Son of Local Educator Stabbed to Death During Live Zoom Meeting Back In Court

A preliminary hearing is scheduled to be set Wednesday in the case against Robert Anderson Cotton, a 34-year-old Altadena man who faces allegations of two counts of murder for the stabbing death of his 67-year-old mother and 69-year-old uncle inside the family’s home on the 3100 block of North Marengo Ave. in Altadena about 2 p.m. on Mar. 22, 2021.

The bodies of the victims, Dr. Carol Brown, an educator and administrator who was with Pasadena City College for 15 years before her death, and her brother Kenneth Preston, were discovered by LA Sheriff’s Department deputies when they responded to a call from PCC colleague of Brown’s.

The colleague had told 911 she might have witnessed a possible kidnapping while on a Zoom call with Dr. Brown.

Deputies also found a knife at the scene.

In the ensuing investigation, detectives reportedly learned that Dr. Brown was in the living room conducting a Zoom call with the colleague when the stabbing attacks occurred. The colleague had also seen a man dragging another man into the living room, according to authorities.

Cotton and the victims shared the Altadena home where the crimes occurred.

Deputies learned a vehicle – Dr. Brown’s Lexus – was missing from the residence. But as they were continuing their investigation, a man who turned out to be Cotton returned to the location and identified himself as a resident.

Cotton was detained and booked for two counts of murder.

“This is a horrific case in which the mother’s work colleagues witnessed part of the attack while on a Zoom call and called the authorities. Unfortunately by the time police arrived they discovered both victims,” LA District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement on Mar. 29, 2021 after his office charged Cotton with the crimes.

Dr. Brown worked in many different areas of the Pasadena City College, including Financial Aid, Former Foster Youth Services, Dreamkeepers Emergency Aid, Emergency Aid, Student Life, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services and Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education. She also served as the co-coordinator of PCC’s Black STEM Program.

Dr. Brown had also worked on creating a homeless student shelter for PCC students with a local charter high school and established a fundraiser which resulted in a rainy day shelter for students.

She was a contributing member of the Black Lancer family at PCC and an executive board member with The Association of Black Employees (TABE) at the college.

The suspect also faces an allegation of using a knife as a deadly and dangerous weapon. Cotton is in custody at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles, with bail set at $4.02 million, according to booking records.

The preliminary hearing setting is scheduled at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, at Dept. H of the Pasadena Courthouse.