THE suspect charged in connection with the death of a college student and her friend was captured on a doorbell security camera acting suspiciously hours before he allegedly murdered the pair and a dog.

De’Kendrick Crawford, 24, was arrested for the murders of Jazmine Bates, 22, and Jose Felix Alvarez-Duenas, 31, who were found dead in a home in Brookwood, Alabama, about 40 miles southwest of Birmingham, on Monday.

Jazmine Bates, 22, was a senior at the University of Alabama, studying business administration and management

Alvarez-Duenas was a devoted single father of three children

Brookwood police said Alvarez-Duenas was house-sitting and watching the homeowner’s dog while she was away.

The homeowner contacted police at around 1pm to conduct a welfare check after being unable to contact Alvarez-Duenas for some time.

The woman told police she checked her security cameras and saw a male acting suspiciously on her back porch in the early morning hours.

When Brookwood police opened the front door, they discovered Alvarez-Duenas’ body near the entrance.

Bates’ body was found in a bedroom closet, while the homeowner’s dog was also found dead.

Both victims, including the dog, were shot to death.

Bates was a senior at the University of Alabama, studying business administration and management.

Alvarez-Duenas was a devoted single father to three children, a four-year-old, nine-year-old, and 10-year-old.

A GoFundMe set up to help Alvarez-Duenas’ family cover funeral expenses and financial support described him as the “best dad to those babies.”

“Always putting their needs first and making sure they felt loved and safe,” the fundraiser read.

“He was also the best friend to many, a wonderful son, and a caring brother to six sisters’.

“Felix never met a stranger and would help anyone in any way he could, always offering a hand or a kind word to those in need.”

Investigators said Bates and Alvarez-Duenas were friends and worked together at Buffalo Phil’s, a local restaurant in Tuscaloosa.

A representative for Buffalo Phil’s restaurant said in a statement, “There are simply no words to express the pain our team is feeling.

“They were more than employees – they were family. Their kindness, dedication and the joy they brought to our workplace will never be forgotten.”

Authorities were able to use the doorbell camera to identify Crawford, who was found hours later hiding in the attic of a relative’s apartment.

A motive has not been established.

Jose Felix Alvarez-Duenas and Jazmine Bates were friends and worked together at a local restaurant

Authorities arrested De’Kendrick Crawford, 24, in connection with the double homicide

Jack Kennedy, the commander of the Tuscaloosa County Violent Crimes Unit, said it’s still unclear why the victims were targeted.

“This individual here is responsible for what he did,” Kennedy said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“No one did anything incorrect to cause this. We don’t know why he targeted them.

“They were not doing anything wrong. They had done nothing wrong to him.

“None of his acquaintances know why this occurred.”

Kennedy said Crawford was not a current employee of the University of Alabama, where Bates attended.

But Kennedy said Crawford worked for a construction company in June that had been contracted by the university.

However, the alleged shooter was later terminated from his position.

Crawford was wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred on the campus grounds.

Investigators said after being fired from his post, Crawford got in his car and drove away, but fired some shots out of his window, striking a building near Coleman Coliseum.

Crawford had an outstanding felony warrant for the shooting.

He was charged with two counts of capital murder and denied bail.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/16664479/university-alabama-student-killed-home-pet-sitting/