Kela Moss pleads guilty in strangulation death of ex-boyfriend, sentenced to 11 years in prison

SYCAMORE - Kela Moss, of DeKalb, pleaded guilty this week to second-degree murder in the 2016 strangulation death of her former boyfriend, who court officials say was also her domestic abuser.

On Nov. 14, 2016, Moss went to the DeKalb Police Department voluntarily and turned herself in, according to court records, telling police that an incident had occurred in her home in the 400 block of South First Street and there was a body there. When police arrived, they discovered 25-year-old Brandon Brown strangled to death.

Moss was sentenced by DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Robbin Stuckert Tuesday to 11 years in prison in the Illinois Department of Corrections in exchange for her plea. Moss’s case was initially set to go to trial as the DeKalb County Courthouse reopened for jury trials amid the COVID-19 pandemic, said DeKalb County State’s Attorney Rick Amato, but negotiations from Moss’s public defender and prosecutors this week lead to the guilty plea.

It’s a case that since 2016 has been highlighted as an example of the realities of domestic violence: Moss, with no criminal history and named as a victim in previous domestic battery cases where Brown was charged, and Brown, strangled days later after being ordered by a judge to have no further contact with Moss.

“Domestic violence permeates our community daily, and time and time again leads to violent and tragic outcomes,” Amato said in a statement. “In this case, police were called to their home at least three times in the month before Mr. Brown’s death. Ms. Moss clearly had had enough of his abuse. Mr. Brown didn’t deserve to die, but Ms. Moss didn’t deserve his abuse, either.”

In 2016, Moss was 26 and living in her First Street apartment in DeKalb, while Brown was living in the 900 block of Fotis Drive. In the weeks leading up to his death, Brown had been charged with domestic battery, robbery and violating the conditions of bail, but had spent no more than a day in the DeKalb County Jail on each charge before he was released on a recognizance bonds by two separate DeKalb County judges.

According to DeKalb County court records, Brown -- who at the time told police he’d been dating Moss for about a year, records show -- was charged on Oct. 13, 2016 with robbery and domestic battery, stemming from an incident in which Brown had allegedly taken Moss’ purse when she was in her car. She’d exited her car and run after him, attempting to take her purse back, and he struck her in the head and pulled her hair, reports allege.

On those charges, Brown had been released from jail on Oct. 18, 2016 on a $25,000 recognizance bond by DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Phillip Montgomery, records show. That case never made it to a conviction, though.

On Nov. 4, 2016, Brown was arrested again for violating the condition of bail that had been set for him in October -- that he have no contact with Moss. On that day, DeKalb police had responded to a request for a well-being check on Moss in her First Street apartment, and upon arrival, discovered Brown was also there, though Moss told police he was “just visiting,” records show. Moss was later admitted to the hospital for an involuntary committal, and Brown went with her.

Brown was arrested for violating the conditions of his bond Nov. 6, but released again, this time on a $5,000 recognizance bond by Stuckert’s ruling on Nov. 7, 2016, at the objection of DeKalb County prosecutors.

Brown had been ordered to appear before a judge on his pending charges Dec. 16, 2016, but his cases were terminated at the time of his death days later.

Prosecutors don’t have a clear indication of what caused the final altercation between Moss and Brown that day on Nov. 14, 2016, only that Brown was found to have been strangled to death.

Moss, now 31, who pleaded guilty Tuesday, will receive credit for the 1,611 days she’s served already in DeKalb County Jail, and will be eligible for parole, Amato said. Her guilty plea meant she faced between four and 20 years in prison.

Amato also spoke to the realities of domestic abuse and how its handled in the courts.

“We in the criminal justice system, as well as the community as a whole, must continually examine the trauma, tragedy and cause of domestic abuse,” Amato said. “We must re-evaluate the effectiveness of our approach, along with our commitment to ensuring safety for all. A society free of violence and fear must be free of domestic abuse.”