New Berlin homicide, woman accused in 77-year-old man's death
NEW BERLIN, Wis. - A woman is now charged with first-degree intentional homicide for the death of a 77-year-old New Berlin man.
Prosecutors accused 43-year-old Martha Brown of killing Richard Platt. Court records show she made her initial appearance on Wednesday, Feb. 28 – and is being held in the Waukesha County Jail on $1 million cash bond.
"The charges she faces carry a mandatory life sentence," said Prosecutors Abbey Nickolie.
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Ozaukee County tip
The investigation started on Monday, Feb. 12, in Ozaukee County. A criminal complaint states Brown was in custody there after she was found partially clothed and wearing a shower curtain in the town of Cedarburg.
Prosecutors said Brown told Ozaukee County investigators that Platt had sexually assaulted her and a 22-year-old man, who has autism, at his New Berlin home. She admitted that she physically assaulted Platt in response, but did not know the extent of the injuries she caused. It prompted authorities to conduct a welfare check at Platt's home.
"The facts in this case are just horrible," Court Commissioner Christopher Bailey said Wednesday.
Richard Platt
Scene search
When police arrived at the home on Glen Park Court, the complaint states there were no lights on and the overhead garage door was open. The front door was ajar, and nobody answered the multiple announcements from officers as to their arrival. An exterior sweep of the home found a pillow with blood on it outside.
Officers spoke to a neighbor, per the complaint. The neighbor said Platt was usually "in the living room sitting in his chair with the lights on" at night – and also found it unusual that the overhead garage door was open.
Police went inside the home and found the main bathroom "in disarray" with the shower curtain missing, according to the complaint. There was a shower curtain liner with what appeared to be blood on it. The victim was found dead in the basement with "obvious signs of injury to his face."
A broken ceramic angel was found near Platt's body, according to the complaint, and there were no signs his body had been moved. An autopsy determined Platt had blunt force injuries to his head, neck, chest and back – as well as broken ribs and internal hemorrhaging.
Death investigation in New Berlin
Brown in custody
The complaint states it was not immediately clear how Brown ended up in Ozaukee County. She was with the 22-year-old man, and neither of them had cellphones.
Brown was taken to a Grafton hospital in regard to the reported sexual assault, per the complaint. It was there that investigators learned, through interviews with other people, that Platt helped Brown care for the 22-year-old. Law enforcement records showed Platt and Brown previously lived together at the Glen Park Court home.
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In a Mirandized interview, the complaint states Brown said she knew Platt for about 14 years – and she lived with him for five to seven years. She said she found Platt sexually assaulting the 22-year-old on Feb. 12 – which made her upset. She said she ran downstairs where the 77-year-old "grabbed her inappropriately" and "attacked" her, so she hit him in self-defense.
Brown said she then left with the 22-year-old and drove to Cedarburg. She admitted to striking Platt eight times with a ceramic angel and also punching him several times, as well as trying to gouge his eyes.