A tragic incident unfolded at a Brookwood, Alabama home where a University of Alabama student, a friend, and a dog were discovered dead. The bodies were found following a disturbing sight on security cameras, which showed a suspicious individual in the homeowner’s yard.

Jazmine Alexis Bates, aged 22, and her friend, Jose Felix Alvarez-Duenas, 31, became victims of an alleged fatal attack by De’Kendrick Crawford, 24, according to reports from WIAT.

The tragic discovery was made during a police welfare check at the residence, located east of Tuscaloosa. Concerns were raised when Alvarez-Duenas, who worked in a restaurant, failed to respond to repeated phone calls and text messages.

Alvarez-Duenas, a devoted single father to three young children, was taking care of a colleague’s dog while she was traveling outside the United States. Worry set in when the homeowner could no longer reach him, prompting her to review the security footage.

The homeowner’s suspicions were triggered after checking her security cameras, where she observed a suspect loitering on her back porch. This unsettling discovery led to the subsequent call to law enforcement and the grim revelation of the incident.

Brookville police discovered Bates, Alvarez-Duenas and the pooch’s bodies when they arrived at the home.

“Immediately upon opening the front door, there was a deceased male lying on the floor that was identified as the person that was house-sitting for her,” Jack Kennedy, of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, told reporters Tuesday, according to the outlet.

Investigators combed through the home, where they found Chicago-native Bates – who worked with Alvarez-Duenas at the restaurant Buffalo Phil’s Wings.

“Upon clearing the residence, they were able to find a second deceased individual, a female,” Kennedy said.  “She was in the back bedroom in a closet.” 

Bates, a business administration and management student, was just five months away from graduating.

Crawford bolted to a relative’s apartment in Northport – around 22 miles from Brookwood – and was arrested 10 hours after the restaurant staffers’ bodies were found.

Crawford was caught hiding in the home’s attic. 

“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 blasted.

Cops were mystified why the two restaurant workers were targeted as the motive behind the shooting is unknown.

“We don’t know why he targeted them,” Kennedy said. 

“They were not doing anything wrong. They had done nothing wrong to him. None of his acquaintances know why this occurred.

“Nothing in our investigation has found that these victims in any way contributed to this; the motive is unknown.”

But the homeowner knew the victims as well as Crawford through work, Kennedy said.

Crawford was charged with capital murder of two or more persons – an offense that carries a sentence of death or life imprisonment in Alabama.

Tributes were paid to the two restaurant workers after the tragedy.

“He was the best dad to those babies, always putting their needs first and making sure they felt loved and safe,” Alvarez-Duenas’ friends and family said in a fundraiser.

“He was also the best friend to many, a wonderful son, and a caring brother to his 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.”

Juana Gutierrez Salas, Alvarez-Duenas’ sister, told WBMA, “He was always there for anyone however he could be. He was a charismatic light. He was so full of life and love.”

“To know Felix was to love him! He wasn’t easily forgettable. He had a passion for life. He was dependable, responsible, thoughtful and fun to be around.”

The restaurant said Alvarez-Duenas was “one of the hardest-working people you could ever meet” and said Bates “had a bubbly personality that could light up a room.”

“She had so much life ahead of her and her loss is truly heartbreaking,” it said.

During a NATO summit on Wednesday, Donald Trump made two surprising verbal blunders while speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, sparking renewed concerns over his health.

One notable misstep involved Trump’s incorrect reference to Iran as he discussed America’s anti-missile defense capabilities.

“We had 111 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan,” he remarked. Without pausing to acknowledge the mistake, Trump continued his speech, focusing on how all of these missiles had been intercepted.

This slip did not go unnoticed, as a pro-Ukraine X account criticized the 80-year-old Trump, suggesting he might be experiencing cognitive decline. Michael MacKay, who holds a PhD from the London School of Economics, took to social media, asserting, “Trump’s dementia is profound.”

Adding to these concerns, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker recently expressed to CNN his belief that Trump might be suffering from a mental disease.

Later, Trump appeared to cross up the presidents of Russia and Ukraine.

While gesturing at Zelensky, Trump directed a question to a reporter at the meeting: ‘Do you have a question for President Putin?’

After a brief moment, Trump seemed to recognize his mistake, but then he appeared to made light of the gaffe. 

When a reporter appeared to try to ask Zelensky a question, Trump spoke over him with a slight smile.

‘Do you have a question for President Putin?’ Trump asked again. ‘Yeah, what would you like to ask [Putin]? Because I’m gonna ask him that question.’

Trump said he was making a call with Putin later in the day and continued to insist on a question for the Russian strongman until he got one a few seconds later. 

The White House touted Trump’s stamina and fitness when contacted by the Daily Mail.

‘President Trump delivered a marathon, high-energy performance at the NATO summit, holding four separate press availabilities plus a solo press conference and taking unscripted questions from reporters on a wide range of topics,’ White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. 

‘The President commanded every room, gave our allies some much-needed tough love, and left the summit with a stronger NATO and more united free world.’

Trump has faced a slew of medical concerns during his second term after frequently calling into question the health of his predecessor ‘Sleepy’ Joe Biden.

There has been visible swelling in his legs, bruising on his hands, and several instances of appearing to briefly doze off in public.

The White House has said the swelling in Trump’s legs is due to a condition called chronic venous insufficiency, a relatively common circulatory problem in older patients.

The bruising on the President’s hands, which he has at times tried to conceal, has been attributed to regular aspirin usage and frequent handshakes, though bruising has appeared on both of the President’s hands.

Those in the President’s orbit have denied that he struggles to stay awake. 

‘I’ve never seen him fall asleep,’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a congressional hearing in June, adding that the President often calls him in the wee hours of the morning.

Trump is the oldest person ever elected to the presidency, beating his predecessor Joe Biden by some five months.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago’s own, Nick Offerman, has returned to the Windy City and is wowing audiences at the Goodman Theatre with his performance in “Iceboy!”

Widely celebrated for his comedic roles, Offerman takes on a more serious tone as he speaks to ABC7 about a fundraising event happening Monday. The cause is near and dear to him, benefiting a hidden gem at the University of Illinois.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Taking on the role of the iconic playwright Eugene O’Neill, Offerman shares the stage with his wife, Megan Mullally, who stars alongside him in this musical production.

Originating from Minooka, a town close to Joliet, Offerman is an alumnus of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. It was here that he encountered a transformative experience that left a lasting impression on him.

“Our sensei, Shozo Sato, introduced us to Kabuki theatre and spearheaded the creation of Japan House,” Offerman recounted. “They offer classes in traditional arts like tea ceremonies, black ink painting, and flower arranging. Visiting the tea house is this extraordinary journey. It forces you to set aside life’s distractions, concentrating only on its beauty and simplicity. As you reach the door, you must bow to enter, a gesture that clears your mind, allowing you to embrace the experience afresh,” said Offerman.

Offerman is a master woodworker, learning his skills growing up. He and a team of volunteers created the gazebo at Japan House, honoring all he learned there.

He’s doing a benefit for Japan House this Monday night, July 13, at the Ramova Theatre in Bridgeport.

“I do an evening of songs on the guitar, a lot of laughter, and I talk a lot about my sensei and share some of the lessons,” Offerman said. “It was just wild in the middle of the cornfield of Illinois to have my curiosity and my empathy blown open. As this ignorant farm kid, it just blew me away and opened me up to Japanese culture, and the world, the world is available.”

Doors open at 6 p.m. Monday at the Ramova Theatre on South Halsted for the benefit.

It has even more meaning for Offerman, since his beloved teacher, Shozo Sato, died last year at 91 at his home in Champaign.

DEAR ABBY: At 82 years old, my father maintains an independent lifestyle, living alone without assistance. His health, thankfully, remains in relatively good shape, yet he’s beginning to confront the inevitable truth that this won’t be the case indefinitely. Determined to seize the moment, he’s decided that one thing he must do while he still can—at least in his mind—is embark on a solo road trip to visit his sister, who lives across the country.

His routine includes regular short drives lasting about two to three hours, and based on this, he believes a 2,000-mile expedition is achievable if approached in manageable segments spread over several days. In my view, it’s a monumentally poor decision. The risk of fatigue from extended hours on the road is concerning, as is the added pressure of navigating unfamiliar territories. These factors leave me worried about the potential for accidents or him losing his way.

I’ve shared my concerns with him and pointed out that there are safer alternatives. To ease his journey, I even offered to cover his airfare. However, he balks at the thought of handling an airport, which to me seems much simpler than enduring long drives. Additionally, the idea of navigating an unfamiliar rental car at his destination isn’t appealing to him. I proposed accompanying him, yet he plans for an extended stay, and there’s no room for me at my aunt’s place.

Despite my efforts, Dad is determined to make this trip, and my fear is that he may slip away without informing anyone. Given that we live far apart and I lack any legal authority to confiscate his car keys, I’m at a loss. This seems absurd, doesn’t it? — A DISASTER IN OHIO

DEAR SEES: Regardless of our opinions on your father’s plan, the reality is that he intends to proceed. However, this does not preclude you from seeking a role in his journey to provide some comfort and assurances.

Help your father plan and map out his trip. Note what hotels or motels there are along the way and help him make reservations. Then get his promise to call you every evening when he checks in so you can know he is all right. It may take some work on your part, but the reassurance of being able to track his progress would be priceless.

DEAR ABBY: My youngest child (early teens) has a hard time making and keeping friends, but he made a new friend three weeks ago. I have met the mom once, briefly, and mostly texted to discuss timing for plans with my kid and hers. 

The mom keeps asking me for money. Our stories are similar, and I’ve filled her in — divorced, single mom, no contact with ex, no support. Most recently, she texted me asking for gas money and additional money to help fund a trip out of state for a funeral. I may live in a nice house, but I have no help in paying for it plus all the other life expenses. I’ve told her as much, but I still get these requests. 

I don’t want to be rude to her, but I feel like my next step is to be blunt. However, I don’t want to risk hurting the friendship between the kids. How do I make it clear without doing damage? — DOLLARS AND SENSE 

DEAR D & S: Resist the urge to be blunt. Simply tell the woman nicely that you don’t have funds to give her at this time. When she asks again, repeat as necessary.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

The scene unfolded with all the hallmarks of a contemporary drama: a widow, subtly wiping away her tears with a pristine tissue, the unexpected arrival of the president’s son alongside his dazzling new wife, and at the center, a petite figure accused of murder.

However, the second day of the preliminary hearing for Charlie Kirk’s murder in 2025 had its share of absurdity. The proceedings turned so monotonous that four women, who had waited overnight to secure seats in the courtroom, quietly left after just an hour.

The day kicked off with a swarm of cameras encircling the entrance to capture key figures: Donald Trump Jr. and his new wife, Bettina Anderson, Kirk’s widow Erika, his heartbroken parents, and the parents of the accused, Robinson, all trying to evade the relentless lenses as they hurried into the Provo District Courthouse.

Inside, security was tight. The fourth floor had been transformed into a virtual fortress, with floor-to-ceiling windows covered with fabric to ensure privacy for those entering the courtroom.

Snipers were positioned on the rooftop, while teams of heavily armed police officers filled both the lobby and the courtroom, maintaining a tense atmosphere.

Erika herself was flanked by a posse of three heavies, looking small and fragile at their sides.

Reporters covering the hearing were swept into the courtroom first, where, from their perch in the jury box, they were positioned directly next to the defense team and the accused killer Tyler Robinson himself.

Not that the seating arrangements appeared to bother the 23-year-old, who maintained a mask of stony indifference throughout the day as he sat, hunched over the defense desk, in a crumpled gray suit.

Yet there were the odd signs of emotion: rolling his pen through his fingers as a picture purporting to show him positioning himself to strike, his left thumb tracing circles on his thigh as his trans former lover’s name got its first mention, and a quick scratch of his left eye.

As reporters filed out at the end of the day, he offered a brief smirk – the most visible and discernible facial expression he managed in eight hours of testimony.

The real emotion was to be found further back where Erika, dressed in a black satin blouse and matching wide-leg pants, sat in the third row next to Kirk’s visibly distraught parents.

Occasionally dabbing her eyes as she watched frame by frame footage of Robinson’s movements on the day her husband died, it proved all too much at times – with both Erika and his parents fleeing the court room twice in the morning.

Sitting just in front of them, just a few seats away, were Robinson’s parents Matthew and Amber who, like their son, didn’t give much away – stoically facing Judge Tony Graf while chewing gum throughout.

Behind them and to their right was Don Jr, solemn in a navy suit, and new wife Bettina who added a shot of glamour to proceedings in a cream pinstriped suit and black t-shirt.

Although the newlyweds spent the whole of Monday in court, neither made it back after Tuesday’s lunch break – for which both should breathe a sigh of relief.

Although Robinson’s sharp-tongued lead attorney Kathy Nester – last seen mounting an unsuccessful defense of grief author Kouri Richins – took center stage in the morning, the afternoon saw the floor handed to Michael Burt.

Burt, no stranger to a famous case himself having represented parent killer Lyle Menendez during his first trial, took the later hours of the day from high drama to crashing bore.

For more than three painstaking hours, Burt attempted to prove flaws in the DNA testing that identified Robinson, subjecting FBI scientist Amanda Bakker to a tedious barrage of questions and waving best practice manuals written in 1996 at the witness box.

The courtroom, already mostly marked by a hushed silence, descended into a stupor before dapper prosecutor Ryan McBride rapidly wrapped proceedings up with a few quick questions of his own.

Tuesday marked the second day of a week-long preliminary hearing in the murder case.

Robinson faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted, with his defense attorney Nester, 59, attempting to prevent key evidence from being admitted at his pre-trial hearings this week.

Nester is a veteran trial attorney with a number of infamous defendants on her resume, including former polygamous religious leader Lyle Jeffs, synagogue shooter John Earnest and Michael Kirk Moore, who was accused of issuing false Covid vaccine certificates and destroying $28,000 worth of COVID-19 vaccines. The charges against Moore were eventually dropped.

Much of the focus on Tuesday morning was on the testimony of Utah State Bureau of Investigation agent David Hull who said that hours before Kirk was killed, Robinson visited the amphitheater where the influencer was preparing to speak.

Hull claimed that Robinson made contact with several members of the conservative activist’s organization Turning Point USA.

The agent did not testify as to what Robinson said to the organization’s members, but Hull added that Robinson also bought food from Chick-fil-A roughly two hours before Kirk was killed.

Hull also noted that a police officer interacted with the suspect on campus the day after the shooting, amid an intense manhunt for Kirk’s killer.

He said Robinson returned to the UVU campus during the manhunt, but during his conversation with the police officer he set off alarm bells.

Hull said the officer had ‘cop intuition’ about Robinson and wrote down his license plate, which later helped investigators prove that the 23-year-old was on campus that day, he testified.

The bombshell testimony came after prosecutors shared never-before-seen footage allegedly showing Robinson prowling the UVU campus on the day of the shooting.

However, prosecutors hit a hurdle on the first day of the evidence hearings on Monday as Utah District Court Judge Tony Graf rejected surveillance footage put forward by the state, as he said he was ‘concerned’ it had been edited.

The footage had been altered with circles around items of interest and zooms at key moments, which prosecutors said were ‘only added to make it easier to view.’

The early ruling came as the first cop at the scene, Utah Valley University police officer Chris Bagley, also admitted in his testimony that he did not have bodycam footage from the day of Kirk’s assassination to back up his testimony, because his camera ‘ran out of batteries.’

Despite the early challenges in the evidence on Monday, prosecutors only need to convince Judge Graf of probable cause in taking Robinson to trial, a lower bar than the ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ standard needed to ultimately convict him.

Robinson has remained in custody in Utah ever since his arrest 33 hours after Kirk was killed.

Prosecutors say they have compiled a slew of evidence in that time, including DNA linking Robinson to the murder weapon, witness statements and further surveillance tying him to the scene.

They are also expected to cite messages Robinson allegedly sent his transgender partner Lance Twiggs on the day of the shooting, which said he ‘had enough of (Kirk’s) hatred’ and that ‘some hatred can’t be negotiated out.’

Robinson has not yet entered a plea in the case.