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Crowley Double Murder: Texas Teen Adopted From Russia Accused Of Killing Parents

By Cia Young
Published on: 20:12 PST, Dec 2, 2016

Police in Crowley, Texas say a teenager adopted from Russia committed double murder after killing his parents prior to engaging in an all-night standoff with law enforcement.

Carl Edward Brewer, 17, barricaded himself in his bedroom after the murders, which resulted in a SWAT team having to negotiate with him for around 12 hours, according to WFAA News.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVOaZIaZPSo

Dallas News reports that Crowley Police officers were alerted to the homicides from an anonymous caller. Crowley Police Chief Luis Soler said at a news conference Thursday that the unknown tipster told authorities Brewer had been smoking marijuana and admitted to killing both of his parents.

This prompted police to head to the Brewer home for a welfare check the afternoon of November 29, at which time nothing seemed wrong. Later that evening, police officers returned to the home and noted there was a “faint odor of death” coming from inside the residence, according to Dallas News.

The bodies of Troy Gene Brewer, 60, and Mary Sheldon Brewer, 64, were discovered inside the house. Dallas News reports Troy was found in a bedroom, while Mary’s body was inside a bag in another room.

According to WFAA, upon discovery of the dead couple, officers heard footsteps emanating from the upstairs of the home. The noise was apparently Carl Brewer, who had barricaded himself in his room.

During the news conference Thursday, Crowley Police Lt. Robert Gray described the scene.

“As we finished up clearing that room, we heard what we believed to be footsteps coming from the second floor above us… I made the determination to back everyone out and contact a SWAT team.”

The local medical examiner reported that both Troy and Mary had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. According to WFAA, a search warrant indicates officers searched the Brewer home for two guns that had been reported stolen.

At Thursday’s news conference, police noted that after failing to negotiate with Carl Brewer for many hours, they eventually used tear gas to prompt him to surrender. Dallas News reports Brewer has been charged with two counts of murder and is now behind bars. Brewer’s bail has been set at $100,000 for each of the murders for a total of $200,000.

During Brewer’s overnight standoff with authorities, neighbors were evacuated by being driven from the area by SWAT officers. WFAA reports that some of the Brewer’s neighbors stayed most of Tuesday night at a local recreation center and weren’t allowed back into the area until Wednesday morning at around 7 a.m.

The Brewer’s next door neighbor, Johnny Griffin, told WFAA, “It scared me to death… Here you are with SWAT, rifles and everything, saying, ‘You have to leave.'”

Crowley Police noted at the news conference that although Brewer is 17, under Texas law he is an adult with regard to criminal purposes.

Although police have not released a motive for the killings, WFAA reports that since 2010, local law enforcement has been called to the Brewer residence 16 times. Additionally, Carl Brewer was arrested earlier in 2016 after being involved in a police chase.

The Brewers adopted Carl and his two older brothers from Russia. According to WFAA, Pastor C.B. Glidden with the Nazarene Christian Academy said Carl and one of his brothers had been expelled from the school, which they attended from 2012 to 2014, for “ongoing behavioral issues.”

https://www.facebook.com/everipedia/posts/631736543697091?match=Y3Jvd2xleSxicmV3ZXIsdGV4YXMsY2FybA%3D%3D

Glidden added, “They did have outbursts from time to time from what the boys experienced before adoption in Russia… That seemed to really impact the choices they made here. This just wasn’t the right place for them.”

American Airlines, where Troy was employed as a pilot, released a statement saying the organization is “…deeply saddened” by his death and “…are focused on caring for his family and colleagues during this difficult time.”

[Featured Image by Bram Janssens/ThinkStock]

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