Florida cold case victim ID'd 38 years after execution-style killing, authorities say

Yahoo

29-04-2025

The Brief
The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office has identified the victim of a 1986 cold case homicide as Blaine Louis Brown, Jr., also known as "Bunny."
Brown, 39, was found bound and fatally shot in an execution-style killing, with robbery ruled out as a motive, authorities said.
Despite initial investigations, no suspects were ever identified, and Brown was buried as a John Doe in Fort Pierce.
ORLANDO, Fla. - The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit has positively identified the victim of a 1986 cold case homicide.
What we know
Authorities in St. Lucie County have identified the victim of a 1986 cold case homicide as Blaine Louis Brown, Jr., nicknamed "Bunny." Brown was 39 years old when he was found bound and shot multiple times execution-style in a grove near Ralls Road and Selvitz Road.
Investigators determined robbery was not a motive because Brown still had a large sum of cash and was dressed in expensive clothing, including Jordache jeans, a Hennessy button-down shirt, and Nocona cowboy boots.
What we don't know
Despite finally identifying the victim, authorities have yet to name any suspects or determine a clear motive behind Brown's killing. No details have been released regarding any new forensic evidence or leads pointing to who may have committed the crime.
The backstory
On October 7, 1986, Brown's body was discovered in a secluded grove area. Efforts at the time to identify him failed, and he remained a John Doe for decades. He was eventually buried in Ft. Pierce's public cemetery without a name. Recent work by the Cold Case Unit, likely involving forensic advances, finally led to Brown's identification.
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The Source
This story was written based on information shared by the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office.