", While Brown describes his son as the "happy- go-lucky" quarterback of his Pee Wee football team, members of Houk's family describe Jordan as a "troubled kid.". Be Proactive. And I'll say it." https://abcn.ws/2R0eTRJ Police determined that Houk was killed with a single shot in the back of the head with a youth model shot gun. Browns lawyers appealed the conviction, which resulted in an overturning by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Right now, Jenessa Houk lives in New Castle, PA. Jenessa maintains relationships with many people -- family, friends, associates, & neighbors -- including Kenneth Lauffer, Genevie Kelch, Stephanie Lauffer, Sherri Shaffer and Harold Cross. Then, the two siblings sat in the living room until the bus came. Threats of harming another View the profiles of people named Janessa Houk. You have permission to edit this article. They say they remember that. Christopher left for work that morning, while the kids and Houk got ready for their day. Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Debbie Houk said she will still observe Adalynns birthday with cupcakes, but there wont be a party for a week or two. He also indicated there is still work under way. Ignatz said he was not sure where Jordan had been questioned, but he was always in the company of his father.. Although law enforcement officials are not allowed to release the names of juveniles charged with a crime, the state police made Jordans name public because he has been charged as an adult. Police say she initially said nothing unusual happened that morning before school. Chris had been at his job in the shipping department of a local tableware company when he received the news. Winds light and variable. He said Jordan can petition to have his case transferred to juvenile court and he can request bond. Investigators believed with substantial evidence, that the son of Houk . Due to tough-on-crime laws, Pennsylvania has more juveniles sentenced to life in prison without parole than any other state. Don't Threaten. NORMAL A Normal woman is suing the town's police department in federal court after she said officers used excessive force and arrested her w. Bongivengo noted Houk, who had been lying on her side, was shot at point blank range. Chance of rain 60%. Ellwood City Ledger reports that in order to get to the school bus with Jenessa, Jordan would have had only two minutes to murder Houk, clean the bullet debris off himself, clean the gun, and leave the house. The family was interviewed immediately after Houk's death. In addition, Houks daughter said she also witnessed Brown drop something on the ground from his pocket before they got on the bus, which was where the spent shotgun shell was found. Keep it Clean. We didn't believe it. She was good with people.. Johnson said Houks pregnancy was 34 or 35 weeks along, meaning she was close to delivering the baby. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. 2009. Steve Ignatz, a lieutenant with the state police, said there is no law in Pennsylvania calling for the sales of shotguns to be recorded, as is required with handguns. "The boys and girls, the kids that he's with, they're pretty harsh kids. or anything. Eventually, at 14, Jordan was found delinquent and sentenced to be held at juvie until 21. Keep it Clean. The 26-year-old shared the New Beaver Borough home with her fiance, Chris Brown, his . daughter," she said. The following years saw Jordan Brown fighting for his freedom and reading the fantasy books his father brought for him. He tried. But police said that Jordan later changed his story, adding additional details about a man inside the truck. In this undated photo released by the Houk family, shows Kenzie Marie Houk with her daughters Jenessa, left, and Adalynn in Wampum, Pa.. Eleven-year-old Jordan Brown is charged in the shooting death of the 26-year-old pregnant mother of two. After all, he has post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] due to this. About 8:15 a.m., Jordan and Janessa went out the back door and headed to school. In fact, even though she's shared parts of what she remembered with family over the years, she never opened up about it entirely till '20/20.' As per Adalynn's record, she woke up by the sound of a gunshot but couldn't pinpoint it instantly because she was so young. Police said what really turned the case for them were additional interviews they conducted with Jenessa and Jordan the night of the murders. After all, she already had two daughters from a previous relationship 7-year-old Jenessa and 4-year-old Adalynn. Family and friends gathered at the grave Thursday the fifth anniversary followed by a meal at the family home. It would be the last time he was home for years: the 11-year-old was going to be charged as an adult for Houk's murder, according toNew Castle News. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. "Mentally, he's gotten quite an education there," Brown said of the 13-months his son has spent in the facility. He pointed out there was no forced entry, no sign of a struggle and no money missing. They interviewed 7-year-old Jenessa four times, but only recorded the fourth interview. But for the family of Houk, 26, who was found shot in the head in her rural farmhouse in Western Pennsylvania in February 2009 -- just two weeks away from giving birth to her first son -- life in prison may not be as severe as losing a loved one. They called 911. Feb. Stay at Home shutterstock.com Lamancusa revealed he had provided unspecified legal advice to Jordans father, Christopher Brown. Whoever killed Kenzie certainly did something that day, they tore apart what could have been a loving, happy family. Share with Us. 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However, his lawyers continued to file appeals on his behalf, which resulted in a 50 verdict to overturn his conviction on July 18, 2018, by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Don't knowingly lie about anyone told Chris and Kenzie and they didn't believe it," Kraner said. There was a chance that Jordan could be released much earlier, but it would be another eight months before he would stand trial for double homicide one count for the mother, one for the baby. In all of this time, Chris has sat through hearings as if he does not care. A lot of things might have been different.. Later, the 7-year-old girl told police she saw the boy drop Don't Threaten. or anything. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. We were encouraged to enroll her in a program where she could compete and be trained by international coaches. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, It wasn't that Kenzie was worried about the pregnancy, she was ready to have the baby and had plenty of practice being a mom. Cloudy skies after midnight. According to The Innocence Project, the investigation found no fingerprint or DNA clues that would point toward Jordan being Houk's killer. Home. On Monday, Jason Kraner, Kenzie's brother-in-law, told several "I wake up in the middle of the night and think I'm going to have an anxiety attack knowing that I'm never seeing her again. Yesterday was a difficult day for everybody involved, the district attorney said Saturday, adding officials at the scene were in shock. He said that after the older two children had left for school, she turned on the television and got herself something to eat. On the morning of Feb. 21, 2009, attorney Dennis Elisco met a boy who changed his life. Low around 40F. Be Nice. A 20-gauge shot gun shell casing was found next to the family's driveway. He said the weapon is believed to be a 20-gauge youth model shotgun. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Thus, now that hes been acquitted, lets find out where he is today, shall we? You have permission to edit this article. The blanket was found at the scene with a singed, quarter-sized hole. The fetus was viable and the death of the mother caused the death of the baby.. Jordan Brown, who was 11 at the time, is charged with shooting a pregnant Houk as she lay on her bed Feb. 20. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Jenessa Houk - PA Track and Field results and photos on Athletic.net But of course, they miss their mother. He hopes to try and gain justice for the nearly 10 years of his childhood and teenage life that he spent behind bars. At the same time, officers had been dispatched to Mohawk Elementary School to speak to Janessa and Jordan. "He's an average 12-year-old," said Jordan's father Chris Brown. A funeral for Houk and her baby boy, who was named Christopher After all the interviews, police claimed that Jordan had shot his future stepmother, walked out the door, dropped a shotgun shell on the ground, and then hopped on the school bus with his Jenessa (via ABC News). He and Jordan finally felt vindicated in their assertions that Jordan hadnt committed that terrible crime. You have permission to edit this article. A Bloomington native is in the running to be the next face of Inked magazine. As soon as the coroner began taking photos, Martin realized that what they were looking at was no complication or accident. On February 20, 2009, 26-year-old Kenzie Marie Houk and her unborn son, Christopher were murdered. But in the five years since the shooting, Jordan has not received the help he needs, she said. In the past, Harvey had warned that he would kill Houk, threatening her and her new family after finding out that Adalynn was not his biological child. "Why should you get the things back that you had when you took so much you took two lives here. Brown told "Nightline" he was "heartbroken" and "sickened by the judge's ruling.". Use the 'Report' link on Each day Debbie Houk visits her daughter and grandson's grave while Chris Brown makes the four-hour round trip to visit his son in a juvenile detention center. In the suit, Houk asked that all reference to Adalynn Houk, 7, and Jenessa Houk, 11, be removed from the website. Brown continues to proclaim his son's innocence. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Jordan lived at the Edmund L. Thomas Adolescent Detention Center for three years before his trial, and was later moved to other facilities. person will not be tolerated. In prison, he taught himself guitar and how to play basketball, but it was still a prison. Jordan had even begun referring to Kenzie as mom. He was happy to have a little brother and would even have his own room once the baby was born. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism "I think the judge's decision in this case is both disappointing, and I think, misinformed," said Lawrence Steinberg of Temple University. Ive never received the answers I want. Threats of harming another Christopher and Houk had already established their family: Christopher's son, 11-year-oldJordan Brown,and Houk's daughters, 4-year-old Adalynn and 7-year-old Jenessa. Our story begins during that pregnancy, on a chilly February morning. Winds light and variable. Shows. mitsubishi rpm problem Here, she stated that she had heard what sounded like a gun being fired while waiting for Jordan to get ready and leave the house with her. Bongivengo noted there is no law requiring guns be locked up, although obviously thats the smart thing to do, the safe thing to do.. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. telephone call seeking comment Tuesday. The family went home and grieved together. He needs to admit what hes done and show some remorse, she continued. Threats of harming another But everybody put that aside and did their job to the letter.. Kenzie Houk's younger daughter Adalynn describes finding her mom dead . Marie Houk a hard time, especially when his father wasn't around. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another Kenzie Marie Houk, 26, shared the two-story white frame farmhouse on Wampum-New Galilee Road with her two daughters, her boyfriend Christopher Brown and Jordan, his son. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Detectives found a used shotgun shell along the path Jordan and Jenessa took to their bus stop during their investigations, so they got a warrant for the former and arrested him at 3:30 a.m. the following morning. However she was at the courthouse that day, they said, where she was interviewed by members of the district attorneys office and possibly members of the Pennsylvania state police prior to the hearing. Not only that, but Janessa recalled waiting in the living room for Jordan when she heard a big boom echo through the house. Later though, Jordan recalled seeing a black truck near the garage. Be Truthful. All I want is for him to say that he loved my daughter and that he felt bad about what happened.. These ventures are why the latter bought a youth-sized 20-gauge shotgun for his son, which the police considered the murder weapon. By that point, Jenessa had changed her story. I hope they will not forget her. The judgment was that the evidence against Jordan was insufficient and circumstantial, so he was exonerated and can never be retried in the matter. 51K views, 80 likes, 1 loves, 226 comments, 24 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from ABC 20/20: For the first time, Kenize Houk's younger daughter Adalynn describes finding her mother dead inside their. Suspicious. He called the situation tragic in every sense of the word.. Jordan assured them that he hadnt touched any gun that morning, but the smell of gunpowder and the youth model shotgun in the home told a different story. He had changed his story, albeit slightly, but enough that his soon-to-be half-sisters account cemented in their minds that he might be lying. Jordan Anthony Brown got on a school bus Friday morning and spent part of his day in Mohawks fifth grade. In a criminal complaint released yesterday, Jenessa Houk told police she had just finished putting on her socks and shoes Friday morning when she heard a "big boom." The 7-year-old girl then. the back of the head. Their blended family dynamic seemed to be going well since the children all got along. Use the 'Report' link on Low 39F. Chance of rain 60%.. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. isolated from the adult inmates, and Elisco has said he will seek By that point, Jenessa had changed her story. Jordan said he had seen a black truck near his house that morning, but he didn't think anything of it at the time. He too drove a black truck but investigators quickly determined that it would have been impossible for him to have made the 24-mile drive over to the house without disturbing the snow on his hood from earlier that day. Lawrence County District. A child's brain isn't fully developed -- especially in area that controls decision making, risk taking and impulse control, according to Steinberg, whose research influenced a Supreme Court case banning the death penalty for juveniles in 2005. 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