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Raymond Eugene Brown: Incarcerated at 14 for Triple Alabama Homicide, Released to Murder Again

There’s no rehabilitation for someone who enjoys killing

Still Penguins Seldom Waddle
6 min readJan 26, 2024
Raymond Eugene Brown (left, seated) Photo by Clay County Historical Society

How does a seemingly normal child suddenly morph into a cold-blooded, murdering, monster? Maybe we should have asked Raymond Eugene Brown.

October 1, 1960 — Clay County, Alabama

31-year-old Berta Mae Martin was awakened by a noise coming from her kitchen. She got up and began walking through the house to investigate. As her eyes adjusted in the darkness, she realized that she knew the person in her home. It was her 14-year-old nephew, Raymond Brown.

Relief probably washed over her just before the horror revealed itself. Brown grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed her. He kept stabbing her. He stabbed her a total of 123 times.

He then went into the rooms where his 63-year-old grandmother, Ethel Ogle, and his 82-year-old disabled great-grandmother Everlena Ogle, slept. He stabbed them until he was certain that they were dead. He mutilated their bodies and slashed each of their throats from ear to ear.

But why? Why would he do something so heinous?

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Still Penguins Seldom Waddle
Still Penguins Seldom Waddle

Written by Still Penguins Seldom Waddle

Working mom who uses her curiosity to fuel the curiosities of others ~ Writes mostly history and true crime

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