Simone Biles addresses estranged brother's murder arrest: 'My heart aches for everyone involved'
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - AUGUST 11: Simone Biles warms up prior to the Women's Senior competition of the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships at the Sprint Center on August 11, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles on Monday broke her silence following the recent arrest of her estranged brother, who was charged with murder in a New Year’s Eve triple homicide in Ohio.
Biles, 22, tweeted about the arrest of her brother, Tevin Biles-Thomas, that she was still “having a hard time processing last [week’s] news.”
“My heart aches for everyone involved, especially for the victims and their families,” Biles wrote. There is nothing that I can say that will heal anyone’s pain, but I do want to express my sincere condolences to everyone affected by this terrible tragedy. I ask everyone to please respect my family’s privacy as we deal with our pain.”
Biles-Thomas, 24, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of murder, involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault and one count of perjury, said the Cleveland Division of Police and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday.
Investigators said a Cleveland apartment operating an Airbnb was hosting a New Year’s Eve party when an “uninvited group” entered, according to WKYC-TV. An incident then occurred and gunshots were fired, leaving three people dead. Police believe Biles-Thomas is the shooter.
Biles-Thomas is set to be arraigned on Sept. 13.
Biles’ grandfather adopted her and her sister when they were young and raised the two in Texas, according to CBS News. Biles-Thomas and their other sister were adopted by their great aunt and raised in Ohio.