FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - A man accused of stabbing a 77-year-old woman to death inside her Buckhead townhome community has pleaded guilty, avoiding a jury trial that was set to begin Monday.
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What we know:
Antonio Brown entered a non-negotiated plea in the killing of Eleanor Bowles, whose body was discovered in the garage of her Paces West Terrace residence on Dec. 10, 2022.
The Fulton County judge assigned to the case sentenced Brown to two consecutive life sentences with the possibility of parole at the age of 86. The plea came just as attorneys were preparing to begin jury selection.
Brown apologized to the family in court.
The backstory:
Brown was previously indicted on 12 charges, including felony murder, armed robbery, and burglary. Police arrested Brown less than 24 hours after releasing surveillance images showing a person of interest dressed in black entering the gated community. At the time, investigators also linked Brown to a liquor store robbery that occurred earlier that day on Northside Parkway.
The case had been delayed earlier this year when prosecutors submitted new information and sought a mental health evaluation for Brown. He initially pleaded not guilty, but altered his plea at the start of trial proceedings.
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Bowles’ killing drew widespread public reaction, with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens saying the violent attack "rocked the community." Bowles was remembered by her family as a compassionate and engaged mother, with her son previously telling reporters that he wanted her life—not her death—to define her legacy.
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