PHILIP JAMES BREWER | Catfish Couple Allegedly Drugged Man Before Stabbing Him to Death and Trying to Take Over His Home | Pair Allegedly Gained Elderly Man’s Trust on Dating App, Then Injected Him with Fentanyl to Kill, Rob Him | ALS

Phil Brewer. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Seattle, WA. July 23, 2024. Content unknown. SEALED

Philip James Brewer is a 32-year-old individual who, along with 47-year-old Christina Hardy, is facing serious criminal charges in connection with the death of Curtis Engeland, a 74-year-old man from Mercer Island, Washington. Here is a detailed report based on the information available:

Background

Philip James Brewer was identified as a suspect in the disappearance and subsequent death of Curtis Engeland. Engeland was reported missing on February 24, 2024, after he was last seen at his home on Mercer Island. The case initially began as a missing person’s investigation but later turned into a homicide inquiry when Engeland’s body was discovered near Cosmopolis, Washington.

The Crime

Investigators believe that Brewer and Hardy engaged in a scheme to defraud Engeland financially and then murder him. The suspects allegedly became acquainted with Engeland several months before his death, leading to a violent confrontation at his home on the evening of February 23, 2024. Engeland’s body was found with a stab wound to the neck, and the county medical examiner ruled the death a homicide.

Philip James Brewer and Christina Hardy managed to defraud Curtis Engeland financially through a series of deceptive actions. Here’s a summary of their methods:

• Initial Trust: Brewer met Engeland through a dating app and gained his trust over time.

• Unauthorized Transactions: They stole money directly from Engeland’s accounts, including $5,000 from his checking account and $6,200 from his home equity line of credit.

• Occupation of Property: Brewer and Hardy moved into Engeland’s home under the pretense of renting his basement for $500 a month, a claim that Engeland’s family disputed.

• Misuse of Personal Information: They used Engeland’s cell phone to conduct falsified conversations to mislead authorities and Engeland’s family into believing he was still alive.

• Covering Tracks: The suspects rented new vehicles and changed cell phones to cover their path after the murder.

Philip James Brewer and Christina Hardy disposed of Curtis Engeland’s body in a particularly heinous manner. According to surveillance video and court documents, after initially attempting to kill Engeland with what they believed was a fatal dose of fentanyl, they placed him in the trunk of his own car, a 2003 Toyota Camry. They drove to a remote location near Cosmopolis, Washington.

Upon reaching the disposal site, they discovered Engeland was still alive. Hardy held Engeland down while Brewer fatally stabbed him in the neck with a knife. They then left Engeland’s body on the side of a logging road. This brutal act was part of their scheme to take over Engeland’s finances and property. After disposing of the body, they returned to the area, making extravagant purchases with Engeland’s credit card.

These actions were part of a wider scheme to take over Engeland’s financial accounts and make extravagant purchases just hours after his murder. The detailed planning and execution of this fraud indicate a premeditated effort to exploit and ultimately harm Engeland for financial gain.

Investigation and Arrest

The investigation revealed that Brewer and Hardy used Engeland’s cell phone to conduct falsified conversations in an attempt to mislead authorities into believing Engeland was still alive. They also made extravagant purchases and transferred large sums of money from Engeland’s financial accounts shortly after his death.

Brewer and Hardy were arrested in Southern California and are to be extradited back to Washington to face homicide charges. The charges filed against them include murder, kidnapping, identity theft, theft, criminal impersonation, possession of stolen property, and forgery.

Motive and Method

According to court documents, Brewer met Engeland through a dating app and gained his trust, which led to the eventual crime. The suspects are accused of using Engeland’s phone to inform family and friends that he would be traveling and “unable to respond” to calls, as part of their ruse.

Current Status

As of the latest updates, Brewer and Hardy are awaiting extradition and trial for their alleged crimes. The case has garnered significant media attention due to the nature of the crime and the methods used by the suspects to carry out the fraud and murder.

The case involving Philip James Brewer and Christina Hardy has been ongoing since the disappearance of Curtis Engeland on February 24, 2024. The investigation transitioned from a missing person case to a homicide after Engeland’s body was discovered on March 11, 2024. Brewer and Hardy were arrested on March 14, 2024, in Blythe, California. As of now, it has been approximately six months since the case began.

VIDEO: Retired Teacher | Curtis Engeland | Catfished | Defrauded | Murdered | https://youtu.be/zytwmDiIyqk

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