Man convicted of fatally beating girlfriend, dropping sofa on her body, and sleeping on it

CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. (TCD) — A jury found a 33-year-old man guilty of murder and several other charges for fatally beating his girlfriend in what prosecutors called “a painful and brutal death.”

The Chester County District Attorney’s Office announced Feb. 9 that Leroy Brahm was convicted of first-degree murder, several counts of aggravated assault, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person for the death of 21-year-old Annabel Meenan. The murder conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

On Dec. 4, 2021, East Vincent Township Police officers responded to the 800 block of Buttonwood Avenue for a medical emergency and found Meenan unresponsive on the ground with injuries all over her body. The district attorney’s office said Brahm was at the scene when police arrived, but he did not attempt to revive his girlfriend. Meenan was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

According to the district attorney’s office, Meenan had “extensive trauma” to her head and face, as well as lacerations across the rest of her body.

Meenan and Brahm had reportedly been drinking together the night prior and continued when they got back to their house. Inside, there was blood on the kitchen walls, a shattered oven door, and a hole in the wall. Meenan’s broken cellphone was reportedly on the ground as well. Brahm had a swollen ankle and a bruised hand when police got there.

The district attorney’s office said Brahm “savagely beat the victim on several occasions leading up to the murder.” Many of these beatings were reportedly caught on the video security system inside their home. On the night of her death, Brahm was seen punching and kicking Meenan in the head at least 85 times and stomping on her at least 80.

According to the Daily Local News, Brahm and Meenan had been in a relationship since she was in high school, but he believed she was cheating on him. On the night of the killing, Brahm punched her as she was on the bed, jumped on her body, and continued to beat her. At one point, he reportedly picked up their living room couch and dropped it on her body. Afterward, he laid down on the sofa and fell asleep.

Meenan was reportedly having a sexual relationship with a man Brahm also allegedly slept with previously.

Chester County Deputy District Attorney Kate Wright said during the trial, “He was done with Annabel choosing another man instead of himself. He wanted to reassert his control over her. Over and over, he beat her the night of her death until she was bruised and beaten and bloody.”

Meenan’s cause of death was reportedly cardiac arrest from consuming alcohol and cocaine, but the medical examiner said the cardiac arrest was brought on by the beatings.

District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said following the verdict, “The Defendant unfathomably, brutally, and systematically beat his girlfriend to death during the course of a night. The jury rightfully recognized that the Defendant was guilty of all charges.”

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