Lisa Kerr Murder: Where is Donald Brooks Now? – ‘The Killer Closer: Roadside Homicide‘, an episode on Investigation Discovery, investigates the savage killing of 32-year-old Lisa Kerr in March 1999 in the San Fernando Valley, California. The episode continues by illustrating how preoccupation can end fatally and the course of the inquiry that ultimately led to the capture of the murderer. We’ve got your back if you want to learn more about the incident, the perpetrator’s name, and where they are right now. Let’s get going, shall we?
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How Did Lisa Kerr Pass Away?
Firefighters put out a 1994 Ford Probe on fire on March 24, 1999, in the San Fernando Valley, near the Roscoe Boulevard exit ramp of the Hollywood Freeway. When they discovered a burned body inside the vehicle, they called the police and an arson investigator to the scene. They obtained a driver’s license from the purse discovered in the vehicle, which enabled them to determine that the burned body belonged to 32-year-old Lisa Lorraine Kerr. They also discovered traces of an accelerant’s use and evidence that suggested the fire was started deliberately.
According to the postmortem report, the leading causes of death were smoke inhalation and thermal burns. It further revealed that although strangulation might have been a factor, it is impossible to determine due to the burned remains. Lisa did not attempt to flee the fire, but the medical examiner concluded that she was still alive when it started. Additionally, her toxicology analysis revealed that she had modest quantities of carbon monoxide in her bloodstream, supporting the theory that an accelerant was used.
Who Killed Lisa Kerr and Why?
Calvin Kerr, Lisa’s ex-husband, was initially thought to be responsible for the murder. Although he and the investigators had a tumultuous relationship, Calvin was ultimately acquitted. When they dug deeper into Lisa’s past, the authorities identified Donald Lewis Brooks Jr., a plumber by trade. Since the day of the crime, he had vanished. In October 1997, Lisa and Donald connected at a dance hosted by the AA. They maintained a covert relationship for ten months, with Donald finally confessing to Mark Harvey, another AA member, in August 1998.
Donald acknowledged falling in love with Lisa but was enraged and irritated when Lisa recently decided to get back together with Calvin to benefit their kid. He reportedly said he wanted to stab Calvin or do other actions to “get him out of the picture” because he did not want to quit the relationship.
Lisa confided in several colleagues and acquaintances that she was beginning to feel terrified of Donald as a jealous and vindictive Donald began to reveal his true colors. Lisa told a friend that an obsessive Donald had taken to stalking and harassing her, saying that he was outside her house or place of business “every time she turned around” and keeping an eye on her.
Despite her concerns, after divorcing her husband and moving into her apartment in January 1999, Lisa depended on Donald for financial support. Lisa and Donald were listed as tenants in the leasing agreement that Donald had signed. Many friends and acquaintances claim that Lisa just let Donald into her life “for the money.” When the detectives spoke with Mark, they learned that Donald had allegedly threatened to hurt him and his kids if he gave Lisa a room to rent in his home.
When the investigators looked into Donald’s mobile phone records, they discovered that he had called from the crime site at roughly 4:23 am on March 24, 1999, some minutes before the firefighters arrived. Additionally, his mobile tower positions showed that he had made two calls that evening from close to Lisa’s house. The authorities could locate him in Colorado, where he had been residing under an assumed name. He had even admitted to strangling his ex-girlfriend to one of his housemates, David Jayne. July 1999, or four months later, saw his arrest.
He admitted to his former plumbing helper that he had overheard Lisa and Harvey disparaging him on March 23, 1998, after being extradited to California 5 days later. When Lisa was about to leave, an envious Donald “just couldn’t handle it” and accosted her, strangling her and placing the unconscious woman in the backseat of her car. He then drove to the crime scene and set the automobile ablaze before fleeing to Colorado.
Where is Donald Brooks Today?
Donald was convicted guilty of first-degree murder, stalking, and arson, causing significant bodily injury following his trial in June 2001. The jury rejected the defense, which sought to convict him of voluntary homicide committed in the heat of passion. Additionally, they alleged the “special circumstance claims of murder committed while a kidnapping was being carried out and murder involving the use of torture.”
In March 2017, Donald attempted to appeal the death sentence that had been given to him, but the Supreme Court of California upheld the verdict. The 57-year-old is presently housed in a jail cell on death row at the San Quentin State Prison in California.
