Tennessee Man Accused Of Murdering His Autistic Teenage Brother While Their Mother Walked Away and Did Nothing

A Nashville, Tennessee man is behind bars after beating his 14-year-old autistic brother to death. Even more disturbing is that their mother witnessed the brutal beating but admitted to “walking away without ensuring that he did stop.” 

52-year-old Rebecca Greenwood and her 33-year-old son David Matheny initially lied to authorities, saying that Sayeed Neilson hit his head during a fall in the shower on October 22nd. They both claimed that Matheny got his brother up, helped him dry off, and then helped him to bed. The mother claimed that she and Matheny checked on Neilson multiple times before heading out to a bar. They told authorities that they went shopping for cleaning products the next day. The duo claimed that as they cleaned the home, they have found an unresponsive Neilson in his room. Greenwood called 911 at 11:50 a.m.

Eventually, Greenwood came clean with what happened to her developmentally challenged son.

“Greenwood admitted to seeing Matheny punch Neilson and kick him in the head. She admitted to telling Matheny to stop the assault before walking away without ensuring that he did stop. Matheny, during his interview, admitted to having an altercation with his stepbrother but denied causing him serious injury,” a police statement revealed. Detectives believe that the cleaning of the home was to destroy evidence. 

The victim’s aunt, Rachel Duncan, slammed Matheny, referring to him as a “bully.”

“The more you get to know him, he’s a narcissistic bully. A domineering kind of personality that always has to have his way always has to be right, always has to be in control.” She then went on to slam Greenwood for failing to protect her young son.

“That’s your baby. You should always protect your child. I know it’s both her kids, but Sayeed was a baby, only 14 compared to his older brother, who is 33.”

Both Greenwood and Matheny have been charged with criminal homicide, aggravated child abuse, and evidence tampering. They are being held in the Davidson County jail without bond.