David Francis Brom was born on October 3, 1971, in Cascade Township, Minnesota. 

In the early evening of February 18, 1988, deputies from the Olmsted County sheriff's office found the bodies of Bernard, Paulette, Diane, and Richard Brom inside their home in Rochester, Minnesota. The police had been alerted to the situation after students at David Brom's school reported a rumor. This rumor claimed that David had told another student that he had killed his family that morning. All four victims had severe injuries, with multiple gashes on their heads and upper bodies. A blood-stained axe was later located in the basement. Forensic tests confirmed that this axe was the weapon used in the murders.

Initially, police feared that David might have been abducted. However, a friend of David's came forward and informed the police about his confession. She testified that David had stopped her on the morning of the murders and urged her to skip school with him. During their conversation, David described how he had killed his family. He told her specifics, stating that he hit his father multiple times with the axe and recounted the events leading to each death, starting with his father and then moving to his mother, brother, and sister.

David was arrested on February 19, 1988, while using a payphone nearby. Because he was 16 at the time of the murders, his case was initially directed to the juvenile court system. However, due to the severity of the crime, it was later transferred to the adult court system. During the trial, David's defense centered around claims of insanity. This led to significant attention on the mental health aspects of the case, particularly Minnesota's application of the M'Naghten Rules to assess his sanity at the time of the murders.

On October 16, 1989, David Brom was convicted of four counts of first-degree murder. He received three consecutive life sentences, with a minimum of 52 years and six months before being eligible for parole. David Brom is currently held at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Lino Lakes.