Man Convicted of Killing Md. Mom and Her 7-Year-Old Son While He Was Home Sick from School

Baltimore drug dealer Andre Ricardo "Poo" Briscoe faces a possible life sentence at his sentencing this fall

Jennifer Jeffrey and her son, Kester Browne. Photo: Facebook (2)

Federal jurors this week found a Maryland drug dealer guilty of the 2015 murders of a 31-year-old mother and her 7-year-old son, who was shot multiple times as he tried calling 911.

On Wednesday, the Department of Justice announced the conviction of 38-year-old Andre Ricardo "Poo" Briscoe for the killings of Jennifer Jeffrey and her son, Kester Browne.

Briscoe was charged with the murders in the fall of 2020.

Jurors returned guilty verdicts against him on federal drug distribution charges, use of a firearm to commit murder in relation to drug trafficking crimes, killing a witness to prevent communication with law enforcement and being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition.

He now faces life in prison when he is sentenced in September.

"This case is nothing short of tragic," said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron in a statement. "A mother and her child, who was believed to be a witness, were senselessly murdered by defendant Andre Briscoe. Let this conviction serve as a message to those who would take a life that the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland will prosecute anyone who harms, or attempts to harm, witnesses."

According to authorities, "Briscoe conspired with others to distribute heroin" between March and October of 2015 in Baltimore.

"On May 25, 2015, Briscoe traveled from his home in Cambridge, Maryland, to the home of Kiara Haynes, with whom he was romantically involved," the DOJ statement explains. "He told Haynes that he planned to steal heroin from Jennifer Jeffrey, a longtime friend of Haynes."

Briscoe told Haynes he knew Jeffrey sold heroin "and he planned to rob and kill Jeffrey to get the heroin," according to the statement. "Haynes told Briscoe she would help him get a gun."

Haynes ended up borrowing a gun from a relative, and on May 27, Briscoe left Haynes at her apartment to go "hang out with Jeffrey at Jeffrey's nearby home."

Haynes, 36, woke up hours later, and realized Briscoe had not returned. She walked over to Jeffrey's home to find him, but was turned away at the door by a relative.

"As detailed during trial testimony, at approximately 7:23 a.m., Briscoe walked back from Jeffrey's residence to Haynes's apartment," the statement reads. "Briscoe told Haynes that Jeffrey had shown him a large amount of heroin and that Jeffrey's child did not feel well and had not gone to school that day."

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Just before noon, Briscoe went back to Jeffrey's home with the gun. Later, "Briscoe returned to Haynes's apartment and told her that Jeffrey and her child were dead and gave Haynes a bag of heroin as her 'cut' of Jeffrey's drugs."

The bodies were found May 28, 2015.

Jeffrey's family has long maintained she had no involvement in drug sales.

Last November, Haynes pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting the use and discharge of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and crime of violence.

She will be sentenced on June 29. The statement from the DOJ made no mention of the potential prison time she faces.