Police: Mom Of Victim A 'Strong Suspect' In Lunenburg Racist Graffiti Incident

LUNENBURG (CBS) - The investigation into who spray painted a home with racist graffiti last month has turned toward the woman who lives there.

Police said on Wednesday that Andrea Brazier is now considered a "strong suspect" in the case.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker reports

Officers say they executed a search warrant on Tuesday and seized two cans of spray paint and ammunition from the home.

Brazier, who is white, and her husband Anthony Phillips, who is African American live at the home with their 13-year-old son, Isaac. Brazier initially cast suspicion on her son's Lunenburg High School football teammates, saying he had been bullied in the past.

The school's superintendent cancelled the football team's final game on Thanksgiving after no one came forward to take responsibility.

On Monday, Lunenburg police announced that there was no conclusive evidence that anyone on the high school football team is linked to the graffiti.

A police affidavit obtained on Wednesday indicated that Brazier had stopped cooperating with investigators and had changed her story several times.

Initially she told officers that her 6-year-old daughter heard someone outside of her window and saw someone wearing a feather head dress on either November 14 or 15. She later said that alleged incident occurred on November 4.

On November 18, days after the graffiti was discovered, police observed two burnt aerosol cans in a fire pit at the home. Anthony Phillips told investigators that they were Rustoleum spray paint cans used for renovating the living room. According to the affidavit, he Later claimed to have used them as part of a construction project on a blue house.

After missing a scheduled appointment with officers on Friday November 22, Brazier allegedly told them the following Monday that she wanted the investigation to end.

During an interview with police and an FBI agent, she told them that she wanted the investigation to be over and wanted the media to go away. When the FBI agent suggested to Brazier that she wanted the investigation to end because she had painted the graffiti, she allegedly responded by saying "okay" and that police did not understand. She then denied that her husband or son had any involvement in the incident.

At this point, no charges have been filed.

On Wednesday night, Lunenburg School Superintendent Loxi Jo Colmes released a statement saying, "I never imagined that something like this could happen in our community."

Colmes also addressed the cancellation of the Thanksgiving football game. "I never looked at the cancellation as a punishment although it is certainly viewed that way by many," Colmes said. "In the end the safety of students and attendees at the game was deemed to be of paramount importance. At no time did I or any employee of the schools indict or implicate any of our players. In fact, my statements were that the graffiti investigation could NOT be limited to the team."

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