Man charged with murder in deaths of Pittsburgh woman, her uncle in Florida

PITTSBURGH — A man who was being called a person of interest in the deaths of a Pittsburgh woman and her uncle in Florida has been charged with two counts of murder, Channel 11's Catherine Varnum learned Friday.

Thomas Brown, 34, was arrested Tuesday in Georgia after two warrants were issued for him in connection with recent burglaries and robberies, in Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair, in which police said he stole jewelry and pawned it in downtown Pittsburgh. %

%

U.S. marshals apprehended Brown at a treatment center in Thomasville, Georgia, Varnum reported Thursday. His arrest history in Pittsburgh dates back to 2001 and includes DUI, receiving stolen property and burglaries.

Until Friday, Brown had not been charged in the deaths of Amy Hatfield, 32, and her uncle, Robert Massey, 59. Police in Jacksonville were only calling him a person of interest in the investigation on Thursday.

Hatfield was visiting Florida last week when she and Massey were found dead in two different rooms of a mobile home, investigators in Jacksonville said.

Sources previously told Channel 11 News that police were looking to talk to Hatfield’s boyfriend, who Varnum has since learned is Brown.

On Thursday, Varnum spoke with Hatfield’s ex-boyfriend, the father of her oldest daughter, about the arrest.

“It's a relief, maybe. It does give a little relief,” Jason Kwiatanowski said. “It's definitely still unbelievable. Maybe Saturday will bring me closure.”

Saturday is when Hatfield’s funeral will be held. %

%

As Hatfield’s 11-year-old daughter, Hannah, mourns the loss of her mother, she put together a collage of photos to remember her.

“Her smile never changes,” she said.

Hannah also wrote a poem to read at her mother’s funeral. She shared it with Channel 11 News, saying, “How jubilant I would be, to hold you and hug you with sweet kisses, too, you're in my heart and I'll always love you.”

Varnum reported Friday night that Brown was in Jacksonville’s Duval County Jail and was charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of Hatfield and Massey.

“I'm sure none of us will stop until it's completely solved,” Kwiatanowski said on Thursday.

Cox Media Group