Naman Shrestha
When a popular and charming plastic surgeon named Dr. Warren Brown met his untimely demise in 1969, shockwaves were sent across the entire community. With his wife and children demanding justice, the investigators moved heaven and earth to get to the bottom of the case, only to unveil some dark secrets. The horrific tragedy and its investigation are covered in a detailed manner in the episode titled ‘The Doctor and the Bunny’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Playboy Murders,’ which also features exclusive and in-depth interviews with Dr. Warren’s loved ones.
Dr. Warren Brown Was in an Extra-Marital Affair When He Was Found Dead
The prodigal plastic surgeon, Dr. Warren Franklin Brown, showed signs of tremendous potential and talent from a very young age as he graduated from medical school at the age of 23. He completed his surgery residency at George Baptist Hospital, which was later known as Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center. He also had a fellowship to his name, which he completed at the Mayo Clinic. Apart from being intelligent and ambitious, he was also known to be charismatic amongst the ladies, earning the nickname — The Darling of Georgia Baptist. While he was an undergraduate student, he crossed paths with Marjorie, whom he later married and shared two kids with, including daughter, Carol. Members of the Country Club, the couple led a luxurious life in their prestigious house in Atlanta, Georgia.
In his free time, the plastic surgeon also used to frequent the Playboy Club in the city. In July 1967, he was approached by one of the Playboy Bunnies named Jackie Hendrickson, who wanted to get a breast implant done by him. After conducting a successful surgery, Dr. Warren advised her to take some rest from work, but when she began working earlier than scheduled, she suffered from some complications. When they met up at her apartment to find a solution, their doctor-patient relationship transformed into something romantic, despite him having a wife and children at home. The surgeon told Jackie that his marriage was far from a happy one and he intended to end it sooner rather than later.
A few months later, Jackie quit her job at the Playboy Club, after which Dr. Warren gave her a job in his medical office as an office assistant but insisted that she work under her maiden name, Sandra Paul. As time passed by, she moved up the ranks and became a medical assistant and moved into the top floor of a 64-unit complex that the plastic surgeon owned. With so much to look forward to, a tragedy befell on February 19, 1969, when he was found by the authorities with a fatal gunshot wound to the upper chest, under his armpit. They also noticed that there were multiple foreign syringes in close proximity to the body. Immediately, a homicide investigation was launched.
Dr. Warren Brown’s Killer Claimed That it Was Nothing More Than an Accident
Since the police also found Dr. Warren Brown’s girlfriend, Jackie Hendrickson, at the scene of the crime, they interviewed her about the tragedy. She was the one who called Georgia Baptist Hospital and asked for medical help. She claimed that Dr. Warren had asked her to aspirate fluid from his lungs with the help of the syringes. During the interview, she admitted to landing the fatal shot to his chest, but claimed that the trigger got accidentally pulled while she was moving the gun from one location to another. Being fully cooperative with the police, she told the detectives that on the fateful day, she received a call from a friend who had visited the plastic surgeon’s clinic.
Jackie claimed that her friend told her that she noticed lipstick on Dr. Warren’s forehead while his secretary appeared disheveled, indicating an affair between the two. The former Playboy Bunny was infuriated and confronted him as soon as he arrived at the apartment around 5:30 pm. According to her, he admitted that he had made a mistake before getting into an altercation with her. Jackie told the detectives that she and Dr. Warren were struggling for the gun when it accidentally discharged, striking him near his chest. With enough evidence against her, the authorities arrested and charged her with the murder of 37-year-old Dr. Warren Brown after the interview.
Jackie Hendrickson Leads a Private Life Today
A few months later, Jackie Hendrickson’s trial for the killing of her boyfriend, Dr. Warren Brown, commenced on June 3, 1969. In front of an all-male jury, the prosecution presented several pieces of evidence that the shooting was not accidental. They claimed that on the fateful evening, two bullets were fired from the gun — one struck the plastic surgeon in the chest and the other left a bullet hole in the door of the room. It contradicted the defendant’s claims of it being an accidental shooting. The prosecution also emphasized the fact that the trigger could not have been accidentally pulled because it required a significant amount of pull force.
On the other hand, the defense tried their best to convince the jury that it was an accident, as claimed by Jackie. After much deliberation, the jury returned with a verdict. Jackie Hendrickson was finally found guilty of voluntary manslaughter. Subsequently, she was sentenced to five years in prison. After serving her term, she was seemingly released from prison and has preferred to keep herself away from the limelight ever since then.
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