WFMJ-TV: Lawrence County teen murder suspect released after seven years in custody

Jordan Brown was released back in to society  after a review hearing by the court. Brown was adjudicated delinquent for the murder of his father's girlfriend and her unborn child in 2009, according to WFMJ-TV.

Former Lawrence County District Attorney Matt Mangino tells 21 News, "Every six months you're required to have a review hearing and at that review hearing the court has to determine whether or not treatment, rehabilitation has been successful, and there could be some other form of supervision for the juvenile."

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Attorney Dennis Elisco who represents the 18-year-old would only say that the ruling was favorable to Brown and the defense. He says the decision was an agreement by Lawrence County Juvenile Probation, the defense, the juvenile detention facility and the Attorney General's Office that prosecuted the case. Attorney Elisco would not comment further because it is a case still in the juvenile court system.

You may recall Brown was the 11-year-old arrested and charged with killing his father's fiance Kenzie Marie Houk and her unborn child back in 2009. The crime happened at the Wampum home the victim shared with Brown and his father. Houk was shot in the back of the head with a shotgun.

Initially, prosecutors wanted to put Brown on trial as an adult, but in 2012 Brown tried as a juvenile and was adjudicated delinquent - which is the juvenile court's equivalent of a guilty verdict.

Brown's attorney says he graduated from high school on Saturday, and will go on to further his education now.

Sources tell 21 News he is living outside of Lawrence County per the court order, and staying with a relative. He remains on supervised release.

"He's graduated from high school. He's going to attend college in the fall so I think those are factors that the court considered in terms of his overall rehabilitation," Attorney Mangino said.

The Pennsylvania teenager could have been held in a juvenile delinquent facility up until the age of 21.

"Well he could have been there until he was 21. Juvenile matters are closed so we're not exactly sure what was presented on behalf of Jordan Brown in terms of his rehabilitation and treatment. So you know we can only speculate that there's been some success," Former District Attorney Mangino said.

Even though Brown is a free man, his case is far from over, he's appealing his juvenile conviction and is asking for a new trial,

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