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Elderly Washington state man reportedly poisoned with fentanyl by pair he met on dating app

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2 years ago

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Elderly Washington state man reportedly poisoned with fentanyl by pair he met on dating app


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Police in Washington state announced two suspects were arrested in connection with the murder of a missing elderly man who was allegedly poisoned with fentanyl by a pair who gained his trust through a dating app.

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The Mercer Island Police released a statement saying Philip J. Brewer, 32, and Christina Hardy, 47, are facing charges for the murder of Curtis Engeland, 74, by using an elaborate scheme to defraud and murder him. 

Police said that Brewer and Hardy are believed to have become acquainted with Engeland several months ago and subsequently financially defrauded him.

Police also believe the suspects later violently confronted Engeland at his Mercer Island home in the late evening hours of February 23, and used Engeland’s vehicle to leave Mercer Island that night. 

POLICE MADE ‘A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL’ TO UNCOVER LOCATION OF MISSING BLOOD MOUNTAIN HIKER: KILLER WAS ‘HUNTING’

Two suspects were arrested in connection to the homicide of missing Mercer Island resident Curtis Engeland, 74. (Washington State Patrol)

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The following day, February 24, police said Engeland’s family reported him missing. Mercer Island police initially responded to Engeland’s residence and began investigating his disappearance as a missing person case. With initial details unclear whether he left willingly or was taken, a Silver Alert was issued by the Washington State Patrol.

Police said evidence then indicated Engeland was dead and the suspect were no longer in the Mercer Island area.

Mercer Island Police detectives and King County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue teams conducted a targeted search for Engeland’s remains in Grays Harbor County following clues from the evidence. Police said the search area was determined using GPS location history from the suspects’ cell phone activity.

During the following week, detectives compiled forensic information and determined the suspects left Washington State quickly after the victim was killed and fled south, rented different vehicles and swapped out new cell phones to cover their path.  

According to probable cause documents obtained by Fox 13, Brewer and Hardy admitted to another person that they injected Engeland with fentanyl to kill him and then drove out to Cosmopolis in Grays Harbor County to hide his body. However, at the dumpsite, the suspects realized Engeland was still alive, so they stabbed him in the neck, Fox 13 reported.

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HALO BRANTON’S MOM FACES UPGRADED MURDER CHARGE AFTER MISSING NEW YORK GIRL FOUND DOWN TUNNEL AT GE PLANT

Washington State Patrol issued a silver alert for 74-year-old Curtis Engeland on Feb. 29 when he was reported missing. He was later found dead. (Washington State Patrol)

The medical examiner’s officer determined that Engeland died from a “sharp force injury of the neck.”

Investigators said that Brewer used the dating app, Scruff, to gain Engeland’s trust. 

Prior to his murder, Engeland knew something was wrong immediately when he woke up in his home following his first meeting with Brewer back in January, according to documents obtained by Fox 13.

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Fox 13 reported that the documents stated that Brewer and Engeland talked for about a week before their first date. According to court documents, Engeland invited Brewer over for a movie, but fell asleep. 

MISSING WASHINGTON STATE WOMAN FOUND DEAD, TORTURED IN MEXICO CEMETERY, SUSPECT IN CUSTODY

When Engeland woke up, Brewer had reportedly disappeared, along with Engeland’s wallet, cell phone, house keys, car keys, driver’s license and social security card. 

Fox 13 reported that Brewer and Hardy, as well as Hardy’s son, tried to move into Engeland’s home, claiming that Engeland was allowing them to stay at his home. The documents stated the suspects also used the victim’s phone to create alibis. 

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On March 14, the suspects were taken into police custody in California, are being held on $5 million bail, and will be extradited back to Washington to face homicide charges. 

“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,” Mercer Island Police Chief Ed Holmes said. “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. We appreciate the community’s support as the police department was unable to share law enforcement-sensitive updates with the public until after our suspects were apprehended and know it was difficult to await answers in the wake of such terrible circumstances.” 



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Washington

Inside Woodlawn Cemetery’s mission to preserve history

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13 hours ago

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June 24, 2026

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Inside Woodlawn Cemetery’s mission to preserve history


The iron gate to Woodlawn Cemetery is almost always locked shut, but Toni White-Richardson was more than happy to let News4 inside.

As president of the Woodlawn Cemetery Perpetual Care Association, she was excited to talk about what makes this resting place so special.

“It is major D.C. history, first. Then it’s also major Black history, second,” White-Richardson said.

More than 30,000 people, mostly African Americans, are buried among the 22 acres of Woodlawn Cemetery, which opened in Southeast D.C. in 1895. And like so many cemeteries that date back to the 1800s, particularly African American cemeteries, this one has fallen into disrepair, is overgrown and has headstones tumbled over, like those of Wilhelmina and her husband James, and Eliza Spencer, a mother who died in 1887.

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“Let me do a very upfront disclaimer,” White-Richardson said. “We have no idea where these stones go. And when we looked at the grid, it became even clear as mud, it became less clear as to where these stones should really go. Unfortunately, when we look back, we can tell there was a plan, but we could see we never got totally completed. Even back then, there are no markers saying this is Section H or this is Section G or this is 102 and this is, none of that.”

One of the most notable Washingtonians laid to rest here is John Mercer Langston, Virginia’s first Black congressman.

“Langston University came one year because they had a grand reunion in D.C., and we arranged for them to come to see […] John Mercer Langston, the university that was named after this man,” White-Richardson said.

And Blance Bruce, the first Black U.S. senator to serve a full term and register of the treasury, is also buried in the cemetery.

“He’s the signature on our dollar bill, you know, back in the late 1800s,” White-Richardson said. “So, oh, it’s history. It’s capital letters. No getting around it.”

Woodlawn is also the resting place of several of the original founders of two of the country’s most prominent Black sororities, Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta. Both organizations volunteer to help with clean ups.

The Perpetual Care Association recently received a grant from the D.C. Office of Planning to help with upkeep of the grounds and preserving the history here.

“These are important individuals who’ve made contributions to the District a century ago, but today still their history and their stories reverberate and really influence the trajectory of our city,” said Anita Cozart, director of the D.C. Office of Planning.

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The cemetery tucked away off Benning Road is only open to the public five days a year, but groups can request tours anytime. The next chance to visit Woodlawn when it will be open to the public is Labor Day.

They’re always looking for volunteers and donors to help with the upkeep of this sacred ground.



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Parsing Trump’s claims about Washington’s reflecting pool

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23 hours ago

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June 24, 2026

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Parsing Trump’s claims about Washington’s reflecting pool


US President Donald Trump wanted to mark the US’s 250th birthday with a renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.

The makeover, including a new coat of “American Flag blue,” cost taxpayers $16 million (€14.1 million).

But the water is covered in green algae. The blue paint is already peeling. Trump has blamed vandals, while his critics question the project’s transparency and cost.

DW’s Brent Goff and Washington correspondent Janelle Dumalaon unpack the whole fiasco.

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Social media reacts to former BYU star AJ Dybantsa going No. 1 in 2026 NBA draft

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1 day ago

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June 23, 2026

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Social media reacts to former BYU star AJ Dybantsa going No. 1 in 2026 NBA draft


Former BYU basketball star AJ Dybantsa fulfilled his dream of going No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA draft.

The Washington Wizards selected Dybantsa with the first pick.

Immediately after the pick, reactions poured in on social media about the Wizards drafting Dybantsa.

Social media reactions to the Washington Wizards selecting BYU star AJ Dybantsa

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.

Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.

Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go.

Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up to date on all your favorite teams.

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