Just moments before his trial was to commence, a Georgia man has admitted to the brutal murder of a woman in her garage, a crime committed nearly three years ago. Antonio Brown, aged 26, confessed on Monday, the very day his murder trial was slated to begin. The charges stem from the tragic death of Eleanor “Ellen” Bowles, a 77-year-old woman who was fatally stabbed after confronting Brown in her garage as he attempted to steal her SUV on December 10, 2022.

Authorities reported that the elderly Bowles stumbled upon Brown inside her Buckhead, Georgia, home around 11:30 a.m. Brown then proceeded to stab her multiple times before escaping in her Lexus SUV. The grim discovery of Bowles’ lifeless body was made by her adult son, who had come to visit her in her gated community for the holiday season.

In preparation for the trial, prosecutors were armed with substantial evidence against Brown. Local Fox affiliate WAGA highlighted that the prosecution was ready to present incriminating items such as footage of Brown driving away in Bowles’ stolen vehicle and DNA evidence linked to the murder weapon. Furthermore, Brown was already a person of interest to police, as he was suspected of robbing a liquor store prior to the violent encounter with Bowles.

Details of the harrowing crime were further elucidated by prosecutors, who stated that Brown inflicted over 12 stab wounds on Bowles, leaving her to succumb to her injuries on the garage floor. Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Sperry shared that the medical examiner would have testified to Bowles’ courageous struggle against her attacker, a fight to preserve the Christmas she had been preparing for.

The courtroom bore witness to emotionally charged testimonies from Bowles’ family, as reported by local ABC affiliate WSB. Michael Bowles, the son who found his mother, recounted, “She was in her favorite pajamas. That image will be with me forever. I’ve never seen so much blood in my entire life.” He expressed the profound impact of that moment, saying, “That moment completely turned my life upside down.”

Local ABC affiliate WSB was also in the courtroom for heartbreaking statements made by Bowles’ family. Michael Bowles, the son who found her body, told the court, “She was in her favorite pajamas. That image will be with me forever. I’ve never seen so much blood in my entire life.” He added, “That moment completely turned my life upside down.”

After entering his plea, Brown apologized to the victim’s family. He said, “I don’t think anyone should have to go through what happened to her.”

Brown had been indicted on 12 charges including felony murder, armed robbery, and burglary. A judge handed Brown two life sentences with the possibility of parole in 60 years.