A Texas man was sentenced to life without parole last week for the murder of his girlfriend’s teenage daughter after he allegedly tried to rape her.
The life sentence was automatic after a jury found Van Brisbon guilty of murder in a nine-day trial, MyTexasDaily.com reported.
Lauren Juma, 16, was home alone with Brisbon on April 29, 2022, when she contacted her mother, who was out of town for work, via FaceTime to say she was concerned about Brisbon’s behavior, as CrimeOnline reported.
Court records say Juma told her mother, Laurie Young, that Brisbon was inside her room in the dark. She asked her mother to tell him to get out, which she did. Suddenly Juma screamed, “Mom, he has a gun,” and the call ended.
Young sent Juma’s 19-year-old sister, Keryca Harmon, to the house to get her, but Brisbon wouldn’t let Juma leave. Harmon called police and told them Brisbon was holding her sister against her will.
Police heard gunshots when they arrived at the home, and Brisbon exited, telling the officers to “do what you have to do.” He was arrested.
Officers found Juma dead inside.
“Our jury heard bodycam recordings of the victim’s screams, cries for help and then gunshots, which were not easy to listen to,” Harris County Assistant District Attorney Katie Warren said at the conclusion of the trial. “We are thankful to the jurors for their service and their verdict because they were able to do what needed to be done: They gave this victim and her family justice.”
Juma was a student at Nimitz High School when Brisbon brutally murdered her.
