Simone Biles’ brother Tevin Biles-Thomas was arrested and charged with murder in connection to a triple homicide in Cleveland, Ohio.
According to a press release from the Cleveland Division of Police and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, the 24-year-old was taken into custody on Thursday, August 29, in Georgia. The arrest stemmed from an incident on New Year’s Eve, in which three people — Devaughn Gibson, 23, Toshaun Banks, 21 and Delvante Johnson, 19 — were killed and two others were left injured at an Airbnb in Cleveland.
Tevin, who is currently on active duty for the US Army, was charged with six counts of murder, five counts of felonious assault, three counts of voluntary manslaughter and one count of perjury. He is being held in Liberty County Jail in Georgia.
“The relentless persistence of Cleveland Police Homicide detectives helped secure an indictment in this case,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley told Cleveland.com on Thursday. “It is through their hard work that we can begin to seek justice for these victims.”
Simone, 22, and Tevin were both raised by their grandparents in Ohio. The Olympian previously revealed that her biological mother suffered from substance abuse.
“I never had mom to run to. I do remember always being hungry and afraid. At 3 years old, I was placed in foster care. … My parents saved me,” she said on the Today show in May 2017, referring to her grandparents, who adopted her in 2000. “They’ve set huge examples of how to treat other people, and they’ve been there to support me since day one. There’s nothing I could say to them to thank them enough.”
Simone has yet to publicly comment on Tevin’s case, but she recently shared two cryptic tweets.
“Let people assume incorrectly,” the gold medalist wrote on Wednesday, August 28.
Hours before news of her brother’s arrest made headlines, Simone tweeted, “Eating my feelings don’t talk to me.”
Back in September 2017, the gymnast shared a series of photos with Tevin via the social media platform.
“My brother tevin,” she wrote at the time. “Everyone says we look like twins but we don’t see it.”
Tevin’s arraignment is set for Friday, September 13.
