An Alabama man accused in the deaths of a military veteran and his wife had publicly praised the couple and their family for years, with social media posts suggesting a long-running friendship.
George Birmingham, 46, was taken into custody early Sunday after authorities say he killed Justin Elrod and his wife, Lena Elrod. The couple was found dead around 12:15 a.m. after a reported burglary. Posts from Birmingham’s social media accounts indicate he had a close relationship with the Elrods and was still speaking warmly about them as recently as June 16.
Facebook posts reviewed by Fox News Digital show Birmingham had referenced the Elrods for nearly a decade, repeatedly describing the family in affectionate terms and appearing to share a close bond with them.
In one June 16 Facebook post, Birmingham wrote about who he would choose to bring on a hypothetical mission to colonize Mars. Among the people he named were Justin and Lena Elrod. He said “no one listens better than him, and no one is more fun to argue with than her,” and ended the message by writing, “I love you guys!”
“Now that I think about it, they probably wouldnt want our tribe,” Birmingham added in a joking conclusion to the post. “But im very thankful for them.”
Birmingham had also publicly supported the family years earlier. In February 2017, he shared details of a GoFundMe campaign aimed at helping pay medical costs for one of the Elrods’ children, writing, “This family is very dear to my heart.” Later that May, he hosted a benefit comedy show to raise additional money for the family’s medical expenses.
The Elrod family appeared again in Birmingham’s posts in June 2018, when he shared a photo that included one of the couple’s daughters and captioned it, “Some of my favorite ladies.”
According to WBRC, investigators have not identified a motive. Authorities have described Birmingham as an “acquaintance” of Justin and Lena Elrod.
Court records indicate Birmingham was accused of killing Lena Elrod with an electric saw and stabbed or struck Justin Elrod in the head with a metallic object.
Aliceville Mayor Terrence Windham described Justin Elrod as a hard worker who was humble.
“He was a very humble guy, and he was the last person that I would think that something like this would happen to,” Windham said. “He survived the military, survived working in the prison, and now, this situation, it just makes it even worse.”
Birmingham is also the suspect in a separate burglary that happened before he allegedly killed the Elrods, authorities said.
Birmingham was arrested on charges of one count of capital murder, two counts of murder, one count of burglary and additional drug-related charges, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20.
