Ep. 085 | Justice for Rashawn Brazell
On the morning of February 14, 2005, 19-year-old Rashawn Brazell left his home in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, New York, expecting a routine day ahead. He had plans to meet with an accountant that morning and then join his mother, Desire, for a Valentine’s Day lunch in Manhattan. Rashawn never showed up for lunch that day, and he was never seen alive again.
Over the next few days, Rashawn’s loved ones grew increasingly concerned when he failed to return home or contact anyone. What began as a missing person case soon turned into a gruesome homicide investigation that shocked New York City. Within the span of a week, dismembered human remains were discovered in two locations in Brooklyn – horrifying finds that were ultimately identified as the body parts of Rashawn Brazell. On trial today: Who killed Rashawn Brazell?
SOURCES:
ABC7 New York. (2018, September 7). Man convicted in 2004 Brooklyn cold case murder gets 25 years to life in prison. https://abc7ny.com/post/man-convicted-in-brooklyn-cold-case-murder-gets-25-to-life/4172307/?userab=kfsn_web_player-447*variant_b_kfsn_dmp-1861
ABC7 New York. (2017, February 22). Accused killer charged in 2005 murder involving teen’s body parts left in subway. https://abc7ny.com/post/cold-cases-with-dismemberment-re-examined-for-possible-link/1771488/?userab=kfsn_web_player-447*variant_b_kfsn_dmp-1861
ABC News. (2019). Families of missing Black Americans fight for media and police focus. https://abcnews.go.com/US/families-missing-black-americans-fight-media-police-focus/story?id=64509892&utm_source=chatgpt.com
amNewYork. (2017, February 22). Fox, A. Brooklyn teen’s death, dismemberment cold case brought back with arrest of suspect, DA’s office says. https://www.amny.com
Barnard Center for Research on Women. (n.d.). Race, Sexuality, Cyberactivism, and the Legacy of Rashawn Brazell. https://sfonline.barnard.edu/race-sexuality-cyberactivism-and-the-legacy-of-rashawn-brazell/
CBS News. (2017, February 23). NYC suspect has courtroom outburst after arrest in 2nd cold case killing. https://www.cbsnews.com
CNN. (2017, February 22). Brooklyn subway body parts cold case. https://www.cnn.com/2017/02/22/us/brooklyn-subway-body-parts-cold-case/index.html
Daily News (New York). Donohue, P., & Gendar, A. (2005, February 18). Grisly find in subway – B’klyn man’s bloody limbs discovered. https://web.archive.org
Gay City News. Osborne, D. (2019, January 9). Rashawn Brazell’s accused killer can’t fire lawyers. https://gaycitynews.com
Gay City News. Osborne, D. (2019, August 14). Defense questions key evidence in Rashawn Brazell murder. https://gaycitynews.com
Harvard Political Review. (n.d.). Missing people of color. https://harvardpolitics.com/missing-people-of-color/
Newton, M. (2009). The Encyclopedia of Unsolved Crimes (Google Books preview). McFarland. https://books.google.com/books?id=gijG7fSwvjAC&pg=PA57#v=onepage&q&f=false
People Magazine. Harris, C. (2017, February 23). N.Y.C. man suspected of 2005 beheading may be a serial killer: Police. https://people.com
PIX11 News. (2014, September 17). Murder of Brooklyn teen whose dismembered body was found in subway tunnel remains unsolved. https://web.archive.org
PIX11 News. Murphy, M. (2017, March 1). First on PIX11: Suspect in 2005 cold-case killing of dismembered Brooklyn teen linked to 2nd teen slaying. https://web.archive.org
PIX11 News. Murphy, M. (2023, June). Murder case involving dismembered teen dismissed in Brooklyn court: DA. https://www.websleuths.com
PSU Civic Issues Blog. (2023, March 28). Racial disparities in missing children cases. https://sites.psu.edu/smocivicissue/2023/03/28/racial-disparities-in-missing-children-cases/
WABC / ABC7 New York. Miles, D. (2017, February 22). Accused killer charged in 2005 murder involving teen’s body parts left in subway. https://abc7ny.com
WPIX-TV (via FOX 13 Seattle / AP). (2017, March 3). Suspected serial killer tells dismembered teen’s mom in court, “You know I love you”. https://www.fox13seattle.com
WPIX-TV (PIX11). Murder of Brooklyn teen whose dismembered body was found in subway tunnel remains unsolved. https://pix11.com/news/local-news/brooklyn/murder-of-brooklyn-teen-whose-dismembered-body-was-found-in-subway-tunnel-remains-unsolved/
Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. Gonzalez, E. (2018, September 7). Man sentenced to 25 years to life for 2004 murder of 17-year-old Bushwick girl [Press release]. https://www.brooklynda.org
