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Suspect arrested in Alexis Crawford death

Barron Brantley has had multiple run-ins with police in recent years. He's now charged with a missing Clark Atlanta student's murder.

ATLANTA — Authorities have arrested the man accused of killing Alexis Crawford, the Clark Atlanta student whose body was discovered by police on Friday.

Barron Brantley has been charged with murder. He also has past charges for hindering a person from making an emergency telephone call and probation violations for previous charges of theft by taking, battery - family violence and cruelty to children in the third degree.

In addition to the battery and third-degree child cruelty counts that spawned the probation violation charges, Brantley also faced similar charges in Sept. 2018 along with several traffic charges and a "fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer" arrest months earlier.

On Saturday morning, Brantley waived his first court appearance. His preliminary hearing before a Fulton Superior Court judge has been scheduled for Nov. 22.

He remains in the Fulton County Jail without bond.

Investigators believe Brantley is responsible for the death of the 21-year-old student whose body was found at a park in DeKalb County off of Columbia Drive.

He's the boyfriend of Crawford's roommate and friend, Jordyn Jones, who was also being sought in connection with the crime and was arrested on a murder charge as well on Saturday. 

RELATED: 'One of the saddest conclusions possible': What police said about missing Clark Atlanta student Alexis Crawford

Days before Crawford's disappearance, she went to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta to file a police report that alleged that Brantley sexually assaulted her days before she was reported missing.

The complaint listed Jones as a witness and Brantley as the suspect. That report was filed on Oct. 27. Alexis was last seen on Oct. 30.

Complaint filed against Brantley

In the report, the police officer wrote, “the victim stated that the suspect rubbed his hand on her shoulder and kissed her on the neck. The victim stated that she asked the suspect what was he doing and he stated he thought she was Ms. Jones.

The report also details what Crawford remembered from the attack.  

She said Brantley followed her into her bedroom. Crawford then went into her bathroom alone and closed the door. She didn't remember anything after that. 

RELATED: Police outline days before Clark Atlanta University student went missing

According to the report, Jones went looking for Brantley and noticed the bathroom door was closed. 

“The witness stated that she started knocking on the door repeatedly. The suspect came to the door with his shirt off and stated to the witness that he had not had sex with the victim,” the report read. 

When Jones looked in the restroom, Crawford was disrobed, according to the report. Crawford told police she “didn't remember the suspect (Brantley) being in the restroom with her before she blacked out.”

Timeline of disappearance

The college senior’s mother reported her missing on Nov. 1 after she hadn’t spoken to her for several days. Tammy Crawford and Alexis’ sister Monica told police that they talked with Alexis on FaceTime just after 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 30. They said she was in “good spirits” and asked for them to send money through Cash App. 

Another sister, Alexandria Crawford, said she texted Alexis at around 8:44 p.m. and asked what her plans were for the weekend. She responded "nothing" and didn't respond further. On this same evening, Crawford shared a post on Instagram at around 9:03 p.m. She also responded to an Instagram group message with laughing emojis at around 9:24 p.m.  

RELATED: Clark Atlanta president joins family during vigil for missing student

Jones told police Crawford asked to be taken to a liquor store on the night of Oct. 30. Police shared the last known images of Crawford showing her at the store. Jones told police she took Crawford to the store at around 11:30 p.m. and returned home. She said she last saw Crawford around 12:30 a.m. before the Jones went to her bedroom for the night.  

Jones told police that Crawford was not in the residence the following morning when she left for class. She said the front door was locked and Crawford wasn't in the living room or bedroom. 

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