'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAIBAAAgEEAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIEAAMFERITITFBof/EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL/xAAWEQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AMWn5jFS4EwpihFUx466tNss63BzfZ7jkPQqZZ7TMWW1cCk7A6vj5SlGSrX/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Dateline brought to light a true crime case that has haunted a family in Texas for almost 10 whole years.
The episode returned to the troubling questions about what really happened inside Apartment 813 on a quiet night in February 2014. Was Jonathan Crews' death a su*cide, or was there something far more sinister?
A two-hour special on Dateline dug deep into the mysterious death of the 27-year-old Coppell man, confronting the audience with footage, interviews, and courtroom revelations.
At the center of this story stands Brenda Lazaro—Jonathan's girlfriend at the time, whose account of that night has never quite lined up with the facts. Additionally, no criminal charges were filed. However, in 2022, a jury sided with Jonathan's family, offering them $206 million in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Here, we look at the important moments of the case as revealed by Dateline, with a complete and detailed timeline that puts together what we know today and what's still missing from our sight.
Dateline: A complete timeline of the Jonathan Crews murder case, revisited
Jonathan Crews and Brenda Lazaro: The beginning
In late 2013, Jonathan Crews, a driven 27-year-old director at an urgent care center, was climbing the ladder of success. Along with his professional growth, he was navigating a new relationship with Brenda Lazaro, a martial arts trainer who also happened to be his sister's best friend.
Their bond sparked quickly. Just three months in, Jonathan moved into a new apartment, and Brenda played a key role in helping him settle down.
By all appearances, things were going well. However, according to those close to Jonathan, the relationship was becoming increasingly rocky. Brenda was reportedly possessive, and Jonathan's friends began to sense tension.
February 2, 2014, Super Bowl Sunday, marked a chilling turning point. Jonathan was supposed to join his friends Emily and Jacob at a party. He suddenly backed out, insisting on staying in with Brenda instead. According to Dateline, hours later, she placed a frantic 911 call, claiming he had shot himself to "prove his love."
February 2, 2014: The night everything changed
It was just past 11 PM when Brenda called for help. According to her, Jonathan was lying in bed when he told her to put her hands over her ears. Moments later, she said he shot himself in the chest.
Police arrived at his Coppell apartment to find Jonathan dead in bed with a single gunshot wound to the left side of his chest. His SIG Sauer 9mm handgun lay nearby. Oddly, the magazine wasn't inside the weapon. It was later discovered in a drawer. There was a bullet lodged in the mattress, and his body showed signs consistent with close-contact fire.
But the details didn't add up. One neighbor said they heard a gunshot before 11 PM, creating a noticeable gap between the shot and the 911 call. Jonathan's injuries were also questioned, as he had a shoulder injury that, experts would later argue, made the gun's trajectory inconsistent with a self-inflicted shot.
According to NBC's true crime show Dateline, the medical examiner did not call it suicide. Instead, the cause of death was officially left "undetermined."
The investigation: Conflicting stories and unsettled questions
From the beginning, Jonathan's loved ones couldn't accept the idea of suicide. His best friend Emily Ramsey put it bluntly on Dateline:
"I knew that he wouldn't have done this."
His family also recalled how he had spoken about ending the relationship with Brenda just hours earlier.
When investigators interviewed Brenda, her story seemed to shift. She initially said they had a loving conversation. Later, she spoke of arguments earlier that day. When friends and coworkers were interviewed, more inconsistencies surfaced.
Some said Brenda claimed she was in the bathroom at the time of the shooting. Others heard a version of her standing in the doorway. Neither matched her police interview, where she said she was sitting near the bed.
Gunshot residue tests added to the doubt. While Jonathan had residue on his right hand, Brenda tested positive on both hands. And although Jonathan had formal firearms training, experts questioned whether he'd mishandle a weapon in that way.
Still, police never brought criminal charges. In July 2015, they declared the case inactive, citing insufficient evidence to pursue prosecution.
A mother's resolve and the Civil Lawsuit that changed everything
Refusing to let the case fade, Jonathan's family began their own fight. They hired Sheila Wysocki, a former stay-at-home mom turned private investigator, to revisit every detail.
She tracked down a food delivery driver who said the couple had been fighting loudly that night. Brenda's ex-boyfriend, Matthew Kirk, also shared a troubling past incident—she allegedly once showed up at his mother's home with scissors after he tried to break up with her.
The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in 2016. They alleged that Jonathan's death wasn't an accident or suicide but the result of Brenda's rage.
The civil trial took place in September 2022. A Houston homicide detective testified that the trajectory of the bullet, combined with Jonathan's injuries, made suicide nearly impossible. Jury foreman Eddie Brown told Dateline,
"The biggest thing that led us to our decision was the trajectory of the bullet."
After three days, the jury found Brenda Lazaro responsible for Jonathan's death. They awarded the Crews family $206 million in damages, far more than they had even asked for.
After the verdict: Where things stand now
Despite the massive civil judgment, no criminal case has ever been filed. Brenda, who now goes by Brenda Kelly, has since married, started a family, and moved to Missouri. Her legal team told Dateline that the family's case is based on speculation, not facts. Attorney Andrew Jee added that she's been "hounded for nine years" and now wants to move forward.
Coppell police chief Danny Barton called the case a "tragic situation" and spoke on how it remains inactive unless new evidence is found.
Meanwhile, Pamela Crews, Jonathan's mother, has not given up yet. She continues to ask for answers and accountability. She even traveled to Washington D.C., to ask and request lawmakers to appoint special prosecutors for cases like her son's.
More than 10 years after Jonathan Crews was found dead in his apartment, the truth about what happened still feels out of reach. Dateline's deep dive into the case reignited public interest and brought new attention to a family's grief and relentless pursuit of justice.
For them, the timeline might be complete, but the story isn't over.
Trending
Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more.
Reply
