A capital murder charge has been filed against De’Kendrick Crawford, 24, in connection with the shooting deaths of University of Alabama student Jazmine Alexis Bates, 22, her friend Jose Felix Alvarez-Duenas, 31, and a dog they were pet-sitting. The victims were discovered Monday at a home in Brookwood, Alabama, following a welfare check requested by a colleague of Alvarez-Duenas.
Officers responded to the residence after Alvarez-Duenas, a restaurant worker, failed to respond to calls and texts. The colleague, who was out of the country, had become concerned when she couldn't reach the pet sitter. Upon checking her home security cameras, she observed a suspicious person on her back porch.
Upon arrival, police found Alvarez-Duenas deceased on the floor. A further search of the residence revealed the body of Jazmine Alexis Bates in a back bedroom closet. The dog was also found deceased in the home.
Bates, a business administration and management student, was reportedly five months away from graduating. Alvarez-Duenas, described as a single father of three, worked with Bates at Buffalo Phil’s Wings. Tributes from friends and family described Alvarez-Duenas as a devoted father, a loyal friend, and a caring individual. His sister described him as a "charismatic light" full of life and love. The restaurant staff remembered him as one of the hardest-working people they knew, and Bates as having a "bubbly personality that could light up a room."
Crawford was apprehended approximately 10 hours after the discovery of the bodies. He was found hiding in the attic of a relative's apartment in Northport, about 22 miles from Brookwood. Investigators conducted a four-hour tactical operation, which included drones, tear gas, breaching doors, and searching attics with K-9 units, before Crawford was taken into custody.
Authorities stated that the motive behind the shootings remains unknown. "We don’t know why he targeted them," said Jack Kennedy of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit. "They were not doing anything wrong. They had done nothing wrong to him. None of his acquaintances know why this occurred." Kennedy added that nothing in the investigation suggests the victims contributed to the incident.
The homeowner reportedly knew both the victims and Crawford through work. Crawford has been charged with capital murder of two or more persons, an offense punishable by death or life imprisonment in Alabama. He has been placed in the Tuscaloosa County Jail.