Larry Irvin, a 29-year-old man from Brownwood, Texas, tragically lost his life on May 20, 2017. The incident occurred at a house behind the Brownwood Coliseum, located on the 300 block of North Greenleaf Street. Larry Irvin was shot in the head by Preston Browne, who later confessed to witnesses.
Preston Browne, a 25-year-old resident of Brownwood, was arrested shortly after the incident.
He faced multiple charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, tampering with physical evidence, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a controlled substance. Browne waived his right to a jury trial and pleaded guilty to the murder charge.
During the sentencing on April 20, 2018, Judge Stephen Ellis pronounced Browne guilty of Larry Irvin's murder. The court also considered Browne's past family violence charges, which could have resulted in a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 99 years. However, Browne accepted a plea bargain and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Larry Irvin's mother, Teresa Closs, addressed Browne in court, expressing the pain and loss the family experienced. She mentioned that Larry had a two-year-old daughter who still looked for her father. Larry Irvin was remembered as a funny and happy person who loved to joke around and had big plans for his future.
The case brought significant attention to the community, and Larry Irvin's organs were donated to multiple recipients after his death, a final act of giving that his mother called a chance for her son to live on.
