Man Confessed to Killing Two People on North Rose Street

A Kalamazoo man is heading to trial for the deaths of Tarra Mayes and Alfred Simpson, two people whose decomposing bodies were discovered in a shed on North Rose Street nearly three years after the killings.

Rajai Keyontae Brown, 44, was arrested and charged with two counts of open murder for the homicides of Mayes, 46, and Simpson, 67. The defendants were charged on Feb. 11, 2026, according to court records.

The bodies were found Aug. 22, 2023, when a new homeowner discovered them in a state of decomposition in the shed on the North Rose Street property. The discovery came almost a year and a half after the killings occurred.

Witness Claims Brown Confessed to Taking Knife From Victim

A witness who lived with the victims and the accused came forward during the court examination, telling investigators Brown admitted to taking a knife from Mayes during a confrontation and stabbing her.

When Simpson attempted to intervene, Brown allegedly stabbed him as well, according to court testimony.

Witness Jesse Palmer told the court he used to live in the home on North Rose Street with Mayes, Simpson and Brown. Palmer said he moved out of the home in Feb. 2022 after Brown shot at him.

Witness Recalls Conversation About the Murders

When Palmer returned to the home a month later, he claimed Brown told him he had stabbed Mayes and Simpson to death, which was about a week after their murders, according to court testimony.

Palmer also claimed Brown asked him to help take care of the bodies while looking in the direction of the shed on the property.

Phone Records Place Brown at Scene

Through phone records, investigators learned Mayes phone stopped sharing location data on March 13, 2022, and Brown phone was in the same location as Mayes and Simpson until the following day.

The phone records provided investigators with critical information about Brown movements around the time of the homicides.

Brown Shot at Witness in 2022

Palmer said Brown shot at him in February 2022, months before the murders were discovered in the shed. Palmer moved out of the home at that time after the shooting incident.

The timeline of events suggests Brown had knowledge of the victims before their deaths, with Palmer leaving the home just months before the killings that would be discovered in the shed nearly a year later.