A stripper said he was a ‘cannibal,’ then killed him with a pen and a dresser drawer, police say
By Gwen Filosa
Miami Herald
A Key West, Florida, man died Tuesday, one day after he was attacked at his home, stabbed in both eyes and left with a piece of wood jammed down his throat, police said.
Mark Brann, 67, suffered severe head injuries during what police called “a brutal domestic-related attack,” and was airlifted to a trauma center in Miami.
Justin Tyler Calhoun, 24, listed in jail records as a female and homeless who works as a stripper in Tampa, Florida, was arrested for attempted second-degree murder after admitting to the attack, police spokeswoman Alyson Crean said.
In the arrest affidavit, detectives refer to Calhoun with male pronouns.
During her first appearance Tuesday in court, Calhoun rolled her eyes as the charges against her were being read aloud. She is being held without bond.
Police and paramedics were called to Brann’s home at 3:25 a.m. Monday following “a violent domestic disturbance,” Crean said.
They found Brann, who had been stabbed in the face and severely beaten on the head. Calhoun had fled the scene, police said, but was located nearby.
Calhoun said she and Brann had a sexual relationship and she often stayed with him at his home.
Early Monday, Calhoun said they got into an argument after Calhoun accused Brann of being a “cannibal,” which angered Brann, according to reports.
Calhoun told police Brann grabbed a gun that was on the bed on which the two were lying. Calhoun grabbed Brann’s wrist and the gun went off during a struggle, according to the account Calhoun gave the detective. No one was shot, police said. Calhoun then racked the pistol planning to shoot Brann with it, but the firearm jammed.
Calhoun retaliated by stabbing Brann in both eyes with a pen, according to reports.
“Calhoun then inserted a piece of broken wood into Brann’s mouth, stood up, and then stomped on the piece of wood to lodge it further down into Brann’s throat,” according to the arrest affidavit, which quotes Calhoun as saying she wanted to silence Brann.
The wood piece came from a dresser that was broken during the fight.
But Calhoun didn’t stop there, police said. She grabbed a dresser drawer and beat Brann about the head and throat with it, detectives said.
“Calhoun admitted he went beyond self-defense,” wrote Detective Jeffrey Dean.
Calhoun said she grabbed her backpack, some money and a dress to wear and jumped out of the bedroom window while naked, police reported. She avoided police for a time by jumping fences and climbing on roof tops.
Monday evening, a crime scene unit and three marked police cars remained at Brann’s home, where yellow crimes scene tape was tied around the corner property.
Calhoun later Monday was arrested for possession of cocaine, theft of $10,000 to $50,000 from a person 65 years or older and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, which houses jail inmates, is keeping Calhoun in the male wing of the Detention Center on Stock Island, but in a private cell because Calhoun self-identified as a female when booked, said
Deputy Becky Herrin, the Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman.
Calhoun is only taken out of the cell when other inmates are back in theirs, Herrin said. She said the Sheriff’s Office is following accepted national policy for housing transgender jail inmates.
Recent brush with cops
On Aug. 4, Calhoun agreed to enter a drug diversion program at the Monroe County Courthouse before Judge Mark Jones, after an April 21 clash with Key West police officers in which she was charged with resisting arrest with violence and possession of marijuana.
Calhoun had been found passed out in front of the community college on Stock Island and by the time police got there she had walked over to the hospital. Police found her outside the nearby rehabilitation center, where she cursed at officers.
“Several ‘n’ bombs were said along with others,” wrote Officer Gustavo Medina.
Calhoun later tried to spit on Officer Anna Anglin and kick Medina, according to the arrest report.
Police found 1.8 grams of marijuana in Calhoun’s gold purse. Calhoun is listed as a male in the police report but in it Calhoun is referred to as “he/she” and “his/her.”
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/loca...167582617.html
Bookmarks