An 18-year-old from Jacksonville, Florida, was arrested after beating his 69-year-old grandmother to death.
A witness heard Dylan Broughman and his grandmother, Joyce Courson, loudly arguing after Courson confiscated her grandson’s beer while he was showering.
The witness reported hearing a few bangs and Courson screaming for help. Broughman left the house and the witness entered and found Courson lying on the floor critically injured. The elderly woman was still conscious and when authorities arrived said that her grandson punched her in the face and held her on the ground while kicking her.
“She was just covered in blood,” the witness told reporters. “There’s blood everywhere, all over the floor, and she was bleeding profusely from her head, and the house was trashed. Holes in the walls and whatnot.”
Broughman was initially charged with aggravated battery on Oct. 10, However, that was increased to murder after Courson died from her injuries eight days later.
Broughman’s mother, Tracey, says that her son is not responsible for Courson’s death, according CBS-affiliate Action News Jax.
“He didn’t actually kill her, her heart stopped,” she explained. “That’s what cause her death, we took her off life support.”
Tracey admits that her son is prone to violent streaks and struggles with anger management. “Even though he was drinking the day of the incident, he has some severe anger issues,” she said. “It rarely comes out but when it comes, it just comes.”
Broughman’s paternal grandmother, Evelyn Stepka, tells Action News Jax that the teenager takes after his mother, who has been arrested more than 20 times for counts of drug abuse and prostitution.
In an odd twist, Tracey herself was also arrested for violence against Courson earlier this year. Police reports show that she was charged with aggravated battery after beating her mother following an argument. The charges were later dropped by Courson herself.
“When you have a crackhead mother coming and going, being arrested every month — how do they expect this kid to grow up normal?” Stepka asks Action News Jax.
Being held without bond, Broughman’s first court appearance was Nov. 23 and he entered a plea of not guilty.
The prosecution said they wouldn’t be making any deals and revealed they were seeking a sentence of 20 years to life.
Upon hearing that, Broughman’s sister, Elise Newsome, was overcome by her emotions in the courtroom.
“He doesn’t deserve this,” Newsom said. “It’s just that things could’ve been prevented and I don’t even know what else to say. It’s just so hard. I just can’t fathom all of this.
“He does have anger problems that he should’ve been helped with when he was younger.”
“Twenty years to life? What? I don’t feel my son intentionally did this,” said Tracey Broughman. “I think he just got out of control.”