Sergio Brown, the ex-NFL player who has been the center of his mother’s murder case, has pleaded not guilty to killing his mother, according to CNN. A status hearing is scheduled for January 24 in Illinois.
Brown was charged with first-degree murder and the concealment of his mother’s body. The two were reported missing back in September however, it was later revealed that he fled to Mexico while his mother was still MIA. Shortly after, her body was found wrapped in a blanket 50 feet from her house. Cook County medical examiners reported that Brown was killed by blunt force trauma related to an assault.
Surveillance footage reportedly caught Brown burning various items in a fire pit close to the time of his mother’s disappearance after searching the home and realizing many of her items were missing. Brown was arrested and charged with her murder in October.
The ex-NFL player was then taken into custody on felony fugitive arrest charges after fleeing to Mexico. After being deported to San Diego, he was transported back to Illinois has since been held in jail without bail. An Illinois judge said Brown “presented a real and present threat” to the community.