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

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Published  April 29, 2025 12:07am EDT
Florida
FOX 35 Orlando

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. 

FloridaCrime and Public Safety