MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. – Investigators have charged a Pennsylvania man with murder after a mother was killed and her body found in a shallow grave.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele announced charges against Blair Watts, 33, for the murder of Jennifer Brown, 33, in a news release. Brown’s body was found on Jan. 18 in a shallow grave behind a warehouse.
Brown’s body was found more than two weeks after she was reported missing.
Brown’s body was found on Jan. 18 after her disappearance was first reported on Jan. 4, WPVI reported.
Investigators said that Watts and Brown were friends and business partners planning to re-open a restaurant called “Birdies Kitchen.” Watts initially reported Brown missing on Jan. 4, saying that she had failed to pick her 8-year-old son up at the school bus after the child had spent the night prior at Watts’ home for a planned sleepover.
Body of missing mother found partially buried in shallow grave
In the news release, Steele called the “planned sleepover” into question. “Brown, who was described as an attentive and loving mother, had not sent any clothing or the boy’s necessary daily medications with him for the sleepover.”
Officers who initially searched Brown’s home said that her vehicle, keys, wallet, purse and work cellphone were all present and there were no obvious signs of a struggle. Her personal cellphone was missing. When officers brought in a K-9 cadaver dog, he indicated in the kitchen of the home and a trash dumpster outside.
In the news release, investigators said that Watts picked up Brown’s son from the school bus on Jan. 3, and told him his mother was at the grocery store and he would be staying over at Watts’ home. The child told police that they drove to Brown’s home and Watts went inside while the boy waited in the car. When Watts returned to the car, the child said that the adult had his mother’s personal cellphone.
Prosecutors said that cellphone records show both Watts’ and Brown’s cellphones traveling together until Brown’s cellphone became inactive, WPVI reported.
Detectives said that they had a cadaver dog search a grey Jeep Renegade owned by Watts’ wife as well as Watts’ red Jeep Cherokee. In the news release, investigators said that the dog indicated that human remains had been inside both vehicles.
During a news conference announcing the charges, Steele said he was confident police arrested the correct suspect, WCAU reported.
“As you piece this together, it all keeps pointing back to Watts,” Steele said.
Investigators said the two were planning to open a restaurant together by late January, but that the owners of the property never signed any lease agreement with Watts or received money from him, WPVI reported. No work had been done on the building to get it ready to open as a restaurant.
Detectives said that on Jan. 3 there were a series of transactions made via CashApp and Zelle to accounts controlled by Watts. The money is not accounted for in any written agreement between Brown and Watts, prosecutors said.
Watts allegedly approached the property owner for the planned restaurant on Jan. 4, saying that he had the money to put down for a lease, Steele said in the news release.
“For 37 days since this devoted mother was reported missing, detectives have been accumulating evidence, piece by piece, bringing into focus what happened to Jennifer and who murdered her,” Steele told WPVI. “That picture shows Blair Watts murdered Jennifer Brown on Jan. 3rd, then moved her body and ultimately buried her in a shallow grave.”
In an interview with WCAU before his arrest, Watts denied doing anything wrong.
“I have nothing to do with anything. Just because I’m the last person to see her, that does not mean anything.”
