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Suspect In Brooklyn Cold Case Murder Creates Chaos In Courtroom

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police believe they have cracked one of the city's most notorious cold case murders., but the suspect isn't going down without a fight.

Rashawn Brazell, 19, disappeared on Valentine's Day in 2005.

He had been missing for three days when police found a plastic bag containing Brazell's arm, legs and part of his torso in an A train subway tunnel under Bushwick.

Days later, more body parts were found at a recycling plant.

His head was never found. 

A break in the case came last November when police got a DNA match in a different murder case.

A year before Brazell's death, the naked body of 17-year-old Sharabia Thomas was found in two laundry bags in an alley in Bushwick. Officials said she had been tied up and strangled.

Last year, the Brooklyn Cold Case Squad matched DNA from her fingernails to Kwauhuru Govan, who was living in Florida until the arrest last November.

At his first court appearance, Govan shouted that he had been framed.

"Obviously he thinks he's being framed," attorney Frederick Spiegel said.

Now, law enforcement sources said they have a DNA match to the Brazell case as well, and Govan has been indicted on another murder charge, WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported. 

Brazell's mother said she is grateful for the arrest.

"It has been 12 years and I want to thank the detectives, the agency, the whole cold case unit for staying by my family," Desire Brazell told reporters Wednesday.

But as CBS2's Jessica Moore reported, closure took a backseat Wednesday, to what turned out to be chaos in the courtroom.

More than a dozen police officers dragged Govan into court after which he began arguing with the judge about whether he could stand up during proceedings.

He was scheduled to be arraigned on murder charges for Brazell's death, but he refused to be fingerprinted.

"Mr. Govan I'm remanding you. I will see you tomorrow," the judge said.

NYPD Chief of Detective Robert Boyce would not confirm a DNA match in the Brazell case, but said Govan could be responsible for even more murders.

"This perpetrator has been all over the country - California, Florida, and we'll look at any other case that fits these parameters," Boyce said.

The judge said Govan will be in court every day until he agrees to be fingerprinted and can be arraigned.

Detective said Govan could very well be a serial killer and they plan to work with investigators from other agencies to determine if evidence connects him to other murders.

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