Alexis Crawford Murder Motive: Jordyn Jones, Boyfriend Charged

UPDATED: 3:51 p.m. EST, Nov. 12 —

The manner in which 21-year-old student at Clark Atlanta University was killed has been revealed in court documents. Alexis Crawford “was allegedly strangled and smothered to death following a physical altercation with her roommate,” local news outlet 11 Alive reported on Tuesday afternoon.

Jordyn Jones, Crawford’s roommate, and Barron Brantley, Jones’ boyfriend, also 21-years-old, have each been arrested and charged with the murder.

“According to a Homicide Unit summary, Jordyn Jones, Crawford’s roommate and best friend, got into a physical altercation on Halloween,” 11 Alive wrote. “The report also revealed that 21-year-old Barron Brantley, Jones’ boyfriend, got involved with the fight and choked Crawford to death with his hands. The warrant for Jones alleges she ‘did smother the victim, Alexis Crawford, with a black trash bag until Crawford stopped breathing and was deceased.'”

The full extent of the motive was not completely clear.

Confessions from both Jones and Brantley corroborated the reports that produced the court documents.

Original story:

The shocking death of an HBCU student in Atlanta has left many people wondering just how something like that could have happened. Local officials have charged the roommate of Alexis Crawford and the roommate’s boyfriend with murder, but there were still many questions that remained unanswered even as police revealed several key details on Sunday.

Jordyn Jones, Crawford’s roommate, and Barron Brantley, Jones’ boyfriend, both 21-years-old, have each been arrested and charged with the murder of Crawford, who was also 21. However, no motive has been announced. Crawford, who attended Clark Atlanta University, apparently felt threatened enough by Brantley to report to police what she claimed was a sexual assault, but it appeared no action was taken by law enforcement.

It was unclear how, or if, Crawford filing the police report factored into her death. But the medical examiner has ruled that she died from asphyxiation, or suffocation, local news outlet WSB-TV reported Sunday morning.

Crawford had been missing since the end of October. Jones previously told investigators that Crawford asked her for a ride to the liquor store Oct. 30 about 11:30 p.m. Jones said they returned home and that she last saw Crawford around 12:30 a.m. on Oct. 31 before going to bed for the night.

Crawford’s body was found in a park in DeKalb County on Friday following the arrest of Brantley, who police said led them to Crawford’s body. Jones was arrested on Saturday.

Her family filed a police report on Nov. 1 and her mother, Tammy Crawford, said she last spoke to her daughter on Oct. 30. She said that Alexis “seemed to be in good spirits and was laughing” during the conversation.

Other family members of Crawford provided a glimpse into a possible timeline before she went missing.

Crawford’s sister, Monica Wright, said they were in contact the afternoon of Oct. 30 during a FaceTime call. Wright said that her sister asked her if she could send money via Cash App. Their father agreed and Wright finalized the transaction.

Another sister, Alexandria Crawford, explained that she texted Alexis at about 8:44 p.m. that night and questioned what her plans were for the weekend. She replied with a simple, “nothing,” and didn’t respond further. Later that evening, Alexis Crawford posted to Instagram and responded to an Instagram group message with laughing emojis.

A spokesperson for Crawford’s family said a funeral was being planned.

“I’ve spent most of today in Athens, Georgia consoling the family of Alexis Crawford and assisting them with the unthinkable task of planning her funeral. The family is simply devastated and heartbroken that their beloved “Lexi” was so senseless murdered,” Rev. Markel Hutchins said in a statement.

Crawford’s funeral was scheduled to be held on Saturday at the Hill Chapel Baptist Church in Athens.

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