Authorities have arrested De'Kendrick Crawford, 24, in connection with the deaths of Jazmine Alexis Bates, 22, a University of Alabama student, and Jose Felix Alvarez-Duenas, 31, a father of three, in Brookwood, Alabama. A dog being pet-sat by Alvarez-Duenas was also found shot to death at the scene. The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office stated that Crawford knew both victims and the homeowner through prior employment.
Investigators identified Crawford after reviewing doorbell camera footage from the residence. Captain Jack Kennedy of the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office said that Crawford was an acquaintance of everyone involved and that they had all worked together at a local business at some point.
At the time of the alleged murders, Crawford was already wanted on a felony warrant for firing a gun multiple times at an occupied office building on the University of Alabama campus. This previous incident occurred last month after Crawford was terminated from a contracted construction job on campus. He was reportedly driving away from the site when he fired shots from his vehicle, some of which struck a building near Coleman Coliseum.
Police discovered the bodies on Monday after responding to a welfare check. The dog's owner had been unable to reach Alvarez-Duenas and, upon checking surveillance cameras, saw a suspicious individual on her back porch. She then contacted her landlord, who requested police intervention. Officers found Alvarez-Duenas's body upon entering the front door, and subsequently discovered Bates's body in a closet. The dog was also found deceased inside the home.
Following an hours-long standoff at a relative's apartment, Crawford was apprehended. Police described the killings as senseless but noted that people who knew Crawford were surprised by his arrest, indicating he had little criminal history beyond the prior warrant. Investigators are examining electronic devices and communications to determine a motive, though Crawford has invoked his right to remain silent.
Bates was scheduled to graduate from the University of Alabama in December. Friends and family remembered her as reliable and selfless. Alvarez-Duenas was the sole caregiver for his three children, aged four, nine, and ten. GoFundMe campaigns have been established to assist both families with funeral expenses and to support Alvarez-Duenas's children.
Crawford is being held in the Tuscaloosa County Jail without bond and faces charges of capital murder for the deaths of Bates and Alvarez-Duenas, in addition to the charge for firing into an occupied building. Additional charges are expected as the investigation progresses.