Police seek persons of interest in East Nashville double homicide

Update:Persons of interest in East Nashville slayings are in custody

Couples walked down Greenwood Avenue in the dark Sunday night. A block over on Chapel Avenue, a young man played alone on a basketball court already swallowed in the shadows.

But on the 1900 block of Greenwood Avenue, where new development and less crime have changed the community as it was known years ago, police believe a nightmare unfolded at some point this week inside apartment A-3 of Howe Garden Apartments.

The bodies of an unidentified man and woman were found stuffed in a closet and covered in trash, the trauma to the victims' bodies was so severe, Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron said Sunday, that detectives could not determine how they were killed.

The bodies were found at 2 a.m. early Sunday under junk and debris, Aaron said. Evidence shows an "extremely violent crime took place inside the apartment," and that the suspects attempted to clean up after themselves.

Police believe the victims are Nashville residents Preston Claybrooks Jr., 24, and his longtime girlfriend, Alexandra Grubbs, 23, whose families reported them missing earlier this week.

Police say Claybrooks’ mother, who reported her son missing on Thursday, went to the apartment early Saturday morning, knowing her son had a connection there. Then, she called police to report the odor of decomposition coming from the apartment.

Now, police are searching for two suspects in their early 20s who are seen smiling in a photograph released by the police.

The man who leased the home is 20-year-old Brandon Griswold, officials said, and as of Sunday night, efforts to locate Griswold had been unsuccessful, as have attempts to find his girlfriend, Whitney Gray, 21.

Both are wanted for questioning in this case and may be traveling in Gray’s 2009 Chevrolet Impala bearing Oklahoma license plate number 261LPO.

The incident occurred just across the street from Cora Howe Elementary School. Joseph Williams and Tiffiney Jenkins said the community has done nothing but improve over the past six years. As they walked alone along the dimly lit Greenwood Avenue Sunday night, they said they had no concern for their safety.

But the couple was shocked at what had unfolded nearby.

“Lord, I ain’t never heard of anything like that in my entire life,” Williams said. “They did what to them, and put them in the closet? Police have patrolled this neighborhood. It’s changed, and they don’t put up with anything at that apartment complex. If you mess around, you’re out.”

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Electronic tips may also be sent to Crime Stoppers by texting the word "CASH" along with a message to 274637 or online at www.nashvillecrimestoppers.com.

The victims' cause of death has not been determined, Aaron said. Autopsies on both victims are scheduled for Monday.

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at 615-259-8072 and on Twitter @nataliealund. Reporter Jordan Buie can be reached at 615-726-5970 or on Twitter @jordanbuie