Tawhyne M. Patterson, Murder with Firearm During Attempted Robbery, Nebraska 2018

Two men were sentenced to life in prison for their roles in a home invasion that resulted in the death of a Lincoln mother.

Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Tawhyne M. Patterson, a Vice Lord gang member from Chicago, Illinois, and Damon D. Williams of Omaha, Nebraska, were sentenced today for their respective roles in the home invasion that resulted in the death of Jessica Brandon on July 31, 2018.

Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced each to life imprisonment for commission of murder with a firearm during an attempted robbery, as well as 240 months consecutive to the life terms for their participation in a firearms conspiracy and a second attempted robbery at the same Lincoln home the day before the murder.

The evidence at trial established that Patterson and Williams were part of a crew that targeted a Lincoln marijuana dealer for robbery. On July 30, 2018, they went to the home, and returned on July 31, 2018 intent on stealing drug money.

On July 31, 2018, Patterson forced open the door and was joined by two others claiming to be Lincoln Police Officers. The robbers zip tied and restrained three children, including a child there on a sleepover who had no family connection to the marijuana dealer. Jessica Brandon, mother of two of the children in the home at the time, was shot as she found herself between Patterson and a safe where the robbers expected to find cash and drugs.

Brandon was brought to a hospital and was later pronounced dead. The children who were tied up and held at gunpoint were all female children ranging in age from 9 years old to 16 years old at the time of the crime. An elderly woman with a broken back was also zip tied and held at gunpoint.

Video was recovered from the crime scene. Williams and Patterson were identified through tips from the public. They fled to Texas and were later arrested there in an attempt to evade justice for their roles in this crime.

Nebraska is plagued by home invasions, with Chief Judge Gerrard stating, ‘The crime doesn’t get any worse than this one. Home invasions are among the most egregious crimes that this Court sees. This was a classic case of felony murder, and the punishment shall fit the crime.’

The case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lincoln Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley Woods and Dan Packard.

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