A Louisiana man just got 95 years in prison for killing his pregnant girlfriend and her 2-year-old son in a chilling 2022 case that rocked Baton Rouge.
A Louisiana man will be spending nearly the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty in a horrifying case that left a pregnant woman and her toddler son dead.
Brynnen Murphy, now 24, was sentenced to 95 years in prison for the deaths of his girlfriend, 24-year-old Kaylen Johnson, and her 2-year-old son, Kayden. The charges include two counts of manslaughter and one count of first-degree feticide, and he was given credit for time already served.
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The case dates back to March 2022, when Kaylen and her young son were reported missing by concerned family members. They hadn’t heard from her since March 5, and the silence was alarming.
Just three days later, Murphy walked into the Baton Rouge Police headquarters and turned himself in. According to investigators, he admitted to shooting and killing Kaylen after an argument. She was pregnant at the time, with his child.
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But what happened next was even more disturbing.
Murphy told police that after killing Kaylen, he dumped her body in the woods off Burbank Drive in Baton Rouge. Then, he took her 2-year-old son, unharmed at that point, and threw him off a bridge. The boy later died from the fall.
Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore said the plea deal means Murphy won’t face a trial—something he believes is a blessing for Kaylen’s loved ones.
“This case has taken a toll on everyone involved,” Moore told reporters. “Obviously, autopsies were involved in this, and some of those photographs have to be shown, and then just the description by the pathologist of how the deaths occurred, and how the bodies were disposed of, it would be brutal for a family to go through this.”
Moore added that the 95-year sentence is essentially a life sentence, especially given Murphy’s age. “There’s no other sentence than what he agreed to today, so this is a guaranteed sentence; he’s practically doing life in prison.”
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While the family chose not to speak publicly at the time of the plea, Moore said they will be allowed to submit a statement or have one read aloud at Murphy’s formal sentencing on June 10.
This heartbreaking case gripped the Baton Rouge community and quickly drew media attention across the state. Though justice has now been served, the emotional scars remain deep.