Patricia Brown was a loving wife and mother to two children, Sabra and Derek Brown.

She was convicted of paying her brother-in-law, Leroy Wentzel, the husband of her sister Shelia, to murder her husband, Frederic "Fred" Brown. It should be noted that the sister and brother-in-law were given significantly reduced sentences for their testimony against Patricia. A jury convicted her of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and solicitation of first-degree murder. The judge sentenced Patricia to life without parole for the murder and a concurrent 30-year-term for the other two convictions. Though she died in the Wake County Medical Center, she died while still a prisoner of the State of North Carolina. Her alleged motive was to collect on Fred's life insurance.

Shelia Wentzel received a sentence of 50 years for second-degree murder but was paroled many, MANY years before that on 08 Jan 2001 — less than 10 years after Leroy murdered Fred on 24 Apr 1991. Her parole ended on 19 Apr 2011.

Leroy Wentzel was not a man of sterling character and had a long list of arrests prior to this murder. But apparently felt some remorse for the crime and confessed. He was sentenced to life without parole for second-degree murder and 15 years each for armed robbery and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. He was paroled on Dec 22, 2022.
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SOURCE: Social Security records

Name: Patricia Brown [Patricia Gayle Weber] [Patricia Gayle Derosa]
Gender: Female
Race: White
Birth Date: 21 Jan 1948
Birth Place: Frederick, Tillman, Oklahoma
Death Date: 10 Jan 2002
Death Certificate Number: SSA-721/CREMATION SOCIETY

Notes:
Mar 1965: Name listed as PATRICIA GAYLE DEROSA
Jul 1966: Name listed as PATRICIA GAYLE WEBER
Aug 1969: Name listed as PATRICIA GAYLE BROWN
17 Jan 2002: Name listed as PATRICIA G BROWN
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SOURCE: North Carolina Death Index

Name: Patricia Gayle Brown [Patricia Gayle DeRosa] [Patricia Gayle Madison]
Gender: Female
Race: White
Hispanic Origin: Non-Hispanic
Marital status: Widowed
Age: 53
Birth Date: 21 Jan 1948
Birth Place: Oregon[Oklahoma]
Residence Place: Raleigh, Wake, North Carolina
Residence Zip Code: 27610
Education: 12th grade
Death Date: 10 Jan 2002
Hospital Name: Wake County Med Ctr
Death Place: Raleigh, Wake, North Carolina
Father's Last Name: Madison [DeRosa]
Source Vendor: North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics

Notes:
Work Injury: Injury did not occur at work
Disposition: Cremation in-state
Autopsy: Autopsy Not Performed
Attendant: Medical Examiner
Findings: Autopsy findings were not considered in determining cause of death
Hospital Status: Hospital Inpatient