Mary Lynn Witherspoon was stalked for years, but she just thought he was weird and ignored him. But in the end, it was that exact same individual who murdered her. In the Investigation Discovery documentary “Obsession: Dark Desires:
There’s Something About Mary Lynn,” we learn that Mary’s ex-son boyfriend kept visiting her even after they had broken up. If you’re curious about what went down, read on.
How Did Mary Lynn Witherspoon Die?
Mary is the oldest of four sisters and was born in South Carolina in August 1950. The people who knew her best gushed about how stunning she was, how kind she was, and how generous she was. Mary was the valedictorian at her high school graduation.
Then she got married and began a career as a French teacher. She had a daughter from the marriage, but it ultimately failed. Next, in 1988, she broke up with Edmonds Brown III after a long courtship. Mary was well-known for her charitable efforts as well.
Mary was a resident of Charleston, South Carolina, at the time of the occurrence. She failed to show up for work on November 14, 2003, and her colleagues were concerned. There was no sign of forced entry, despite the absence of her automobile from the driveway.
The upstairs rooms were in complete disarray when the cops finally came, with drawers open and objects were strewn around. Mary’s body was discovered in the restroom. The 53-year-old woman was found naked and wrapped with tape in a bathtub full of water. Mary had been the victim of a sexual assault before she was strangled to death.
Who Killed Mary Lynn Witherspoon?
As soon as the name Edmonds Tennent Brown IV was spoken, everyone in the family pointed to him. This is Tennent, Mary’s ex-son. boyfriend’s When Mary first began dating his dad, he was probably around ten years old. Tennent was a loner and outcast as a kid.
But Mary made an effort to be friendly toward him. As her engagement to Edmonds fizzled, she said that Tennent made repeated visits to her home. Later, Mary’s sister Jackie Olsen recalled, “He would pop up like on her porch, or ride his bicycle by her house, or appear near her driveway.
Mary went to see her mom in the suburbs of Charleston back in 1989. They returned home to find that their house had been broken into while they were out on a stroll, but nothing had been taken. Mary returned home to find that her bag had been broken into and all of her belongings had been stolen.
There was no mistaking who it was her mom. She contacted Tennent to have him give Mary’s belongings back. Later, he did indeed abandon them in front of Mary’s mom’s house.
Mary felt relieved that she wouldn’t have to worry about Tennent for the next few years. After almost ten years, in 2001, she ran into him in her backyard. Over the course of many occurrences in April of 2003, Mary finally noticed that her underwear had vanished from the laundry.
While she suspected Tennent, she opted to buy a security system instead of filing a formal complaint. Mary’s situation deteriorated when she discovered Tennent in her backyard a few months later, this time carrying a pillowcase full of her belongings.
Mary worried about what Tennent would do if she reported him for misconduct. But her loved ones insisted that she report his behavior to the authorities, so she did. The police then arrested Tennent on burglary charges. Mary signed up for a notification service that would let her know as soon as Tennent was released from jail.
As part of his plea agreement, he was sent to an outpatient mental health facility on November 10, 2003, for treatment. There, he was screened and found to have gender dysphoria, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
When he was asked where he resided, Tennent gave the address to Mary’s house and then departed the institution. Mary was never notified because the system was automated and failed to contact her. Just a few days later, she was slain.
The police returned to the location of the incident and waited outside Mary’s residence for Tennent. When the police finally located him, he had Mary’s keys in his possession.
He had on Mary’s underpants as well. Her automobile, which Tennent had presumably taken, was later discovered in the area.
Inside he had a chance to try writing Mary’s signature on blank sheets of paper.
Mary’s door eventually got a parcel that Tennent had ordered with her credit card. Among the contents were a wig, foam breasts, makeup, and drag videos. Tennent’s desire to have sex reassignment surgery was confirmed by a letter found by the authorities.
A DNA match ultimately provided irrefutable evidence linking Tennent to the homicide. After killing Mary, detectives thought Tennent prepared himself for breakfast at the residence.
Where is Edmonds Tennent Brown IV Now?
Later, Tennent admitted to killing Mary and was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of release. In addition to burglary, Tennent was found guilty of possessing a stolen car. Tennent, then 44 years old, expressed a desire to transition to the female gender in 2016.
She identified herself as Katheryn Brown but remarked, “I really believe my outward appearance does not reflect or equate with my inner nature.” However, if I were to transition to a female identity, I believe I would finally feel at home in my own skin and be able to fully contribute to society.
Katheryn requested that the surgery costs be covered by the South Carolina Department of Corrections. She also insisted she was innocent of any involvement in Mary’s death. Katheryn explained that she had begun taking hormone replacement treatment years before her arrest.
When Katheryn was released from jail, she claimed, she was invited to stay at the home of a woman named Mary, whom she considered a friend. Yet, she is still behind bars at the Allendale Correctional Institution in Fairfax, South Carolina.
