Leroy Brahm: Pennsylvania man convicted of murder for brutally beating his girlfriend to death

SPRING CITY, PENNSYLVANIA: Jurors convicted a Pennsylvania man on Friday, February 9, for brutally beating and murdering his girlfriend by jumping on her and dropping a sofa on her body, according to The Daily Local News.

Leroy Brahm, 33, will receive a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder, but the judge at a later sentencing date will establish the formal punishments for charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person.

Why did Leroy Brahm kill his girlfriend?

Chester County prosecutors reportedly told jurors that jealousy fueled his violent beating of Annabel Rose Meenan, 21, to death on December 4, 2021.

Brahm reportedly arranged for some kind of three-way sexual relationship involving another man, and they even all went on a cruise together, but the defendant became angry and controlling, believing that Meenan, whom he dated since she was a high schooler, developed a relationship with the man outside of his presence.

What did the District Attorney say?

“The Defendant unfathomably, brutally, and systematically beat his girlfriend to death during the course of a night,” District Attorney Christopher L de Barrena-Sarobe said in a statement Friday. “The jury rightfully recognized that the Defendant was guilty of all charges.”

When were the authorities informed about the crime?

On December 4, 2021, East Vincent Township Police responded to the 800 block of Buttonwood Ave in Spring City. Upon arrival, they found Meenan unresponsive on the floor of the living room with wounds and extensive injuries. She was pronounced dead at Phoenixville Hospital.

“Doctors told investigators that the victim had extensive trauma to her head and face and had lacerations and bruising on the rest of her body, including her arms, legs, torso, and pelvic area,” they wrote.

“Investigators discovered bloodstains on the kitchen walls, the oven’s glass door shattered, a hole in the wall, and the victim’s damaged cell phone on the floor. The defendant’s hand, finger, and elbow had bruising and swelling. Later that day, a search warrant was executed at the residence, where numerous home security videos were retrieved.”

Though Brahm reportedly tried to explain the bruising as the results of rough sex, an in-home security footage recorded the beating that day as well as other abusive incidents from up to a month before the murder. Brahm was seen on a footage punching a bedroom door and furniture while yelling at Meenan on November 6, 2021.

At first, Meenan was seen walking down the hall and into the bedroom with no visible injuries or limps, but within an hour, she was limping, having trouble walking, and was rubbing her lower leg, which turned out to have a fibular fracture for which she sought medical help on November 15.

“In surveillance videos after that date and leading up to her death, the victim can be seen wearing a medical walking boot,” authorities wrote.

The final days leading up to Meenan's death

Brahm strangled Meenan to the point of unconsciousness and slapped her on November 13, 2021. Then, 10 days later, he punched her 21 times in the head and body, and he strangled her. When he killed her on December 4, he punched her in the head and body at least 85 times, and he kicked and stomped her at least 80 times.

After dropping the sofa on her, he sat on it, and went to sleep, Deputy District Attorney Kate Wright reportedly said.

“Annabel Rose was hilarious, fun to be around, and always stood up for what she believed in,” Meenan’s obituary said of her. 

“When Annabel was in the room, she always made sure everyone felt comfortable and had their voice heard. She loved going to concerts, thrift shopping, Ocean City, NJ, being creative, and spending time with her pets. Her laugh was infectious and she was incredibly kind and loyal. She was proud, determined, always tried new things and never shied away from a challenge. Annabel worked at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute where she was endlessly caring to the patients she encountered and was loved by her coworkers.”

The obituary urged people to contribute to domestic violence help organization A Woman’s Place or “to a charity of your choice in Annabel Rose’s honor.” “If you feel unsafe around someone you love, please reach out to your local Domestic Violence hotline or talk to someone you love,” the obituary added. “Love shouldn’t hurt.”