CrimeTimeNews (c)

DISABLED WOMAN DOUSED WITH GASOLINE

2004-04-08T16:46:00.000-05:00

New Orleans, LA - As she always did, the healthcare worker went around to the back door of the neat house on Nursery Avenue. This time, something was wrong...the door stood open.
The first Jefferson Parish officer to arrive heard a soft moan and found a thirty-eight year old woman lying face down on an upstairs bed. The victim suffers from a rare debilitating form of multiple sclerosis that has left her partially blind, paralyzed and confined to a wheel chair.
When she was finally able to describe what happened to her, she told how she was awakened at 2AM Sunday morning by woman standing over her holding a large kitchen knife. The intruder slapped a pair of handcuffs on her wrists and hog-tied the invalid with shoe laces. The burglar then ransacked the place until she found her victim's ATM card. When the helpless woman refused to reveal her PIN code, the felon poured gasoline all over her and threatened to light a match to get the number.
One of the first things officers noticed at the scene of the crime was the lack of forced entry into the home. It wasn't long before they began to focus on a former medical aide who knew where a hidden key was kept. What really caught their attention was that Watrina Hall's family filed a missing persons report about the time the crime was taking place.
Hall, 27, has been arrested and sits in jail charged with attempted murder, armed robbery and battery on the infirmed.
The victim, who is staying with her sister, is recovering from the chemical burns she suffered from lying on the gasoline soaked mattress.

MOLESTER HIDES MURDERED MOM

2004-04-07T19:20:00.000-05:00

Syracuse, NY - It was 1990 when Peg Reome was devastated to learn that her live-in boyfriend was molesting her ten year old daughter. She did the right thing. She had George Geddes, Jr., arrested for rape. Two weeks later she disappeared.
She still hadn't turned-up when, in 1993, Geddes was convicted of the sexual assault. He did his time and was released on probation. Probation officers have control of every aspect of their ex-con's lives. Last summer it came up that Geddes was renting a storage unit and hadn't reported that as required.
Back when Ms. Reome initially went missing officers immediatedly searched the apartment she shared with Geddes but, they came up empty handed. Now records revealed that their prime suspect had been renting the space at the U-Haul center for the past fourteen years. Armed with a search warrant, they opened the door to the five by five room. Inside they found a single trunk. In it were the remains of a thirty-one year old woman who had suffered severe blows to the head.
As Peg Reome was recovered, her three children looked on. "Talk about giving your life for your child," said her daughter, "She really did." One of the detectives commented, "It takes a pretty stupid criminal to put a body in a place he rented under his own name."
Geddes, who paid to hide his victim even while in prison, has just been arraigned for murder.

I WANT TO MARRY MY RAPIST

2004-03-31T20:30:00.000-05:00

Racine, WI - Five months ago Penelope Parker told police that she had been raped while they stood outside her house awaiting court permission to enter. Now she wants to marry her assailant.
The strange case started when a neighbor witnessed Matthew Rice beating and dragging Ms. Parker into the house they shared. Responding officers couldn't get anyone to answer and were about to break down the front door when their sergeant arrived and told them to stop.
By the time he had called his supervisor, who in turn contacted a prosecutor and received authorization for forced entry, forty-five minutes had passed. When police rescued the battered woman, she complained that Rice had raped her while officers were only a few feet away. Rice was lodged in jail.
Then, two months after the attack, Parker wrote to the court saying he had only beaten her. She stated she would refuse to testify to rape. Without her cooperation, prosecutors had to drop that charge. Rice pled guilty to felony battery and received a six month jail sentence followed by three years probation.
An additional stipulation of the sentence was that rice could have no contact with Ms. Parker. Now the victim has again written the court requesting that provision be set aside. "We are engaged and still planning on getting married." her letter said. In his response, the judge ruled that the only way that will happen is if Ms. Parker submits to a psychological examination.
Pending the results, should Rice violate terms of his sentence, he will be facing another one year in prison and two and a half years of extended supervision.

THE KRISPY KREME GETAWAY TRUCK

2004-03-29T21:41:00.000-05:00

Kodak, TN - It was 10:26 Thursday morning and no one in the bank realized what was happening until the robber had fled. Behind she left a briefcase containing four pipe bombs. The teller who handed over her cash drawer described a light skinned black female 35-40, thin build, glasses, long sleeved green shirt and blue jeans.
The woman fled in an old beat up delivery van that had been stolen from the Krispy Kreme facility on Kingston Pike. Police found the abandoned truck less than two miles from the bank at a mini storage. Meanwhile, officers removed the briefcase and detonated the bombs outside the bank.
On Saturday morning in the nearby town of New Market, James Allen and his sixteen year old daughter were working in their yard when a minivan pulled alongside the curb and the driver beckoned the girl. He told her he was running from the FBI and needed some food and money before he turned himself in. She ran to her father who immediately called police.
Moments later constable Frank Soloman spotted the suspect and turned on his lights and siren. The driver stomped on it and the chase was on. About seven miles later, with officers from several departments on his tail, the chase ended on a dead end road in front of the Mill Dale Bed and Breakfast. The suspect, who hasn't yet been identified, resisted but was subdued and taken into custody.
A search of the van turned up a bomb, a hand gun, handcuffs, bank bags and a wig. The bed and breakfast was evacuated while the bomb squad removed what turned out to be a fake explosive. Officers speculate that, given the evidence recovered, the woman robber may have been a fake as well.

A FATAL CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY

2004-03-29T21:22:00.000-05:00

Long Island, NY - The co-owners of the Dolphin Fitness Club, Paul Riedel and Alex Algeri, were best friends in addition to being business partners. They looked alike and even drove similar cars. Late one night when Alex went out the back door to get some CD's from his vehicle, an assassin stepped out of the dark and fired five rounds into the wrong man.
The trail of tragic events that led to the killing began when Lee Ann Riedel, tired of her husband, decided murder was easier than an interstate divorce. Lee Ann had already left New York and gone to stay with her mother in Florida. When she headed South, Lee Ann took $125,000 of Paul's money with her. Before she fled, she also took out a $100,000 life insurance policy on Paul.
It was Lee Ann's mother and her live-in girlfriend who introduced the former strip club bartender to Ralph "Rocco" Salierno. The two quickly became lovers and Rocco agreed to kill Paul if Lee Ann would hand over the $100 G's. She agreed.
The six week trial that just ended saw a parade of witnesses who filled in the details of what happened next. Rocco, a some time loan shark, took on an accomplice, Scott Paget, himself a drug addict and dealer. The two drove to New York. Once there, they staked out the car she had described and used a picture she gave them to identify their target.
After Rocco ran up to the SUV, the criminals drove back to the Sunshine state expecting to collect big. Instead, the whole crowd is only going to get hard time. Lee Ann and Rocco have both been convicted of first degree murder and are awaiting sentencing. Scott, the get away driver, testified against them, and as part of a plea agreement, is awaiting sentencing on unrelated federal drug charges.

DAVE THE DEADHEAD IS DEAD

2004-03-26T13:08:00.000-05:00

Olympia, WA - When David George didn't show up at the Oregon County Fair last July, his friends knew something was wrong. The artist made it a ritual to come and paint signs in his own trademark eclectic style. Everyone familiar with the fifty-one year old batchelor also knew he smoked a little dope and had followed his favorite band, the Grateful Dead, all over the world.
For a while Dave designed and sold t-shirts at concerts. That is how he and lead guitarist, Jerry Garcia, became friends. It was Jerry who invited Dave to accompany the group when they played in front of the pyramids in Egypt. Dave even carried a pebble he had picked up there in his pocket.
About a week after the fair, a dismembered body was found and a week after that it was identified as most of David George. Police got several breaks in the case and soon arrested two men, Mert Celebisoy, 21, and Joseph D'Allesandro, 19. As often happens, the accused quickly turned on one another. Both agreed, though, that the death was the result of an argument over drugs. Each claimed to be driving a car when the other stabbed Dave, who was sitting in the passenger seat, five times with a hunting knife.
Forensic evidence revealed the dead head was alive when he was stuffed into the trunk and that he bled to death there. After leaving the body where it lay for several days, the pair hatched a disposal plan. Dave was taken to a vacant home where he was cut to pieces using an electric saw. The body parts were then shoved into black trash bags and placed back in the trunk. The killers then drove to another property where they used a wheelbarrow to carry the bags to a shallow grave.
Thursday morning a jury in Olympia convicted both men of murder. Friends of the deceased hope that before sentencing is imposed the two will tell them where to find Dave's missing left arm and head.

SON'S CRIME CLOSES FATHER'S CLUB

2004-03-25T22:03:00.000-05:00

Warren, RI - Patrolman Matthew Cabrel entered a side door to Andy's Bar to investigate an assault that had occurred the night before. Like anyone would, he stopped for a minute to let his eyes adjust. He stood there long enough, and could see well enough, to witness a drug transaction take place.
A man, later identified as Joshua Broomfield, put a bill on the bar and the bartender, Matt Chauvin, slipped six pink pills into some cellophane and passed them back. That's when officer Cabrel stepped out of the dim light and arrested both young men.
The trouble that night at Andy's was only the latest brush with the law for the bartender. Last year during a sting, Matt was busted for selling alcohol to a minor. Police were familiar with the club having answered numerous complaints ranging from fights to loud noise.
Now the Town Council sitting as the Licensing Commission has stepped in. Citing the record and testimony, they decided to revoke the liquor license and ordered the club to close for a month. The Commission also fined the club owner, Roger Chauvin, Matt's father, $1,000 and banned the son from the establishment.
Commenting on his boy's felony arrest and the license revocation, the elder Chauvin said, "This is serious. My kid has put me over a barrel."

FATHER AND SON ROBBERS

2004-03-25T21:51:00.000-05:00

Port Huron, MI - It was about eight o'clock Friday night when the doorbell rang. The homeowner, a retired man of 65, wasn't expecting anyone but he got up and went to answer. When he opened the door, he was met by two armed intruders. Knowing they had the drop on him, he handed over his wallet and gave up his guns.
As they started to flee, the victim reached for a weapon he hadn't told them about and opened fire. The younger of the robbers staggered. He was helped to his feet and the two disappeared into the darkness.
A couple of hours later and eighty miles away, a father rushed his son into the Huron Medical Center emergency room. Desperate for help, the older man said the youth had been wounded in a road rage incident. As they do in all gun shot incidents, the hospital notified the police.
Officers were quickly able to unravel the story and arrested the robbers. Brian Stocks, Sr., and Brian Stock, Jr., were taken into custody and are charged with home invasion, armed robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Police think they will be able to link the two men to another home invasion where a 61 year old woman was terrorize. Additionally, officers are adding one count of filing a false police report in the road rage lie. For Stocks, Sr., the extra charge won't make much of a difference. He's already a two-time habitual felony offender. Any conviction at all will mean he goes away for a long time.

"MURDER" CHARGED WITH MURDER

2004-03-24T20:18:00.000-05:00

Troy, NY - Michael Hoffler goes by the street name "Murder". While that may have sounded good as an alias, it probably won't help in his upcoming trial. The convicted drug dealer has been charged in the slaying of Christopher Drabik, a police informant.
Hoffler, who once lived on Osborne road in West Albany, was convicted of selling crack cocaine to confidential informants on three occasions last May. The jury found him guilty despite the absence of Drabik, who was scheduled to testify for the state.
A second man linked to the murder, Lance Booker, is accused of aiding Hoffler kill Drabik. Booker is cooperating with police and has given a detailed statement. According to his version of events, Hoffler repeatedly ask him to do the hit. Instead, Booker says he agreed to buy a gun from a woman who was trying to raise bail money for her boyfriend. Booker also admitted that he provided the cell phone that was used to lure Drabik to his death.
Both Hoffler and Booker have denied killing the informant. They claim they waited in a car while someone they knew as "G" actually pulled the trigger.
Hoffler was given 38 years in the drug case but, may not serve that sentence. The District Attorney is asking for the death penalty for "Murder".

PRIEST ROBBED

2004-03-23T13:50:00.000-05:00

Philadelphia, PA - It was cold, windy and just before noon Monday when Rev. James Catagnus stepped outside the St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church. The Father, dressed in street clothes, started walking briskly toward the warm, waiting car of a parishioner. Under his arm was a box that contained his church's $4,200 collections.
Just then a man stepped into the priest's path and asked to speak with him. Catagnus feared the worst. "I sensed what was happening." said the reverend who had been robbed two years before outside a bank. The minister made a dash for the car but, was cut off. He turned to run for the rectory only to find his escape blocked by another man. As he spun to cross the road, he saw a third man. According to Catagnus, "I practically ran into his arms."
The driver who had been waiting in the car ran to the rescue but, was sprayed in the face with mace. After a brief struggle, the thieves wrested the box from the priest and all three took off running.
Police, who believe the crime was well planned, have concentrated their search in the lower Olney section of the city. The priest was unhurt and the church member that was gassed was treated and released.

SLEDGEHAMMER STOPS ROBBER

2004-03-23T13:37:00.000-05:00

There is an old rule that says you should never take a knife to a gun fight. Maybe you should bring a sledgehammer instead. That's what a quick thinking customer used to foil an armed robbery at his favorite pizza shop.
J.R. Croy was waiting on his order when a ski-masked man burst through the front door of Stoney's Pizza on Lockbourne Road Saturday night. When the cashiers saw the weapon in his hands, they ran to hide in the cooler. That's when the gunman ordered the customers to the floor and began searching the office for cash.
While he was busy, Cory slipped out the back door and ran around to his pickup. He saw a mini-van, it's door open, motor running. Cory quickly blocked the getaway vehicle in and got out just in time to be confronted by the masked man.
As the gun started coming up toward him, Cory brought the 2 pound hammer from behind his back and landed a hard blow against the side of the robber's head. The man just stood there so Cory hit him three more times. "He just wouldn't go down." according to the good Samaritan.
Responding officers handcuffed the bloody and dazed man and transported him to an area hospital. They also discovered the weapon involved was a paint ball gun. For his help, the shop owner gave Cory a $500 reward.

AIDS RAPIST RELEASED IN ERROR

2004-03-22T21:25:00.000-05:00

Philadelphia, PA - It had been eight days since John Hall had gotten out of jail. When prison officials first notified him that he was due to be released, Hill knew they didn't know what they were talking about. He wasn't about to tell them. Hill had originally been sentenced in 1993 to consecutive 5-10 year stretches on rape and attempted rape charges but, only one had been included in his file.
Now back on the street, he was about to return to his old ways. He pulled his car up to the bus stop, rolled down the window and asked the young girl for directions. When she came over, Hill pointed a gun at her head and forced her into the vehicle. He drove the terrified 16 year old to a secluded parking lot and raped her.
Court and correction administrators are now pointing fingers at each other for the paperwork error that turned this dangerous man loose. This isn't the first time they have had to answer the same kind of questions. In 1996 a Philadelphia Inquirer review showed that 100 people who had been legitimately ordered released had, instead, been forced to stay in custody for weeks while the forms for their freedom trickled through the system.
Hill, now 52, is back in custody and facing another rape charge. Prosecutors have asked permission to tell a jury about his criminal past. In addition to the 1993 cases, he has a rape conviction from the 1980's, and acquittal on rape in 1992. He also did time in the 1970's for robbery. Given his record, Hill, who is HIV positive, is believed to have used a condom in the latest attack to prevent leaving DNA evidence rather than out of concern for the victim.

2004-03-22T21:19:00.000-05:00

CODE VIOLATION LEADS TO MULTIPLE CHARGES

2004-03-21T21:29:00.000-05:00

Park Hills, MO - When code enforcement officer Jim Pope found out that people were living in a house where the water had been turned off for a month, he suspected they were stealing water and sewer service. He called the police department.
As it happened, officers had already taken an interest in the pair that lived at the address. Earlier they had opened an investigation into an incident where the male tenant was suspected of shooting a neighbor's dog with an arrow.
Further, a computer check showed outstanding warrants against a man and a woman known to live at the location.
Uniformed officers were dispatched but, no one would answer. That's when Pope and Detective Mike Kurtz went to the residence in an unmarked car, wearing civilian clothes. This time the man came to the door but, then turned and started back inside, at which time officers placed him under arrest.
It was while handcuffing the man inside the house that officers realized they had stumbled in to a meth lab. All over the place there were speed ingredients in various stages of processing.
The male subject was arrested on a laundry list of drug possession and manfacturing violations. During the search, officers seized a compound bow and think they may be able to file animal cruelty charges. Due to the presence of two juveniles, age 7 & 12, found hiding in a bedroom, child endangerment charges will almost certaintly be added.
The woman who lives at the address was at work when officers arrived and arrested her. Both subjects were taken to jail.

MAN, DOG SURVIVE SHOT TO HEAD

2004-03-18T16:26:00.000-05:00

Farmington, MI - Elwin and Patterson have something unusual in common...both have taken a bullet to the head and lived. Elwin Churchill still carries a fragment of the AK-47 round that nearly took his life back in Viet Nam. He survived the wound but still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. He and his son live in a secluded home out in the country.
They were headed into town Friday morning when they saw a tan and white pile laying in the middle of the secondary road. As they pulled over to see what it was, a bleeding collie-shepherd drug itself across the blacktop and under Elwin's pickup. "He was looking for place to die.", said Churchill.
It took some coaxing but, the two men were able to talk the wounded dog out and gently placed him onto an old blanket. They then carefully lifted him into the bed of the truck and set out to find veterinarian Dr. Robert Patterson.
It was Dr. Patterson's experienced hands which examined the injured animal and determined that he had been shot in the right side of his mouth. The bullet shattered several teeth, tore through the tongue and exited through the throat.
In appreciation for his life saving efforts, Churchill decided to name his new friend after the good doctor. Now, twice a day, the veteran can be found at the Clearwater Veterinary Clinic walking Patterson as part of his recuperation.
Police are investigating.

MARSHALL'S ARREST MARSHALL

2004-03-18T16:00:00.000-05:00

Houston, TX - The man who answered the door looked alot like his 1969 mug shot. There were, of course, the obvious signs of aging but, all of his tattoos matched those described on the wanted poster. After 33 years on the run, US Marshall's asked Allen Delaney Marshall if he knew why they were there. The thin, grey haired man showed no surprise and answered "yes". He then calmly turned to his teenage sons and said, "I'll see you in 2 1/2 years."
Marshall, now 62, was granted a 3-day furlough from a Pennsylvania prison back in 1971 and never went back. Authorities believe he headed straight for Mexico and spent the next two decades there. At the time of his escape, Marshall was 2 1/2 years into a 5-10 sentence for beating his first wife to death.
US Marshall's received an anonymous tip last month that only gave them a telephone number to work on. They now think the fugitive has been in Houston for about 2 years. The non-descript, middle class home he shared with his wife and two boys was rented last year in his real name.
The young men remained calm when agents put their father on the living room floor and handcuffed him behind his back. They even helped him put on his shoes before he was led away.
When taken before a judge, Marshall said, "I'm ready to get this over with. I should have taken care of this a long time ago." In addition to the remainder of the original sentence, the senior citizen could get an additional 7 years on the escape charges.

SHELTER WORKER GUILTY IN TEEN SUICIDE

2004-03-18T15:47:00.000-05:00

Ft. Lauderdale, FL - When Sandra Trotter, 41, walked into Anthony Duma's room at the Lippman Family Center for troubled youths, she found the 15 year old boy hanging from the ceiling. Instead of helping the still breathing teen, she grabbed a Polaroid camera and started taking pictures. A jury has decided that her failure to act constitutes child neglect and has found Trotter guilty.
At the time of the incident, the counselor gave numerous reasons for her behavior. First she said she didn't know what to do then, that she was scared she would be liable if she intervened. She then said that she ran out of the room in a futile attempt to find scissors or a knife. In one version, she claimed a supervisor ordered her not to touch the child. In the three minutes it took police to respond, Trotter did manage to take four pictures of his dangling body.
The suicide happened 19 days after Dumas was ordered to the facility for shoving his mother. Within hours of his admission, the boy told a staff member that he intended to hang himself with his belt. After the boy was cut down, he lapsed into a coma and finally died four months later.
The family has reached a confidential, out of court settlement with Lutheran Services of Florida, the non-profit organization that operates the Lippman Center. Trotter, who is awaiting sentencing, faces up to 5 years in prison.

15 YEAR OLD RATS ON 19 YEAR OLD PIMP

2004-03-18T15:27:00.000-05:00

Queens, NY - What started out as an arrest for street fighting has turned into a grand jury indictment. Clifford Augustin, 19, was involved in an altercation that officers from the 118th precient were called to breakup.
When they put Augustin up against a wall to frisk him, they found a butterfly knife in his jacket pocket. What really got their attention, though, was the stack of motel receipts, a room key, a handful of condoms and $600 in cash.
Over the next few weeks, officers developed enough information to file a 40 page criminal complaint. Key to their case is a 15 year old who said she first met Augustin in a clothing store at the Green Acres Mall. He told the girl she could make a "great deal of money". Later he contacted her again and explained the business of prostitution, including how to pickup clients and how to lie about her age.
The next month, she began putting his lessons to use, charging $50 for oral sex, $80 for intercourse and $100 an hour for a motel stay. During a 24 day period, the girl turned 2-3 tricks a night and split her $4,800 take with Augustin.
The grand jury returned a true bill on charges of endangering the welfare of a child, conspiracy, and multiple counts of promoting prostitution. Bail was set at $150,000. Augustin is looking at 15 years in prison if convicted.

AUTO BLACK BOX DATA ADMITTED

2004-03-17T21:10:00.000-05:00

Montreal, Canada - It was shortly before one in the morning, in an industrial area on the east side of the city, when Eric Gauthier, 26, decided to show his friend just how fast his new Sunfire would go. Eric's right foot was still plastered to the floor when he slammed into a Dodge Neon.
The cars collided with such force that they swung sideways and smashed together again. Then they flew into and knocked down the poles holding up the traffic signals.
As they began their investigation, officers immediately ran into a problem. Since there were no skid marks, it was impossible to use traditional means to determine speed. Instead, they did something unusual. They seized the odometer from Mr. Gauthier's car as well as a palm-sized device connected to his air bag.
The module, known in the industry as an EDR (event data recorder) was installed by the manufacturer to protect themselves in case they were ever sued should an air bag malfunction.
The little black box is designed to capture and hold information on the last 5 seconds before the bag is set off. When the data was downloaded, officers found that the Sunfire's speed was more than three times the 50K legal limit. In addition to RPM's, the chip showed that the accelerator was on the floor four seconds before the crash.
Because of the severity of the charges, the driver of the Neon was killed, a Quebec judge has ruled the evidence admissible. He said that despite the defense contention that such information violated rules against self incrimination, any infringement against Mr. Gauthier rights would be minimal.
Eric's friend is recovering from a broken arm.

DEATH PENALTY FOR 67 MURDERS

2004-03-17T20:50:00.000-05:00

Henan, China - Yang Xinhai, 38, had a lengthy criminal record before his latest conviction. He dropped out of school in 1985 and began to travel around China, working occasionally as a day laborer. When he tired of earning his way in the world, Yang turned to crime.
He was sent to re-education camps in 1988 and again in 1991 for theft. Then in 1996 he got five years for an attempted rape. It was upon his release in 2000 that Yang began a four year-four provience crime spree of horrible proportions.
By the time he was captured, he had killed 67 people, raped 23 women and left 10 other victims left for dead. According to Yang, "Killing people is usual, nothing special." He admitted guilt in only 17 cases and acknowledged that his weapon of choice is the hammer.
In one especially brutal case, Yang beat an entire family to death...a farmer in his 30's, his mother, wife, son and daughter. After the blood bath, Yang buried the iron hammer near a tomb and threw his bloody clothes in a river and then walked two hours into another town.
On Sunday the peoples intermediate court convicted the drifter of intentional homicide, willful and malicious injury, pillage and rape. His sentence? Death.
Unlike the US prison system of death rows, China employs the services of mobile execution chambers. Since Yang has stated that he does not intend to appeal, he can expect one to pay a visit to his prison soon.

PRESSURED SHERIFF COMMITS SUICIDE

2004-03-16T21:44:00.000-05:00

Plattsburg, MO - "I was not able to take it any more." Clinton County Sheriff, Dan Jones, wrote to his wife. "They are trying to destroy my name and reputation. I was just tired of the threats, backstabbing and blackmail that is occurring."
In addition to the note to his wife, Jones left a stack of letters addressed to numerous officials he felt were trying to force him from office. In fact, the family specifically blamed eight former county colleagues for his suicide. The group, which included the coroner, prosecutor and deputies, were asked not to attend the sheriff's memorial service.
Ironically, the trouble really started when Jones decided not to seek reelection. That triggered a tug-of-war between two of his deputies for the top spot. The men had been friends for years but, the lure of power pulled them apart.
Their bickering spilled all over the county political landscape and soon everyone was taking sides. Charges began to fly back and forth. One deputy was charged with a felony firearms violation for possession of a sawed-off shotgun. The other fired back accusing his old partner of being involved in a suspicious death.
Things came to a head for Jones when a police chief that had been his friend for twenty-five years, passed along word that the sheriff was going to be removed from office so that one of the deputies could run as an incumbent. The reason for removal? Incompetence.
According to the chief, Jones was "Comatose. He was so scared. He said, 'I might as well be dead." Two days later he was.
It was Saturday afternoon when the sheriff drove out to a reservoir where he liked to fish. He lit a charcoal grill and waited until the embers were just right. Then he set the smoldering charcoal in the back of his county issued Chevrolet Tahoe. Wearing his full uniform, he sat behind the steering wheel, laid back against the head rest, and inhaled.

2004-03-15T21:07:00.000-05:00

Petoria, South Africa - VICTIM BUMPS INTO BURGLAR

When Fabian Ohlson walked into his home last Friday, he met a thief coming out, his arms loaded with Fabian's possessions. Quickly the man turned back inside, dashed across the living room, threw open the sliding glass door, jumped off the balcony onto the garage roof below and disappeared. Fabian gave chase but, the burglar managed to escape.
Monday morning Ohlson had just dropped his family off downtown when he spotted the fast felon. "I'd been fuming all weekend when I saw him. He was still wearing the same clothes and was buying sweets on the street. I couldn't believe my luck." The suspect is now lying in a hospital bed after the chance encounter.
Fabian states that he approached the unaware man and slammed him against a wall. "I punched him a few times. After he stopped struggling, I threw him down and put my foot on his throat." He went on to describe how the man who had stolen his food and hi-fi, foamed at the mouth as he begged for his life.
While Ohlson had the man pinned to the ground, a neighbor walked past and identified him as the person who had broken into her flat a few months ago. The bleeding burglar is in the hospital, under guard, until he his well enough to go to jail.

2004-03-15T20:49:00.000-05:00

Milton, FL - HUSBAND RUNS OVER EX-WIFE AND MOTHER-IN-LAW

It was just after midnight Sunday when Carl Bryan, 69, drove his truck into his ex-wife's house. He tore a gaping hole in the corner by her bedroom. When the terrified mother and daughter fled through a door on the otherside of the house, Bryan was waiting on them.
"He had planned it out." said a sheriff's department spokesman, who noted that there was rope tied across the center of the steering wheel to keep the air bag from deploying in the collision. Bryan gunned the motor and drove straight at Becky Langford, 59, who had divorced him last March.
After slamming into her, he spun the truck and drew a bead on her 85 year old mother. When he had run over the older woman, Bryan continued to tear around the yard.
A neighbor who heard the crash ran outside and straight into the path of the deranged driver. Bryan threatened to shoot him if he didn't get back into his own yard. To prove his intent, Bryan chased the man home with the pickup.
When paramedics and deputies arrived at the scene, they found a lamp post flattened and two cars that had been parked in the driveway were smashed and pushed sideways into the yard. Bryan tried to run over the EMTs before fleeing.
He was arrested a short distance away when his truck finally quit on him. Both women died in the assault.

2004-03-15T20:32:00.000-05:00

Los Angeles, CA - ACCOUNTANT ASSAULTS ELDERLY WOMAN

Charles Mingo, 47 was booked into the Orange County Detention Center Saturday and is being held on charges of attempted murder. Bail is set at $800,000.
The victim of his rage, Lucy Deabreu, 78, is both a neighbor and an official with the homeowners association where both live. Mingo has had a long running dispute with the Dana Point condominium board over a five foot add-on to his weekend getaway.
Mrs. Deabreu was inside her home crying for help when she was discovered. She had multiple head and facial injuries, had been choked, her teeth were knocked out and she was bloody and battered. Mingo was arrested hours later at his primary residence in Riverside.
An elderly Dana Point resident who was befriended by Mingo after her husband died described Mingo as despondent over the recent death of his cat. She said, "He adored that cat, and the cat adored him. I think he loved that cat more than any human being."

2004-03-14T22:25:00.000-05:00

Melbourne, Australia - SON LISTENED TO FATHER'S MURDER

Benu Prasad-Adhikari, a forty-five year old native of Nepal, was a hardworking man. In addition to the ethnic restaurant he owned, Benu drove taxi four nights a week for the last eight years. His plan was to give up the cab next month to concentrate on a home loan business he had started.
Last Thursday night Benu was talking with his son, Ujwal, 17, on a speaker phone in his car when the conversation was interrupted by a man seeking a ride. The cabbie asked for the cash first and the voice said, " We'll go get my friend, he has the money."
Benu turned back to the conversation with his boy. Ujak said he then heard noises, a scuffle and someone said, "Run, run." Then the phone went dead. The young man had no idea his father had just been stabbed to death. He thought it was someone trying to evade a fare.
At 1:30 Friday morning when police came to the home to say they had found Benu's Ford station wagon behind a row of flats. Benu had just taken a passenger to the remote location and officers suspect the victim was set-up.
The grief-stricken son said, "It took Mum a long time to realize what the officer was saying." Police report that a video camera installed in the cab has images of the original passenger as well as the suspect in the slaying.

2004-03-14T22:01:00.000-05:00

Yomiuri, Japan - KILLER OF 7 YEAR OLD HAD DOLLS

Last Friday Ai Hamana and her best friend walked to their high-rise home from their elementary school. As they did everyday, the other girl got off the elevator on the sixth floor and Ai rode on up to the tenth. A security camera caught the last image of her as she turned toward her apartment. She never made it. It was 2:35 PM and the man who lived across the hall was waiting for her.
When Ai hadn't arrived by 3:30, her concerned mother called police. At 4 PM Noriyuki Nogi, the neighbor, clocked in for work at a local auto parts plant. Responding officers began their search by knocking on the nearest door. In fact, officers used Mrs. Nogi's phone to call her son and ask if he knew anything about the missing child. He denied any knowledge.
Apparently troubled by the side of the conversation she heard, Mrs. Nogi called the twenty-six year old and that is when he lost his composure. He left work, went home and confessed to his mother.
When officers returned to search the apartment, they found Ai's small body laid out on a futon. Also in the young man's room were hundred's of magazines, videos and DVD's featuring young girls. It was when they looked in the closet that they found her book bag, evidence that her body had been in there and dolls.

2004-03-14T20:54:00.000-05:00

Amsterdam, Holland - TWO HELL'S ANGELS HELD IN TRIPLE MURDER

The president of the local chapter is one of the dead and the vice president is one of the accused. The murders grew out of a dispute within the gang about to how to deal with the theft of 293 kilos of cocaine. The Colombian suppliers had accused the dead men of the crime. In order to protect the connection, and perhaps to advance his own criminal career, the VP enlisted another bike to help in the murders. The bullet riddled bodies were found in a stream in the southern Dutch city of Echt last month.
The pair of Angels then went searching for two members of the Antillean motorcycle gang that had helped set up the rip-off. Both were kidnapped and brought back to the Angel's clubhouse in Oirsbeek. They were still being held when police stormed the building Monday and saved them from being killed.
All of the men involved, including the kidnap victims, are being held under extraordinary security. Court proceedings are being conducted in secret and gag orders are in place. The drugs at the center of this case, valued at E$7 million were not recovered.

2004-03-14T20:38:00.000-05:00

Napa Valley, CA - THE CATERPILLAR IN THE CEMETERY

Mike, Brandon and Chris all had a great time at the party. When it broke up around midnight, Chris left in his car and Mike, as the designated driver, poured Brandon into his pickup truck. On the way home, Brandon, who had been drinking heavily, asked Mike to pull over. Thinking that his friend was about to be sick, Mike complied. That's when Brandon jumped out of the truck and disappeared into the night.
What Mike didn't know was that Brandon and Chris had planned to meet at a construction site and crank-up a 125,000 pound bulldozer. Once they got the machine started, they set it loose at full throttle. At the party they had been joking about how much fun it would be to see the huge Cat climb a nearby hill. When it did, it just kept going.
Before the heavy equipment slammed into an oak tree a quarter of a mile away, it had crashed into a power pole, knocking out service to 90 homes, then climbed a retaining wall and headed into a graveyard. It's tracks crushed some headstones and barely missed others. The tractor's blade dug into the ground and broke several water lines. Police estimate damages will total $170,000.

2004-03-14T20:18:00.000-05:00

Lindsay, CA - REARREST IN 14 YEAR OLD MURDER

Angelica heard her father crying in the night. She knew about the goodbye note her mother had written and the 8 year old wondered if she would ever come back home. The little girl went down the hall and crawled into his big bed for comfort.
It was 2:45 the next afternoon when a motel housekeeper, cleaning another bedroom, made a grisly discovery ... the lifeless body of a woman with a towel wound tightly around her neck. There on the floor lay another note. It read, "If I can't have you, nobody will." To investigating officers, it was a classic case. Two hours later, Juan Lopez was arrested. It was November 24, 1990.
Lopez, then 34, said his daughter could vouch for his whereabouts during the time his wife was gone. Angelica's memory left ample time unaccounted for but the case was judged to weak to prosecute at that time. Lacking evidence or witnesses that could put the man at the scene, police had to release their prime suspect four days later.
Now, thanks to Ruben Fuentes, a parttime cold case detective and DNA technology, Lopez has been rearrested. Experts can now prove Lopez wrote the note beside the body and that he is the single source of semen found at the scene. Angelica, now 22, lives with her father and new stepmother, and is expected to be called to testify at his first degree murder trial.

2004-03-11T15:56:00.000-05:00

Aberdeen, MS - MADD'S TOP COP SENTENCED

For four years in a row Tunice County Deputy Sheriff Ferrell Hunter was honored by Mississippi's Mother's Against Drunk Driving for his record number of DUI arrests ... more that 300 annually. Now they want their awards back.
Hunter has pled guilty in a scheme with a disbarred attorney, Joe Stewart, to fix cases in exchange for $200 to $300 on each charge that was dismissed. Most of the time he either would not show up for court or failed to file proper paperwork. His unprofessional behavior, it seems, had the blessing of his department's number two man, Chief Deputy Willie Starks. It was Starks, in fact, that set up the arrangement with Stewart. Starks himself is now doing 30 years for extorting payoffs from drug dealers.
Hunter, the son of two police officers, is today driving a delivery truck for an auto parts store. Because of his cooperation with investigators, he avoided a six month sentence. Instead his has to wear an electronic monitor, serve six months of house arrest, complete three years of probation and pay a $20,000 fine.

2004-03-11T15:45:00.000-05:00

Richmond, TX - SHE WAS A SEVEN YEAR OLD SHOPLIFTER

Life had been hard on Elvira Reyes even before she was arrested for trying to push a shopping cart full of goods out the Randall's on Highway 6. Her father is in prison and her mother has been deported back to her native Mexico.
The child had been left in the care of her cousins Gloria Espinoza, 19, and Miroslava Espinoza, 21. The pair had used Elvira before in their shoplifting sprees. This time when the store manager grabbed the little accomplice, the women ran to the parking lot and sped away ... abandoning her.
Before being placed in foster care, Elvira provided information that led to their arrest. Now a Fort Bend Court has terminated parental rights and the little girl is set to be adopted by the family that took her in.

2004-03-11T15:33:00.000-05:00

Kansas City, MO - GAMBLER BEATS CASINO IN COURT

The surveillance camera caught a roulette player betting $95 worth of someone else's chips on a spin of the wheel. Security officers hurried off to capture the sneak thief. What they grabbed hold of, though, was a case of false arrest.
One agent of Harrah's casino testified during a just completed two day civil trial that other cameras later showed that the suspect, Tracey Blue, clearly was playing craps and slots when the larceny took place. At that time of the incident, Mr. Blue was handcuffed and paraded through the hotel.
Blue was held for twenty-five minutes and charged with misdemeanor stealing before being released. When it became evident that the wrong man had been taken into custody, charges were dropped. Blue brought suit and a jury has ruled in his favor. Those 25 minutes cost the hotel $250,000.

2004-03-11T15:22:00.000-05:00

Millvale, PA - STORK INTERRUPTS DRUG BUST

A combined force of city and county officers had been briefed on what to do and what to look for when they conducted a cocaine raid. Just as they were about to execute their plan, the unexpected happened.
A frantic husband dialed 911 to say his wife was going into labor and they were stuck in rush hour traffic. Chief Dean Girty asked the team to wait and dashed to the 40th street bridge on route 28. As soon as he arrived, he determined that there was no time to wait for an ambulance and he really didn't want to deliver the baby on the side of the road.
Instead, he did something unorthodoxed. He put the mother-to-be in the front seat of his patrol car and set out for the hospital. Using both the bus and emergency lanes, he made the twenty minute trip in seven minutes flat.
As she held her newborn child, the grateful woman told the staff about the ride. "It was just like on TV. If I hadn't been in so much pain, I'd have been real scared." The Chief didn't wait around. As soon as the ER staff took over, he returned to help in the arrest of a man and a woman on various drug charges.

2004-03-11T15:13:00.000-05:00

Greensburg, PA - INTERNET REVIEW RESULTS IN SEX RAID

In most cases, word of mouth is the best advertising. This time, though, the comments of satisfied customers on an internet bulletin board led to six "health clubs" being busted for prostitution.
Last September State Police began investigating after troopers discovered the site which described the various sex acts available at the businesses as well as prices and code words used. There were even nicknames listed for the female employees at each location.
The web site proported to be an adult resource index and let users post reviews and comments. Police do not believe it is affiliated with the businesses. A total of fourteen have been arrested including both owners and working girls.

2004-03-10T21:19:00.000-05:00

Cold Spring, KY - THE PREACHER AND THE PONIES

It was bank employees who initially noticed questionable transactions in the checking account of the local First Baptist Church. After looking further into the matter, it became clear that a half a million dollars was missing.
As part of the ongoing investigation, Kentucky State Police auditors have seized paper and electronic financial records from both the church office and the parsonage of reverend Larry Davis. The pastor's personal and spending habits are being examined to see if there is an explanation for why so many transactions took place at a race track ATM.

2004-03-10T21:06:00.000-05:00

Kosciusko, MS -GRANDMOTHER'S CAR SEARCHED

Forensic technicians from the Mississippi State Crime laboratory have thoroughly searched an Oldsmobile that belongs to Helen Haynes. While it will be several weeks before they get test results, the search warrant states they were looking for evidence in the murder of Janette Nowell.
The body of the fifty-nine year old Ms. Nowell was found in the smoldering remains of her home. The victim had multiple sclerosis and was wheelchair bound. While Ms. Nowell actually died of smoke inhalation, the autopsy revealed that she had multiple nonlethal stab wounds to the neck and chest.
Mrs. Haynes grandson, Justin, age sixteen, is in jail charged with Burglary, Arson, and Murder.

2004-03-10T20:55:00.000-05:00

Perthshire, Scotland - WEDDING RAGE FLORIST SENTENCED

Greg and Kathryn Ronney had a wonderful wedding planned at the Hunting Tower Hotel. The only hold-up seemed to be getting the flowers delivered in time. To help speed things along, they gave the florist 550L in cash. Rather than tear up the check the couple had already written, Rosalind Watson, 37, deposited it into her account.
After the honeymoon, the couple realized they had been double charged and decided to pay Ms. Watson a visit at her shop. When confronted by the pair, the florist got into her car ... all the while refusing to return the money.
The Rooney's, intent on a refund, stood in front of the vehicle. The flower merchant floored it. Greg jumped out of the way but, Kathryn froze. Watson's small sedan struck her right thigh and threw the new bride onto the hood.
For that, the local court has found Ms. Watson guilty of assault and dangerous driving. She has been banned from driving for one year and will have to retake her test before getting another license. She has also been ordered to perform 160 hours of community service.

2004-03-10T20:40:00.000-05:00

Muncie, IN - THE TWO DOLLAR MURDER

It was Saturday night when the off campus party started but, it was Sunday morning when the students began drifting out of the house. Karl Hazford, 20, was a sophomore at Ball State University and was know as a real good guy. That's why it was in keeping with his character to give the three young men a ride.
All of the details of what happened next are still coming out but, one thing is certain. Karl's body was found in an East side alley. His pockets were turned out and he had been robbed of all of the money he had ... two dollars. Then he was shot dead.
Eighteen year old Brandon Patterson is in custody charged with both crimes. A fourteen year old is also being held for assisting a criminal. The search continues for the third suspect.

2004-03-10T20:31:00.000-05:00

Newport News, VA - JUVENILES RAPED IN CELL

Two years ago when her nine year old son was taken to the Newport News Juvenile Detention Center, the mother knew he was in trouble. She just didn't know he was also in danger.
It seems that more than a decade ago the Center began a practice of double bunking prisoners. That's how the boy wound-up sharing a cell with a fourteen year old who overpowered and raped the smaller youth.
Now it has happened again. Last week detectives charged a fourteen year old with four counts each of sodomy and aggravated sexual battery against his twelve year old cellmate. The facility which was built to house 40 inmates, had 96 in custody as of Monday. Too late for these victims, a new $14 million, 110-bed facility is scheduled to open in July.

2004-03-10T20:24:00.000-05:00

Birmingham, England - IT WAS A CASE OF DOG DOPING

For over twenty years Clive and Nancy Evans have been showing their Doberman's at the prestigious Crufts Show. During that time they have taken Best of Bread twice and it looked like history was about to repeat itself. Their prize twenty-two months old entry, Kerri, looked certain to be named winner in the Open Bitch category.
That was, though, before she became listless and lethargic in the ring and was taken to the show's vet, Trevor Turner. Dr. Turner confirmed that Kerri showed signs of having been sedated.
Mr. Evans said they had feared sabotage since receiving a threatening letter two years ago.

2004-03-09T22:32:00.000-05:00

Patchogue, NY - MAN KILLED IN MASONIC MISTAKE

A man was shot in the face and killed during an initiation ceremony at the Southside Masonic Lodge when another member fired a gun loaded with real bullets instead of the expected blanks.
Mastor Mason Albert Eid, 76, meant only to scare William James, 47, when he reached into his pocket. Instead of the prop gun, Eid mistakenedly drew out a .32 caliber pistol he has been legally permitted to carry since 1951.
The New York state Grand Master stated that guns are not a part of official Masonic ceremonies but, a Lodge official said that the local tradition dates back more than seventy years.
Eid stands charged with manslaughter and is free on $2,500 bond.

2004-03-09T22:18:00.000-05:00

Cincinnati, OH - TEEN SHOOTS COP

It was 4:30 Saturday afternoon when officers responded to a report of a woman robbed of money orders. They quickly picked up a seventeen year old who fit the perpetrators description. Then the victim identified him. The teen aged suspect was then handcuffed and placed into the back of officer Katrina Neal's cruiser.
While transporting the young man to the detention center, a shot rang out from the back seat. Neal rolled out of the drivers seat as another shot rang out. She quickly sought cover in a recessed doorway and returned fire.
When the smoke had cleared, the teen was shot in the shoulder as was a female pedestrian who was at a nearby BP station. Her wound was caused by a .25 caliber handgun, the same kind of weapon found in the possession of the subject.
Officer Neal was not injured but an investigation is underway to determine why the four officers who had contact with the youth failed to find the gun.

2004-03-09T22:03:00.000-05:00

Stratford, CT - POSTMAN SAVES POLICEMAN

It was just another call when officer Mike Vangrowski was dispatched to the Rotary Drug Store. The pharmacist had managed to stall the suspect who was attempting to pass a fake perscription for Xanax but the man made a break for it when he saw the uniform.
Vangrowski chased him across the parking lot and brought the subject down by a guardrail with a flying tackle. That's when the struggle for the gun started. Four hands fought desperately.
Then sixty-six year old John Valenti jumped out of his mail truck and into the middle of the fray. Between the postman and the policeman, they were able to subdue and hold the man until backup arrived.
Valenti discounted his role as a hero. "I looked in my mirror and saw someone who needed help. Those guys (the police) are the real heros."

2004-03-09T21:43:00.000-05:00

Jacksonville, FL - POLICE SEEK CHILD IN PORN CASE

Two men are already in custody but police say the key to their case, a fourteen year old girl, has runaway again. The child, Tiffany Gomez, first left home last November with her next door neighbor, Eric Longstreth. He took her places she had never been and forced her to do things she had never done.
Longstreth, 41, faces a laundry list of fifteen charges including selling a minor for pornography, using a minor for prostitution and living off the earnings of a prostitute. Detectives believe the girl was put to work in a child prostitution ring in the Jacksonville area. They also think other girls under eighteen are still involved.
Tiffany was with Longstreth when he was arrested two weeks ago in Kissemee but has since disappeared. Her mother doesn't understand how the man next door, who abandoned his wife and own two daughters, corrupted her little girl. "She was so good." said the distraught woman.

2004-03-09T21:34:00.000-05:00

Pompano Beach, FL - PUBLIC HOUSING BRIBERY RING BUSTED

Fourteen people, including current and past employees of the local housing authority have been indicted for shaking down poor people who need Section 8 housing. When faced with a waiting list three hundred names long, those who could, paid bribes ranging from $500 to $1,000 to leapfrog to the front of the line.
The scheme was so widespread that one of those charged is a beautician who kept a stack of forms in her shop and collected bribes on a commission basis. In addition to the bribes, employees created false tenants so their friends and relatives could collect money meant for landlords. One maintenance worker and his girlfriend pocketed $16,000.

2004-03-09T21:16:00.000-05:00

Jerusalem, Israel - FOUR MOB HIT MEN HELD

Police say that the six organized crime families in Israel are divided into two main camps. They are currently fighting for control of gambling, prostitution and drug trafficing in the Holy land. These combined underworld activities are estimated to be worth around $12 billion every year.
In a case cops code named "Liquidation Sale", officers have arrested four assassins brought in from Belorussia. Authorities first became aware of the men when a bomb they placed under a car fell off. That device was defused but a similiar one exploded, killing three bystanders.
Police know of nine innocents killed during the ongoing feuds. In the daily death count that is a part of life in the area, they aren't sure how many hits have actually taken place. To date forty-one people have been arrested in the probe.

2004-03-08T22:19:00.000-05:00

Columbus, OH - JAILED SHERIFF GETS DIVORCE PAPERS

It was a pretty good thing while it lasted. Gary DeMastry was Sheriff of Fairfield County and his wife of twenty-six years, Penny, served as his bookkeeper. Between the two of them, they had a comfortable income. With the help of the County, though, they lived the high life.
The pair were indicted when it was discovered that they had spent nearly $300,000. on fine dining, travel and entertainment. They were charged with theft in office, engaging in a pattern of corrupt behavior and obstruction of justice. In a bid to save herself, Penny copped a plea to five felony's in exchange for a sentence of thirty-nine days in jail.
Gary, on the other hand, went to trial and is now doing six years in a cell at the Hocking Correctional facility. That's where he was when a court official showed-up last week and handed him documents informing him that Penny has filed for divorce.

2004-03-08T22:07:00.000-05:00

Hayward, CA - TRANSGENDER TEEN'S MURDER TRIAL TO BEGIN

Eddie Araujo was living as a girl named Lida when she was killed a year and a half ago. Like many teens, she liked to hang out at her friend's house where she smoked marijuana, drank beer and watched lively domino games. That's where she met a group of twenty-something young men. She liked two of them well enough to have oral and anal sex with them. After the encounters, the four got together to discuss their doubts that Lida was really female. The talk got heated and the decision was made to find out for sure.
A week later, at two o'clock in the morning, after hitting a couple of bars, the men found Lida at their mutual friend's house. The teen was forced into the bathroom for examination. When the truth was discovered, knees and fist started to fly.
Later, the bloody, unconscious youth was bound with ropes, wrapped in a comforter and carried to the garage where one defendant strangled her. After the body was loaded into the back of a pickup truck, one murderer smashed the teen's head with a shovel. Lida was then buried in a remote, shallow grave.
A break in the case came several days later when one of the accused decided to become a State's witness in exchange for an eleven year sentence. The remaining defendants go on trial next Monday and face sentences of twenty-nine to life.

2004-03-08T21:51:00.000-05:00

Victoria, Australia - DRUG DETECTIVES BANK MILLIONS

Ten members of the Controlled Chemicals Delivery Program are under investigation for channeling millions of dollars to off shore bank accounts. The squad was established to purchase the precursor drugs used to make speed from legitimate manufactures and then supply them to criminal syndicates. The drugs were then meant to be monitored, allowing police to crack extended drug rings and manfacturing labs.
Instead the detectives became involved in the same practices they were supposed to track and bust. In fact, says a man linked to several underground murders, cops gave him a green light for his activities in exchange for information. Another convict stated that the officers turned off the surveillance camers at his operation before they stole $100,000. worth of drugs.

2004-03-08T21:36:00.000-05:00

Lafayette, IN - LAWYER KILLER CONVICTED

The Tippecanoe Superior Court jury deliberated eleven hours over a two day period before they convicted Lloyd Licht, 61, on charges of murder, kidnapping, confinement, robbery and theft. The crime was the culmination of a twenty year dispute between Licht and John Barce, the attorney who handled the estate of Licht's father.
The settlement, which included a large farm, went to Licht's stepmother leaving out Licht and his two siblings. When Licht attempted to collect $40,000. he thought he was due, Barce wrote him that he wasn't entitled to anything.
Barce, who was known to have a heart condition, was abducted in August 2001 outside the restaurant of a local hotel. His body, bound by duct tape, was found in a farmers field six weeks later. Prosecutors presented evidence that Barce died in the front seat of Licht. Sentencing is pending.

2004-03-08T21:26:00.000-05:00

Los Angeles, CA - ANOTHER ARREST IN BODY PARTS SCANDAL

The University of California at Los Angele's cadaver program receives about 175 bodies each year for use in medical education and research. The corpses are highly sought after and are valued in the thousands. Sunday UCLA police charged Ernest Nelson with receiving stolen goods. Officials state that he is not a university employee.
His arrest follows by one day that of Henry Reid, director of the school's Willed Body Program. Reid stands accused of grand theft for selling corpses and body parts for profit. Ironically Reid was hired seven years ago to improve the record keeping process for donated bodies. Nelson says he bought directly from Reid and has the cancelled checks to prove it.

2004-03-07T23:18:00.000-05:00

Chester, VT - MAN WITH MUNCHIES EATS COP'S COOKIES

Officers thought Dawson Frock, 36, was driving under the influence when they stopped him on his way home to Boston from a weekend on the local slopes. Dawson refused a field test and his licenses came back suspended. After the fact of his arrest, and during their search of the car, authorities discovered that the man in the passenger seat was Dawson's younger brother, Ethan, 30, who was holding a small amount of marijuana.
When both were transported to the local police barracks which, by the way, lacked a detention cell, Ethan was lodged in a storage room that held the local officer's Girl Scout cookies. They specifically told Ethan not to mess with the sweets. Despite their warnings, when the munchies hit, the young man fell in. Officers opened the door and found Ethan with crumbs around his mouth and his hand in a box.
The subject wound up paying a $500 fine on all charges.

2004-03-07T22:41:00.000-05:00

Iloilo City, Philippines - PREACHER ARRESTED FOR RAPING SISTER-IN-LAW

Donald Lopez, pastor of the Heritage Missionary Baptist Church has been arrested for raping the twelve year old sister of his wife. Lopez, now 34, has been one of the most wanted criminals in the Phillipines since a warrant for his arrest was first issued back in 1998.
Donald was finally captured when agents of several local and regional security agencies cooperated to pinpoint the offender. They undertook weeks of surveillance on the home of a relative and moved in when Lopez made an appearance.
To complicate matters further, the young sister Lopez has been accused of raping stated that she and Don have had a continuing relationship that has resulted in a three year old daughter born halfway through the six years Lopez was, reportedly, on the run.

2004-03-07T22:06:00.000-05:00

Key West, FL - PORN SHOP OWNER BUSTED FOR HERION

Ivan Eaton, 49, thought he knew the man he was buying herion from that afternoon in the parking lot. He wasn't so sure when the cops jumped him and forced him to the ground.
Eaton was no stranger to the law. In addition to his porn shop, Leather n' Lace, he owned a couple of shops named Up In Smoke 1 and 2. He had earleir been charged with distribution of drug paraphenalia at the head shops as well have been caught up in a gambling raid.
When officers searched his home,they found a beautifully carved mermaid on the stairway landing. Unfortunately it had been reported stolen from a restaurant on Ramrod Key. Of course they siezed his Harley Davidson and black Ford Expedition.
In an ironic twist, Ivan's arrest took place on the same day that his seventy-one year old father pled not guilty to threatening a public official in an unrelated case.
Noone at Leather N' Lace returned telephone calls.

2004-03-07T21:47:00.000-05:00

Cape Agrus, South Africa - MUSICIAN MURDERED FOR MAG WHEELS

The was the explanation offered by the eighteen year old who fired the fatal shot into the back of the head of Port Elizabeth guitarist, Derrick van Niekerk, 24. The youth, who cannot be named because of his age, was home watching television when five of his friends showed up and ask him to take part in a car theft. Even though he says he refused, he left with them.
After driving around for awhile, they spotted the shiny wheels on Derrick's car and they pounced on him. The subject forced Derrick to the ground, pressed the gun against his skull and pulled the trigger. The rampaging youths then kidnapped the two young women that were with Derrick, forced them into a car and drove them to a remote location. They were then tied to a tree and repeatedly raped.
It took eleven days before information pointing to those involved floated to the surface. The six youths, ages sixteen to eighteen, are pointing fingers at each other during their current trial.

2004-03-04T22:18:00.000-05:00

Hollywood, FL - NAKED BANK ROBBER CAPTURED

It was just after noon Wednesday when a man walked into a branch of the Republic Bank. When he left running, he was carrying a bag full of $2,500 in cash, and a dye pack.
Officers quickly sealed off the Emerald Hills community and established a perimeter. They called out canine teams and put a helicopter into the air. About an hour and a half into the search, pilots spotted the naked suspect laying face down in a backyard. He had peeled off his clothes but, his body was still covered in patches of red.
The suspect was taken to a local hospital for treatment and then transported to jail. He is thought to have robbed six local banks including one two days ago.

2004-03-04T22:03:00.000-05:00

Victorville, CA - WIFE RELEASED AFTER DEATH RULED SUICIDE

When officers responded to the home of Emelinda and Conrado Aliwalas, Conrado was dead. His body had on a neck brace and showed signs of injuries suffered in a recent traffic collision. Medicine bottles lay nearby. Since nothing looked out of the ordinary, it was normal to accept the wife's story of a natural death.
Mr. Alwalas was transported to the local morgue where he lay unexamined for five days due to a backlog of bodies. When the layers and layers of his clothing were removed, the coroner discovered a shotgun wound to his left chest. After inconsistances kept coming out as Emelinda was questioned, she was arrested.
Further forensic investigation, though, determined that the wound was self inflicted. Upon her release, Mrs. Alwalas acknowledged that her strong spiritual convictions against suicide kept her from telling the truth. When she returned home to find her husband, she moved the 12-guage from his side and put it in it's case.

2004-03-04T21:47:00.000-05:00

Ferndale, MI - HOW TO KEEP A MASS MURDERER IN JAIL

When Coral Eugene Watts was sentenced to sixty years in prison back in 1982, prosecutors thought they had taken a killer off the streets for good. Now mandatory release laws designed to relieving overcrowding puts Watts on the path to freedom in May 2006.
At the time of his trial, the state accepted a guilty plea in exchange for Watts help in clearing a series of particularly savage deaths. In addition to the twenty-two killings Watts confessed to, ranging from Texas to Canada, he's also a prime suspect in dozens of other deaths as well.
Following a public appeal by authorities for anyone who might have information on any other crimes Watts may have been involved in, he has been tied to a 1979 stabbing in Detroit. An additional murder conviction of a man police are sure will kill again will means that he stays where his original sentence meant for him to be.

2004-03-04T21:39:00.000-05:00

London, England - COP GETS 12 YEARS FOR RAPING TEEN

When the very intoxicated 18 year old young woman staggered out of the Sunrise night club in Liverpool, the doorman tried to help her but, she refused. That's when Ian Tolmer, 37, in uniform, in his patrol car, pulled up and said, "I'm the police. I'll sort it out. I'll take her to the station."
Instead, he drove to his home nearby and began a seven hour attack on the helpless girl. Later tests would show she had a near lethal level of alcohol in her system as well as ecstasy and cocaine. The virtually comatose victim lay like a lifeless body as Tolmer video taped himself subjecting her to what the judge called "ghastly indignities".

2004-03-04T21:29:00.000-05:00

Rockdale, GA - TEACHER STABBED IN FRONT OF CLASS

Theodore Franklin Shultz, 51, has entered a not guilty plea to charges of attacking his wife Debbie as she taught Spanish at a local high school. The victim, realizing the danger Shultz posed told her twenty-four students to leave the room and get help.
That's when the subject pulled out a large kitchen knife and began his attack. he managed to stab and cut his wife several times before students intervened. They wrestled the bloody blade away and threw it out into the hall. They still had Shultz pinned to the floor when their school resource officer arrived to make an arrest.
In addition to a host of assault charges, Shultz also stands accused on twenty-four counts of second degree cruelty to a child. The offense occurs when someone under 18 is witness to the commission of a forcible felony.

2004-03-03T22:57:00.000-05:00

Benton, IL - MISTRIAL IN PRISON MURDER TRIAL

The three white men on trial for sticking a homemade knife into a black prisoner have been told that the jury hearing their case could not reach a verdict. All three, who are members of the Aryan Nation, are currently incarcerated at the US Prison at Marion, IL. That is where the fatal attack took place.
The victim was targeted for his part in a racial fight that took place two years ago between black and white gangs. After his stabbing, the institution was "locked down" and a thorough search was conducted. Only five knives were found. They were all concealed in the rectums of Aryan Nation members.
The jury deliberated eight days after a trial that began last September. Security around the Court House was so intense that streets had been blocked off in fear of attacks from both sides.

2004-03-03T22:21:00.000-05:00

Capetown, South Africa - GAY MASSAGE PARLOR MASSACRE

The taxi driver and the waiter who are on trial for killing nine men at Sizzlers South Point massage parlor have given their version of events of what happened on the night of mass murder. What started as an armed robbery escalated into a frenzy of shots fired and blood spatters.
The two men, 43 and 27, wore masks and carried firearms when they entered the establishment. Workers and patrons, victims alike, were targeted. The subjects took immediate control of the premises, robbed, shot and then slit the throats of their helpless victims. The tenth man managed to stagger to a nearby Police station and ask for help.
Upon leaving the scene, the perpetrators disassembled their weapons and discarded the gun in parts, along with their masks and gloves, in a scattered pattern along their path of travel. The subject was caught after about three weeks later while watching TV late one night in a private home. He said everyone was asleep but, he knew he was about to be arrested when he saw officers running around the house.

2004-03-03T22:03:00.000-05:00

South Bend, IN - 175 YEARS FOR "PACK OF DOGS" LEADER

The buses had stopped running that late April night when the twenty year old woman accepted a ride from four men in a green Ford Explorer. Instead of taking her home, they took her to a local park and one after another took turns raping her.
Just when the victim thought her ordeal was over, the subject ordered one of his accomplices to shoot her. Which the man did. That is when things got out of hand and the subject took the gun and began firing at two of his own accomplices. Subject managed to kill one of his partners in crime but, the other survived, and ironically testified against the subject.
The other surprise witness was the original female victim who survived and testified with a bullet in her head. The wounds diminshed her hearing but not her recollection of the events. The presiding judge described the events as what one would expect from a "pack of dogs".

2004-03-03T21:38:00.000-05:00

Dallas, TX - CASTRATION OF SEX OFFENDER

A former YMCA counselor who has admitted to molesting more than forty young boys has undergone voluntary castration. The subject plead guilty back in 1991 on charges of indeceny with a child and aggravated assault of a child.
The subject is about to complete the fifteen year sentence he received in that case but, he's still facing five years for sexually assaulting a five year old boy on a 1990 Y field trip. During his incarceration subject has undergone testrone treatments that, apparently, haven't curbed the subject appetite.
Texas is the only state which offers castration as a medical alternative to inmates. The subject is only the second person to elect the surgery since it was approved in 1997.

2004-03-03T21:28:00.000-05:00

Norristown, PA - NIGHTWATCHMAN RAPES FOUR MENTAL PATIENTS

Right after he was released from a New York prison for raping a twelve year old girl, the subject traded his late night services at a mental health facility in Pennsylvania for room and board. It was 1997 when the subject began making his rounds.
Officials were alerted when a resident said she was uncomfortable when he was around. At the time he was hired, background checks were not required and interstate checks were, at best, optional. When they did check, the past arose.
The victims, age 40-45, have mental ages in the 8-10 year range and, in some cases, didn't seem to understand what had happened to themselves. The subject, 66 yoa, is facing 21 years as well as an additional 7 years for failing to register as a sex offender.

2004-03-02T22:31:00.000-05:00

Des Moines, IA - TRAFFIC STOP TURNS DEADLY

It was a typical traffic stop...as if there was such a thing. Ten o'clock in the morning when the car pulled over to the curb. The officer approached and asked for the license and registration. He walked back to his car, ran a check and wrote a ticket. It's what police officers do every day.
It was when the police officer started back to the suspect vehicle that the car took off. That's when the chase was on. The target car was all over the road when it hit another car. The fleeing felon bounced off and kept one driving. It was a stout tree that finally stopped the wild ride.
The pursuing officer checked on the two other occupants of the vehicle embedded into the tree and went on to persue the suspect. As he ran away from the crime scene, the subject fired once the officer. The officers shot was truer and the driver fell, fatally wounded.

2004-03-02T22:13:00.000-05:00

Pierce County, WA - MIDDLE SCHOOL SEX OFFENDER

Local school officials contend that their job is to educate youngsters while concerned parents expressed their worry that having an indentified sex offfender in their midst makes them consider the risk to their own children.
The boy who was twelve years old when the offense occured has recently enrolled at Key Pennisula Middle School. School and criminal justice officials replied that they were only required to report at a specified level. They contend that the have met the requirements of their responsiblity. The thirteen year old was convicted of child rape which, according to local statue is a level one offense and is not a reportable offense.

2004-03-02T22:02:00.000-05:00

Glasgow, Scotland - BANK MANAGER ESCAPES CARJACKER

According to reports a local bank officer managed to get away from a man who jumped into her car around 11Pm Sunday night. During his assault, the suspect bound the hands of his victim. As most often happens in such cases, his primary motivation was control.
It was when she reached to answer her ringing cell phone that the subject stabbed the victim in the hand. The victim ran to a local store and summoned help.

2004-03-02T21:49:00.000-05:00

Los Angeles, CA - ARMORED CAR ROBBERY

According to cameras, it turns out that the six guys who pulled the Monday AM Bank of America robbery didn't wear masks. They fired more than 50 shots from their weapons. The 61 year old guard that was killed was hit 6-7 times.

2004-03-02T21:38:00.000-05:00

Elk Valley - WHO STOLE THE SNAKE?

Who ever it was first threw a full can of beer through the front door of the Paradise Pet Shop. Responding officers found shattered glass and a missing python.
There is a good chance the break-in is connected to three local incidents in which no snake larceny was reported.

2004-03-02T12:38:00.000-05:00

Ann Arbor, MI - DRUNK ROBS BANK
Although it was only 12:30PM on a Monday, the man with the note on the brown paper napkin reeked. He demanded cash "or else". The teller complied and the man staggered away. As it happened, a witness in the bank recognized him and pointed authorities toward his ex-wife.
She said he wasn't her problem anymore and sent them to see his girlfriend in Detroit. She hadn't seen him but did report that he had stolen her pickup. She seemed to think he might be living in a nearby town. When officers did locate the robber, he admitted that he had only spent a couple $20's Tuesday night at a local watering hole.

2004-03-02T12:31:00.000-05:00

Maui, HI - INDECENT EXPOSURE WILL GET YOU KILLED
Officers responded to reports a man was exposing himself to children on the beach 6:30Pm Sunday. When the man heard approaching sirens, he took off running carrying fishing gear. It wasn't long before one officer caught up and ordered the man to surrender. Instead, the suspect sprayed the official in the eyes with pepper spray. A witness said she had never heard a man scream in pain as did the officer. Still, he kept ordering the man to lie down.
Backup officers found the 48 year old Oklahoma man in the edge of the surf bleeding profusely from a chest wound. He was DOA.

2004-03-02T12:25:00.000-05:00

Philadelphia, PA - MOTHER FINDS "DEAD" DAUGHTER AT PARTY
It was a cold, windswept day in December of 1997 when fire consumed a house here. The mother was especially distraught that her 10 day old daughter was apparently killed in the inferno.
Six years later, imagine her reaction when she was introduced to a child at a birthday party who had the same pattern of moles as the girl she thought was dead. To complicate matters, the hostess had visited the site of the tragedy twice on the day of the fire.
Police have issued warrants for a 41 year old New Jersey woman on charges of arson, kidnapping and conspiracy.

2004-03-02T12:22:00.000-05:00

Houston, TX - "I STABBED HIM 200 TIMES IN SELF-DEFENSE"
Susan Wright who is on trial for murder claimed in open court that she had suffered years of abuse before leaving her husband mutilated. She reportedly kept the news to herself before admitting the crime to her mother. The two women then took Susan's children to Burger King and Target before returning home to call an attorney.

2004-03-02T12:18:00.000-05:00

Buckeye, AZ - PRISON STAND-OFF MAY HAVE BEEN AN INSIDE JOB
Investigators have expressed interest in the behavior of a male canteen worker who called in sick. It was his female coworker who was held for 15 days and sexually assaulted by two inmates he admittedly knew. The suspect has changed his story several times and refused a polygraph.

2004-03-02T12:11:00.000-05:00

Kerrville, TX - SEX AT STOP SIGN TURNS INTO POLICE CHASE
It was 9:19PM on a Sunday night when a patrol officer noticed a white 1999 Pontiac Gran Prix, it's motor running and lights on, at a stop sign in front of a church. Under the street light he was able to observe a woman sitting straddled on the driver.
When the officer approached the vehicle, the woman jumped into the passenger seat. The man refused to identify himself and sped off. The officer pursued and eventually stopped the car. The pantless 33 year old man refused to lay down on the road as the officer demanded. He had to be subdued. The woman, 38, now clothed, complied. Both are charged with public lewdness. He also faces driving under the influence and no licenses.

2004-03-01T22:43:00.000-05:00

The object of this site is to accumulate a record of historical significance. You are encouraged to contribute matters of interest to you. Over time the format of this publication will change but, the purpose will not.

2004-03-01T22:31:00.000-05:00

About the Writer: I am a former Police Chief with two Associate Degrees, a Bachelors and a Masters in Criminal Justice. I wrote the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy's course of study for the Uniform Crime Report. My first publishing experience came in the 1970's when the International Chief's of Police picked-up a graduate school paper on privacy and security issues for criminal justice information system operators.

2004-03-01T22:21:00.000-05:00

The CrimeTimeNews will, in time become the site of choice for those who take a keen interest in crime stories. I spend countless hours daily searching for the most interesting reports worldwide. What I find, I will share with you.
Most people are familiar with the just completed trial in Germany of a cannibal who met his willing victim online. What you may not know so much about is the Butcher of Hamburg who, during the 20's and 30's sold body part to unsuspecting meat merchants. It is that kind of current events coupled with historical perspective that you will find here.