Naman Shrestha
The episode titled ‘Behind Door 813’ of NBC’s ‘Dateline’ chronicles the mysterious death of 27-year-old Jonathan Crews in his new apartment in Coppell, Texas. Since his girlfriend, Brenda Lazaro, was with him at the time of his demise, she was considered a prime suspect by his family as well as the authorities. However, she alleged that he shot himself after telling her to cover her ears. The documentary features exclusive and insightful interviews with Jonathan’s family members and friends, who suspected Brenda of being involved with the murder.
Brenda Lazaro Claimed That Jonathan Shot Himself to Prove His Love For Her
While attending North Lake College, Brenda Lazaro crossed paths with Matthew Kirk in the Kung Fu Class during the first semester. As the two grew closer, they got into a romantic relationship, which had its fair share of ups and downs. As per Matthew, Brenda showed signs of jealousy multiple times throughout the course of their relationship. In one instance, when he planned to visit his sister-in-law at the hospital after she had given birth to her newborn, she got angry as she disapproved of the same. During one of their alleged fights, he also had to call the police for intervention.
After four long years of dating, the couple broke up. Not long after, she began a relationship with a Baylor University graduate named Jonathan Crews. Three months into their relationship, Brenda called 911 to report a shooting in his new apartment in Coppell, Texas, on the night of February 2, 2014. When the authorities arrived at the scene, they found Joanthan in his bed with a gunshot wound to his chest and his SIG Sauer 9mm pistol beside his remains. His girlfriend told them that he had shot himself in the heart to prove his love for her, indicating that it was a suicide.
Despite investigating the case and the evidence found at the crime scene thoroughly, the manner of his death was declared undetermined. As for Jonathan’s loved ones, they failed to believe that he took his own life and claimed that he had been planning to break up with Brenda, who was allegedly jealous of his close friend, Emily. As per Matthew, the day after Jonathan’s death, Brenda called him up and asked if he would kill her or provide her with a gun so that she could take her own life. When he asked about her situation, she allegedly told him that her boyfriend had shot himself in the head.
Brenda Kelley Was Tried in a Civil Lawsuit by the Crew Family
With suspicions looming over Brenda Lazaro, Jonathan Crew’s family filed a civil lawsuit against her in 2016. However, it wasn’t until September 21, 2022, that the trial began. By that time, she had remarried and taken her husband’s last name. During her trial, Jonathan’s family and the plaintiff’s lawyer pushed to get the truth about the deceased man’s life and death out. The defendant, Brenda Kelley, took the stand but respectfully declined to answer each question, asserting her Fifth Amendment right. She repeatedly stated, “I respectfully invoke my privilege against self-incrimination.” Three days into the trial, the jury deliberated for about three hours before reaching a unanimous verdict. They found her responsible for killing Jonathan Crew in 2014 and awarded the Crew family $206 million in damages. However, it is important to note that she has not been charged or prosecuted in criminal court for the murder.
Brenda Kelley is Employed at the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Missouri Today
Although she was held responsible for Jonathan’s death in a civil trial, Brenda Lazaro did not let it affect her professional career, which started while she was studying Spanish Language and Literature at The University of Texas at Arlington. In January 2008, she took a part-time job as an AVID Tutor at Grand Prairie ISD. After graduation, she switched to Duncanville ISD, where she taught Spanish until June 2013. Meanwhile, from 2007 to 2018, the martial arts enthusiast served as an Assistant Instructor at Wu Yi Shaolin Martial Arts in Coppell, Texas.
After a few years of break, she switched things up and landed a job at Grove Collaborative, where she started as a Warehouse Associate and later became the Outbound Lead. More than a year later, in July 2021, she joined Amazon Fulfillment Center as an L1 Warehouse Assistant. Moving up the ranks, she soon became an L3 Process Assistant. Since November 2023, she has been serving as the Area Manager at the same company. Brenda Kelley currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri, with her husband, Jason Kelley, and children
Read More: Matthew Kirk: Where is Brenda Lazaro’s Ex-Boyfriend Now?
