Andy Brown found guilty

Andy Brown has been found guilty of second-degree murder and felony firearm. After deliberating for three days, the 12-member jury returned its verdict this morning at 11:20. Brown, a 37-year-old Portage resident, has been in jail since the murder of Sturgis-area CPA David Locey. Locey was found shot three times in his Sherman Township office the morning of Oct. 2. Prosecuting attorney John McDonough has maintained that Brown was in a desperate state after clients for which he served as their accountant claimed their payments were embezzled by Brown. Defense attorney Michael Hills said Brown had no motive to murder Locey. He also disputed McDonough’s evidence of cell phone records and cell tower transmissions to pinpoint Brown in the immediate vicinity of Locey’s office at the time of the murder. Judge Paul Stutesman set sentencing for August 29th.