Brookwood, Alabama — A 24-year-old Alabama man has been charged with capital murder after investigators say he fatally shot a University of Alabama student and a father of three inside the home they were house-sitting, with authorities revealing that the suspect was a former co-worker who personally knew both victims.
According to the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, De’Kendrick Crawford was arrested following an hours-long tactical operation after the victims were discovered dead inside a Brookwood residence on Monday.
Investigators say the homeowner was traveling outside the United States when suspicious activity captured by a home security camera led to the grim discovery.
Security Camera Footage Helped Identify Suspect
Authorities said the homeowner became concerned after noticing someone unfamiliar near the back of the property while checking security cameras remotely.
After being unable to reach the person house-sitting the home, the homeowner requested a welfare check.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the residence, where they found 31-year-old Jose Felix Alvarez-Duenas dead near the front entrance.
While clearing the home, deputies located 22-year-old Jazmine Alexis Bates inside a bedroom closet.
Investigators credited the home’s surveillance footage with helping quickly identify the suspect.
“We were able to identify who that suspicious person was that was seen on the doorbell cameras,” Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Captain Jack Kennedy said.
He added that the suspect was an acquaintance of everyone at the home, including the homeowner.
“They all worked together, they all knew each other and socialized together at some point in the past.”
Victims Shared Workplace Before Tragedy
Authorities said Bates and Alvarez-Duenas both previously worked at Buffalo Phil’s restaurant in Tuscaloosa.
Bates was a University of Alabama student who was expected to graduate in December, while Alvarez-Duenas was remembered as a single father of three children.
Investigators said the pair had been staying at the home to care for the property and pets while the homeowner was away.
Officials also confirmed that the family’s dog was found dead, and police indicated that additional charges related to the animal’s death could be considered.
Suspect Arrested After Hours-Long Standoff
Police said Crawford was not at the residence when deputies arrived. Investigators later tracked him to a relative’s apartment in Northport, about 22 miles from Brookwood.
Authorities said he was taken into custody following an approximately four-hour tactical standoff involving drones, K-9 units, tear gas and forced entry into parts of the residence.
“After four hours of tactical operations including drones, tear gas, walls and doors being breached and attics being searched with K-9s, yeah, he never gave up. He cared more about himself than the victims,” Kennedy said.
Motive Still Unknown, Investigation Ongoing
Investigators said they have not determined a motive for the shootings.
“We don’t know why he targeted them. They were not doing anything wrong,” Kennedy said.
Authorities also revealed that Crawford was already wanted in connection with a May firearm incident involving shots allegedly fired at a building on the University of Alabama campus after he was reportedly terminated from a contracted job.
Crawford appeared in court Wednesday on capital murder charges as well as charges connected to the earlier firearm case. A judge denied bond.
Officials say the investigation remains active, and prosecutors could file additional charges, including animal cruelty, as detectives continue gathering evidence.
The allegations against Crawford have not been proven in court, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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