Simone Biles Breaks Silence on Her Brother's Murder Arrest: 'My Heart Aches for Everyone Involved'
Simone Biles is addressing her brother’s triple-homicide arrest for the first time.
The Olympic gymnast, 22, shared a statement on Twitter Monday, four days after her brother, Tevin Biles-Thomas, was taken into custody.
Biles wrote she was still having a hard time processing the news.
“My heart aches for everyone involved, especially for the victims and their families, Biles wrote on social media. “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. XO.”
still having a hard time processing last weeks news pic.twitter.com/GU0nQt2PZY
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) September 3, 2019
The sports star’s sibling, Biles-Thomas, was arrested Thursday for allegedly killing three men at a New Year’s Eve party on Dec. 31, 2018.
The 24-year-old, who is an active-duty U.S. Army service member based in Fort Stewart, Georgia, is charged with murder, voluntary manslaughter, felonious assault and perjury, according to a statement from Cleveland police.
The shooting took place at an Airbnb rental when an “uninvited group” entered the home and “an altercation ensued” between the group and guests, Cleveland police allege.
Delvante Johnson, 19, Toshaun Banks, 21, and Devaughn Gibson, 23, were killed.
While this is her first time addressing her sibling’s arrest, Biles has not been quiet on social media this week.
Hours after her brother was arrested on murder charges, Biles posted a message on Twitter. “Eating my feelings don’t talk to me,” she tweeted on Thursday.
She also shared some photos from her Labor Day festivities with her friends on Instagram Sunday amid the news of “Girls day to drink happy thoughts,” the athlete wrote alongside her post, in which she and two friends wear bikini tops and high-waisted denim shorts.
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girls day to drink happy thoughts👯♀️
A post shared by Simone Biles (@simonebiles) on Sep 1, 2019 at 1:08pm PDT
She later shared a larger group photo of her friends on the pool deck in her Instagram Stories.
Biles’ boyfriend, Stacey Ervin Jr., alluded to her family in an Instagram Story on Saturday, showing his girlfriend support in this difficult time.
“The strongest people I’ve ever met have not been given an easier life,” the post on Friday read. “They’ve learned to create strength and happiness from dark places.”
Biles and her brother did not grow up in the same household, with the gymnast being raised mostly in Texas, while Biles-Thomas grew up in Ohio.
Born in Columbus, Biles and her three siblings were placed in foster care at a young age because their mother, Shannon Biles, struggled with addiction, The Washington Post previously reported.
When Biles was age 6, she and her sister Adria were adopted by their grandfather and raised in Houston, CBS News reported. Meanwhile, her brother and sister Ashley were adopted by their great aunt and lived in Cleveland, local station WOIO reported.
Biles-Thomas is being held at Liberty County Jail in Hinesville, Georgia. He is scheduled for an arraignment hearing in Cleveland on Sept. 13, according to court records.
Court records do not list an attorney for Biles-Thomas and he has not yet entered a plea.
