Two charged with murder of retired professor they met on Scruff

This blog originally appeared at ADVOCATE.

The two are also accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars and buying a car with the man’s credit card.

Two individuals accused of fatally poisoning and stabbing a retired university professor in Washington State, whom they initially encountered on the gay dating and hookup app Scruff, have been apprehended by the police.

Philip Brewer, aged 32, and Christina Hardy, aged 47, were arrested in California on Thursday in connection to the robbery and murder of Curtis Engeland, aged 74, from Mercer Island, Wash. Engeland was reported missing by his family on February 24, and his body was discovered on March 7 near Cosmopolis, Wash.

Brewer and Hardy face charges of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree theft, and identity theft.

According to court documents obtained by various media outlets, including the Daily Mail, the duo allegedly devised a plan to eliminate the victim and take over his residence, while also seizing control of his financial assets and indulging in lavish purchases shortly after his demise.

According to court documents, Brewer and Engeland initially connected on Scruff in January and arranged their first date at a Starbucks during the same month. Later, the pair had another date at Engeland’s residence on Mercer Island to watch a movie, during which Engeland fell asleep. Upon awakening, he discovered Brewer missing along with his cell phone, car keys, safe deposit box keys, credit cards, and money. Engeland promptly contacted the authorities to report the thefts.

Over the ensuing weeks, court records indicate that tens of thousands of dollars were drained from Engeland’s accounts. Notably, it’s alleged that one significant expense was the acquisition of a $25,000 car using Engeland’s credit card.

Police suspect that Brewer and Hardy confronted Engeland at his home on February 23, administering a fatal dose of fentanyl via injection, stabbing him in the neck, and then disposing of his body in Cosmopolis. Following the crime, the duo purportedly took up residence in Engeland’s home and deliberately sent misleading text messages to themselves in order to confuse law enforcement. These messages were also sent to Engeland’s acquaintances, indicating that he would be absent for “the next three to six weeks” and that part of his house was being rented out to someone named “Christina” during his absence.

One of Engeland’s friends, who was romantically involved with him and planning to move in, received a text message at 3 a.m. the following day. He informed investigators that he found the timing and content of the text “suspicious,” as stated in court documents. This prompted him to report Engeland missing and mention that Brewer and Hardy were now residing in his home.

Upon police arrival at the residence, Brewer, Hardy, and her son were found present. They informed the authorities that Engeland had left but had granted them permission to utilize his residence and vehicle during his absence. As Engeland’s siblings arrived during the interview, they too expressed concern over the texts they had received, highlighting that their brother, a retired English professor, consistently communicated in grammatically correct sentences. At the insistence of the siblings, Brewer, Hardy, and her son vacated the premises, prompting an immediate commencement of the police investigation.

Shortly afterward, Engeland’s vehicle was discovered in a supermarket parking lot, with a bloodstained box found in the truck bed.

A significant breakthrough occurred the following Thursday when a man was apprehended for speeding by the California Highway Patrol near the desert town of Blythe on the Arizona border. The individual claimed to be in a relationship with Hardy’s daughter and asserted that he was fleeing from Brewer and Hardy, who were residing with him. He alleged that the pair had confessed to poisoning and stabbing Engeland, then disposing of the body. Police were informed by the fleeing individual that Brewer and Hardy intended to abduct Hardy’s daughter to return her to Washington, as they anticipated incarceration and wished for her to care for Hardy’s other children.

Brewer and Hardy were apprehended on the same day in California and are scheduled for extradition to Washington to face trial.

Mercer Island Police Chief Ed Holmes expressed condolences to Engeland’s family, stating, “First and foremost, we must acknowledge Mr. Engeland’s family – when this incident was first reported to police as a missing person, we hoped for a better outcome. The family remained determined to help our investigation over the past few weeks, and we hope some comfort can be found through the hard work being done to bring justice for Curtis and his loved ones.”

Laurie Goeken, Engeland’s neighbor for more than a decade, revealed to radio station KIRO that Engeland had been living alone since his husband passed away several years prior.

“He was not just a neighbor but also a cherished friend, a truly remarkable individual,” Goeken expressed to KIRO. “Engeland had a passion for gardening and hiking, embodying a truly special spirit.”

Goeken emphasized the collective concern among those who knew Engeland regarding his sudden disappearance.

“The disappearance of Engeland raised immediate suspicion among us,” Goeken remarked. “It was highly out of character for him. He held a deep affection for his cats, whom he adored. Whenever he was away, we would care for his cats, and he would reciprocate. Leaving them unattended was something he would never do.”