A University of Alabama student, her friend, and the dog he was pet-sitting were found shot to death in Brookwood, Alabama, on July 6. The suspect, identified as 24-year-old De’Kendrick Crawford, was arrested hours later following an extended standoff with law enforcement.
Jazmine Alexis Bates, 22, and Jose Felix Alvarez-Duenas, 31, were discovered at a home where Alvarez-Duenas was caring for a friend's dog. The dog was also found deceased at the scene.
The dog's owner, who was out of town, contacted authorities after becoming concerned when she could not reach Alvarez-Duenas. She reviewed her home's surveillance footage, which showed a person acting suspiciously on the back porch early that morning. This prompted her to request a welfare check from Brookwood police.
Upon arrival, officers found Alvarez-Duenas's body. A subsequent search of the home revealed Bates's body in a closet. Investigators identified Crawford as the suspect using evidence from the home and the surveillance footage. Crawford had an outstanding felony warrant from May 2026 for shooting into an occupied building.
Police located Crawford at a relative's apartment, leading to a four-hour tactical operation involving drones and specialized units. Crawford eventually surrendered and was taken into custody.
According to Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office Captain Jack Kennedy, there is no known motive for the killings. Crawford has been charged with capital murder of two or more persons and is being held without bond in the Tuscaloosa County Jail. He also faces charges related to firing a gun at an occupied building.
Bates, a University of Alabama student, was scheduled to graduate in December. Friends and family remembered her as a reliable and selfless person. Alvarez-Duenas, a single father of three, was described as a devoted parent and a kind individual.
Bates and Alvarez-Duenas were colleagues at Buffalo Phil’s restaurant in Tuscaloosa. The restaurant released a statement expressing the team's grief and remembering them as family. GoFundMe campaigns have been established to assist with funeral expenses for both Bates and Alvarez-Duenas and to support his young children.