Although Randy Herman Jr. would like everyone to believe Brooke Preston’s death was caused by his drunken sleepwalking, the truth is quite different.
At the time of her murder, Brooke Preston was living with her sister Jordan Preston and childhood friend Randy Herman Jr. She had intended to relocate to Buffalo to live with her boyfriend and was only at the house to pick up her things.
In May 2019, a 12-member jury found Herman guilty of first-degree murder. In a shocking twist, Herman filed a motion to have his conviction overturned in early December 2021.
Hulu’s Dead Asleep explores the Brooke Preston murder
Dead Asleep explores the 2017 murder of Brooke Preston, a 21-year-old living in West Palm Beach, Florida. She shared a home with Randy Herman Jr, who was 24 at the time.
According to Newswatch 16, who spoke to her friends, Brooke and Randy had grown up together in Pennsylvania and graduated from Wyalusing High School. They later moved to Florida and moved in together.
The Hulu series will explore the murder and Randy Herman Jr’s defence, which was that he was prone to sleepwalking and had unknowingly killed Brooke while asleep.
Hulu: What Happened To Brooke Preston?
Brooke Preston, 21, was found stabbed to death inside her home in West Palm Beach in March 2017. According to Newswatch 16, who spoke to her friends, Brooke had lived in the home with 24 year old Randy Herman Jr. The friends had grown up together in Pennsylvania and graduated from Wyalusing High School. They later took to Florida and moved in together for a few months.
One morning, Herman woke up following a brief nap to find blood everywhere. It was all over his hands, his body, and the floor. At his feet, Preston lay dead. In his hand, he clutched his hunting knife that he usually kept by his bedside table.
Herman was confused, disoriented, and thoroughly hung-over. He paced through the house trying to piece together what had happened. He went for a drive, but didn’t make it very far. Less than a mile away, he pulled over at a park and dialed 911.
Herman, who had two DUIs on his record, drank more than 30 beers in one day, and Preston stayed with another mutual friend that night, irritated by Herman’s intoxication.
Preston’s murderer claims he had helped Preston pack a shirt the next morning. After exchanging hugs, Herman said he fell back asleep after Preston left his room.
He claimed that the next time he woke up, he was standing over Preston’s body, holding a knife.
The story of Preston’s murder has been met with outrage and disgust in the true-crime documentary “Dead Asleep,” which was released by Hulu.
Preston’s family asked for the documentary to be paused because the focus was on whether Herman was sleepwalking at the time of murder rather than what happened to Preston.
The cries of a bereaved family, on the other hand, went unheard as Hulu released it on December 16.
What happened between Brooke Preston and Randy Herman Jr. before the incident?
Preston and Herman had lived together in West Palm Beach for a few months, according to Miami New Times. Preston had moved down there closer to her sister and childhood friend Herman tagged along.
The three of them all lived in a house together. However, after five months there, Preston was ready to move back up north to be with her boyfriend, who had just gotten a new job in New York.
She did just that, but planned a weekend to return and pick up the last of her belongings. Her sister was not home that weekend, but Herman was.
Things had gone downhill in Herman’s life. He was unemployed, had a heavy drinking problem, and had a history of DUIs. He quit drinking and smoking for a short time after Preston moved, but couldn’t help but celebrate with booze the weekend she returned.
They went to the beach and had champagne and beer. Then back to the house. In later conversations, Herman estimated that he drank upwards of 30 beers that day..
The autopsy report showed twenty-five stab wounds from a hunting-style knife in the back, throat, and abdomen. Preston’s left hand was found to have defense wounds as well.
Before the murder, it doesn’t appear that the roommates had any serious disagreements.
Brooke Preston Wikipedia Details – Was She On Facebook?
Despite the fact that Brooke Preston’s tragic murder at the hands of a childhood friend was broadcasted on every news channel in the United States, she is still not listed on Wikipedia.
Preston grew up in Sayre, Pennsylvania, and attended Wyalusing Valley High School before graduating in 2013. After she then went on to earn an associate’s degree in business management from the State College of Florida.
Soon Brooke was offered the position of a Radiographer for NVI, LLC in Buffalo, which fueled her determination to complete her bachelor’s degree. Sadly, Preston’s dream would never be realized.
just saw on tiktok that hulu released a documentary on the death of Brooke Preston with videos of her family members in it without the consent of her family and i am absolutely disgusted. it doesn’t matter if it’s public knowledge or not you just don’t do that.
— mrs. elizabeth turtle (@augustaamartin) December 5, 2021
Her last Facebook post was on October 15, 2016, five months and ten days before she was murdered.
Where is Randy Herman Jr. now?
Randy Herman Jr. is currently serving a life sentence in prison in Florida. The exact facility where he resides is unknown.
Randy Herman Jr was charged with the murder of Brooke Preston in May 2019. He is currently serving a life sentence in Florida, although the prison where he is incarcerated is unknown.
HIs lawyers not only used the sleepwalking defence, they also pleaded insanity. However, the 12-person jury found Randy Herman Jr guilty of first-degree murder.
Judge John Kastrenakes sentenced Herman Jr to the mandatory term of life in prison.
