Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Orlando teen shoot cops then commit suicide
Mirror ^ | 3/15/14 | Byrne

Posted on 03/25/2014 5:31:52 AM PDT by mgist

Florida shooting: Alex Hollinghurst was killed by evil druggie boyfriend Brandon Goode says her family

Mar 24, 2014 20:20 By Paul Byrne

Oldham born Alexandria Hollinghurst and Brandon Goode killed a police officer then seemingly turned guns on themselves but her family says he killed her

What happened? Alex as a little girl and with her family, and before she died A British teenager who was gunned down in an apparent murder-suicide had been living the ‘American Dream’.

But when Alexandria Hollinghurst, 17, known as Alex, fell for drug addict Brandon Goode, her life spiralled out of control.

And last weekend the couple were found shot dead in Florida moments after a police officer was executed with a single bullet to the head.

US Police believe the couple killed themselves after shooting dead Robert German, 31.

Detectives have recovered suicide notes, apparently written by both teens. The contents have not been revealed.

But Alex’s family are convinced she was murdered by Brandon, 18.

She had moved from the UK six years ago with her parents Debra Jane, known as Jane, and Tom, and her younger sister Hannah, to start a new life in Florida.

Back in Britain, her heartbroken grandmother sobbed: “She had everything to live for.”

Joyce Johnson , 74, said the teenager had gone off the rails after falling for Brandon a year ago.

Her parents had attempted in vain to ‘ground’ her.

They were even forced to lock the doors and windows of their Orlando home to stop her running away.

But late last Friday Alex slipped out.

Tragedy: Alexandria Hollinghurst Her parents rang the police and a huge search was started.

Alex’s maternal gran, a widow, knew her granddaughter had gone missing.

And when the phone rang later at her Manchester home, she hoped it would be good news.

Mrs Johnson said: “My daughter rang me and said they’ve found Alex - she’s dead. “I said ‘what?’ I could not believe it.”

She is convinced the beautiful teenager was murdered by Goode.

“After he shot the policeman he must have shot Alex” she said.

“She was staying at her mother’s house and must have climbed out of the window.

“It had got to the stage where they had to lock the doors and windows, but she just escaped.

“My daughter rang the police and they went to her boyfriend’s house and they must have been hiding in there because his mother would not let the police in.

“The police have to have a warrant to go in.

“If they had found them they were going to have to take them to a hospital, because of the way she was carrying on, a mental hospital.

“He had changed Alex. She had everything to live for before she met him. Her mum is heartbroken.

Brian Goode “She had a job at Disneyland, it is close to where they live, it is only seven miles away, and she was doing really well. “But after she met him, it got to the stage where she hated her mother.

“She said she would harm herself. And she did, she cut her legs.

“She just went off the rails when she met him.

“She had started to go through a phase and her mother could not understand it.

“The police came one day and said Alex had been stealing from the shoe shop where she worked. It was just after she met him. They found boxes of shoes under her bed.

“At one stage, because of the way she was behaving, her mother said ‘get out of here, just go’. She went to live at his house.”

But the police later told her parents they had to take Alex back.

“They said ‘she is a minor, she will have to stay with you.’. He had been involved with drugs.”

ReutersPolice officer Robert German is shown in Windermere, Florida Mrs Johnson, who last saw her granddaughter two years ago, was due to fly out to Florida to see the family in May.

She added: “As a child Alex was ever so outgoing and very bright.

“In Florida, she had two jobs - working at Disneyland and in a shoe shop - she was saving up. Jane was dead proud of her.

‘But then she met him (Goode) and it all went.

“She self-harmed and put blood all over the walls. Jane was distraught. It was a constant worry.

Mrs Johnson said her granddaughter was under a police curfew and her parents had to call officers if she left the house.

‘I think when he shot the police - because it’s serious, you can be executed for that in America - he might have thought, well I’ll just do it.’

Left to right: Alexandria Hollinghurst, mum Jane, sister Hannah, grandmother Joyce Johnson and dad Matthew Both Alex and Goode were arrested last month after they were found to be in possession of marijuana.

As she was a juvenile, under the age of 18, her name was redacted from the arrest report.

But a Florida police source confirmed she was the 17 year old girl who was arrested with Goode on February 24.

Just last Thursday he had avoided going to prison after he agreed to undergo a treatment programme for addiction.

Alex had graduated from the Ridge Community High School a year early having taken online classes to boost her school exam scores.

Goode was also a student at the school and friends said he was “very bright” and hoping to attend college.

But he had a violent past. In 2012 he threatened his mum Connie, 47, with an axe, leading to his arrest on aggravated battery charges.

He was waiting for his mum with his face painted black and the windows of their home blacked out.

Goode was charged with assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill.

It was dropped after his mother refused to press charges.

The shootings took place in the early hours of Saturday morning in the wealthy residential Orlando suburb of Windermere.

US officials said officer German was killed after stopping Alex and Goode on foot and calling for backup.

He was shot dead at point blank range with a single gunshot to the head.

The teenagers were later found dead from gunshot wounds 100 yards away.

Mr German came across the pair in the same exclusive gated community that golfer Tiger Woods and ex-wife Elin Nordegren previously lived.

It is understood officer German was wearing a body camera fitted to his uniform that may have recorded the incident.

Alex’s family and friends have insisted on social media that she was murdered.

“I have friends whose daughter was murdered this morning in Florida,” a family friend wrote on Facebook. ‘She was only 17... they think her boyfriend killed her.’

But Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said: “It appears they likely committed suicide.”

Alex was born in Oldham, Greater Manchester and her family later moved to the Derbyshire village of Hadfield.

The teenager has an older stepsister, Georgia, 26, who still lives in the UK.

Andrew Cartledge, the headmaster of her old primary school St Andrew’s Church of England Junior School, in Hadfield village near Glossop, Derbyshire said: “Alex Hollinghurst was a pupil at St Andrew’s until she was 11 years old.

“She was a talented pupil who it was a pleasure to have in school.

“Alex was sociable with many friends and an outgoing personality.

“Our thoughts are with her family at this tragic time.”

Grace Etchells, who was one of Alex’s former classmates at St Andrew’s, also paid tribute to her friend.

Writing on Twitter, she said: “So horrible knowing a very close friend from primary Alex Hollinghurst sadly got taken from us in such horrific circumstances. RIP lovely xx.”

The British teen lived with her parents Tom, 41, and Jane, 49, and younger sister Hannah, 11, in Davenport, near Orlando.

They had followed Tom’s parents, Lynett and David, to Florida after the couple emigrated from Manchester in 1995. Lynett died aged 57 in 2011.

Alex’s parents bought a three bedroom, two bathroom £70,000 home with its own swimming pool in Davenport in August 2011.

The Hollinghurst’s bought the home in what is known as a ‘short sale’ with the bank accepting a low offer for the property after the owner defaulted on its mortgage following the collapse of the housing market in Florida 2009.


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: suicide; teens
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-33 next last

1 posted on 03/25/2014 5:31:52 AM PDT by mgist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: mgist

2 posted on 03/25/2014 5:33:33 AM PDT by mgist (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mgist

Crimea river


3 posted on 03/25/2014 5:34:21 AM PDT by bert ((K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 ..... History is a process, not an event)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mgist

what is wrong with people

people have nothing to live for anymore


4 posted on 03/25/2014 5:35:36 AM PDT by yldstrk ( My heroes have always been cowboys)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mgist
She must have had an undiagnosed case of mental illness.
5 posted on 03/25/2014 5:45:14 AM PDT by angcat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: angcat

No, no, noooo.

It was the GUN’S fault, don’cha know...


6 posted on 03/25/2014 5:46:53 AM PDT by RandallFlagg ("I said I never had much use for one. Never said I didn't know how to use it." --Quigley)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: yldstrk

I know the boys stepmother and father. Brandon parents were divorced and apparently his mom had more bitterness for his dad, than she had love for her son. Sadly she would threaten to kill herself and her son if the father didn’t conform to her demands, and she did this in front of the son. Don’t want to judge because I’m sure it was and is painful. Just some points for reflection.

Also the boy wasn’t really known to be an addict. I’m pretty sure he was prescribed some sort of psychotropic drugs as a child and was still taking them, along with marijuana.

Don’t know about the girl other than she was gorgeous in person, and obviously the poor girl made some bad choices. They aren’t releasing any surveillance video and they say there is more to the story.

Both kids left suicide notes a week prior.


7 posted on 03/25/2014 5:53:54 AM PDT by mgist (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: mgist
Interesting story from a Brit publication with a hometown slant. I do feel sorry for the parents and grandparents and saddened by the tragic waste of young lives.
There are a couple of things missing from this story however;
First, I would have liked to see just a little sympathy for Robert German and his family.
Second,a photo of Brandon Goode might help explain this a lot.
8 posted on 03/25/2014 5:55:10 AM PDT by Tupelo (I feel more like Philip Nolan every day)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: yldstrk

>>people have nothing to live for anymore>>

When the left preaches that there is no God, people want everything NOW because there is no hereafter, and their lives turn into turmoil. The left is pathetic.


9 posted on 03/25/2014 5:55:23 AM PDT by kitkat (STORM THE HEAVENS WITH PRAYERS FOR OUR COUNTRY.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Tupelo
Brandon Goode

Officer Brian Goode

10 posted on 03/25/2014 5:59:43 AM PDT by mgist (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: mgist

Officer Robert German:

WINDERMERE, Fla. - A police officer was shot and killed early Saturday after stopping two people and calling for help in an Orlando suburb, authorities said.

Windermere Police Department Officer Robert German called for backup after stopping a young man and woman on foot shortly before 4 a.m., investigators said.

German, 31, reported his location and was found lying on the ground when a deputy arrived at the scene, Orange County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Jane Watrel said.

“He just said he was doing a subject stop and then all the tragic events unfolded,” Watrel said.

The deputy put German in his squad car and rushed him to the fire department. German was then taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

As officers responded to the scene, they heard shots fired, Watrel said. CBS Miami reports that Brandon Goode, 17, and Alexandria Hollinghurst, 18, of Davenport, were discovered dead near the site on Saturday. They matched the description of the man and woman German had stopped and are believed to have committed suicide, according to Watrel.

Windermere is located 15 miles west of Orlando. It has a population of about 3,000 people and one of the lowest crime rates in Florida, Mayor Gary Bruhn said. He said it was the first line-of-duty death in the town’s history.

“Violent crime is just not something that happens in the town of Windermere,” Bruhn said. “So it’s really, really difficult.”

German had been with the department for five years and just recently returned from desk duty after falling and injuring his shoulder, Bruhn said.

“He loved working as a police officer and he loved working at Windermere,” Bruhn said.

The investigation is ongoing.


11 posted on 03/25/2014 6:02:05 AM PDT by mgist (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: mgist

Thanks for the photos.

To Officer Brian German: RIP

I was a little surprised by Brandon Goode. No visible tattoos, piercings, rotten teeth and the like.


12 posted on 03/25/2014 6:05:34 AM PDT by Tupelo (I feel more like Philip Nolan every day)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: mgist
they say there is more to the story.

And I'll bet there is. Both kids obviously had issues but painting the boy as the cause of all problems isn't going to bring their daughter back. She stole shoes from her job and hid them under her bed (her actions). She cut herself to the point there was blood on her walls (her actions). For the sake of their other daughter, they need to recognize their beautiful daughter had issues and by acknowledging that, it will help them identify issues the younger one may have, as well.

13 posted on 03/25/2014 6:18:43 AM PDT by liberalh8ter (The only difference between flash mob 'urban yutes' and U.S. politicians is the hoodies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Tupelo
Second,a photo of Brandon Goode might help explain this a lot.


14 posted on 03/25/2014 6:22:16 AM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: UCANSEE2

Yikes,a Chris Hayes clone.

.


15 posted on 03/25/2014 6:25:22 AM PDT by Mears
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: mgist

...and people still don’t believe in demonic possession...


16 posted on 03/25/2014 6:26:42 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (Yehovah saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: UCANSEE2

I would have assumed this was Ethan Krupp’s boyfriend.


17 posted on 03/25/2014 6:38:42 AM PDT by wideawake
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: mgist
... his mom had more bitterness for his dad, than she had love for her son. Sadly she would threaten to kill herself and her son if the father didn’t conform to her demands, and she did this in front of the son.

Mom has a lot to answer for as far as culpability for this. Maybe not legally, but she molded her son into the person who shot and killed a policeman then turned a gun on himself and committed suicide. The girl's family are overwrought and their daughter/granddaughter is not blameless, but it certainly seems she went off the rails when she met him. I have no doubt he was a manipulative nihilist who was fascinated with suicide, and that he was the mastermind of the whole thing whether he actually shot and killed the girl or she did it herself, given such a background.

18 posted on 03/25/2014 6:40:00 AM PDT by RegulatorCountry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: mgist

if the dad left the fam in order to bang the stepmother, I place the blame squarely on him


19 posted on 03/25/2014 6:45:37 AM PDT by yldstrk ( My heroes have always been cowboys)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: mgist

His dad was a cop?

OK, he was mad at his dad who left the family


20 posted on 03/25/2014 6:47:09 AM PDT by yldstrk ( My heroes have always been cowboys)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-33 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson