The shooting at a residence in Jackson, Mississippi, in 2004 sparked a contentious murder investigation that drew national attention. Brian Hughes was discovered shot to death in his living room. Still, the circumstances surrounding his death and the perpetrator remain unknown.
‘Crime Site Confidential: Cracking Brian’s Case,’ a documentary on Investigation Discovery, shows how the evidence at the scene pointed to the perpetrator and why Brian’s wife, Elicia, was suspected of murder. So, if you’re interested in learning more about what occurred, we’ve got you covered.
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What Caused Brian Hughes’ Death?
Brian Hughes spent a few years in the Air Force before working at an automotive electrical supply firm with his father. Brian was living in Jackson with his wife, Elicia, and their two small children at the time. They met when they were both 17 years old and married in 1999, ten years later. Aside from that, the 32-year-old fathered two more children before marrying Elicia.
Elicia was in bed with the two toddlers around 11 p.m. on June 3, 2004, when she heard loud pops. When she went to the living room to check, she discovered Brian in a pool of blood on the floor near the couch.
He had been shot six times in the arms, torso, and crotch area with a.45-caliber handgun. This spurred the authorities to conduct a thorough inquiry over the next few months, but numerous doubts remained about how the probe was conducted.
Who Killed Brian Hughes and Why?
When the pop sounds roused Elicia, she said she was in bed with their two children. Elicia would not wait for Brian to return home because he had an unpredictable work shift at the time. She heard the house alarm go off shortly after the pops, and she eventually found Brian in the living room.
Elicia assumed her husband had been shot by an intruder and looked around to see whether the gunman was still around. When the authorities came a few minutes later, they discovered Brian had died.
The security firm believed that the shooter fired when Brian opened the front door, according to Elicia. The evidence at the crime site, however, contradicted that claim. The body was discovered about 5 feet from the front door, with no blood detected at the door or in the foyer.
Brian was also seen as a security-conscious individual, and it was rare for him to open the door so late at night. Not only that, but if Brian did open the door, it didn’t make sense that he didn’t disable the alarm first.
A key was also required to open the door from the inside, which was found on the counter near the living room. The keys would have been found in the vicinity, not on the counter, if Brian had been shot at the door. Because of the trajectory of the gunshots, officials assume the shooter was untrained in regards to the wounds.
One of them had become stuck in a wall. Shell casings were discovered inside and outside the residence, indicating that the incident had been manufactured. Brian’s life was then investigated by the authorities. The couple appeared to be content at first. However, the authorities discovered that Brian had two girlfriends and had been on the phone with one of them only minutes before he died.
Then a gunshot residue test on Elicia’s back of her left hand came back positive, making her a suspect in the case. While she agreed to touching Brian with her fingertips on his rear shoulder, this didn’t explain why the back of her hand was covered with gunshot residue.
A troubling image began to form for the cops. Elicia was suspected to have murdered Brian after learning of his infidelity. Not only that, but the former teacher was eligible for a $250,000 life insurance payout. Elicia was charged with Brian’s murder in January 2007.
The girlfriend testified that she was on the phone with Brian and that he promised her he’d call her back, which was evidently code for Elicia being nearby. The phone call concluded at 11:12 p.m., and the alarm went off two minutes later. The authorities assumed Elicia was the perpetrator because of the short time frame. They also regarded the groyne gunshot wound as an indication of a woman who felt she had been wronged.
What Happened to Elicia Hughes and Where is he Now?
Elicia was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison at the conclusion of the trial. The conviction was eventually reversed by the judge, who cited jury selection discrimination as the reason. As a result, the defence prepared for yet another trial a few months later.
This time, a witness claimed to have heard a car pull away shortly after hearing the gunshots. Outside the house, according to Elicia’s lawyers, there were tyre marks. When the girlfriend supplied an extra detail the second time around, her testimony was called into question.
She claimed to have questioned Brian if Elicia was in the room with him at the time, to which he allegedly replied yes. The jury felt there was enough reasonable doubt in the evidence during the second trial, and Elicia was cleared of murder in November 2007.
Elicia moved out of the house she lived with Brian after the proceedings. After the first trial, she was sacked from her profession as a teacher. At the time, Elicia was living in Pearl, Mississippi, with her two small girls.
After the acquittal, the mother of two planned to put her life back together. “I’m obviously grateful for the not guilty verdict,” she stated. And it did provide me the chance to spend the rest of my life outside of prison. But, until the person who did the crime is apprehended, I don’t think I’ll be able to get my life back in the manner I want it.
You know, I had a family before this whole thing. I was married. I was employed in a position that I enjoyed. And, as you know, everything has changed now.” Elicia had considered heading west, but her most recent known location was Pearl. Brian’s parents sued for wrongful death against her in 2010.