Limerick Man Convicted Of First-Degree Murder

LIMERICK, PA —Blair Watts was convicted Wednesday in Montgomery County Court of first-degree murder in the Jan. 3 slaying of Jennifer Brown, a Limerick mother of two.

Judge William R. Carpenter immediately sentenced Watts to mandatory life in prison.

The jury began deliberations Tuesday afternoon and reached a verdict just after 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Watts was convicted of killing Brown, 43, who was reported missing on Jan. 3. Her body was discovered two weeks later by a passerby on Jan. 18 near a shallow grave at an industrial site in Royersford.

Watts did not take the stand in his trial, which began on Dec. 6.

Brown suffered three broken ribs and died as a result of compression and asphyxia according to Dr. Ian Hood, a Montgomery County forensic pathologist.

Prosecutors presented evidence of a plastic hair clip that was embedded in a carpet where human remains were found and in Brown’s home.

First Assistant District Attorney Ed McCann said there is overwhelming evidence proving Watts killed Jennifer Brown.

The prosecution presented evidence that Watts had Brown’s phone when $17,000 was transferred from her account to Watts.

Police said Watts and Brown planned to open a restaurant, “Birdies Kitchen,” in Spring City.

Watt’s lawyer, Michael Coard said the prosecution’s case was based solely on circumstantial evidence. The defense attorney said that no one could say that Watts killed Brown.

The last time Watts said he saw Brown was at 2 p.m. on Jan. 3 when the two shared stresses in their lives.