An Alabama military veteran and his wife were tragically murdered during a robbery, according to officials.
A 46-year-old man was taken into custody on Sunday, suspected of killing his wife, who was found dead in their home in Reform, Alabama, as reported by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities discovered Justin Elrod and his wife Lena Elrod deceased at around 12:15 a.m. after receiving reports of a robbery. George Birmingham is facing multiple charges related to the incident.
Birmingham has been charged with capital murder, two counts of murder, robbery, and additional drug-related offenses.
Court documents indicate that he is accused of using a power saw to kill Lena Elrod and either stabbing or striking Justin Elrod in the head with a metal object.
The sheriff’s office stated that Birmingham allegedly committed the murders before robbing the couple inside their home.
A motive has yet to be established, but authorities mentioned that Birmingham was an “acquaintance” of the Elrod family, as reported by WBRC.
Aliceville Mayor Terrence Windham described Justin Elrod as a humble and hardworking man.
“He couldn’t have imagined such a thing happening,” Windham said. “He made it through the military, faced time in prison, and now this—it’s just too much.”
Jason Burns, who had worked with Justin Elrod in federal prison, expressed his confusion over the loss of his friend.
“Every few minutes, I find myself thinking about it,” Burns shared. “It just doesn’t seem real.”
The sheriff’s office urged the community to keep the victims’ families and first responders in their thoughts during this difficult time.
