Nikole Flagg

Case record

People

Nikole Flagg (defendant)

Myrvinia Lowe (victim; 61-year-old; employee at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center)

Maurice Allen (Lowe’s son)

Shamez Brown (Jeffrey Brown’s family member)

Jeffrey Brown (deceased; 42)

The offence

Nikole Flagg was convicted of killing her 61-year-old mother, Myrvinia Lowe, in Flagg’s Pleasant Ridge home and trying to cover up the crime scene with bleach.

Prosecutors said Flagg stabbed her mother multiple times and stole her car keys, cash, cellphone and credit cards.

Lowe was found dead after her son told police he could not get in touch with her.

Investigation

Police said the killing occurred during a robbery attempt and that Flagg fled the scene immediately after the killing took place.

When officers performed a welfare check at Lowe’s home on the 5700 block of Montgomery Road, they found Lowe’s body inside.

Police entered through a window after noticing music and lights on in the apartment and no one answered the door.

Police reported an answering message on Lowe’s cell phone that was a recording of teenagers rapping, and investigators treated the change in the outgoing message as a basis for concern. Maurice Allen told police he had called Lowe’s home phone and there was no answer, and when he called her cell phone the message was different from her normal voicemail greeting.

Sgt. Mike Miller said that “Suspicion arose after the outgoing message changed.”

Investigators said they were waiting on video records from cell phones to continue the investigation, and Miller said, “The investigation is well in hand.”

Police reported that Lowe had suffered from a “major injury” and a minor cut, according to a police report.

Arrest

Police arrested Nikole Flagg on April 23, 2015.

Flagg was scheduled to be arraigned in Hamilton County Friday at 9 a.m.

A Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge William Mallory Jr. set Flagg’s bond at $1 million.

Officers said Flagg fled the scene immediately after the killing took place.

Trial

Nikole Flagg was found guilty in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court of charges including aggravated murder and abuse of a corpse.

During Flagg’s sentencing hearing on January 9, 2017, she said she was innocent of the charges.

As deputies led her out of the courtroom, Flagg said: “I didn't murder my mother.”

She then gave a phone number people could call with information.

Sentencing

On January 9, 2017, Nikole Flagg was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Appeals

No appeals were described in the provided material.

Outcome

Nikole Flagg received life in prison without the possibility of parole on January 9, 2017.

Background

Nikole Flagg pleaded guilty in 2003 to involuntary manslaughter and robbery charges in the shooting death of a man in his Corryville apartment.

In 2003, she was among three people charged in that case.

She was sentenced to eight years in prison for the 2003 case after striking a plea deal that included aggravated robbery and involuntary manslaughter.

Twelve years before her 2015 conviction for killing her mother, Shamez Brown said Flagg helped her husband and another man rob and kill Jeffrey Brown, 42.

Shamez Brown said Flagg let the men into Jeffrey Brown’s Corryville apartment and that they shot and killed Jeffrey Brown.

Shamez Brown said: “She should never ever be allowed on the streets ever again in life,” and “We are clearly broken without him here. He was a piece of the puzzle that kept our family together, so I think justice needs to be served the proper way this time.”

Shamez Brown also said: “A nutcase like this should never be allowed out. Ten years for my uncle was clearly not enough. You get more than that for robbing a bank,” and “Ten years for my uncle was clearly not enough. You get more than that for robbing a bank,” according to the provided material.

Hamilton County prosecutors stated that Flagg struck a plea deal in Jeffrey Brown’s murder in 2003.

Maurice Allen said his mother had been a great mom and a hardworking woman and that she worked at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for many years.

A quotation attributed to Lowe in a letter obtained by The Enquirer stated: “I will find a group so I can give back. I have hurt a lot of people so I have a lot of making up to do.”

The provided material also described that Flagg had bipolar disorder, according to her most recent arrest slip, and that it was not discussed in court.

Other details

Nikole Flagg’s last name was stated as Flagg after her 2015 arrest.

The provided material said Flagg lived with her mom in Pleasant Ridge as recently as September, according to court documents, and that her address was listed in Spring Grove Village when she was arrested.

Maurice Allen, who lived in Columbus, said in relation to his mother’s cell phone: “When I call her phone (her voice mail is) a recording of teenagers rapping.”

Maurice Allen also said: “There are no teenagers in her household. I'm very concerned.”

Maurice Allen said: “Devastated, angry, hurt, I mean she took the best person in the world,” and “I don't understand. I can't wrap my mind around it right now.”

Sgt. Miller said: “Mom and son talk frequently, and all of a sudden she went off grid.”