Brittany Norwood

Reports from today’s hearing in which Brittany Norwood faced a judge for the first time after being arrested on first-degree murder charges revealed the extent of the brutality Norwood stands accused of committing against 30-year-old Jayna Murray inside a Lululemon Athletica store in Bethesda on March 11. According to reports from inside the courtroom, the struggle between the two women may have lasted as long as 20 minutes — during which time Murray’s skull was fractured by innumerable blows to the head and her spinal cord was severed by a wound which went through her neck. Police also hinted that Norwood may have used tools from a toolbox inside the store during the murder.

Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy, lead counsel for the prosecution, also publicly stated for the first time that Murray had found stolen merchandise from the store inside Norwood’s bag on the day of her death. Norwood is currently being held without bond.