Brittany Norwood

Case record: Brittany Norwood

Background

Brittany Norwood was a co-worker of Jayna Murray at a Lululemon Athletica store in Bethesda. The case involved an after-hours confrontation apparently sparked by Norwood’s attempt to steal a pair of yoga pants, and it developed into an attack in the store.

Norwood was described as a “dearly troubled” woman by Circuit Court Judge Robert Greenberg.

Norwood’s defence sought a verdict of second-degree murder, arguing the killing occurred in the heat of passion and without premeditation.

At the trial, there was no dispute about whether Norwood killed Murray.

The offence

Jayna Murray, 30, was killed in a Lululemon yoga clothing shop in Bethesda.

Prosecutors said Norwood attacked Murray with multiple weapons inside the store during a confrontation that occurred after the shop closed for the day. Multiple items were used as weapons, including a hammer, wrench, knife, and a peg used to hold up a mannequin. Prosecutors also described a prolonged and brutal attack using at least five weapons and inflicting more than 330 separate wounds. Another account described more than 330 wounds and included that Murray suffered more than 322 cuts and blows to her head and body, with a fractured skull and severed spinal cord by a wound extending through her neck.

Prosecutors said the attack involved blunt force trauma and stab wounds, and that the jury heard evidence that Murray attempted to escape and suffered extensive defensive wounds. One account stated that Murray survived through most of the beating.

Norwood’s account to police involved two masked intruders who sexually assaulted Norwood and Murray, bound Norwood, and beat and stabbed Murray to death. Police said the evidence did not support sexual assault allegations and concluded Norwood inflicted her own injuries and tied herself up. Police said there was no evidence of sexual assault.

After the killing, Norwood attempted to conceal the crime and create a false narrative about attackers. Investigators said she tracked size-14 sneakers through Murray’s blood to make it appear that a large man had been there. Investigators also said she bound her own hands and ankles in a restroom and initially told police an elaborate tale about masked intruders. The cover-up unraveled as forensic and physical evidence emerged.

When Murray was found, she was dead in a back area of the store, lying in a pool of blood. Norwood was found nearby, tied up, with superficial wounds on her hands and face, and her pants were slit at the crotch in one account. In another account, Norwood’s hands were tied above her head and her feet were bound when she was found by a store employee opening up the next morning.

Investigation

Police officials initially had Norwood’s story to rely on and investigated for masked intruders. Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said forensic evidence and physical evidence did not support what Norwood told police. Police later identified Norwood as the sole suspect.

Evidence and investigative details described in the case included:

• Only two sets of footprints were found inside the store, one belonging to Norwood and the other belonging to a size 14 shoe recovered at the scene.
• Police and investigators said Norwood’s wounds were superficial and had characteristics of self-inflicted injuries, and that there was no evidence of sexual assault.
• Murray’s car was found and later examined. Police said blood was found in various areas of the car.
• Police said Norwood’s story contained inconsistencies and did not match physical evidence.
• Employees at a neighboring Apple store said they heard two women arguing during the night of the killing.
• Prosecutors said there was no dispute at trial over whether Norwood killed Murray, and that the jury convicted her of first-degree murder.

A police affidavit and subsequent police statements described doubts from the beginning about Norwood’s attack story, including questions about how Norwood’s wounds compared with Murray’s wounds and why Norwood did not leave the store before another employee opened it the next morning.

Police said that Norwood’s account was that masked men had ordered her to re-park Murray’s car and return in 10 minutes or be killed. Investigators said analysis suggested Norwood had moved the car to allow time to doctor the crime scene.

Police said surveillance cameras from nearby businesses were examined, but investigators indicated there was nothing helpful in the footage.

Arrest

Norwood was arrested six days after Murray’s body was found. Another account stated police arrested Norwood after investigators uncovered inconsistencies in her story.

Norwood was charged late Friday after police concluded she was the attacker rather than a victim.

Trial

Charges and defences

Norwood was charged with first-degree murder in the March 11 death of Jayna T. Murray.

At trial, defence attorneys sought a verdict of second-degree murder, arguing the crime was committed in the heat of passion and without premeditation. Defence counsel Douglas Wood acknowledged in opening statements that Norwood attacked Murray but said it was not premeditated.

Prosecutor John McCarthy contended the killing was intentional and deliberate.

Jury verdict

A jury rejected the defence argument and convicted Norwood of first-degree murder.

Witnesses and trial testimony

Prosecutor John McCarthy described evidence including a blood trail and materials found at the scene, including a bloody rope found around the slain woman’s neck and a merchandise display rod used to bash her skull. McCarthy said defensive wounds numbered 107 and described the attack as prolonged.

Montgomery County Police Officer Christin Knuth testified that when she touched Norwood’s arm, Norwood flinched.

Store manager Rachel Oertli explained the layout of the store and testified about where items used as weapons could generally be found within the store.

A passer-by who entered the store the morning of March 12 and found Murray’s body also testified.

In opening statements, McCarthy recounted Norwood’s initial story and contrasted claims that masked intruders sexually assaulted both women with investigators’ findings. McCarthy described that Norwood created footprints using men’s shoes from the store and moved Murray’s car to give herself time to doctor the crime scene.

Douglas Wood said:

“Jayna was killed by Brittany, but not with premeditation,” Mr. Wood said. “During that fight, Brittany Norwood lost it — there is no doubt about that. She lost control.”

Later in opening statements, Wood said:

“They show someone who got involved in a nightmarish situation and had this imagination and explanation of what happened,” Mr. Wood said. “This is not first-degree, premeditated, willful murder.”

McCarthy said to the jury:

“Ask yourself, what do the succession of lies tell you about the cunning and guile of this woman?”

McCarthy also said:

“Think about how long this took. Jayna is alive through almost all of this,” Mr. McCarthy said, describing how eight separate items found in the upscale yoga-inspired apparel store were used as weapons. “The last wounds are from the knives. This was not slow. This was not painless. This woman struggled to survive.”

Other trial details

Murray’s family wore buttons with a picture of her, and they were ordered to remove the buttons by Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Robert A. Greenberg.

A jury of six men and six women heard testimony.

Norwood sat passively through proceedings and kept her gaze straight ahead or down at the table.

An image of Murray’s gash-covered head was flashed before the court on a projector, eliciting audible gasps from people in the courtroom.

Sentencing

Norwood was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Robert Greenberg to life in prison without the chance of parole on January 26, 2012.

The courtroom was packed with more than 200 people, including relatives of Norwood and Murray, and a burst of applause followed the sentencing. The judge silenced the crowd.

Judge Greenberg described Norwood and the murder in terms including “Cold-blooded . . . brutal . . . calculated . . . deliberate . . . devious . . . malicious.”

Judge Greenberg said:

“Please!” and later: “You’re one hell of a liar, ma’am,” Greenberg said Friday, in a tone of contempt.

Norwood spoke publicly for the first time since the killing and said:

“Before I go to prison,” she said, “I needed you to hear how deeply sorry I am."

Norwood asked for mercy and told the judge:

“I don’t even ask this for myself,” Norwood said as she dabbed tears with a tissue. “I truly ask this for my family, especially my mom and dad.”

Judge Greenberg said:

“I have no doubt, Ms. Norwood, that you are a deeply troubled woman,” Greenburg told her. and: “my sympathy for your plight, ma’am, does not begin — does not begin — to approach what I feel for the Murray family.”

Greenberg told Norwood:

“You will live. You will see another sunrise, another sunset. It may be through a prison window. There’ll be Christmases, there’ll be telephone calls, there’ll be visits. The only visits Jayna Murray will have are those to her grave."

State’s Attorney John McCarthy summoned eight of Murray’s relatives and friends to address the judge during sentencing. Each addressed the judge regarding their grief and request for Norwood to receive life without parole.

David Murray told Judge Greenberg:

“Of the many stages of grief, I have not moved away from rage,” her father, David Murray, told Greenberg. and said: “Once bloodied, the second time is easier and probably more likely,” he said of killing.

Phyllis Murray said her daughter’s death was:

“a pain that ripped through our bodies. The grief is like a lightning strike. It is so powerful. It is so intense.” and she said: “This individual must be removed from society forever.”

Hugh Murray, one of Murray’s older brothers and an Army captain in dress uniform, told the court:

“Your honor, I’m Hugh Murray, and I am a victim of murder — my sister Jayna’s murder.” He also said: “Nothing will ever return to normal,” he said. “Nothing will ever be the same.”

Kate Murray, Hugh Murray’s wife, told Greenberg:

“When we do sleep, we as often as not have nightmares about Jayna’s murder.” She said: “There is no hope. There is no joy. There is no true laughter.”

Dirk Murray told the judge:

“I’ve explored all to see what kind of hell awaits Ms. Norwood.”

April Murray spoke through Dirk Murray’s wife.

Jayna Murray’s longtime boyfriend, Fraser Bocell, said:

“No longer can I look forward to our children, praying they have Jayna’s smile and her indomitable spirit.”

Marisa Connaughton, one of Murray’s closest friends, told the judge:

“A dark cloud has been cast over my heart."

Norwood showed emotion only after the Murray family was done speaking. Sandre Norwood stood at the lectern and asked for parole eligibility, saying:

“There’s another side to Brittany that was not brought out at the trial,” he said. and: “Please, your honor: At least give her some hope,” he said, asking for parole eligibility. “If you leave her with hope, you in turn leave our family with hope."

Judge Greenberg said he could recall only two cases that approached the brutality of this case and said the savagery of the killing was “nothing short of astounding to me.”

Outcome

Brittany Norwood received a sentence of life in prison without parole for the first-degree murder of Jayna Murray.

The sentencing brought closure to the murder case in Montgomery County described as a “bizarre and high-profile” case.

Aftermath

The case affected the Bethesda community, with fear spreading through the D.C. suburb because residents believed a killer was on the loose based on Norwood’s initial account. People offered prayers and gifts in front of the still-closed store.

A reward exceeding $150,000 was offered for information about the slaying, and stores moved to install security cameras. Private security guards escorted workers to their cars, and residents asked clothing stores about ski masks.

After the conviction and sentencing, the Murray family launched a foundation to remember Jayna Murray. David Murray and Phyllis Murray were involved in creating the Jayna Troxel Murray Foundation.

David Murray said:

“One of the most fearless people I've ever known in my life and that's as objective as a father can get. I really admired her for everything she did and everything she represented,” and Phyllis Murray said: “People have always commented that it was her smile and it was her hugs. Whether she knew you for two seconds or years, those were her greetings. She wanted people tot feel comfortable and happy,” Phyllis Murray said.