Deepra Sarkar
The murder of Clark Atlanta University student Alexis Crawford shook the entire city of Atlanta. She was only 21 and had her entire life ahead of her. Her friends and family were heartbroken, devastated, and then baffled when the culprits were identified. The investigation thereafter revealed an underlying tale of betrayal from a close friend. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Fear Thy Roommate’ features the story of Alexis Crawford under an episode titled ‘Three’s A Crowd’. We were intrigued by the case and delved deep to find out what exactly happened. Here’s all we know.
How Did Alexis Crawford Die?
Alexis Crawford, a senior at Clark Atlanta University, was a double major in sociology and criminal justice. She had been a student at Clarke Central High School and had graduated from there in 2016. Alexis was described by her friends to be caring, nurturing, and loving, a friend who made sure that the people around her were taking care of themselves. She was aspiring to create a bright future ahead of her education. However, her life was cut tragically short by one of her closest acquaintances. Alexis’s family last spoke to her on October 30, 2019. She was reported missing on November 1, 2019. Crawford’s body was found in a DeKalb County park on November 8, 2019, a week after her family had filed a missing person report. Her body was discovered by the investigators after Alexis’s roommate Jordyn Jones led them to a park. A medical examination reported said that she had died from suffocation.
“The case has come to one of the saddest conclusions possible and has been absolutely heartbreaking.”
-Chief Erika Shields on the murder of Alexis Crawford, 21.— Michael Seiden (@SeidenWSBTV) November 8, 2019
According to Atlantis Police Chief Erika Shields, they had not been able to detect any motive. Shields went on to state that a few days before her demise, Alexis had lodged a sexual assault complaint against her roommate’s boyfriend, Barron Brantley. She had gone to file a police report accusing Brantley of kissing her neck and touching her shoulder inappropriately. The report which was filed on October 27, 2019, said that Crawford, Brantley, and Jones had all been drinking together at Jones and Crawford’s apartment on McDaniel St SW. Brantley had made sexual advances towards Crawford. Crawford had reportedly told the police that she blacked out afterward and was unsure of what Brantley had done.
According to reports, on the day of her murder, Jones and Crawford started having a physical altercation during which Brantley, who apparently had been hiding in the girls’ apartment, stepped out and choked Crawford till she stopped breathing. Jones and Bradley then allegedly put Crawford in a plastic bin and took the body to Exchange Park in Decatur, GA, where they threw the body over a hill.
Who Killed Alexis Crawford?
#BREAKING NEWS: Roommate of Alexis Crawford now in custody, charged with murder: https://t.co/ttzqR195eM pic.twitter.com/pF5Bni6wTf
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) November 9, 2019
Alexis Crawford was allegedly killed by her roommate Jordyn Jones and Jordyn’s boyfriend Barron Brantley. Jordyn Jones is said to have been close with not just Alexis but also her family. She had spent several major holidays at Crawford’s residence including Easter and Thanksgiving. She was acquainted with Alexis’ siblings and parents. After the discovery of Alexis’ body, the police suspected Jordyn Jones and Barron Brantley and promptly arrested them. They were charged with the murder of Alexis Crawford.
On October 30, Crawford had spoken to her sister through a text message at around 8:45 p.m. She and Jordyn had then taken a trip to the liquor store as was captured in surveillance footage from Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard, according to Atlanta police. Jones then claimed to have not seen Crawford when Jones left for class the next morning. Jones had also blatantly denied knowing the whereabouts of her roommate after Crawford was reported missing by her family.
In November 2019, Brantley confessed to killing Crawford. Following this confession, the details of the circumstances leading up to Crawford’s deaths were revealed. In January 2020, Jones and Brantley were indicted for strangling and suffocating Crawford to death. The charges pressed against the two of them include murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault, concealing the death of other and false imprisonment. There is an additional charge of aggravated sodomy against Brantley. In February 2020, Jones and Brantley both pleaded not guilty despite having confessed to the crime previously to the Atlanta Police.
