HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Two movers inside a Henrico home when a former police officer allegedly killed his wife and stepdaughter told police they were warned about Richard Crowder.
The movers were inside Crowder's Phillips Woods Drive home on Saturday to help his wife, identified as 53-year-old Diane Crowder, move out.
The movers stated a woman in the home told them to stay away from Crowder because he was “drunk and agitated,” according to newly obtained court documents.
The movers told police they were upstairs wrapping up items when they heard Crowder cursing and then four to eight gunshots.
The movers said they jumped from the home's second-story window for their safety.
When Henrico Police arrived, a nine-hour standoff between officers and Crowder, who served as a Henrico Police Officer from 1986 - 2014, ensued.
During the standoff, police said Crowder, 60, fired gunshots at police. At least one police car at the scene was struck.
Court documents about the situation stated police learned Crowder called one of his adult sons during the standoff. During that conversation, Crowder allegedly told his son that he had committed a firearm violation.
Henrico Police wrote in a warrant that they believed Crowder shot two people in the home.
Police later found Diane Crowder and 35-year-old Carrie Szaksz, of Mechanicsville, dead in the home.
Szaksz is Diane Crowder's daughter and was also helping her mother move out of Richard Crowder's home to leave an abusive situation, according to her family.
“She said, 'I just want to have some peace. I want to have a peaceful life,” Diane's aunt Judy Pulley said.
During the standoff, Henrico Police noted game cameras along the perimeter of the home and surveillance cameras on the house.
Officials told a judge those cameras meant a daytime approach and execution of the search warrant would put Henrico Police tactical unit at an "extremely high" safety risk.
After a nine-hour negotiation, Crowder surrendered to police.
Once inside the home, officers found the bodies of Diane Crowder and Carrie Szaksz.
Investigators collected swabs of red stains, bullets, firearms, magazines, and ammunition from the home.
Richard Crowder is facing six felony charges, including two counts of second-degree murder.
He is being held without bond following a Tuesday arraignment.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
