Police have issued a warrant on a murder charge for Kyle Xavier Bonaparte, 20, in connection to the deaths of Beal and Brown.
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Bonaparte is described as a five-foot, eight-inch tall, black man weighing 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Springfield Police Capt. Michael Varner said anyone who might be helping Bonaparte could face charges themselves.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Springfield Police Division at 937-324-7685.
Joshua Brown’s father, Johnnie Brown, believes his son was trying to protect Beal when he was shot. The two had been good friends.
“They grew up together here,” Johnnie Brown said. “They went to school.”
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The father flipped through family photo albums as he talked about his son this week.
“He’s a friendly giant. He was 6-foot, 4-inches, 200 plus pounds,” he said. “… He was a kind-hearted person. Very giving.”
Johnnie Brown moved his family to Springfield about 17 years ago from Milwaukee to bring his kids closer to their grandfather. He thought he was escaping gun violence.
“When I moved here, it wasn’t like this,” he said.
Joshua Brown’s death is the ninth homicide of the year in Springfield, according to police.
“For this to happen,” Johnnie Brown said, “I can’t wrap my mind around it.
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Joshua Brown was expecting his first child with his girlfriend, his father said.
The family is struggling to pay for his funeral, Johnnie Brown said, because he didn’t have life insurance. They want a traditional burial but they don’t want to delay the service.
“I’m not trying to push it out too late because I’m sure Joshua would want to get this over with,” he said.
He plans to hold the service will be later this week. The family is raising money to cover the cost of the funeral with a gofundme account.
Johnnie Brown said he’s hopeful an arrest will be made soon.
“I’m hoping for the best,” he said. “I’m praying for the best.”
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