Jason Derek Brown

Infobox FBI Ten Most Wanted
name = Jason Derek Brown


crime = First degree murder,
Armed robbery,
Unlawful flight to avoid prosecution
birth_date = birth date and age|1969|1|17
death_date =
death_place =
added_date = December 8, 2007
caught_date =
remove_date =
number = 489
status =

Jason Derek Brown (born July 1, 1969 "or" January 17, 1971 [FBI Poster gives two birthdates.] ) is a fugitive currently wanted by the FBI for first degree murder, armed robbery and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. On December 8, 2007 he was named by the FBI as the 489th fugitive to be placed on the Ten Most Wanted list.

Early life

Brown grew up in Newport Beach, California and attended Laguna Beach High School.

Brown is a former missionary of the France Paris Mission, who served from 1988 to 1990 [cite web|url=http://www.mission.net/france/paris/news.php?nID=2566|title=News Item: New Details in the Jason Derek Brown Case|format=HTML|publisher=France Paris Mission|accessdate=2005-04-23] , he speaks French fluently and has a master's degree in International Business.

Brown, a toy salesman, was an extravagant spender and owned many expensive vehicles, notably an off-road jeep, cars and a fishing boat, a 2003 MasterCraft X-2, valued at approximately $40,000. He enjoyed water sports and fishing and enjoyed going to parties and being the center of attention.

In the past, he has used the several aliases and has been known to walk into a car dealership with a false social security card and forge documents in order to drive away in a sleek new vehicle. Although he may portray himself as a wealthy individual, prior to Palomares' murder, he had defaulted on a significant loan. Furthermore, Brown has a history of carrying false IDs. It is assumed he has obtained false credentials while living on the run. [cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,329367,00.html|title=Wanted for the Murder of an Armored Car Guard: Jason Derek Brown|format=HTML|publisher=Fox News|accessdate=2008-02-07]

Before the murder of Keith Palomares, Brown took a a firearms class in Salt Lake City, Utah. His instructor told officials Brown was "an obnoxious student" who was inexperienced with firearms. In fact, Brown fired a round into an Arizona man's truck accidentally during a practice shooting. He paid the man $300 in cash for damage caused by his reckless behavior.

Murder

On November 29, 2004 morning, around 10 a.m., Brown allegedly ambushed and shot an armored car guard five times in the head with a hand gun. He subsequently fled with a mountain bike through an alley with a bag of money containing $56,000 in cash. The victim, Robert Keith Palomares, a 24-year-old security guard, died at the scene. Fingerprints were found on the mountain bike, which had been abandoned in the area and these were positively identified as Brown's.On November 30 2004 Brown then drove to his sister's house in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, then left a couple days later.

On December 6, 2004, a federal arrest warrant was issued by the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, charging Brown with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. This marked the last day that anything is known about Jason Derek Brown's whereabouts. It is believed he left Orange County at this time.

On January 16, 2005 police recovered his Cadillac Escalade in a long stay parking lot in Portland International Airport, Oregon.

On December 13, 2005 Brown sent a large package to his brother and when his family knew about it, they notified the FBI (they were now co-operating with the police). It contained a set of golf clubs that belonged to Brown's brother, Brown's laptop and one of his mobile phones, and his warm weather clothing. David John Brown II, the brother of Jason Derek Brown, was indicted by a federal grand jury on an Obstruction of Justice charge on April 20, 2005. Investigators believe he transported his brother's vehicle and then washed it. [cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special14/articles/1124coldcase1124.html|title=Slayer of armored-car guard still free|format=HTML|publisher=AZCentral|accessdate=2008-06-29]

While police are still not ruling out that Brown may have fled to someplace warm (such as Mexico, where he vacationed several times), detectives are now saying he could be in western Canada (another of Jason's favorite vacation spots). Brown has ties to California, Arizona, and Utah. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are cooperating with Phoenix police and the FBI to look for him in western Canada.

On September 2008, FBI confirmed that several witnesses have recently sighted Brown in Salt Lake City, Utah. [cite web|url=http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/stories/Phoenix-local-news-091608-brown-fbi-spotted-utah.833c2886.html|title=Valley killer on FBI most wanted list spotted in Utah|format=HTML|publisher=AZfamily|accessdate=2008-09-18]

References and footnotes

External links

* [http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/fugitives/brown_jd.htm Jason Derek Brown's FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Alert]
* [http://www.amw.com/fugitives/brief.cfm?id=29538 Brown's profile on "America's Most Wanted"]