finley, who questioned her motive for the murder.
“It makes no sense that anything that occurred here, in any way, should have led to you taking the life of Wilson,” Finley said, as per Philadelphia Inquirer, “Your actions not only took his life but had a significant impact on the people who were there that day.”
Her son was convicted of first-degree murder and will be sentenced to life in prison in September. His lawyer claimed that he was manipulated by his mother and acted out of loyalty to her.
Brown Rodriguez’s lawyer, Craig Penglase, said that she had suffered greatly since the shooting and had attempted suicide. He asked for leniency and noted her cooperation with the prosecution.
“The most powerful thing a person can do in a case like this is try to make things right,” Penglase said. “And that’s what my client has done.”
However, Wilson’s family did not forgive her or her son for their actions. Five of Wilson’s children spoke at the sentencing hearing and expressed their anger and grief over their father’s death.
What did Christopher Wilson's children say about the sentencing?
They described him as a loving, hardworking parent who always checked on them every morning. Chynea Wilson said she was outraged that Brown Rodriguez had pretended to grieve with them after the shooting and hugged her.
“You had the audacity to walk up and hug me when you had your son murder my father,” Wilson said.
“You were shameless, like a demonic person, acting like nothing had happened. For that, you deserve everything coming to you.”
Britney Wilson asked through tears why Brown Rodriguez could not just leave her father alone. “Why couldn’t she just walk away?” she said.
Wilson’s children also lamented that he will miss many important events in their lives, such as weddings, graduations, and births. They said they will always remember him and honor his legacy.
