A man accused of killing a University of Alabama student, a father of three, and a dog in Brookwood, Alabama, was known to the victims as a former co-worker, authorities have stated.
De’Kendrick Crawford, 24, has been charged with capital murder in connection with the deaths of Jazmine Alexis Bates, 22, and Jose Felix Alvarez-Duenas, 31. Both were discovered deceased inside a home on Monday. Bates was on track to graduate from the University of Alabama in December, while Alvarez-Duenas was a single father to three children. The pair worked together at a Tuscaloosa restaurant.
Investigators identified Crawford as a suspect after reviewing home security camera footage. The homeowner, who was out of the country, had become concerned about Alvarez-Duenas after being unable to contact him and asked for a welfare check. Upon entering the residence, officers found Alvarez-Duenas deceased on the floor and subsequently discovered Bates in a closet in the back bedroom.
"We were able to identify who that suspicious person was that was seen on the doorbell cameras," Captain Jack Kennedy of the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday. "That person turned out to be an acquaintance of everyone there, including the primary resident, they used to all work together at a local business. They all worked together, they all knew each other and socialized together at some point in the past."
Crawford was not present when law enforcement arrived at the scene. He was later apprehended at a relative's apartment in Northport following a standoff that lasted several hours. Police reported that the standoff involved tactical operations, including the use of drones and tear gas, and lasted about 10 hours after the bodies were discovered.
Law enforcement is still investigating the motive behind the killings, with authorities stating that the victims were not known to have wronged Crawford.
At the time of the incident, Crawford was also wanted in connection with a firearm offense from May. According to reports, he allegedly fired shots from a vehicle at a building on the University of Alabama campus after being terminated from a contracted job at the university. The shots reportedly struck a building near Coleman Coliseum. Crawford was not a University of Alabama employee but worked for a contracted company on campus.
Crawford appeared in court Wednesday to face the capital murder charges and the firearm offense. He was denied bond. Authorities indicated that additional charges, such as animal cruelty, may be filed.