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Friends and family of Jonathan Crews, who died of a fatal gunshot wound to his heart in February 2014, suspect that his then-girlfriend Brenda Lazaro shot the 27-year-old in a fit of jealousy after giving him an ultimatum. They believe Lazaro then took 30 minutes to call 911 and report the incident to authorities, alleging that her boyfriend shot himself in a foolish attempt to "prove" his love for her.
Crews' family, dissatisfied with Lazaro's account and the police's investigation into the shooting incident, filed a wrongful death lawsuit and won the civil lawsuit in September 2022, with a jury deciding that the 27-year-old was likely murdered by his girlfriend of three months back in 2014. She remains a suspect in the eyes of the victim's family and certain friends but has never been charged.
NBC's Dateline is slated to revisit the mysterious shooting death of Jonathan Crews in an all-new episode, titled Behind Door 813. The synopsis states:
"After 27-year-old Jonathan Crews dies mysteriously in his Texas apartment, his family takes matters into their own hands in an effort to find answers."
The two-hour episode will air on Friday, April 7, 2023, at 9 pm ET.
Jonathan Crews' family suspect his then-girlfriend Brenda Lazaro's involvement in the shooting death
Brenda Lazaro, Jonathan Crews' girlfriend of three months, was on the scene at his Coppell, Texas, apartment on the night of February 2, 2014, when the 27-year-old died of a gunshot wound.
However, Crews' mother Pam and his family were unconvinced that he committed suicide and refuse to believe that he accidentally shot himself given his expertise in firearms safety. They believe he was murdered and even launched their own investigation into the shooting death after police failed to provide answers.
Pam believed Lazaro was furious when Jonathan ended their relationship after she gave him an ultimatum to choose between her and his friend Emily. Then, in a fit of jealousy, she killed him. The 911 call Lazaro made that night showed that she held off calling authorities for 30 minutes after Jonathan was shot. She also failed to attend his funeral.
Over nine years have passed since Jonathan Crews was found dead of a single but fatal gunshot wound to his heart in his apartment on February 2, 2014, which was Super Bowl Sunday. He was shot with his own SIG Sauer 9mm.
Crews was found in bed, laying on his back, when paramedics arrived at the scene. His arms were outstretched and the weapon was found next to him on top of the blanket. The cause of death was declared "undetermined" after authorities claimed they did not have sufficient evidence to be sure about what happened.
Jonathan Crews' family won the wrongful death lawsuit last September, receiving an amount of $206 million
Jonathan Crews' family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in 2016 against Brenda Lazaro, alleging that she shot and killed the 27-year-old. The victim's mother Pam disclosed some shocking details which were exposed during the family's own investigation and an extensive list of shortcomings which led police to determine that there was "not enough evidence" to charge Lazaro.
This included crucial information concealed from the medical examiner who ruled Jonathan's death "undetermined," witnesses who were never questioned, and forensic tests that were deemed "too expensive" to be performed.
Two years after a Coppell police investigation failed to determine whether Jonathan Crews' death on February 2, 2014, was a homicide or the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, his family filed the civil lawsuit which proved fruitful in September 2022, when a jury, following a three-day trial, decided that Brenda Lazaro, now Brenda Kelly, was most likely responsible for Jonathan Crews' death.
The lawsuit accused Lazaro of murder and making up an account about Crews shooting himself. They cited her contradictory statements to friends as evidence. Reports state that a friend claimed she told him that Crews shot himself in the head, while another stated that she told her that he shot himself in the chest. Lazaro, however, maintains her innocence and has not been charged to date.
For more insights on the case, watch NBC Dateline this Friday.
