Restaurant on Tuscaloosa Strip Pays Tribute to Murdered Employees

A beloved restaurant and bar on the Tuscaloosa Strip paid tribute on Wednesday to two of its employees who were fatally shot earlier this week, allegedly by their former co-worker there.

As the Thread has reported, 31-year-old Jose Felix Alvarez-Duenas, 22-year-old Jazmine Alexis Bates, and a dog were all found shot to death at a residence in the small Tuscaloosa County city of Brookwood on Monday.

A major investigation and manhunt ensued after they were discovered, and hours later, the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit and federal police apprehended 24-year-old De'Kendrick Crawford, who has been charged with their murders and is being held in the Tuscaloosa County Jail without bond.

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At a Tuesday press conference, VCU Commander Captain Jack Kennedy said Alvarez-Duenas and Bates were co-workers who were dog- and house-sitting in Brookwood for a friend who was out of the country.

Crawford was wanted by police for a previous incident in which he got fired from a contracting job near the University of Alabama campus and, on departure, fired shots that hit an office building near Coleman Coliseum.

While actively evading law enforcement, Crawford allegedly arrived at the house in Brookwood and killed Alvarez-Duenas, Bates, and a dog. The motive for the killing is still unclear, though Kennedy said the victims were not involved in any illicit activity when they were killed.

Kennedy said the out-of-town resident, both victims, and the shooter all knew one another from a shared workplace.

"The suspect had been fired from that job before he was fired from a second job," which resulted in the May 2026 shooting and warrants for his arrest, Kennedy said. "They did know each other and were not friends - there had been a falling out, but nothing to predicate behavior like this."

On Wednesday, Buffalo Phil's on the Strip posted to social media and said Jose Felix Alvarez-Duenas and Jazmine Alexis Bates both worked there.

Phil's has been a fixture of the Strip since 1980.

"There are simply no words to express the pain our team is feeling. They were more than employees—they were family. Their kindness, dedication, and the joy they brought to our workplace will never be forgotten," their post read.

"Felix was a devoted single father to three beautiful children, and nothing in this world made him prouder than being their dad. He was one of the hardest-working people you could ever meet, full of life, fiercely loyal, and the kind of friend you were blessed to have for a lifetime. He worked tirelessly to provide for his children, and his love for them was evident in everything he did.

"Jazmine was just 22 years old and was on the verge of graduating from the University of Alabama. Originally from Chicago, she came here with big dreams and was determined to build a bright future. She had a bubbly personality that could light up a room, a beautiful heart, and a smile that made everyone around her feel welcome. She had so much life ahead of her, and her loss is truly heartbreaking."

A GoFundMe to help pay for Alvarez-Duenas' funeral expenses and care for his children is already nearing its $16,000 goal on Wednesday.

For more coverage of crime, courts and other hyperlocal news in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.