Raymond Eugene Brown was born on January 11, 1946, in Ashland, Alabama. He was the youngest of four boys in his family. His parents, Marvin and Emma Lou Brown, were said to have a normal and happy home life. According to family and friends, Raymond had a typical childhood. He regularly attended church and did not show any signs of troubling behavior.

In school, Raymond went to Clay County High School in Ashland. He was active in sports and played on the junior varsity football team.

On the late evening of October 1, 1960, Raymond Eugene Brown broke into the home of three relatives in Alabama. He entered through an unlocked back door, intending to steal money. When he came across his 31-year-old aunt, Berta Mae Martin, who had woken up, he assaulted her. Brown stabbed her 123 times with a kitchen knife. After that, he went to the rooms of his 63-year-old grandmother, Ethel Ogle, and his 82-year-old great-grandmother, Everlena Ogle. He stabbed both women multiple times to ensure they were dead. He also slashed their throats post-mortem.

The bodies were discovered the next morning by Brown's mother, who contacted the police. Investigators found bloody heel prints at the scene and started interviewing people who knew Brown. Witnesses reported that he had mentioned wanting to visit his aunt. Five days later, he was detained at school and questioned by authorities. Brown confessed to the murders and his fingerprints matched those found in the house.

Following these events, there was a significant public interest in the case. More than 600 cars came to the crime scene, leading to a crowd that had to be dispersed by police. After some legal proceedings, it was decided that Brown would be tried as an adult. He was evaluated and deemed sane to stand trial. The trial attracted many spectators. Due to strong evidence against him, Brown was quickly convicted and received three life sentences without the possibility of parole.

After serving time, he was paroled in 1973 and moved to Montgomery. However, in the late 1970s, he developed an alcohol addiction and began sexually harassing women. In 1980, he raped his apartment manager and was sent back to prison for violating parole.

In late 1986, Brown began a relationship with Linda LeMonte, a single mother. They lived together until August 9, 1987, when he attacked her in their apartment. He stabbed her multiple times and inflicted severe injuries. He also attacked her 10-year-old daughter, Sheila Smoke, raping and stabbing her. The 6-year-old son, Aaron, was left unharmed.

After the bodies were discovered, Brown became a suspect due to his prior offenses and testimony from LeMonte's ex-husband. He was involved in a traffic accident shortly before the bodies were found. On August 12, 1987, he was arrested after appearing disheveled at a service station. Blood stains on his clothing matched that of LeMonte.

At his trial, Brown pleaded not guilty, citing amnesia for the events of that night. Despite his claims, he was found guilty and sentenced to death. Over the years, he made several appeals to overturn his sentence, citing procedural errors in his trial. His sentences were reinstated after multiple legal reviews found no basis for his claims. Brown died on death row in 2008.