Written by Amanda Coers – The 35th District Courtroom was packed as the sentencing pronouncement for Preston Browne commenced at 9 a.m. on Friday, April 20th. Browne has been charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Tampering with Physical Evidence, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, and Possession of a Controlled Substance after a shooting incident on Saturday, May 20, 2017 left 29-year-old Larry Irvin dead.

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Browne waived his right to a jury trial during a proceeding held at 11 a.m. on April 13th. Court recessed after the plea offer was heard to allow time for the State to arrange to have the victim’s family present during the sentencing pronouncement.

“Mr. Browne I do find you guilty of the murder of Larry Irvin,” Judge Ellis pronounced on April 20th. An additional enhancement of past family violence charges were also considered, and Browne could have faced a minimum of 15 and maximum of 99 years. With the acceptance of the plea bargain, Browne was sentenced to 35 years.

Teresa Closs, Larry Irvin’s mother, addressed Browne in the courtroom as faint sobs echoed through the room.

“Family and friends have forgiven you for the most part, but we will never forget what you did to Larry,” she said, glancing up from her handwritten notes to look at her son’s killer. “He was funny and happy, Larry loved to joke around, he was the class clown. To know him was to love him. He had big plans to marry and raise children. You took this from him Preston Browne. We just want to know why you murdered Larry?” 

Closs also explained Irvin has a two year old daughter, saying “She still looks for her daddy. You took her daddy away.” 

Larry Irvin was a registered organ donor. After his death, his organs have gone to multiple recipients, a final act of giving his mother called a chance for her son to live on.

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