In a harrowing Missouri case, a 33-year-old man named S. Brewer was sentenced to two life terms for the brutal murder of his pregnant 27-year-old girlfriend, B. Toalson, and her unborn child.
This tragic incident occurred in front of Toalson’s three- and four-year-old children, highlighting a horrifying episode of domestic violence. Brewer, who pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder, will serve his time in a state prison.
The incident occurred on August 1, 2023, when sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence for a reported assault with a weapon. When they arrived, they found Toalson with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.
She was pronounced dead at the scene and later discovered to be approximately four months pregnant. Family members identified the victim as Toalson.
Witnesses and doorbell camera footage quickly identified Brewer as the shooter, capturing him exiting Toalson’s home with a firearm shortly after the incident.
A probable cause affidavit revealed chilling details about the confrontation that resulted in Toalson’s death. In a post-Miranda interview, Brewer admitted to taking a handgun from a shelf during an argument with Toalson.
Brewer claimed that as Toalson argued with him, he fired the gun, striking her in the head and watching her collapse and bleed against a wall.
Adding to the tragedy, investigators discovered that the victim’s two small children were present in the house during the shooting and accompanied Brewer upon his arrest. Brewer also guided investigators to the murder weapon, which he had hidden beneath a rock in a nearby creek bed.
Initially charged with capital murder, Brewer reached a plea deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to two counts of second-degree murder. This plea resulted in the dismissal of two counts of armed criminal activity and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Judge H. Jacobs sentenced Brewer to two life sentences concurrently. According to Missouri law, Brewer must serve at least 85% of his 30-year life sentence before being eligible for parole.
The sentencing did not provide closure for all family members. Toalson’s mother was disappointed with the plea agreement, telling local media that she had hoped for the death penalty or a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
She criticized Brewer’s demeanor at the sentencing, pointing out his lack of apology and visible remorse. Toalson’s cousin echoed these sentiments, highlighting Brewer’s apparent indifference and lack of regret for the killing.
The family also emphasized Brewer’s history of domestic violence, which included charges filed against him in 2019 and 2021, highlighting a vicious pattern of behavior that culminated in this tragic act.
The case has left a community in mourning, as well as a family dealing with the death of a loved one under the most horrific circumstances.
Local authorities and the judicial system have pledged to continue treating domestic violence with the seriousness it deserves, hoping to prevent future tragedies of this nature.
