SHANNON Brown shudders at the memory of happily queuing up with her one-year-old daughter to meet Santa at a Christmas grotto.
For just hours later, the 30-year-old’s life was turned upside down after being told the devastating news that her mother, Michelle Hanson, had been viciously murdered.
The loving grandma, 47, was stabbed in the head 29 times by a mature University of Sunderland student she had kindly let into her home, in Sunderland.
A nationwide manhunt followed, as police desperately tried to track down Alexander Carr, 34, who was on the run for 18 days.
The ‘urban survivalist’ was found living in a tent in North London and has since been imprisoned for 19 years.
Speaking to The Sun, Shannon says she relives the unimaginable horror of that heartbreaking day every Christmas and remains traumatised thinking about her mum’s terror-filled final moments.
“During the most special time of the year, my beloved mum was killed for nothing,” she tells us.
“She saw the good in Alexander that day, but he took advantage of her kindness, attacking her in her own home before leaving her to die alone.
“He stole a beautiful, kind, fun-loving mum. And my daughter will grow up never knowing the wonderful woman her nan was.”
Michelle had been recovering from “a tough few years” when she made the fatal decision to trust Alexander – the man who would take her life in a most violent and cruel way on December 1, 2022.
The gran and mum-of-four had struggled financially due to unemployment, and “lost herself completely” after multiple abusive relationships, which regularly left her “covered in bruises”.
Michelle, who was battling depression, was taken advantage of by those around her, with Shannon explaining it was her “mum’s loving nature that was her downfall”.
But by December 2022, it seemed her life was beginning to turn around. She had put on healthy weight, accepted help from a doctor and was excited to spend Christmas with her granddaughter Lexi.
Tragically, that peace wouldn’t last, as Shannon received a call from one of her brothers to reveal heartbreaking news few could imagine – her mother had been murdered.
Shannon recalls: “I didn’t believe it. I frantically raced to Mum’s house, and the street was filled with police cars.
“I tried to run inside, but a police officer stopped me, and said Mum was dead.
“In that moment, my world ended. I begged them to tell me what happened. But they couldn’t tell me anything yet.”
Shannon sped from the scene to her brother’s house desperate for answers.
The family informed her that Michelle had been stabbed with a bladed article several times in the head and neck.
Shannon says: “I was sobbing, unable to comprehend who would hurt Mum. She had no abusive partners anymore and she’d just got her life back on track.
I didn’t understand how a man with so many past convictions was able to just walk around a university campus
Shannon Brown
“My youngest brother, Tommy, was traumatised. He told me that on the day Mum was killed, Tommy visited her and they had dinner together.
“Then, a man who mum befriended a month before, knocked at the door. Alexander was a mature student at the University of Sunderland.
“Over the past weeks, they’d only said hi to each other on the street but that afternoon, he found where Mum lived and asked to hang out inside.
“Tommy was sat on the sofa, whilst Alexander and Mum were chatting and laughing together. He was sipping gold vodka straight from a bottle.
“Tommy noticed Alex was acting nuts and talking in weird accents. Mum was being kind to him, and ordered them a take-away. When Tommy eventually left, Alexander told him ‘I’ll look after your mum’ whilst smiling.”
Unbeknown to Tommy, the door closed and Carr put the loving grandma into a chokehold.
He smashed a plate on her head, stabbed her 29 times in the head with a large kitchen knife and strangled her too.
Tommy returned two days later and found his mum in her blood-splattered living room.
Thanks to Tommy remembering the vodka bottle, police matched the DNA to Carr’s, who was on the system.
He had 29 previous violent convictions and had issues with drugs and alcohol and was often paranoid.
Trembling, I called him an evil monster, whilst staring right at him. But he was a coward and kept his head down
Shannon Brown
That December, Shannon’s family mourned as there was an 18-day-long nationwide manhunt for Carr.
The ‘urban survivalist’ was eventually found living in a tent at Upper Holloway railway station in London a week before Christmas.
Shannon says: “I didn’t understand how a man with so many past convictions was able to just walk around a university campus.
“On Christmas day, we were finally relieved he’d been found. But Mum was gone and our hearts were shattered.
“As we waited for the trial, I couldn’t accept I’d never hear her silly jokes or see her crazy hairstyles again.
“Meanwhile, Tommy completely shut down. The guilt he felt for leaving that day ate him alive. The sight of Mum’s lifeless body haunted him and he developed PTSD too.”
In May 2023, Shannon faced Carr for the first time at Newcastle Crown Court.
Shannon says: “Trembling, I called him an evil monster, whilst staring right at him. But he was a coward and kept his head down.
“Two psychiatrists agreed he wasn’t suffering from an underlying psychotic illness. Alexander gave up his mental health card, and admitted everything.”
That week, Alexander Carr, 34, from, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to murdering Michelle.
The next month, he was sentenced to life, and had to serve a minimum of 19 years and three months.
Shannon says: “I knew he’d be out earlier than that. Whilst my mum was gone forever.
“Mum was so vulnerable and people took advantage of her kindness her whole life. This happened because she saw the good in Alexander, and trusted him that day.
“Now, I’m pregnant and have another little on the way. Tommy’s getting counselling and is starting to open up more.
“But my unborn baby, and Lexi will never know their nana, and have to miss out on Mum being silly, playing with them. Not a single minute goes by where I don’t think of Mum.
“Especially this Christmas, which the most painful time of the year. She may be gone, but her big heart, joyful nature and humour will live with us forever.”
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
