Alex Brown, 29, of Louisa, Virginia, was fatally shot on May 9, 2023, hours after a court granted him custody of his two sons. After leaving the courthouse in high spirits, Brown and his family went to his mother and stepfather’s home. The celebration ended when gunfire struck the vehicle Brown had been riding in; witnesses say he was then chased down and killed. His mother said he drew fire away from the car, protecting her in his final moments.

The suspect was identified as 36-year-old David Branham, described as the boyfriend of Brown’s ex-wife and reported by the sheriff’s office to have been involved in the custody dispute. Branham was arrested, charged with murder and attempted malicious wounding, and held without bond as the case proceeded. What details about the shooting or its motive have not yet been made public?