Two people arrested in east Blaine in connection to Tennessee murder

Two people were arrested in east Blaine in connection to a murder in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee on July 26 following a multi-agency law enforcement investigation.

Michael Amandeus Brooks, 27, was arrested on one count of first-degree murder and Kayla Lynn Brooks, 26, was arrested on one count of accessory after the fact. As of July 31, the pair were awaiting extradition in Whatcom County Jail.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) issued a warrant for the pair’s arrests on July 18. Bond was fixed at $75,000 for Michael Brooks and $5,000 for Kayla Brooks.

HCSO then contacted the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) on July 26 for assistance in locating and arresting the two, who have ties to Whatcom County, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in Whatcom County Superior Court.

Hamilton County detectives provided the WCSO with an address they believed to be the residence of Kayla Brooks’ mother, and department of transportation photos of a silver sedan with Tennessee plates connected to one of the suspects, court documents stated.

Using a drone, WCSO located the vehicle at a residence near Delta Line Road and West 95th Terrace in east Blaine. Law enforcement then used surveillance to observe Michael and Kayla Brooks on the property. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant and the pair were arrested without incident around 6:15 p.m.

In addition to WCSO, the Whatcom County Gang and Drug Task Force, Bellingham Police Department, Ferndale Police Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations helped with the arrest, according to a WCSO news release.

Michael Brooks and Kayla Brooks signed their waivers of extradition in Whatcom County Superior Court on July 29.

HCSO public relations manager J. Matt Lea wrote in an email to The Northern Light that the murder occurred within the jurisdiction of Soddy-Daisy Police Department. Soddy-Daisy is a city of about 13,000 people, just north of Chattanooga and within Hamilton County.

Whatcom County Superior Court records show Michael Amandeus Brooks was sentenced in Whatcom County in 2016 for theft and criminal trespass.