A Boonville couple is targeted again in what they believe to be a series of racially motivated attacks. This is a story Eyewitness News has followed since 2010. Beth and Keith Brimm are an interracial couple -- and they say that has made them the center of hate crimes for years.
Since we first talked to Beth and Keith Brimm -- they say their home has been spray painted with racial slurs and set on fire, bricks carrying threatening notes have been thrown through their windows, and their lives have been repeatedly threatened.
Their house has felt more like a battlefield than a home for several years. Most recently the Boonville home burned to the ground in a blaze fire crews call suspicious.
"It pretty much destroyed everything," says Beth Brimm.
The Brimm's home originally caught fire in March -- an incident investigators also call suspicious. The couple believes a person set fire to their home in March then came back to finish the job last weekend.
The loss is especially devastating for Keith Brimm, whose mother married in the house when she was 17 years old. "My mom, she died about three years ago, she had special things she done to the house and it really hurts," says Keith Brimm. He says she lived there 70 years. Keith recently went to the home to survey the damage. "I just couldn't believe it. I mean, it was devastating." "i just couldn't believe it. I mean, it was devastating"
The couple hasn't lived in the home since the first fire -- but they still had a lot of belongings inside. "We had clothing and other articles that were in that house and it all got burned. So I have no shoes," says Beth.
The pair says they've been the target of hate crimes for years because they're a mixed couple. "It's an unbearable, indescribable type of situation," says Beth. "You get ready to walk out the door and you're not sure if you can walk out the door or not."
But there is a silver lining to their story. "We got through it. We ended up getting married June the first," says Beth. For the first time in years, she can't wipe the smile off her face. "Once all this happened, it just kinda brought us together a little closer and made it seem like that tie was going to help bond us and help keep us together through these trials and tribulations."
The newlyweds moved to Evansville, where they say the battle is finally over. "It's like being in heaven at times. I can sit on the couch and not have to worry about a brick coming through the window or not having to worry about a molotov cocktail coming through the window," says Beth.
"Where I'm at now I feel safe. I ain't gotta worry about laying down having bricks thrown through my window," says Keith.
"That's the greatest thing in the world," says Beth. "To be able to go to bed at night and know you're going to sleep all night and not have that kind of turmoil go on. So, the drama is gone." And the Brimms hope their troubles are gone for good.
Eyewitness News tried to reach the Boonville Police Department for a status on their investigation, but our calls were not returned.
Since we first talked to Beth and Keith Brimm -- they say their home has been spray painted with racial slurs and set on fire, bricks carrying threatening notes have been thrown through their windows, and their lives have been repeatedly threatened.
Their house has felt more like a battlefield than a home for several years. Most recently the Boonville home burned to the ground in a blaze fire crews call suspicious.
"It pretty much destroyed everything," says Beth Brimm.
The Brimm's home originally caught fire in March -- an incident investigators also call suspicious. The couple believes a person set fire to their home in March then came back to finish the job last weekend.
The loss is especially devastating for Keith Brimm, whose mother married in the house when she was 17 years old. "My mom, she died about three years ago, she had special things she done to the house and it really hurts," says Keith Brimm. He says she lived there 70 years. Keith recently went to the home to survey the damage. "I just couldn't believe it. I mean, it was devastating." "i just couldn't believe it. I mean, it was devastating"
The couple hasn't lived in the home since the first fire -- but they still had a lot of belongings inside. "We had clothing and other articles that were in that house and it all got burned. So I have no shoes," says Beth.
The pair says they've been the target of hate crimes for years because they're a mixed couple. "It's an unbearable, indescribable type of situation," says Beth. "You get ready to walk out the door and you're not sure if you can walk out the door or not."
But there is a silver lining to their story. "We got through it. We ended up getting married June the first," says Beth. For the first time in years, she can't wipe the smile off her face. "Once all this happened, it just kinda brought us together a little closer and made it seem like that tie was going to help bond us and help keep us together through these trials and tribulations."
The newlyweds moved to Evansville, where they say the battle is finally over. "It's like being in heaven at times. I can sit on the couch and not have to worry about a brick coming through the window or not having to worry about a molotov cocktail coming through the window," says Beth.
"Where I'm at now I feel safe. I ain't gotta worry about laying down having bricks thrown through my window," says Keith.
"That's the greatest thing in the world," says Beth. "To be able to go to bed at night and know you're going to sleep all night and not have that kind of turmoil go on. So, the drama is gone." And the Brimms hope their troubles are gone for good.
Eyewitness News tried to reach the Boonville Police Department for a status on their investigation, but our calls were not returned.
Comments
The reason why the Boonville Police Department hasn't contacted the news back is because maybe they set up the hit.
Jordan G.
July 14, 2012 at 10:33 am
All white people are [censored] blacks don't run fight back they cannot win and the police department is corrupt
Jordan G.
July 14, 2012 at 10:24 am
I've lived in Alabama and Chicago. I've nearly married a jet-black lady from Belize. I've seen all kinds of racial incidents, but only when the couple go out of their way to annoy others. I suspect that's what's happened here...
Brian F.
July 13, 2012 at 8:53 pm
