ATLANTA — The man who murdered Ellen Bowles in 2022 apologized in court Monday to her family and friends as he pleaded guilty to the crime.
Antonio Brown, 26, accepted responsibility for the murder of Bowles, a mother and grandmother, in her Buckhead townhome. Prosecutors revealed that Brown stabbed Bowles to death and stole her Lexus SUV before being arrested and charged.
“I’m not able to talk about it and tell you what happened, but I just want to apologize,” Brown said in court.
The trial was set to begin on Monday, but Brown’s guilty plea came just minutes before jury selection.
The judge sentenced him to two consecutive life sentences with the possibility of parole.
Before the sentencing, Bowles’ sons, Michael Bowles and David McBride, spoke about the lasting impact of their mother’s murder.
“She was in her favorite pajamas. That image will be with me forever. I’ve never seen so much blood in my entire life,” said Michael Bowles.
“The manner in which my mother was taken is something that is just indescribable. It’s something I wake up with every day,” McBride said.
Brown was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences with the possibility of parole. He won’t be eligible until he’s 86 years old.
For the friends and family of Ellen Bowles, Brown’s plea brings a measure of peace, but they say nothing will ever erase the pain of losing their loved one.
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