A Massachusetts man who gunned down his mother, father and sister in their Topsfield home when he was just 15 years old has been denied parole once again, nearly five decades after the killings. Alfred Brown, now 64, will have to wait until 2028 before he gets another chance at release, after the state parole board cited the severity of his crimes in rejecting him this week.
Brown was convicted of first-degree murder in Essex Superior Court in 1979 for killing his mother, father and sister, and he received three concurrent life sentences, according to MassLive. As Fall River Reporter reported, the Massachusetts Parole Board voted to deny his release following a review hearing, with two board members voting to grant parole while another favored a five-year setback before the board settled on a two-year wait. Brown has now been incarcerated for 48 years.
The killings happened on January 27, 1978. Brown shot his mother with a .22 caliber rifle. When his 20-year-old sister tried to escape, Brown shot her multiple times, killing her. He then shot his father six times, including three times in the head.
What Happened Inside the Topsfield Home
According to the Fall River Reporter's account of the case, Brown told police he shot his father because his father drove in while Brown was in the process of leaving the home. A Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court opinion, reproduced by Justia, recounts that Brown shot his mother with his .22 caliber rifle approximately ten minutes after finishing the book Glory Boys, according to the Fall River Reporter's reporting on the case.
The parole board's majority cited the nature and circumstances of the triple murder as its primary concern in denying release, the station's report notes. Board members said they want Brown to continue working toward a greater understanding of the trauma and risks associated with his past violence, and the board concluded that he has not yet demonstrated rehabilitation sufficient to make his release compatible with society's welfare.
Supporters and Opponents Made Their Case
The board considered a forensic evaluation along with testimony both supporting and opposing Brown's release. A clinician and attorneys testified in support of his parole, while an Essex County prosecutor testified in opposition. Brown has had no disciplinary reports for 26 years and has participated in restorative justice programs, factors that were weighed alongside the board's concerns.
This marks at least the third time Brown has been turned away, following earlier denials after hearings in 2018 and 2023. At the 2018 hearing, Brown's surviving sibling along with current and former prosecutors opposed his release, according to The Local News. Brown's sister Beth told that outlet at the time, “I don't feel that 40 years is sufficient punishment for what he did.”
Under state rules governing life-sentence parole hearings, a subsequent review is typically granted five years after a denial, or sooner at the board's discretion, according to Mass.gov. In Brown's case, the board opted for the shorter two-year setback rather than the standard five-year wait, meaning he will be back before the board in 2028.
