PROVO, Utah (ABC4 Utah) – Jchandra Brown had no intention to commit suicide.
But her mother, Sue Bryan said a month after meeting Tyrell Pryzbycien she was dead.
“You can’t blame this on immaturity,” said Bryan during the sentencing of the 19-year-old. “He murdered and killed her and he gave her mind-altering drugs.”
Pryzbycien pleaded guilty to child abuse homicide and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. Friday, Pryzbycien was sentenced for up to life in prison for the child abuse homicide. His attorneys were recommending two years in the county jail followed by probation.
The Utah County prosecutor, Chad Grunander demanded prison time calling him a “sociopath.”
“Before this happened I didn’t know hate,” said Bryan prior to sentencing. “(Now) I didn’t know you could hate.”
Brown’s body was found hanging from the noose by a turkey farmer in 2016. Authorities said a cell phone was found near her body. It was a recording of her death and Przybycien’s voice could be heard on the recording.
He admitted to buying the rope used to kill Brown, testing it and videotaping it. After all that, he asked for forgiveness.
“I know I don’t deserve this but I hope someday the victim’s family will be able to forgive me,” he said.
His mother offered a mixed apology for her son’s actions.
“I was not only shocked, confused and lost but I was sure they had the wrong person in custody,” said Brittney Johnson. “I am truly sorry for the loss of Jchandra. I’m sure he was helping her with what she wanted to do.”
But Brown said her daughter never had thoughts of suicide. She blamed Przybycien because a month after they met for the first time, she was dead.
“You can’t blame this on immaturity,” said Bryan. “He murdered and killed her.”
She said he gave her mind-altering drugs which affected her thinking.
Prosecutors said Przybycien not only encouraged her to die but in letters to other teens tried to lure other teens to die as well. Grunander said he even had plans to gain fame after he got out of jail.
“He wanted to make a name for himself after all this,” Grunander said. “He wrote to a friend that he was getting away with murder.”
Pryzybycien also pleaded guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of a child. Authorities found child pornography on his cellphone. He was sentenced to 5-years-to-life for the murder and 0-to-5 years for the porn charge. He was given credit for the 18 months he’s been in jail. Technically he could be out of prison in three-and-a-half years. But Grunander doesn’t think that will happen because of the aggravating circumstances.
“We believe it will be more like eleven years,” Grunander said.
An advocate for victims of violence said this isn’t a story about a suicide. Brandon Merrill is with the Never Again Foundation and an attorney who helped Bryan through the process.
“It’s a story about a murder that happened at the hands of a monster who chose to take advantage of a young girl and groom her to make sure he fulfilled his ideations and his fantasies,” said Merrill.
He said a GoFundMe account will soon be set up to help Bryan with the costs she’s in
And while some believe justice was accomplished, Bryan doesn’t.
“There will never be true justice for Jchandra because she’ll never be coming home to me,” Bryan said.
