Font ResizeA man suspected of punching and kicking his uncle to death sent text messages saying he planned to "beat him into a coma," according to a police search warrant released Thursday.
A second nephew said he went to keep his cousin in control, but that nephew admitted to hitting his uncle, too, the warrant says.
The warrant recounts what lead up to the Sept. 7 fight that killed Doug Brundle, 51, outside the home where he lived with his mother on the west side of Salt Lake City. No charges have been filed against the two nephews who the warrant says fought with him, Andrew A. Brundle, 26, and Brian Robert Drown, 32. The pair are cousins.
A warrant application written by a Salt Lake City police detective cites interviews with the two nephews after the fight:
» Brian Drown suggested to police there was some kind of dispute between his cousin and their uncle involving government disability payments.
» Andrew Brundle sent Drown the text message saying, "Call ur mom tell her we are on our way to grandmas im just going to beat him into a coma." Drown showed the text to detectives and told police he went with his cousin to make sure Doug Brundle sign the disability paperwork "and to keep Andrew Brundle in control."
» When the men confronted their uncle with the paperwork, an argument started. Andrew Brundle and Doug Brundle began to push each other. Drown "admitted to striking the victim with his fist several
Doug Brundle died the next day at Intermountain Medical Center when other family removed him from life support.
Salt Lake City police last month said they were waiting for the results of an autopsy on Doug Brundle. Alicia Cook, a spokeswoman for the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, said that office is still reviewing the case and considering charges.
The search warrant made public Thursday in state court in Salt Lake City authorized police to seize data from Andrew Brundle's cellular phone concerning the fight.
