On Thursday, March 14, 2024, police arrested two people in connection with the death of a 74-year-old retired Mercer Island, Washington, English teacher.
Philip Brewer, 32, and Christina Hardy, 47, have been charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, theft, and identity theft in connection with the death of Curtis Engeland, 74.
Legal filings indicate that Brewer and Engeland initially connected on the Scruff dating platform in January. After their initial meeting, they arranged another rendezvous at Engeland’s residence to view a movie. During the encounter, Engeland inadvertently drifted to sleep, only to discover that his items, including his wallet, keys, and mobile phone, had vanished upon awakening.
In the following weeks, court records indicate that a substantial sum of money, reaching tens of thousands of dollars, was methodically drained from Engeland’s financial reserves. A conspicuous transaction flagged in the records was the acquisition of an automobile valued at $25,000, a purchase made on Engeland’s credit card.
According to law enforcement’s theory, Brewer and Hardy engaged in a fatal confrontation with Engeland at his residence on February 23. They are suspected of administering a lethal dose of fentanyl to him, inflicting a fatal stab wound to his neck, and subsequently disposing of his remains.
The duo took up residence in Engeland’s house and initiated a series of misleading text communications to create a smokescreen for the authorities. These messages informed Engeland’s close contacts that he would be absent for “three to six weeks.” They mentioned leasing a section of his dwelling to an individual named “Christina.”
A close acquaintance of Engeland, who was also engaged in a romantic relationship with him and had plans to move in, was perplexed by a message he received at 3 a.m. following the day of Engeland’s last sighting. This individual deemed the message odd and alerted the authorities of his suspicion, noting that Brewer and Hardy seemed to have taken up residence in the house. He reported Engeland as missing on February 24.
Upon the arrival of the police at the victim’s home, they encountered Brewer, Hardy, and her son at the property. The trio said that Engeland had authorized them to stay at his house and use his vehicle during his absence. During this exchange, Engeland’s siblings turned up and expressed their concerns about the incongruity of the text messages they had received. They highlighted that their brother, who had a background in teaching English, was known for his meticulous texting style, which was always grammatically impeccable. Brewer, Hardy, and the son left the premises at the siblings’ insistence, prompting the police to commence a detailed investigation.
The inquiry progressed, and it wasn’t long before Engeland’s car was located in a grocery store car park, its trunk concealing a cardboard box stained with blood.
The breakthrough in the case came when Engeland’s body was discovered on March 7 near Cosmopolis, Washington. Law enforcement officials, utilizing GPS data from the suspects’ cell phones, were able to locate the body. The county medical examiner ruled Engeland’s death a homicide caused by a sharp force injury to the neck.
The Mercer Island community is in disbelief over losing a man renowned for his kindness. Laurie Goeke, Engeland’s neighbor, told a local media outlet that he was “an all-around wonderful person.” She described him as “extraordinarily special, an enthusiast of gardening and hiking.” She noted that he had been living alone since his husband’s death some years prior.
In a Facebook post last week, Kami Marie Robinson, who says she’s Engeland’s niece, expressed, “He was one of the kindest and most loving people I’ve ever known.”
Brewer and Hardy were arrested in California and are awaiting extradition to Washington State to face a slew of charges, including murder, kidnapping, identity theft, and theft.