Latricia Green Brown: Detroit Hospital Worker Killed on the Job; Ex-Husband Charged
Latricia Green Brown, known to those who loved her as "Zo-Zo" or simply Latrice, was more than a statistic in a headline.
She was the heartbeat of every room she entered—a 40-year-old woman whose infectious smile could lift the heaviest spirits, whose nurturing spirit made her the go-to aunt for her young relatives, and whose quiet determination inspired friends to chase their own fresh starts.
For two decades, she poured her compassion into her role as a scheduler in the nursing department at Henry Ford Hospital, ensuring patients received the care they needed while building a family among her colleagues.
Born and raised in Detroit, Latricia celebrated her milestone 40th birthday in March 2025 with a vow to reclaim her joy. After years of enduring physical and emotional abuse in a marriage that ended in divorce in 2018, she made the brave decision to leave for good. Kicked out of the home she shared with her ex-husband following an argument, she refused to return.
"It was big for her," her close friend Shaniqua Gibson, who witnessed the bruises and offered solace over the years, told The Detroit News. Latricia didn't have children of her own, but she mothered everyone around her—caring for her little brother, her cousins' kids, and even standing as a bridesmaid at Gibson's wedding. "She was strong. She was the light of any room she was in," Gibson said. "The person you could get sound advice from, and she didn't give up on the people she loved."
At work, Latricia was a steadfast presence. Hired by Henry Ford Health in 2005, she thrived in the basement offices, coordinating schedules with precision and kindness.
Colleagues like Devin Wilford remembered her as devoted and devastated by her loss, part of a team that felt like family. "We are heartbroken by the loss of Latricia’s family and friends, including the colleagues who came to know and love her in her 20 years as a Henry Ford Health team member," the hospital stated in the wake of the tragedy.
But beneath her resilience, Latricia lived in fear. She sought help repeatedly, filing for personal protection orders (PPOs) twice in the summer of 2025. In her July 20 petition, she detailed relentless stalking: her ex-husband breaking into her car at work on July 1, slashing clothes and stealing belongings; following her across town; showing up uninvited at the hospital and threatening coworkers.
"I constantly have to look over my shoulder," she wrote. "I have tried being cordial because I feel that the system has now let me down each time that I have tried to make reports on this man. My father was murdered and now with this situation I am now in mental distress and scared not knowing what to do." A PPO was granted on July 21, but it was never served—leaving Latricia vulnerable.
On the morning of August 22, 2025, that fear became reality. Around 9:45 a.m., Latricia was in her basement office when her ex-husband, 53-year-old Mario Dewayne Green, entered the hospital armed with a handgun. Witnesses said he claimed to be dropping off belongings, but an argument escalated.
He fired multiple shots at close range, ending her life in the very place she had built her career. Latricia died from gunshot wounds, as confirmed by the Wayne County Medical Examiner.
In the hours that followed, a manhunt gripped Detroit. Green's white 2011 Dodge Charger was found abandoned on the city's west side, and tips flooded in from a community determined to see justice. He was arrested without incident before 3 a.m. on August 23 on the east side.
Charged with first-degree premeditated murder, aggravated stalking, and firearm offenses, Green—prohibited from possessing guns due to prior convictions—now awaits trial.
An alleged accomplice, 54-year-old Anthony Lee-Lamont Barnett, faces charges for helping him flee.
Latricia's death has ignited calls for change. Her cousin Deontjuan Jones and others grieve a woman stolen too soon, while advocates highlight gaps in PPO enforcement and domestic violence support. "She deserved to live," Gibson implored.
In October, her family testified before Michigan lawmakers, urging free PPO service to prevent future tragedies.
"It’s too late for Latricia right now," said cousin Deonda Easley, "but by passing this bill, we can save a lot of other lives."
Today, as Green's preliminary examination approaches, Latricia's loved ones honor her legacy by fighting for the protections she desperately sought. She was a daughter of Detroit, a healer in scrubs, a survivor who dreamed of peace—and her story demands that no one else walks her path alone.
