April 25, 2001 — Mina Pajela is shot in the back of the head. Two men leaving the Eagles Lodge in Pleasant Grove see a woman put a flaming rag in a white Honda and then run across the street. The men call police and pull the rag from the car. Police find Pajela's body, covered in blood and slumped over in the passenger seat, under a blanket. Police believe she was killed that morning.
Nov. 27, 2001 — Police charge Kerri Fae Brown with 10 counts of communications fraud and 10 counts of money laundering, all second-degree felonies. They say Brown embezzled more than $30,000 from Pajela as an employee at the Mira Vista Care Center in American Fork. Police say they do not have enough evidence to charge Brown with murder.
April 3, 2002 — Police arrest Brown for the murder of Mina Pajela at the home of Brown's sister. Police say the gun used to kill Pajela belonged to Brown's boyfriend, a tribal police officer in Fort McDowell, Ariz., and that Pajela's blood was found on the gun. They also say gun residue was found on a pair of pants Brown was wearing that day.
September 2002 — Utah County Attorney's Office drops murder count and two counts of communications fraud against Brown just six days before a preliminary hearing. Deputy Utah County Attorney Sherry Ragan blames lack of cooperative witnesses.
July 2003 — Prosecutors refile charges against Brown in the embezzlement case. Deputy Utah County Attorney Dave Wayment said refiling was based on interviews of several of Brown's family members.
April 2004 — Murder charges against Brown refiled.
Aug. 5, 2004 — Preliminary hearing on Brown's murder charges begins.