<!DOCTYPE html>
<html class="client-nojs vector-feature-night-mode-disabled vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-sticky-header-enabled" lang="en" dir="ltr"><head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>David Brom</title>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<link rel="canonical" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brom"> <link href="./mw/ext.cite.styles.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<link href="./mw/skins.vector.icons.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<link href="./mw/skins.vector.search.codex.styles.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<link href="./mw/skins.vector.styles.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<link href="./mw/user.styles.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<meta name="ResourceLoaderDynamicStyles" content="">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="./mw/site.styles.css">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="./mw/noscript.css">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="./footer.css">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="./vector-2022.css">
</head>
<body class="skin--responsive skin-vector skin-vector-search-vue mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-David_Brom rootpage-David_Brom skin-vector-2022 action-view">
<div class="mw-page-container">
<div class="mw-page-container-inner">
<div class="mw-content-container">
<main id="content" class="mw-body">
<header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar">
<h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading">
<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">David Brom</span></span>
</h1>
</header>
<a id="top"></a>
<div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body ve-init-mw-desktopArticleTarget-targetContainer" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container="">
<div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr">
<style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1295905060">
/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */
.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}
/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */
</style><table class="infobox biography vcard"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size:125%;"><div class="fn">David Brom</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Born</th><td class="infobox-data"><span style="display:none"> (<span class="bday">1971-10-03</span>) </span>October 3, 1971<br><div style="display:inline" class="birthplace"><a href="Cascade_Township%2C_Minnesota" class="mw-redirect" title="Cascade Township, Minnesota">Cascade Township, Minnesota</a>, U.S.</div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><a href="Conviction" title="Conviction">Conviction</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="First_degree_murder" class="mw-redirect" title="First degree murder">First degree murder</a> (4 counts)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Criminal penalty</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="Life_imprisonment" title="Life imprisonment">Life imprisonment</a></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header">Details</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Date</th><td class="infobox-data">February 18, 1988</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Location</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="Rochester%2C_Minnesota" title="Rochester, Minnesota">Rochester, Minnesota</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Target</th><td class="infobox-data">Family</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Killed</th><td class="infobox-data">4</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label"><span class="nowrap">Weapon</span></th><td class="infobox-data">Axe</td></tr><tr style="display:none"><td colspan="2">
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p><b>David Francis Brom</b> (born October 3, 1971) is an American mass murderer. He killed his parents, brother, and sister with an axe in February 1988 at the family's home in <a href="Rochester%2C_Minnesota" title="Rochester, Minnesota">Rochester, Minnesota</a> after an argument with his father.
</p>
<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Crimes">Crimes</h2></div>
<p>In the early evening of February 18, 1988, Olmsted County sheriff's deputies discovered the bodies of Bernard (41), Paulette (41), Diane (13), and Richard (11) Brom in the Brom family home. Missing from the home were the two oldest sons, David (16) and Joe (18). The police had been notified by the administration of David's school that students had reported hearing a "rumor" that David had informed another student that he had killed his family that morning. All four individuals had sustained numerous gashes in the head and upper body. Police subsequently found a blood-stained axe in the basement that forensic tests indicated was used to kill all four victims.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p><p>Immediately after the discovery, the police were concerned that David might be the victim of an abduction, but a friend of David's informed the police that David himself told her that he killed his family, and testified to the discussion in the subsequent trial. She told jurors at the trial that Brom stopped her on the morning of February 18, 1988, as she was going to school, and convinced her to skip school with him. He then detailed how he killed his parents, brother and sister. "He said he hit his dad with an axe, he kept hitting his dad and his dad kept on getting up." The girl said Brom told her he had gotten into an argument with his father at about 11:30 p.m. the previous night, and that he then stayed up until about 3 a.m. She indicated that Brom detailed the crime, saying that he went to his parents' room, first killing his father. Then he hit his mother and went to his brother's room. Then he saw his sister standing over their mother in the upstairs hallway, at which point he attacked them both.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p><p>Brom was captured on February 19, 1988, while using a pay phone near the local post office.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> His case was initially referred to the juvenile court system because his age at the time of the crimes was 16, but was eventually sent to the adult judicial system based on the severity of the crime. As Brom's defense claim was insanity, mental illness was a factor in the trial, and much media and legal focus was placed on Minnesota's use of the <a href="M'Naghten_Rules" class="mw-redirect" title="M'Naghten Rules">M'Naghten Rules</a> in determining if Brom was legally insane at the time of the crime.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On October 16, 1989, Brom was convicted of first degree murder and was given three consecutive and one concurrent life terms with 52 years and 6 months to serve before becoming eligible for parole.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p><p>In 2023, Brom's minimum term was reduced to make him immediately eligible for parole under a new state law restricting life terms for juveniles in Minnesota.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Brom was granted parole in July 2025. He was freed under a work release program on July 29, 2025.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p><p>Brom was housed at the <a href="Minnesota_Correctional_Facility_%E2%80%93_Lino_Lakes" title="Minnesota Correctional Facility – Lino Lakes">Minnesota Correctional Facility in Lino Lakes</a> prior to his release.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p>
<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>
<style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">
/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */
.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}
/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */
</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 30em;">
<ol class="references">
<li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">
/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */
.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("./mw/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("./mw/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("./mw/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("./mw/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}
/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */
</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140413150339/http://mn.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.19901130_0016.MN.htm/qx">"11/30/90 State Minnesota v. David Francis Brom"</a>. <i>FindACase</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://mn.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.19901130_0016.MN.htm/qx">the original</a> on 2014-04-13<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2012-10-29</span></span>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.postbulletin.com/friend-testifies-brom-gave-killing-details">"Friend testifies Brom gave killing details"</a>. <i>Rochester Post Bulletin</i>. 1989-09-30<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2024-12-22</span></span>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nytimes.com/1988/02/20/us/boy-16-charged-in-ax-murders-of-4-in-his-family-in-minnesota.html">"Boy, 16, Charged in Ax Murders Of 4 in His Family in Minnesota"</a>. <i>The New York Times</i>. February 20, 1988.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFLehmanPhelps2005" class="citation book cs1">Lehman, Jeffrey; Phelps, Shirelle (2005). <i>West's Encyclopedia of American Law, Vol. 7</i> (2 ed.). Detroit: Thomson/Gale. p. 97. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>9780787663742</bdi>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://krocnews.com/30-years-has-passed-since-murderer-david-brom-was-sentenced/">"30 years passed since David Brom sentencing"</a>. <i>krocnews</i>. October 19, 2019.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFKSTP_5_Eyewitness_News2019" class="citation audio-visual cs1">KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (2019-12-17). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq2HELkfXjk"><i>Flashback Friday: Rochester teen who killed family with ax sentenced 30 years ago</i></a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2024-12-22</span></span> – via YouTube.</cite><span class="cs1-maint citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{cite AV media}}</code>: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)</span></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.postbulletin.com/broms-aunt-critical-of-sentencing-decision">"Brom's aunt critical of sentencing decision"</a>. <i>Rochester Post Bulletin</i>. 1989-10-17<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2024-12-22</span></span>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/when-is-convicted-axe-muderer-david-brom-eligible-for-parole">"When is convicted axe muderer [sic] David Brom eligible for parole?"</a>. <i>Bring Me The News</i>. 8 March 2018.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/09/26/corrections-commissioner-decides-whether-to-parole-four-convicted-murderers">"Corrections commissioner decides whether to parole four convicted murderers"</a>. <i>MPR News</i>. 26 September 2019.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/mn-inmates-sentenced-to-life-as-juveniles-to-become-eligible-for-parole/89-730effdb-3c00-4113-a34e-edda47884ade">"Minnesota inmates sentenced to life as juveniles to become eligible for parole"</a>. <i>kare11.com</i>. 2023-06-28<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2025-06-02</span></span>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.kttc.com/2025/07/29/convicted-axe-murderer-david-brom-released-prison-tuesday-work-release/">"Convicted axe-murderer David Brom released from prison Tuesday on work release"</a>. <i>kttc.com</i>. 2025-07-29<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2025-07-29</span></span>.</cite></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://coms.doc.state.mn.us/publicviewer/OffenderDetails/Index/146854/Search">"MNDOC Locator: David Francis Brom"</a>. <i>Minnesota Department of Corrections</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 22,</span> 2024</span>.</cite></span>
</li>
</ol></div>
<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2></div>
<ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://coms.doc.state.mn.us/publicviewer/OffenderDetails/Index/146854/Search">MN Department of Corrections Offender Locator</a></li></ul></div><!--htdig_noindex--><div><div class="zim-footer">
This article is issued from <a class="external text" title="Last edited on 2025-08-02" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?title=David_Brom&oldid=1303828749">Wikipedia</a>. The text is available under <a class="external text" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en">Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0</a> unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.
</div>
</div><!--/htdig_noindex--></div>
</div>
</main>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body></html>