2025.2.28 Man convicted of murder in 1985 gets 888 years for killing his neighbor at the Lakeview YMCA in 2018
CHICAGO — A man who received a 35-year prison sentence for murder in 1985 was sentenced on Friday to another 888 years in prison for murdering his neighbor at the Lakeview YMCA in 2018.
George Field, 62, was found guilty of seven counts of murder and one count of home invasion during a bench trial by Judge James Obbish on January 29. On Friday, Obbish handed down Field’s sentence: 8 years for the home invasion count and 888 years for the murder charges, with the sentences to be served concurrently.
Arthur Cannon, 83, died on January 12, 2018, ten days after Field battered him in his room at the YMCA, 3333 North Marshfield, according to prosecutors. The Cook County Medical Examiner determined Cannon died from multiple injuries suffered in an assault.
Prosecutors said Field was holding a “hand truck or dolly” to Cannon’s head when the building’s security staff first arrived on the scene. Field allegedly threatened to kill Cannon unless security gave him cigarettes and a drink of water.
CPD responded and found Field sitting on top of the badly injured Cannon in the victim’s fourth-floor apartment, according to court records.
Cannon was able to tell officers that he and Field had a heated argument before Field struck him repeatedly in the body with closed fists. Prosecutors said Cannon suffered broken ribs and facial fractures in the beating. His condition gradually deteriorated and he eventually succumbed to his injuries.
Field was arrested at the scene shortly after the attack to face a charge of misdemeanor battery. Prosecutors dropped that case after Cannon died and filed murder charges.
In 1985, Field was found guilty of four counts of murder, two counts of aggravated battery, and one count of attempted murder in a bench trial overseen by now-deceased Cook County Judge Francis Mahon. Field was sentenced to 35 years on the murder and aggravated battery charges and 30 years on the attempted murder count, to be served concurrently. He was paroled in 2006.
No further details were available about the previous case.
In a sad coincidence, another man was murdered on the fourth floor of the Lakeview YMCA in September 2023.
Officers found the 27-year-old victim fatally shot inside another resident’s apartment with a handgun lying nearby. But the man who lived in the unit, 45-year-old Danny Berry, was no longer there. The medical examiner determined that the death was a homicide.
The day after the murder, CPD detectives learned that Berry’s phone was pinging in Ohio. They alerted the Ohio State Highway Patrol and troopers located Berry’s car traveling in a rural area on I-75. Even after police deployed stop sticks, Berry continued to speed away and troopers eventually forced the vehicle to crash. It burst into flames.
Berry emerged from the burning vehicle with a handgun and began walking on the interstate, police said. A trooper subsequently shot him and he later died from those injuries.
An investigation of the police shooting by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office found that Berry “told the Troopers that he was not going to [go] back to jail and he was going to kill himself.” A police supervisor gave a trooper authorization to shoot Berry because he was ignoring police commands and was getting closer to civilians while armed, the report said.
2025.2.28 South Carolina pastor faces new allegations months after wife’s suicide death, FBI raid on home
John-Paul Miller has faced scrutiny since his wife Mica Miller’s death while he was pastor at Solid Rock Church
South Carolina woman Mica Miller, found dead in Lumber River State Park on April 27, called 911 in the moments before her death, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office. (Credit: Robeson County Sheriff’s Office)
A new lawsuit has been filed against an embattled South Carolina pastor whose wife, Mica Miller, took her own life last spring, and his father, accusing the men of “sexual abuse and predatory conduct” and using the church as a “sexual playground” for decades.
The lawsuit, obtained by Fox News Digital, alleges that John-Paul Miller, now 45, attacked a 15-year-old girl in 1998 while at Sunday school at Miller’s father’s church.
“For years, John-Paul Miller and Reginald Wayne Miller have presented themselves as devout religious leaders. They built their reputations in the Myrtle Beach community and beyond as men of faith, dedicated to spreading God’s word and training future church leaders. But this image was a lie,” the complaint reads.
The 43-page complaint accuses Miller, then 19, of taking the girl into his father’s office at All Nations Church before forcing her outside and sexually assaulting her inside his truck.
The woman, who now lives in Indiana, is being identified as “Jane Doe” to avoid the risk of “humiliation and embarrassment,” according to the complaint.
At the time of her alleged assault, John-Paul was “known to his father, church leadership and members as a troubled individual with a history of reckless behavior, including prior legal troubles, a child born out of wedlock, and a pattern of misconduct,” according to the lawsuit.
“Behind their religious façade, John-Paul Miller and Reginald Wayne Miller engaged in sexual abuse and predatory conduct—often targeting minors. They used their positions of power to manipulate and exploit vulnerable victims while concealing their actions from the public,” the complaint continued.
“Upon information and belief, this deception has shielded them from law enforcement scrutiny, allowing their misconduct to continue unchecked.”
Years after the first alleged assault, the same woman reported encountering John-Paul in person during a trip to Myrtle Beach with a friend in 2023. John-Paul allegedly leaned in to hug her “and shoved his hand down her pants, touching her genitals without consent,” according to the complaint.
The woman and John-Miller then got into a heated argument when he later tried to use scripture from the Bible to justify the attack, quoting, “No man is without sin and temptation. God understands that.”
“This church was JPM’s sexual playground,” the complaint states.
“Leadership at the church, including RWM, should have undertaken something to protect the minors at the church from JPM and any other predator,” according to the lawsuit. “They did not.”
The lawsuit also raised questions about the financial dealings of the ministries and their leaders. John-Paul has been at the center of controversy since the death of his wife last April. Mica, 30, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in North Carolina’s Lumber River State Park, on April 27.
Her death shed light on the couple’s strained relationship. The pair were separated, and Mica filed for divorce two days before she died, according to FOX 8 Greensboro.
Robeson County Sheriff’s Office investigators also determined that John-Paul “and a female that he is allegedly romantically involved with” were not in Robeson County at the time of Mica’s death.
John-Paul was arrested in November on charges of assault and battery after a reported confrontation with protesters outside his local church, Solid Rock at Common Market.
The FBI also searched John-Paul’s home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in November.
His attorney’s office previously told Fox News Digital he does not have any comment on his wife’s case.
2025.2.28 Attempted murder fugitive busted as 40-year scheme posing as dead college mate unravels
Stephen Craig Campbell, 76, claimed $140,000 in social security benefits under the dead man’s name
A fugitive wanted for the attempted murder of his estranged wife more than 40 years ago has been captured after his con of assuming a dead man’s identity for decades finally unraveled, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.
Stephen Craig Campbell, 76, managed to evade authorities for years under a different identity and fraudulently claimed around $140,000 in retired social security benefits but was arrested in New Mexico last week during an armed standoff with police who found nearly 60 weapons at his residence, prosecutors said.
The alleged swindler was on the run for planting a booby-trapped toolbox rigged with explosives outside the Wyoming home of his estranged wife’s boyfriend in 1982, the DOJ said.
When she opened the container, a powerful explosion tore off one of her fingers and sent shrapnel flying. The blast also ignited a fire, destroying the residence and a neighboring unit, police in Sweetwater, Wyoming said.
According to the Justice Department, Campbell was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder but was released on bond in 1982. Immediately after posting bail, he vanished.
A warrant was issued, but he disappeared without a trace, avoiding capture for decades by slipping into the identity of Walter Lee Coffman, who died in 1975 at the age of 22.
Coffman had graduated from the University of Arkansas just two months before his death. University records showed Campbell attended the same institution during that period, where both he and Coffman pursued engineering degrees, suggesting a likely connection between the two, the DOJ said.
Campbell first applied for a passport under Coffman’s name in 1984 and renewed it multiple times, always providing a photograph of himself and his current address, prosecutors allege. He also swindled a replacement Social Security card in Coffman’s name in 1995 by using an Oklahoma driver’s license in Coffman’s name.
In and around 2003, Campbell relocated to Weed, New Mexico, where he bought a 44-acre property in Coffman’s name while continuing to renew the fraudulent passport.
His scheme began to unravel in 2019 when he went to renew his New Mexico driver’s license under Coffman’s name using a passport with Coffman’s name.
Agents from the National Passport Center’s Fraud Prevention Unit soon discovered Coffman’s death and the suspected decades-long fraudulent use of his identity.
On Feb. 19, authorities descended on his property to carry out a search of his property in Weed, where they said Campbell was armed with a scoped rifle, positioning himself in an elevated, partially concealed spot.
After repeated orders and the deployment of flashbangs, Campbell emerged from the wood line and was detained. When recovered, the rifle was loaded with high-powered ammunition capable of piercing standard body armor and ready to fire, with the scope caps flipped open, the selector lever set to fire and a round chambered.
Authorities discovered 57 firearms and large quantities of ammunition at the property. As a fugitive, Campbell is prohibited from possessing firearms. He was then fingerprinted, which confirmed his true identity and fugitive status.
Jason Mower, a spokesperson for the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office reflected on the significance of Campbell’s capture, noting how the case had remained a constant presence in the department for years.
“Campbell’s wanted poster has been on the wall at our office since I started here nearly 20 years ago,” Mower said. “I’ve worked hundreds of fugitive cases, helping track down and capture fugitives all across the country. But never Campbell—every lead went cold, no matter what tools we used. Now, I finally understand why.”
Joe Tomich, undersheriff for the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, emphasized the scale of the case, from its violent origins to the decadeslong search and dramatic resolution.
“It’s almost hard to wrap your head around this case—the cold and calculated nature of the original crime, the decades of searching, and then, after all this time, a tense standoff in the mountains of New Mexico,” Tomich said.
“We’ve all taken our turns trying to catch Campbell. I have a case file on him the size of a novel, filled with leads that went nowhere. But we never gave up, and now we finally know why he was always one step ahead.”
Campbell appeared in federal court Wednesday in New Mexico on fraud charges related to using a stolen identity.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison before extradition to Wyoming to stand trial for the 1982 bombing. The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office has placed a detainer to ensure he is returned to Wyoming once federal proceedings conclude.
2025.2.27 Illinois man charged with 90 counts of sexual abuse, assault admits to more victims: authorities
A Montgomery man is accused of sexually assaulting and abusing at least 10 minors.
Michael G. Farris was arrested this week at his home.
Farris was involved in organizations, including Train Club and Boy Scouts of America.
MONTGOMERY, Ill. – An 84-year-old suburban man was arrested this week for allegedly sexually assaulting and abusing at least 10 minors over a span of 15 years.
Michael G. Farris, of Montgomery, currently faces 23 felony counts of criminal sexual assault and 67 felony counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Additional charges are expected.
What we know: Between Jan. 20, 2008 and July 30, 2022, Farris allegedly committed acts of sexual penetration and contact with five juveniles between the ages of 13 and 17.
Following his arrest on Wednesday, prosecutors say he admitted to sexually assaulting and abusing four of those victims. He also reportedly admitted to having contact with an additional five minors, bringing the total number of known victims to 10.
On Thursday, during his first court appearance, a judge granted the state’s motion to deny Farris pre-trial release.
Investigators believe there may be more victims, as Farris was involved in organizations including Train Club and the Boy Scouts of America.
What they’re saying: “These are deeply disturbing allegations, and our thoughts are with the victims and their families as they navigate the trauma of these events,” said State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser. “We take these charges very seriously and are fully committed to ensuring justice is served. If anyone has any information related to this case, we urge you to come forward. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to the Montgomery Police Department for their diligent and thorough work on this investigation. Their efforts have been critical in addressing this situation, and we will continue working together to support the victims and pursue justice.”
“The Montgomery Police Department would like to express our concerns and support for the individuals and families affected by Mr. Farris’ heinous actions,” said Chief of Police, Phil
Smith. “This is an ongoing investigation, through which we will continue to work closely with the State’s Attorney to ensure justice is served.”
What you can do: To report a suspected incident of child sexual abuse or any suspicious situation, contact the Montgomery Police Department at (331) 212-9091 or Kane County Child Advocacy Center Investigator Tom Ruzevich at (630) 208-5160.
What’s next: Farris’ next court appearance is scheduled for March 7.
2025.2.27 2 New York men accused of attempting to scam Lake County woman out of $750k worth of gold bars
LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. — Two men from New York were taken in custody this week after they allegedly attempted to scam a Lake County woman out of $750,000 worth of gold bars.
According to Lincolnshire police, officers were first notified about the incident after employees at BTRC Coin & Gold alerted them about a potential scam involving an customer who had purchased about $750,000 worth of gold bars from them on Monday, Feb. 24.
A source confirmed to WGN News that the vicitm was a 77-year-old woman.
Authorities caught up with the victim and quickly recognized signs that she was likely being scammed.
The victim informed offices that she had been contacted by someone claiming to be a government employee who was threatening to arrest her family members unless she paid them. She then admitted to officers that she had purchased the gold bars to pay the person claiming to work for the government.
Authorities said one of the suspects had arranged to meet the victim to pick up the gold bars the day after the purchase.
On Tuesday, members of the Lincolnshire Police Department, the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force (NORTAF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested two men, 34-year-old Chen Xinwei and 55-year-old Tangchao Huang, both residents of Brooklyn, New York, in connection with the attempted scam.
“We commend our local business BTRC for their vigilance and quick action in recognizing a potential scam and alerting our department. Their awareness and willingness to get involved helped prevent a predatory crime and serious financial loss to a member of one of our most vulnerable populations,” Lincolnshire Police Chief Joseph Leonas said. “This serves as an important reminder that these types of crimes are happening everywhere, and the bad guys are constantly looking for new ways to take advantage of others. We urge everyone to remind their loved ones and friends about these scams, stay informed, and never hesitate to reach out to law enforcement if something doesn’t seem right.”
Officers said Xinwei and Huang, have each been charged with one felony count of attempted theft over $500,000 but less than $1,000,000 and both men made their first court appearances on Wednesday.
2025.2.26 Aventura couple sexually victimized 16-year-old girl they were ‘dating,’ police say
Cops: Pair also took teen to ‘casinos, bars, lounges and clubs’
AVENTURA, Fla. – Police arrested a married Aventura couple on Tuesday after accusing the pair of having a sexual and “dating” relationship with a 16-year-old girl.
Authorities said Isabel Estrin, 24, and Alvaro Jaramillo, 26, first met the teen on Dec. 9 after communicating with her on Instagram beginning in October.
They said the victim was accompanied by another “juvenile female,” whose age wasn’t specified in arrest reports, and authorities accuse Estrin and Jaramillo of “engag(ing) in sexual acts” with them.
Authorities said the couple brought the two girls to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood during the weekend of Dec. 14, where all four engaged in multiple sex acts.
About three days later, Aventura police said the girl “entered into a dating relationship” with Estrin and Jaramillo.
The three spent an evening at Estrin’s parents’ house, where they engaged in more sex acts, police said. According to the couple’s arrest reports, the girl described the encounter as “extremely painful.”
“Over the course of the relationship, there were numerous sexual encounters between all three individuals,” the reports state. “Additionally, the victim was often driven around by Jaramillo and Estrin and brought to several establishments (including), but not limited to, casinos, bars, lounges and clubs.”
Authorities said the relationship ended Feb. 1 after the victim’s mother found out about it.
Aventura police said they took the couple into custody at their unit in the Williams Island 2000 condominium building at 2000 Island Blvd. on Tuesday.
Authorities said afterward, both “corroborated” the aforementioned incidents and made statements that were redacted from the report. Additionally, they said after obtaining consent to search both of their cellphones, they found a video of the teen performing a sex act on Jaramillo saved to his device.
Both Estrin and Jaramillo are facing a charge of unlawful sexual activity with a minor. Jaramillo is additionally facing a child pornography charge as well as a count of interference with custody.
It wasn’t clear as of Wednesday whether the pair would also face charges in Broward County in connection with the Hard Rock allegations.
Local 10 News contacted a spokesperson for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, whose police department investigates crimes at the resort complex, seeking additional information Wednesday afternoon.
A tribal spokesperson would not confirm whether the Seminole Police Department is investigating the pair, deferring inquiries to Aventura police.
As of Wednesday, both Estrin and Jaramillo were being held in Miami-Dade’s Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Estrin’s bond was set at $7,500 while Jaramillo’s was set at $17,500.
According to jail and Florida Department of Corrections records, Jaramillo was in the middle of serving a decade-long probation sentence at the time of his arrest for exploiting another vulnerable group: the elderly.
Those records show he was convicted of nearly a dozen theft, fraud and money laundering charges stemming from cases in 2020 and 2021 after Miami-Dade prosecutors said he took part in a “grandparent scam,” in which several seniors, aged 71 to 88, were bilked out of more than $480,000.
On top of that, the Colombian national is also subject to an immigration hold.
2025.2.26 Man charged with breaking into tool shop
HONESDALE, WAYNE CO. (WOLF) — Authorities in Wayne County arrested a man for breaking into a tool shop.
On Oct. 26, 2023, Pennsylvania State Police were dispatched to a reported burglary at Camp Raninu in Lebanon Township.
Upon arrival, police say they were informed that a second burglary had taken place in the past couple of weeks and the victim’s tool shop was the target of both times.
Trail cameras provided several photos of Angelo Terranova, of Honesdale, walking towards the camera, police said.
Terranova was charged with burglary, theft, and criminal trespassing.
His next appearance is scheduled for Feb. 28.
EDMOND, OK — Two people have been arrested following a deadly stabbing from over the weekend in Edmond.
The Edmond Police Department (EPD) responded to a call about a stabbing in the parking lot of Rolling Green Apartments on Sunday.
Upon arrival, investigators said they learned 28-year-old Darron Johnson was trying to visit his child. At some point, an altercation started between Johnson and the mother of his child, 26-year-old Kierra Barton, and her boyfriend, 38-year-old Joseph Jones.
Investigators said Jones stabbed Johnson in the chest with a knife during the altercation.
After being stabbed, Johnson reportedly ran accross the street to eExpress gas station for help. EPD said bystanders called 911 and tried to stop the bleeding.
Johnson was taken to the hospital in critical condition by AMR. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Investigators said Jones and Barton left the scene in a vehicle after the stabbing.
On Tuesday, Barton was found and taken to the Edmond Police Station to be questioned. According to EPD, Jones turned himself in later that evening.
Jones and Barton were arrested and transferred to the Oklahoma County Detention Center.
The Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the incident to determine their charges.
2025.2.26 Suspects charged with capital murder in connection with fatal shooting in Selma, affidavit says
Hayden Lee Holt, 20, was found dead at the scene, according to Selma police
SELMA, Texas – Multiple suspects were charged with capital murder after an attempted robbery turned deadly, according to court documents.
Robert Monreal, Dorian Camarillo and Eric Sepeda — all 17 years old — face capital murder charges in connection with the killing of Hayden Lee Holt, 20, an arrest affidavit said.
The shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. Sunday in the 16000 block of Retama Crown.
Another teen and Joseph Harris are also being charged in connection with Holt’s death, the affidavit said.
Monreal told police that he was hanging out with Holt on the day of the incident, the affidavit said.
Monreal also told police that the teen asked him for a ride to assist with the robbery, the affidavit stated.
Monreal claimed that the teen was setting up the robbery for Sepeda and Camarillo, the affidavit alleges.
Authorities believe the suspects intended to steal a firearm from Joseph Harris, according to Selma police.
When the suspects arrived at Harris’ house, the teen was with Camarillo when he expressed intent to rob Harris’ gun, the affidavit stated.
Police said over 30 gunshots were fired during the incident.
Monreal told police that he attempted to drive off after Camarillo jumped in the vehicle. He said that the teen was struck by the gunfire and then fled from the scene, according to the affidavit.
Police said Sepeda also fled but later turned himself in to authorities.
Selma police said all suspects are in custody except for Harris. On Tuesday afternoon, police said they were still searching for him.
Moreal, Camarillo and Sepeda each have a bond set at $500,000, records show.
2025.2.26 Man assaulted by as many as 30 teenage bicyclists in Los Angeles, police say
Police are still searching for the suspects
A man was brutally attacked in Los Angeles, California, by a large group of teenage bicyclists, according to police.
The incident happened at about 5 p.m. Saturday in the Carthay neighborhood, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a press release.
Officers responded to the area of San Vicente Boulevard and Carrillo Drive after a report of an assault.
Witnesses told police that an argument had broken out between the man and a group of about 20 to 30 suspects believed to be 16- to 18-years-old.
A couple of suspects struck and kicked the man’s vehicle before he exited his vehicle to confront them. A physical altercation then ensued, leading to more suspects joining in on the fight, police said.
Police said the large group of suspects “immediately overwhelmed” the man. They punched and kicked the man, even after he had been knocked down to the ground.
The suspects fled the area on their bicycles southbound on Carrillo Drive after witnesses attempted to intervene, police said.
Paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the scene to attend to the man. He sustained minor visible injuries and declined to be transported to the hospital.
Police are still searching for the suspects and are asking the public for assistance in locating those responsible for the attack.
2025.2.25 Chinese nationals took $13M in ‘pig butchering’ scam: DOJ
Three people, including two Chinese nationals, were arrested Tuesday for allegedly using shell companies to launder more than $13 million taken in investment scams called “pig butchering.”
Mingzhi Li, 24, aka “Zheng Lin,” and Zeyue Jia, 23, aka “Jiao Jiao Liu,” both of downtown Los Angeles; and Jun Shi, 55, of San Gabriel, made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release.
Zeyue Jia, 23, a.k.a. “Jiao Jiao Liu,” (left) and Mingzhi Li, 24, a.k.a. “Zheng Lin,” (right), both of downtown Los Angeles, were arrested today on federal complaints alleging they laundered more than $13 million in money conned out of scam victims
The scam involves thieves targeting victims who are “gradually lured into making increasing monetary contributions, generally in the form of cryptocurrency, to a seemingly sound investment before the scammer disappears with the contributed monies,” according to the FDIC.
In this case, Shi is accused of setting up the companies Magic Location Trading LLC and Stone Water Trading LLC in 2022 to serve as “money service businesses that were formed for the purpose of remitting funds on behalf of third-party customers to other entities,” though they were never registered with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network or the State of California, as required under federal law, prosecutors said.
Bank accounts set up by Li and Jia “received funds from investment fraud victims” through dozens of wire transfers, with more than $7.6 million going to Stone Water and $5.4 million going to Magic Trading, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the trio then transferred the money to other accounts or overseas, sent it to individuals or used it for personal expenses — even though victims could see their fake investments in “commodities such as gold contracts or virtual currency such as Bitcoin” on the web or a mobile app.
“Once funds are sent to scammer-controlled accounts, the purported investment platform often falsely shows significant gains on the purported investment, and the victims are thus induced to send more money for additional investments,” the release said.
That money, however, was gone.
The DOJ provided the example of a 72-year-old man from Minnesota who “invested” in a digital platform called Enkuu by sending $75,000 to Stone Water and $250,000 to Magic Trading the month after that.
“He later was unable to withdraw any of his money from ‘Enkuu,’” prosecutors said.
Li and Jia, both citizens of China who came to the U.S. on student visas that are now expired, have been jailed without bail. Shi was released on $20,000 bond.
Each faces charges of operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
Arraignment is scheduled for March 17.
BARTON — A Vermont man who led police on a high-speed chase through Barton earlier this month has been captured in New Hampshire after allegedly ramming a police cruiser and attempting to flee on foot.
Robert Dragon, 34, of Morristown, was arrested Monday in Chesterfield, N.H., after a Keene police officer recognized the stolen 2011 Volvo XC60 he was driving. Dragon was being sought after a February 11 incident where he drove through a construction zone on Burton Hill Road in Barton and allegedly assaulted a law enforcement officer.
New Hampshire authorities said Dragon initially fled at high speed before ramming a Keene police cruiser and attempted to drive off-road, but his vehicle became stuck in snow. After a brief foot chase, officers took him into custody.
Dragon is being held without bail at the Cheshire County House of Corrections pending arraignment Tuesday on charges including fugitive from justice, reckless conduct, receiving stolen property, disobeying an officer, reckless driving, operating after suspension, and resisting arrest.
Vermont authorities had warned the public to consider Dragon “extremely dangerous” following his escape from Barton. He had multiple outstanding warrants, including for felony vehicle theft.
Two associates, Jessica Hunt, 34, and Jeremy Somerset, 49, both of Eden, Vt., were arrested after the Barton incident when they were found hiding in a shed in Irasburg.
NEW HYDE PARK — A Flushing man was arrested for impersonating a police officer and stealing merchandise from a Target store in New Hyde Park, authorities said.
The Third Squad reported that Yunzhi Xie, 43, was taken into custody following an incident that occurred at 10:06 a.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Target located at 1400 Hempstead Turnpike.
Police said Xie removed merchandise from the store without paying and was stopped by store loss prevention employees.
He then identified himself as a police officer and displayed a law enforcement shield, officials said.
An investigation determined that Xie was not a law enforcement officer, and Third Precinct detectives arrested him without incident, according to police.
Xie was charged with second-degree criminal impersonation and petit larceny.
He was released on an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in First District Court in Hempstead on Thursday, March 13.
2025.2.26 13-month-old child dies after given ZzzQuil sleep aid; 2 women charged with murder, police say
PEORIA, Ill. (WEEK/Gray News) – Two women in Illinois are facing murder charges for allegedly giving a child an adult sleep aid before the baby died.
A Peoria County grand jury indicted 26-year-old Tasheaunna Williams and 27-year-old Nausicca Thomas on first-degree murder charges in the death of a 13-month-old child.
Authorities also charged the two women with aggravated battery.
Police said they were initially called to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center on Dec. 19, 2024, for an unresponsive infant.
The child, later identified as Hezekiah Williams, died at the hospital on Dec. 27, 2024.
Authorities said the two women gave an “excessive” dose of the over-the-counter sleep aid to Hezekiah.
According to the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office, Tasheaunna Williams and Thomas were arrested on Jan. 10 but were not initially charged with murder because toxicology tests were pending.
Prosecutors have since filed a motion requesting the women remain in jail until their trials.
Tasheaunna Williams and Thomas have their arraignment scheduled for Feb. 27.
2025.2.24 Tempe mom found guilty of murdering her 2 children after police visit for domestic disturbance
The Brief
Yui Inoue was found guilty of murdering her two children, Kai, 7, and Mia, 9, in March 2021.
Prosecutors argued that Inoue killed her children out of revenge against her husband after a domestic dispute.
Inoue’s defense attorney argued that she lacked the physical strength to commit the murders and questioned her motive for going to the police station afterward.
Yui Inoue, the Tempe mother accused of killing her children with a meat cleaver, was found guilty on all counts Monday, just hours after attorneys presented their closing arguments, asking jurors to weigh whether Inoue committed the murders and, if so, whether she did so with intent.
“We are here because this woman tried to decapitate two souls,” said Shaylee Beasley, a prosecutor in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, during her closing.
Inoue, 44, was accused of murdering Kai Inoue, 7, and Mia Inoue, 9, in March 2021. A jury found her guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of child abuse.
She was not present in the courtroom Monday; she had waived her right to be present.
Police were called to the home late at night in response to a domestic dispute between Inoue and her then-husband, Tsubasa Inoue.
In the early hours of the following day, Yui Inoue drove to a police station with bloodied clothes and a meat cleaver, asking for help.
She told police during an interview that she went to bed with her children and woke up with blood on her hands and her two children dead near the doorway of a bedroom, court documents said.
The prosecution argued that Yui Inoue killed her children as an act of revenge against her husband after their earlier fight.
“It is very likely that the defendant killed these two children immediately after those two officers left,” Beasley said. “She was already angry that Tsubasa wasn’t getting her the money she wanted, and now he sent police to the house.”
According to Beasley, there was an overwhelming amount of evidence that Yui Inoue committed the murders and did so with intent, with her actions — such as gathering luggage, showering and closing the blinds — indicating careful planning.
Beasley described the killings as brutal and violent, saying that Yui Inoue “delivered chop after chop” while the children “tried to protect their heads.” Beasley showed the jury close-up photos of the children’s injuries.
Inoue’s attorney, Rebecca Felmly, said there was reasonable doubt as to whether Inoue had committed the murders. The medical examiner testified that the amount of force required to inflict such injuries was substantial and required significant energy over an extended period of time, she said.
“He linked the amount of force to a guillotine,” Felmly said.
She argued that Inoue, a small woman, lacked the power, energy or strength to commit the killings.
Felmly also told the jury to ask themselves why Inoue would have gone to the police station after the murders if she had been the killer.
“Why would she take her bloody clothes and meat cleaver and flag down an officer for help?” Felmly said.
Felmly questioned whether prosecutors proved intent, too.
“How does somebody go from calm, peaceful, to someone who caused that type of injury?” Felmly asked. “Those questions, those unanswered questions that you have about that, is reasonable doubt.”
Inoue was scheduled to be sentenced March 21 and faces the possibility of life in prison for each murder.
2025.2.23 Connecticut cannibal killer given conditional release after 2011 murder in which he ate victim’s brain, eye
In 2013, Tyree Smith was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2011 death of Angel Gonzalez
An institutionalized man who confessed to the 2011 killing of a homeless man in Connecticut in which he also ate the victim’s body parts in a cemetery was granted a conditional release.
Tyree Smith was granted a conditional release by the Nutmeg State’s Psychiatric Security Review Board on Friday, allowing him to leave Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown, although he will remain under supervision and will continue to receive mental health services, according to WFSB.
Smith’s doctor said the cannibal killer has been rehabilitated and is taking medications to help with psychosis and voices in his head, the outlet reported.
“To quote the director there, he is a joy. He is considered a support to the other people there,” forensic psychiatrist Caren Teitelbaum said. “Once he was stable, he was a really calming presence for other patients.”
“He has maintained clinical stability. Adhered to the medications and continued to engage in group and substance abuse treatment,” Teitelbaum added. “He also denied visual hallucinations and a desire to harm others or himself.”
But others, including GOP state Sen. Paul Cicarella, contested that Smith should remain under close watch in a hospital.
“Murder and cannibalism and release in the same sentence. That’s a problem. That’s concerning to me,” he told WFSB.
Cicarella and fellow Republican state Sens. Henry Martin, Heather Somers and Stephen Harding called the decision “outrageous” and “mind-boggling.”
“This individual killed and ate part of his victim and was found not guilty by reason of insanity,” the lawmakers said in a statement. “His victim’s family raised objections about his release. What about THEM? Where is the justice for THEM? This terrible decision puts public safety in jeopardy and is yet another terrible message to send to CT violent crime victims and their families. This person should never be out. We are dumbfounded at this injustice. In what universe is this ok?”
In 2013, a three-judge panel found Smith not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2011 death of Angel Gonzalez. He was committed to Connecticut Valley Hospital for 60 years.
Smith confessed to killing the homeless man with an ax inside an abandoned home in Bridgeport before removing parts of his brain, an eye and several organs that he subsequently consumed at Lakeview Cemetery.
Gonzalez’s sister-in-law, Talitha Frazier, called on the board to continue holding Smith inside the hospital.
“How do we really know he’s not going to do this again?” Frazier asked at the hearing on Friday, according to CTPost. “He had no remorse for killing Angel.”
“His grandkids are scared. His daughter is scared she couldn’t come today, her sugar dropped to 52,” she said, according to WFSB.
A diagnosed schizophrenic, Smith will first receive day passes but will be confined to the hospital’s grounds. As he makes progress, he will receive additional freedoms, such as supervised off-site visits.
Richard Allen was convicted in the 2017 deaths of Liberty German and her best friend, Abigail Williams, “but that didn’t bring the girls back,” Liberty’s grandmother says.
Becky and Mike Patty had waited years for a verdict.
The Nov. 11 conclusion to the roughly four-week trial of Richard Allen, who was charged in the horrific murders of their granddaughter, Liberty German, and her best friend, Abigail Williams, felt like the biggest moment in their lives — something they’d worked hard to get to, the couple said in an interview with “Dateline.”
After four days of deliberations, the Pattys got what they’d hoped for: Allen, 52, was found guilty of murdering Liberty, 14, and Abigail, 13, near a walking trail in Delphi, north of Indianapolis, eight years ago.
But the absence of Abby and Libby — as the girls were known — still looms large.
“Do you say there’s winners?” Becky Patty said. “We got our verdict, but that didn’t bring the girls back. It doesn’t give us closure. It gives us a little bit of peace to know that he can never hurt another person again. And that’s where he should be.”
“But is it happy?” she added. “Not really.”
Allen, who is appealing the conviction, was sentenced in December to 130 years in prison.
The case drew nationwide attention in part because of a grim piece of evidence uncovered in the aftermath of the murders: a brief, grainy Snapchat video recorded on Libby’s cellphone — and publicized by authorities — showed a possible suspect who came to be known as “the bridge guy.”
But the murders remained unsolved until 2022, when a volunteer helping organize thousands of tips in the case discovered a mislabeled “lead sheet” from years earlier with Allen’s name on it. According to testimony at Allen’s trial last year, she provided the document to a detective and Allen, a CVS clerk in Delphi, was arrested weeks later.
At trial, the prosecution argued that Allen used “power and fear” to force Abby and Libby down a hill near a then-abandoned rail bridge and cut their throats Feb. 13, 2017.
2025.2.22 Florida woman who survived parents’ murders as toddler reveals ‘missing piece’ after killer’s execution
Maranda Malnory survived Florida killer James Ford, who was executed on Feb 13 for killing Greg and Kimberly Malnory
A Florida killer who fatally shot a newlywed couple in front of their toddler nearly three decades ago finally faced justice last week in the state’s first execution of the year. The couple’s surviving daughter has spoken out as an adult about her childhood memories connected to the horrific crimes.
James D. Ford, 64, was executed via lethal injection at Florida State Prison on Feb. 13 for the murders of Greg Malnory, 25, and his wife Kimberly, 26, after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed his death warrant on Jan. 10.
“I feel like I missed out on a lot of love …that love from my mom and dad,” Maranda Malnory, who witnessed her parents’ murders as a 22-month-old, told Fox News Digital in an interview after the execution.
“I don’t want to say it was closure because it’s not closure, but it’s peace of mind knowing that he could never, ever get out and come find me… I’m the sole survivor.”
On a Sunday morning in the spring of 1997, Greg and Kimberly Malnory set out to go fishing at South Florida Sod Farm, where Greg worked, along with Maranda, who was 22 months old at the time.
The couple’s deceased bodies were discovered the following day, April 7, 1997, near their pickup truck in the middle of a field on the remote 7,000-acre farm. Authorities found Maranda strapped inside her car seat in the truck, having survived the attack, according to court records.
“Poor Maranda, just left there to die. It was actually divine intervention that she survived,” Greg’s mother, Connie Ankney, previously told Fox News Digital. “The angels must have been with her.”
Now 29 years old, Maranda does not have any memory of the attack itself, but she remembers the exact moment she first learned the harrowing details of the case.
During her early years of childhood being raised by her grandparents, Maranda was unaware of the circumstances surrounding her parents’ deaths until she decided to take matters into her own hands.
“I was 13 years old…it was around the time of the anniversary of their murders. I was on my computer…and I Googled it. I Googled every detail I could find,” she said. “Because I didn’t know how to ask…it was heartbreaking.”
Investigators on the case discovered that Greg Malnory had been shot in the head and bludgeoned with his throat slit, and Kimberly Malnory had been sexually assaulted, brutally beaten and then shot dead, according to court records.
Maranda had been in the vehicle for over 18 hours with the doors wide open and covered in her mother’s blood.
“I didn’t realize the extent of it until I read it,” Maranda said about researching the crimes as a teenager. “I broke down because I came from two fighters. My mom put up a fight, and so did my dad.”
Authorities said that while Ford was attacking Greg, Kimberly was doing everything she could to save her daughter, which explained the presence of Kimberly’s blood on the child’s clothing.
Defensive wounds were found on the backs of Kim’s arms, which indicated that she put up a struggle, according to court records.
“I honestly think had she been able to find my dad’s truck keys, she would have went to get help,” Maranda said. “That’s why I was in my car seat… she was going to get help having seen what happened to my dad.”
During their investigation, law enforcement learned that Ford had been seen with the victims in the area of the crime just before the killings, and then he was later seen the same evening “in a distracted state with blood on his face, hands, and clothes,” according to court documents. Ford was also observed the day after the murders with scratches on his body.
Maranda explained that Ford, who had been Greg’s co-worker at the Charlotte County farm, invited himself to their family outing that day.
“It kind of leaves me speechless,” she said. “That much hatred… for people that you had worked with and people that you know.”
Greg Malnory’s DNA was discovered on a knife in Ford’s bedroom, Kimberly’s DNA was located in Ford’s truck, and Ford’s DNA was found on Kimberly’s body and clothing, court records show.
“It wasn’t until I was an adult that it got a little easier for me to ask questions…and ask about the day it happened,” Maranda said.
As she began to learn more about the case, she recognized that her “close-knit” community was the reason she and her parents were found as soon as they were in the middle of the field on the remote farm.
“That in of itself, if you ask me, is… I don’t want to call it a miracle, but it is,” Maranda said.
Authorities said that an employee of the South Florida Sod Farm had been the one to initially make the “gruesome discovery” in April 1997, according to court records.
As an adult, Maranda had the opportunity to connect with the man who found her as a toddler and chose to speak with him directly.
“I said, ‘Thank you for finding us,’” she shared. “And he was like, ‘Thank you for being such a strong, resilient little girl that I was able to find.’”
Greg and Kimberly Malnory met in high school, and they had married just six months prior to their deaths. Greg’s mother previously said that their chance to be parents had been taken away too soon.
“I think about them every day. I have their names tattooed on my wrist,” Maranda said. “They’re my heroes… I honestly think that I wouldn’t be here had it not been for them.”
The 29-year-old said she keeps a picture of her parents holding her as a baby, which was taken the weekend before the killings, on her desk to this day.
“You mourn the people that they were,” Maranda recalled telling her grandparents, “I mourn what could have been.”
“It’s that missing piece” she added. “I so wish I could have gotten to know them… I love hearing stories about them because, in my way, it is getting to know them.”
Maranda today works in special education with children and strives to give back to her community.
“I can do my part because of things that were done for me,” she explained. “Our community rallied around us, even with the execution. Even now, it’s still, ‘We’re here for you…we never forgot you…we’re still here.’”
Ford was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, sexual battery with a firearm, and child abuse, and he was sentenced to death on June 3, 1999. His execution in Florida in 2025 followed one in the state in 2024 and six in 2023.
“It impacts me in some big ways and some little ways,” Maranda said about the case. “I’m terrified of the dark and loud noises…but I also think it makes me fight a little harder… I fight every day to show him that he doesn’t get to win.”
2025.2.22 Robbery suspects get married in Las Vegas in middle of crime spree across SoCal, authorities say
LOS ANGELES — An attempted armed robbery at USA Donuts in Downey on Valentine’s Day last year led to the arrests of three suspects, including a newlywed couple.
A federal grand jury has charged Antonio Bland, Ronnie Tucker and Abigail Luckey with Hobbs Act robbery.
The California Department of Justice believes the trio is behind a two-week crime spree in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Between Jan. 29 and Feb. 14, 2024, the three allegedly robbed a total of 12 businesses across Southern California.
Surveillance cameras captured the late-night armed robberies at nine 7-Eleven convenience stores, two doughnut shops and a smoke shop.
The first one took place at Smokey Smoke Shop in Tustin.
The masked suspects entered the store, stole cash and vapes while one person acted as the getaway driver.
Prosecutors said in the middle of their crime spree, Bland and Luckey drove to Las Vegas on Feb. 6 and got married before returning to Southern California to commit their next robberies on Feb. 8.
The suspects were caught after attempting to rob USA Donuts.
An employee fired at the suspects after they jumped the counter.
No one was hurt, but police witnessed the attempted robbery and pulled over the car they were in.
The newlyweds and Tucker were arrested.
“Members of the community should not have to think about being subjected to violence when they walk into a convenience store or business. The defendants’ pattern of violent conduct described in the indictment put innocent lives at risk,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally. “Violent crime is a top priority for the US Attorney’s Office, and we are grateful for the teamwork of federal law enforcement and our local police departments to bring charges against these defendants.”
Bland and Tucker face additional charges for brandishing a firearm during a crime. Also, Bland is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
All three are expected in court in May. If convicted on the robbery charges they face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
2025.2.21 Fugitive accused of leaving newborn in the snow after brutally beating infant’s mom nabbed in Florida
SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. – A fugitive wanted for savagely beating a woman in Virginia and leaving his 13-day-old infant in the snow has been arrested in Florida.
The backstory: Darvin Flores Caballeros, 20, is accused of assaulting and strangling his baby’s mother in Fairfax County, Virginia on Feb. 12.
Caballeros’ newborn baby was dropped during the domestic assault, according to authorities.
Police said a good Samaritan found the infant left in a pile of snow.
The victim was hospitalized with serious injuries after the attack.
Caballeros took off before officers arrived.
On Thursday, February 20, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, located in the Florida panhandle, received information that Caballeros was in Santa Rosa Beach.
According to WCSO, deputies arrested Caballeros around 11 a.m. on Feb. 20 during a felony traffic stop.
Deputies said Caballeros was a passenger in the vehicle.
What’s next: Caballeros has been charged with malicious wounding, strangulation, two counts of child endangerment, assault and battery on a family member, petit larceny, and an emergency protective order.
He was booked into the Walton County Jail and will be extradited to Virginia.
Three individuals were recently arrested by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office after a burglary in Clinton.
LCSO deputies responded to Marshall Road in Clinton on February 20 at approximately 11:30am in reference to a burglary. Upon arrival, deputies were informed that the complainant observed three individuals on the property loading items into a vehicle.
When confronted by the property owner, the subjects fled the scene. A short time later, deputies apprehended all three subjects and arrested them without incident.
Mary Allison Healy, of Laurens, was charged with burglary-2nd degree. Michael Randolph Weeks Jr, of Clinton, was charged with burglary-2nd degree. Wesley Earl Woodward, of Ware Shoals, was charged with burglary-2nd degree and possession of methamphetamine.
“Thanks to a vigilant citizen who knew something wasn’t right and made the decision to take action, these three are where they belong,” said Sheriff Don Reynolds. “Great work to the caller and to the deputies involved for this quick resolution.”
A man who is accused of failing to show up for criminal court appearances multiple times is now charged with robbing a Dollar Store Plus in Warrenville.
Emmanuel Herrera-Mendez, 31, who lives in a motel in the 100 block of South Tyler Road in St. Charles, is charged with aggravated robbery. DuPage County Judge Joshua Dieden ordered Thursday that he be detained pretrial.
Prosecutors say Herrera-Mendez stole $211 around noon Wednesday from the store.
They said he went to a section of the store where shoes are displayed and indicated he wanted to buy shoes. A clerk came out from behind a register and asked Herrera-Mendez if he needed help.
Herrera-Mendez, with his left hand in a pocket, indicated he had a weapon and told the clerk to give him all the money.
As the clerk was opening the registers, Herrera-Mendez threatened to kill her if she didn’t give him the money, prosecutors say.
Police found him five minutes later at an apartment complex. Prosecutors say he had a vial with narcotic residue in it, and identification and credit cards belonging to other people.
He has active arrest warrants for failure to appear in DuPage County court in domestic battery, possession of fraudulent identification, possession of methamphetamine, possession of burglary tools and obstruction of justice cases, according to court records. He was supposed to appear in court on Jan. 23 on those cases.
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