Limerick Man Pleads Not Guilty In Murder of Jennifer Brown

NORRISTOWN, PA —A 33-year-old Limerick man pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Montgomery County Court to first-degree murder and related charges in the Jan.3 killing of his former business partner, Jennifer Brown, a mother of two.

Blair Watts was arraigned before Montgomery County Judge William R. Carpenter on first and third-degree murder, theft, and related charges.

Watts was represented by Public Defenders Benjamin Cooper and James Lyons. He was previously represented by Chris Mandracchia, of Conshohocken, who said his client is innocent, noting there is no direct evidence linking his client to the death.

The public defender's office represents suspects who are indigent.

Brown, 43, of Stafford Court was found buried in a shallow grave in the 200 block of North Fifth Avenue behind a warehouse in Royersford by a passerby. She was missing for two weeks.

An autopsy showed Brown had three broken ribs and her death has been ruled a homicide. Brown was arrested on Feb. 9.

Police said Watts killed Brown in her kitchen. They said a piece of her hair clip was found on the floor of her home in the shallow grave where the victim’s body was found in Royersford.

Police said the two were planning to open a restaurant, “Birdies Kitchen,” in Spring City, Chester County.

Police also said that records show that $17,000 was transferred from Brown’s account to Watts’ account and phone records put Watts at the scene of the slaying.