Cold case heats up: Police may have suspect in murders of R&B singer, producer; "If this is true, it'll be a big relief"
MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee cold case is heating up. Who killed Yolanda "LaLa" Brown and JeTannue "Kool-Aide" Clayborn in October of 2007 has been a mystery ever since. But now, Milwaukee police may have a suspect.
A Milwaukee Police Department spokesman said this in a statement to FOX6 News Monday, July 11th:
MPD confirms a suspect it believes is connected to the 2007 homicide of Yolanda Brown is in custody out of state on unrelated charges.
Clayborn and Brown were on the verge of making it big. But the dreams of the record producer and artist ended in tragedy.
"The legacy of his life? The things he did in this community and how he touched people with this music," said Dinah Chambers, Clayborn's mother.
October 19th, 2015 marked the eighth anniversary of their deaths. They were found dead in a recording studio near 55th and Lisbon.
JeTannue Clayborn and Yolanda "LaLa" Brown
William Brown
FOX6 News on Tuesday, July 12th spoke with Brown's parents about the new hope that the killer may have been found.
"I never give up. You hear everything that's happening -- cold cases that come back to life. I never thought this was a cold case," William Brown said.
The murders of Brown and Clayborn have been unsolved for nearly nine years. Both were found shot to death in the recording studio in Milwaukee.
"Justice comes -- and we'll be satisfied," William Brown said.
Recording studio near 55th and Lisbon
Recording studio near 55th and Lisbon
JeTannue Clayborn and Yolanda "LaLa" Brown
Police say the suspect in this case is in custody in Arizona on other charges. That person is being looked at in connection with the Milwaukee murders.
Yolanda "LaLa" Brown
"I'm not a vindictive person -- but this is something that was taken from me, so you just have to have him pay the price," William Brown said.
LaLa Brown was just 21 years old, and getting recognition for her singing talents at the time of her death. She was about to head to New York to meet with agents. Clayborn was her producer and boyfriend.
Maria Brown
"If this is true, it will be a big relief. It's not just Yolanda. It was Kool-Aide who was hurt -- so his mother would be relieved also," Maria Brown said.
JeTannue Clayborn
Brown's parents said they've never given up hope a suspect would be brought to justice in this case.
They celebrate LaLa Brown's birthday every year -- and meet with detective regularly.
They say nearly nine years later, the pain remains a constant reminder of what they've lost. They are raising LaLa Brown's daughter, now 14 years old.
"It hurts. It hurts really bad and the person who did this was so vicious. She was just a little tiny thing -- unarmed. Both of them unarmed -- and you shot and killed them? And you didn't have no remorse and you didn't turn yourself in?" Brown's parents said.
Officials with the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office tell FOX6 News they are reviewing this case, and hope to have a decision on charges as soon as next week.