Police: Man Found Dead At Confederate Monument Was Murdered

August 10, 2015

A man found dead on a park bench in Pensacola was murdered, according to the Pensacola Police Department.

The body of 50-year old Larson Ogwin Brake, Jr. was found by a passerby about 9:30 Sunday morning at the foot of the Confederate monument in Lee Square, in the 600 block of North Palafox Street near the First Baptist Church of Pensacola.

PPD Detectives have determined that the homeless man’s death was not racially motivated, according to Capt. Paul Kelly.

Kelly said said detectives are pursuing leads in the case. An autopsy will be done to determine cause of death.

Anyone having information on the incident is asked to contact the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1900 or Crime Stoppers at  (850) 433-STOP.

Comments

20 Responses to “Police: Man Found Dead At Confederate Monument Was Murdered”

  1. Brandon on August 14th, 2015 10:12 am

    No note was found saying it was a racially motive crime. Hopefully the person or persons responsible will be caught. Sad

  2. Just saying on August 13th, 2015 7:00 pm

    The fact that this poor man was white still does not have any bearing on whether his death was racially motivated. Racial crimes are committed because someone does not like the race of that person, and either the perpetrator or the victim can be white, black, Asian, Indian or whatever. If I’m black and I kill you because you are white, your murder was still racially motivated. If a white kills an Asian because they are Asian, it is still racially motivated.

    Racial hate crimes are NOT just those involving whites against blacks. There are many other races and combinations thereof. It matters not which two races were involved. It only matters the motivation in the heart of the perpetrator.

  3. Alvan Fleming on August 13th, 2015 3:07 pm

    I Knew Larson, or Junior Brake as he was called, I went to school with him in Munson the reason they are saying it was not racially motivated was Junior was a White man. I haven’t seen Junior since he quit school but he was great guy back then. sad to hear of another school mate passing. Who ever killed him, will meet justice in the face of god the almighty, maybe in our earthly courts also, but Junior was a poor homeless man, so probably not.

  4. CD on August 10th, 2015 10:15 pm

    What we know: A mans body was found at the Confederate Memorial. His death was a homicide.
    What we don’t know: Was his death racially motivated? his race, the race of the killer, was he killed somewhere else and the body moved?
    Until the police release more information, this is ALL we know and a lot that we don’t know. Guesses, ‘feelings’ ’seems to me’ etc. is just speculation.

  5. Mike on August 10th, 2015 9:29 pm

    How can you possibly rule out motivation without a suspect to question? Whether the victim was black or white and placed at the foot of a confederate memorial COULD be a racial statement depending on the race of the perp.

  6. Casper on August 10th, 2015 8:29 pm

    This man had a job he worked. Maybe it was a ghost who did it. Within in the last 2 weeks this is like 6/7 murders how many?

  7. molinoman on August 10th, 2015 6:50 pm

    haha I love your comments David Hue Green, on just about any article. You’ve always been the sounding board of reason.

    Only those open minded enough get that, those who want to stand firm in their close minded beliefs or thought processes would not get it. Also you only irritate those who do not like their opinions muddled with because they feel their opinion is the only good opinion.

    molinoman for thoughtful reasoning.

  8. tommy on August 10th, 2015 6:15 pm

    Homeless lives Matter. (except inside Pensacola City Limits)

  9. David Huie Green on August 10th, 2015 6:08 pm

    WONDERING:
    “someone has died, show some respect!”

    Is it really disrespectful to discuss how some unknown person somewhere was killed? Surely not, since even the instruction regarding how to discuss it is some of that same discussion.
    There is also the possibility that whoever may have killed him may be looking for someone else to kill.
    Should we be silent regarding the possibility out of respect for the dead?
    Over 174,000 people died in the world today somewhere.

    http://www.worldometers.info/

    Each death is a tragedy to someone.

    David for long life and safe people

  10. Wharf Rat on August 10th, 2015 5:42 pm

    There is a lot of pitiful humanity in the median on North Palafox, between Garden St., and Wright St. Some even drifting north toward Cervantes St. Some of these people may be legitimately homeless, and some are playing the system. There are some who are perpetually intoxicated, and some bordering on insane, well, at least, have a mental problem. They will panhandle, but, benevolent organizations feed them on a regular basis, and the only thing they need is a little more alcohol, or, marijuana. Often there are confrontations among them, but unless these become violent the Pensacola Police tend to ignore them, probably due to “political correctness.” If the people attending the Palafox Market on Saturday morning knew of the bodily fluids spilled during the week, they might have a second thought about buying food items out there. Working downtown for nearly twenty years, I know some of these people by name, or a nickname. I have given a few of them a few dollars, but I have been judicious in this, as I know, it’s like feeding seagulls, the more thrown out there, the more show up.

    I have observed this for several years, and know complaints have been submitted. Not an attractive sight for tourists looking for “Americas first Settlement.” I am sorry for the victim, and I only hope I did not know him.

  11. Done on August 10th, 2015 4:25 pm

    Well david…it’s quite apparent you have no idea what it means to be “jumped on”

    For me, END OF CONVERSATION. OUT.

  12. Missing the Point on August 10th, 2015 3:31 pm

    You guys are Missing the Point, I person has died! You do understand the difference between TV and real life. Again, someone has died, show some respect!

  13. David Huie Green on August 10th, 2015 1:37 pm

    REGARDING:
    “you as well as Tom are the only two making decisions with NO FACTS. Neither Just Saying nor I made any decisions, ergo are NOT WRONG. We simply asked how THEY made THEIR decision.”

    How can my decision be wrong if I haven’t made a decision?

    The guess that it COULD HAVE BEEN racially motivated or that it MIGHT NOT have been murder are possibilities raised. Both are unlikely because they are uncommon, but both are possible. Jump on me again, though, if it makes you happy.

    David for endurance and happiness

  14. WOW on August 10th, 2015 1:02 pm

    Well RIZZOLI AND ISLES fan, while your cute observation “Most likely they’re wrong simply because most guesses are wrong if made with nearly no information”, you as well as Tom are the only two making decisions with NO FACTS. Neither Just Saying nor I made any decisions, ergo are NOT WRONG. We simply asked how THEY made THEIR decision.

  15. David Huie Green on August 10th, 2015 12:22 pm

    REGARDING:
    “You guys watch too much TV police show crap”

    Can you REALLY watch too much TV?

    Still, their questions made sense.
    It you don’t know the race or thinking of the killer, you don’t actually know the reason.
    The killer could even be of the same race and self-hater or mistaken regarding the race of the victim.
    There are many reasons why we kill each other.(
    Therefore, THEIR thoughts weren’t asinine, foolish, idiotic or any other synonym.

    Most likely they’re wrong simply because most guesses are wrong if made with nearly no information, but it is reasonable to speculate and then let the evidence answer.

    David for RIZZOLI AND ISLES

  16. Just saying on August 10th, 2015 11:57 am

    @Tom,

    The only asinine remarks here are yours. Ours make perfect sense based on what is printed here.

  17. Tom on August 10th, 2015 11:13 am

    What asinine remarks you two are making WOW and Just Saying. The police have a lot more information that is being released to the press. You guys watch too much TV police show crap

  18. Just Saying on August 10th, 2015 9:59 am

    And if they don’t know cause of death, how do they know it was murder? I’m confused.

  19. Just Saying on August 10th, 2015 9:58 am

    How can you possibly know if it was racially motivated or not if you haven’t solved the case yet? The race of the deceased cannot tell you that information…

  20. WOW on August 10th, 2015 9:43 am

    “PPD Detectives have determined that the homeless man’s death was not racial motivated”….Amazing, I wonder how they determined that so fast?