Jonathan Crews’ Death: A Dallas County Jury’s Verdict

Jonathan Crews was most likely killed by his former girlfriend, Brenda Kelly, a Dallas County jury decided in a civil trial Friday.

“I feel like my son’s vindicated,” Pam Crews said. “That’s all I wanted.”

Crews’ family turned to Dallas County civil courts in 2016 — two years after a Coppell police investigation failed to conclude whether Crews’ death on Feb. 2, 2014, was a homicide or the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Dallas County Medical Examiner also could not determine a manner of death.

Kelly, whose maiden name is Lazaro, called 911 about 11:30 p.m. and said Crews, 27, shot himself to prove his love to her. She has never been charged with a crime in connection with his death.

Thomas Shaw, a lawyer for the Crews’ family, asked jurors to award the family more than $129 million. The jury decided on $206 million, the Crews’ lawyers said.

“You get to appraise the diamonds in their life,” Shaw said. “Jonathan’s life was precious to his family, and this lady took it away.”

Pam Crews testified during the three-day trial that she wanted the story of her son’s death to be a true story. The jury’s verdict set the record straight, she said.

“I just wanted the record clear for Jonathan,” she said. “I’m satisfied.”

The Investigation and Trial

The six-person jury deliberated about 2 1/2 hours before reaching a unanimous verdict. In civil cases, only five votes of the jurors is needed to decide a verdict.

Kelly, who leaned on her husband’s chest during breaks in the trial, faced forward as the verdict was read. A member of her legal team wrapped her arm around her. Kelly didn’t look toward the Crews family as they embraced and silently cried.

Kelly did not speak to reporters as she left the courtroom. She maintains she didn’t kill Crews, her lawyer Andrew Jee said. They haven’t decided whether they’ll appeal the verdict, he added.

“Well, we’ve heard the jury’s verdict, and Brenda maintains her innocence as she has from the beginning,” Jee said. “It’s important for people to realize the standard of proof and the amount of evidence needed in a civil court is very low. But we respect the decision of the jury.”

Evidence and Testimonies

Plaintiffs in a civil trial have a much lower burden of proof than prosecutors must reach in a criminal trial. Jurors had to determine there was a chance just more than 50 percent that Kelly killed Crews, or “more likely than not.”

In a criminal case, jurors must find beyond a reasonable doubt to convict.

The Crews’ lawsuit accused Kelly of killing Crews and spinning a story that he shot himself. They pointed to inconsistent statements that friends of Kelly said she told them. One friend said Kelly told him Crews shot himself in his head. Another friend said Kelly told her he shot himself in his chest.

Darrell Robertson, a retired Houston police detective, testified for the Crews family and said Crews would have had to contort his body to inflict the wound on the left side of his chest. Adding to his theory, Crews had seen a doctor two days prior about a strain to his right shoulder. Robertson said “it defies common sense” that Crews would