Andrew Weber/USA Today Network
Sergio Brown, pictured here in 2014, was taken into custody Tuesday in San Diego, California, police said.
CNN –
Former NFL player Sergio Brown, who has been missing since his mother was found dead last month, has been arrested and is expected to be charged with first-degree murder once he is extradited from California to Illinois, according to police.
Police in the Chicago suburb of Maywood, Illinois, have issued an arrest warrant for Sergio Brown in connection with the murder of his 73-year-old mother, Myrtle Brown. The mother’s body was discovered in a stream on September 16, police said.
Brown, who had traveled to Mexico, was taken into custody by Mexican authorities and deported to San Diego, California, where he was arrested on Tuesday, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CNN.
The retired athlete is now awaiting extradition from San Diego to Maywood, where police say he faces murder charges.
CNN has not been able to determine whether Sergio Brown has legal representation.
Here’s what we know.
Both Sergio and Myrtle Brown were reported missing on Sept. 16 by relatives who became concerned after they were unable to locate or contact the couple, police said.
That day, police searched Sergio and Myrtle’s shared home and found the mother’s body near a stream not far from the residence, authorities said.
Myrtle Brown died from injuries sustained in an attack and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
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Sergio Brown’s mother was found near a creek behind her home in a Chicago suburb, police said.
Three days after Myrtle Brown’s body was found, police told CNN they were aware of at least one video circulating on social media that appeared to show Sergio Brown in a tropical location talking about “fake news.” talks and claims he thinks his mother is on vacation. It is not clear where and when the video was recorded. Police did not confirm to CNN that the person in the video was Sergio Brown and said they were investigating the authenticity of the video.
Last week, Myrtle Brown’s family released a statement urging officials to move forward with the case, saying police had sufficient evidence to make an arrest in the case.
“No family should bear the burden of uncertainty about the circumstances of their loved one’s death,” the family statement said.
The family said they have had no contact with Sergio Brown since his disappearance.
Sergio Brown, 35, has been retired from professional football for several years. He played for Notre Dame before signing with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He then played seven seasons in the NFL as a member of the Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills.
Mexican law enforcement officials have known about Brown’s whereabouts since at least Sept. 19 but were unable to deport him until Illinois authorities obtained a warrant for his arrest, the law enforcement source told CNN.
But Brown’s transfer to the USA did not go smoothly.
The former professional soccer player caused a disturbance on a delivery flight carrying him from Mexico City to Tijuana, prompting the pilot to threaten to remove him from the plane, the source said.
Maywood Police Department
A booking photo of Sergio Brown, who was arrested in San Diego, California on Tuesday.
Once he crossed the border in San Diego, Brown was arrested with the assistance of local and federal law enforcement, Maywood police said.
San Diego Sheriff’s Department inmate records show Brown is being held by the department on a felony fugitive warrant and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 13.
U.S. interstate extradition laws require a hearing to be held if a defendant does not waive extradition. This means a court may have to approve Brown’s deportation from California to Illinois.
By Nick Brown/Instagram
Myrtle Brown was found dead near her home in Maywood, Illinois, on September 16, police said.
Myrtle Brown’s family said the killing of their beloved matriarch “forever changed the course of our lives.”
“Myrtle was a beautiful, loving and inspiring soul who made everyone around her feel important. With her infectious smile and personality, our loss of Myrtle has left an indescribable void not only in our lives, but in our communities,” the family said in their statement.
Her other son, Nick Brown, told CNN last month that his mother left him a piece of wisdom that became invaluable after her death.
“Mom always told me, ‘Hard times don’t last,’ and our recent conversation about how hard times are temporary is a beacon of hope for me,” said Nick Brown.
“Mom, thank you for being strong, caring, hardworking, edgy, funny and for saving my art. I won’t disappoint you,” he added.
The family said they are grateful for the outpouring of support in their pursuit of justice for Myrtle Brown.
“Let us work together to turn this tragic loss into a force for positive change and justice,” the family said.