BATON ROUGE — The grandfather of a man accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend and her two-year-old son is speaking out for the first time.
Alfred Murphy, the grandfather of Brynnen Murphy, who is charged with the murders of Kaylen Johnson and her son Kaden Johnson in 2022, expressed his thoughts on the situation.
Brynnen recently appeared before an East Baton Rouge Parish judge and was found competent to stand trial, despite initially claiming insanity.
“I’m excited and happy we are moving forward. I’m ready to get it over with,” Kaylen’s mother April Johnson Fleming told UWK.
She spoke with UWK and is featured in Louisiana Unfiltered, An Unfiltered with Kiran Podcast.
“If I could have prevented this from happening…”
Alfred Murphy shared his regret with UWK, wishing the situation had never escalated to this point.
Brynnen Murphy faces two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree feticide. Kaylen Johnson, who was pregnant, and her two-year-old son Kaden were last seen on March 5, 2022, and were reported missing by BRPD on March 12.
On March 14, Kaylen’s body was found on Burbank Dr., and Kaden’s body was discovered thrown over the Central Thruway Bridge. Brynnen, who was Kaylen’s boyfriend and a property maintenance worker where she lived, turned himself in, admitting to shooting Kaylen, disposing of her body, and throwing Kaden off the bridge.
Alfred Murphy wonders if knowing more about the situation could have helped prevent the crimes. “If I could have done anything, anything in my power to have prevented this from happening, I would have done it,” he told UWK.
He struggles to comprehend why his grandson allegedly committed these acts. Brynnen, described as a “mild-mannered young man” growing up, lived with his mother and didn’t get into trouble. Alfred never saw any anger issues in Brynnen and couldn’t have anticipated such actions.
“We didn’t know this, and that’s what bothers me the most that if we would have known if he had some trouble, we would have intervened,” Alfred said.
Alfred says that he wished he would have known Kaylen, Kaden, and the unborn baby. He said that he would have loved them and provided support if needed.
The murders, arrest, and court proceedings have deeply affected the entire family. Alfred said he will carry the painful knowledge of the murders for the rest of his life. He frequently passes the Central Thruway, where Kaden died, and prays for forgiveness for Brynnen, keeping Kaylen and Kaden in his heart.
As part of his job, Alfred often passes the Central Thruway, where Kaden died, and he says that every time he goes by, he prays and asks for forgiveness for Brynnen. He said that he will always carry Kaylen and Kaden in his heart.
Despite the family’s pain, Alfred emphasized that they do not want Brynnen to go unpunished. In his visits to Brynnen in prison, Alfred believes his grandson is remorseful. “I think it weighs heavy on him,” he said.
Brynnen awaits trial by jury, which is set for March 17, 2025, at 9 a.m.
Download the Unfiltered with Kiran app from the Apple App Store and Google Play to stay updated on the latest news across the Capital area.
