Husband receives prison sentence, culminating family’s years-long fight after wife’s AIDS death

CONYERS, Ga. (ANF/Gray News) - A Conyers man accused of spreading HIV to multiple women — one of whom later died — will avoid trial on murder charges after pleading guilty to three counts of reckless conduct.

Cleveland Broadie was sentenced Oct. 7, 2026, to 15 years in prison, with possible release after eight years. If released, he must stay out of Rockdale County; have no contact with victims’ families; share medical records with probation; and stay on HIV medication.

One of Cleveland Broadie’s victims was his wife Denise Broadie, who died April 2, 2022, from pneumonia and respiratory failure “due to Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome,” according to her death certificate. They’d been been married since 2014.

Denise Broadie didn’t learn she had HIV - which progressed to AIDS - until shortly before her death. Doctors said it went undiagnosed and untreated for years. Denise had been in and out of the hospital fighting cancer so her family never thought her struggles could be coming from an additional illness. They didn’t discover until it was too late.

Denise Broadie’s daughters, Karen Young and Tammy Hammonds, alleged their mother had not been active sexually with anyone else. (NOTE: Cleveland Broadie is not related to Denise Broadie’s daughters.)

“Our main goal was to hold him accountable and we’ve done that,” Tammy Hammonds said after the plea deal.

“We’re satisfied that we have some justice,” Young said.

Atlanta News First Investigates first reported on the case in 2023, and Hammonds and Young believe the media attention led to a police investigation.

“Had it not been for [Atlanta News First Investigates], we would not be in this position,” Young said. “We fought tooth and nail trying to get attention and get police to investigate.”

The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office eventually arrested Cleveland Broadie for reckless conduct-HIV infected person. The warrant said he knew his HIV status since 2006 but did not tell his wife, Denise Broadie.

The case grew at two other women came forward saying Cleveland Broadie did not disclose his status prior to unprotected sex.

Cleveland Broadie was eventually indicted on five charges: malice murder, felony murder, and three counts of reckless conduct.

In a May 2025 hearing, Rockdale County prosecutors argued Cleveland Broadie intentionally hid his diagnosis; was not regularly taking medication; and had unprotected sex with his wife as well as other women.

His defense attorney argued he had disclosed his status to his wife in writing before they married, a claim Denise Broadie’s family disputed.

The plea deal brought Hammonds and Young peace.

“It’s better for our mental health [and] our wellbeing to accept an outcome, because no amount of time was going to be sufficient enough for our mother’s loss of life,” Hammonds said.

“We’ve been through a lot and we’re ready to move on in life and mourn our mother, which we haven’t had a chance to do and enjoy life like she would’ve wanted us to.” Young said. “I think she’s proud we saw it through and got justice for her and the other victims.”