'Monster' learns his fate for killing 2-year-old girl; officials say he 'completely severed' toddler's spine



A Florida man learned his fate for the murder of a 2-year-old girl in 2022 after the mother of the child left her daughter in his care.

On Wednesday, 27-year-old Travis Ray Thompson was found guilty of first-degree murder for the killing of Jacklyn Schwingel, according to a statement from the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office.

'Life in prison is too good for this kind of evil.'

On May 3, 2022, a female toddler was rushed to the emergency room of AdventHealth Waterman, a hospital in Tavares. The child was in critical condition when she arrived.

Medical personnel attempted lifesaving measures on 2-year-old Jacklyn, but the young girl was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Hospital officials notified the Marion County Sheriff’s Office of a possible case of child abuse.

A detective with the sheriff's office questioned the mother of the deceased child, who told the detective that she had left her daughter in the care of Thompson earlier that morning so she could go to work.

The Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office noted that Thompson called the mother approximately 25 minutes after she left to inform her that Jacklyn was unresponsive.

Thompson told investigators that the girl was in another room when he heard a loud noise. Thompson claimed he found the child unresponsive.

"Instead of calling 911, Thompson waited for 30 minutes for the victim’s mother to arrive and only then began driving to the hospital," the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office stated.

The mother noted that her daughter was lifeless and had a shallow pulse and a distended abdomen.

"While en route to the hospital, the victim’s mother directed Thompson to call 911 when she realized the victim had stopped breathing altogether," the attorney's office said.

Emergency medical services personnel met Thompson and the mother at a nearby business to bring the toddler to the hospital for medical treatment.

RELATED: 21-year-old mother sentenced to life in prison for 'heinous' killing of daughter by repeatedly slamming newborn on concrete

allanswart via iStock / Getty Images Plus

According to officials, the little girl suffered abhorrent physical abuse at the hands of Thompson. Officials added that Thompson claimed he did not know how the victim became injured despite being the only person left with the victim.

On Sept. 1, 2022, the medical examiner's office determined that Jacklyn's cause of death was traumatic injuries to her torso with a severing of her spine and internal bleeding.

"Based on the severity and nature of the break, it was determined that Thompson applied significant, gradual force to the victim’s upper and lower body and bent her backward beyond her natural range of motion until her back broke," the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office said.

The Marion County Sheriff's Office said in a statement, "Thompson physically abused the toddler while she was in his care, which resulted in her spine being completely severed."

Thompson was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail on Sept. 8, 2022.

RELATED: 'Haunt me the rest of my life': Father reportedly kills family and himself in murder-suicide on same day as son's graduation

Image source: Marion County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office

After jurors deliberated for two hours Wednesday and delivered a guilty verdict, Judge Barbara Kissner-Kwatkosky sentenced Thompson to life in prison for Jacklyn's murder.

"This monster stole the life of an innocent child, and today, the justice system made sure he will never walk free again," said Bill Gladson, state attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. "Life in prison is too good for this kind of evil."

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods added, "I'm incredibly proud of my major crimes detectives for their relentless work on this heartbreaking case. Their dedication helped secure justice for an innocent child."

"I also want to thank State Attorney Bill Gladson and his team for delivering a guilty verdict," Woods continued. "In Marion County, we protect our children — and we hold those who harm them accountable."

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Why our obsession with true crime isn’t as dark as you think



Social media has a way of humorously exposing humanity’s peculiarities. Using memes, reels, and trending audio, we love to make fun of ourselves.

One trend that’s been going strong for a while now exposes our strange obsession with true crime documentaries, books, and podcasts. There’s no telling how many thousands of Instagram reels and TikToks out there poke fun at normal people pounding popcorn while bingeing a series on Ted Bundy, for example.

Initially, it’s kind of funny. But a deeper consideration reveals a dark question: Why are we so drawn to serial killer stories? What is it about brutality, bloodthirst, and murder that attracts us?

This is one of many subjects author and Daily Wire host Andrew Klavan touches on in his new book, “The Kingdom of Cain: Finding God in the Literature of Darkness.”

On a recent episode of “Relatable,” Klaven and Allie Beth Stuckey unpacked this grim query.

While you might think that the duo arrive at an equally grim conclusion, they don’t. Peeling back the layers of this obsession with true crime leads to a paradoxically optimistic verdict: We are captivated by the collision of darkness and the moral order.

In an age when reading, especially the classics, is a dying practice, true crime fills the gap that dark literature used to fill.

Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment,” Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” or even the biblical account of Cain’s treachery against his brother Abel are all tales that hinge on murder and betrayal. These stories, Klaven says, explore darkness “within that moral order.” Our instinctive recoiling at the murder of an innocent, for example, shatters the atheistic idea of moral relativism, which can actually lead us to God — the source of truth.

Ultimately, “that's what people are looking for in crime,” he tells Allie. “Murder is the place where everybody says, ‘Yes, that is evil'" because there is something in us that understands “the sanctity of the human person.”

But is true crime a good substitute for dark literature?

Not exactly, says Klaven.

“I think that people would be better off if they were reading Dostoevsky more and maybe being titillated by true crimes a little less,” because “it’s when the mind and heart and soul of the artist engage with murder that we see it become something beautiful in this larger context, which is what I think God is doing with the world itself,” he says.

Allie then brings up another good point: Unlike thought-provoking literature that invites us to explore the human condition, true crime often leads to “fear and paranoia.”

“There is some sort of balance between looking at darkness, recognizing it for the objective evil that it is, [contrasting] it to God's goodness, and constantly dwelling on the darkness,” she says, citing Philippians 4:8, which encourages readers to focus their thoughts on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy.

While not denying the truth of the verse, Klavan says that Philippians 4:8 is not synonymous with the “You Can Fly!” song from Peter Pan, which features the lyric “Now, think of the happiest things / It's the same as having wings.”

“You have to remember that Peter Pan never grows up, and if your faith never becomes the faith of a grown-up person, it's not going to stand up very well when you come into contact with the things that really do happen in this world — not just the evil, but also the suffering, the cruelty,” he says. “We believe in a God who was crucified … that's a very, very tragic truth, and yet the very deepest thing that God does for us is contained within that crucifixion.”

“One of the first things it says in Philippians is meditate and dwell on what is true, and what is true is all the beauty we experience, all the good that we experience, all the God that we experience takes place in this very dark world,” he continues.

The best Christian art, he argues, pointing to Michelangelo, Shakespeare, Mozart, and Bach, dealt with the kind of “sorrow and darkness and pain and suffering that Christianity was meant to address.”

However, even non-Christians unknowingly do this. “Many writers who have no faith have produced beautiful works that speak of God because I think any time you tell the truth, you're going to speak of God,” says Klaven. “The arts convey [and] transform this evil and this darkness into a source of light, and I think that that is a beautiful thing.”

To hear more of the conversation, watch the episode above.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

'I hit him': Forensics take center stage in high-stakes Karen Read murder trial of dead cop



The high-profile Karen Read murder trial resumed on Monday with key forensic testimony after the judge allowed the prosecution to present new evidence. The much-ballyhooed murder trial entered its fifth week, marking the 18th day of testimony.

This is the second trial for Read regarding the death of Boston police officer John O'Keefe. A "deeply divided" jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict in the first trial.

'John, I f***ing hate you.'

A mistrial was declared on July 1, 2024.

Read — a 45-year-old former Bentley University adjunct professor — faces charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of personal injury and death. Read has pleaded not guilty to all of the criminal charges.

Read is accused of killing O'Keefe, her then-boyfriend, in January 2022.

RELATED: Teacher tried to hire student to murder husband — but student's mom foiled $2,000 plot: Court docs

Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Read and O'Keefe reportedly went to a bar and restaurant on Jan. 28. There was a heavy snowstorm that night.

The group of friends allegedly returned to Boston police officer Brian Albert's home in Canton.

According to court documents obtained by CBS News, Read left a voicemail with O'Keefe around 1 a.m. on Jan. 29 in which she allegedly said: "You are a f***ing loser, f*** yourself" and "John, I f***ing hate you."

Around 4 a.m., Read was "distraught" because O'Keefe had not returned home and was not answering his cell phone, according to court documents.

'How long to die in cold.'

Read called O'Keefe's niece, Jennifer McCabe, and allegedly was screaming, "John didn't come home. We had a fight."

Around 5 a.m., Read called a woman whose husband was friends with O'Keefe.

During the search, Read reportedly said: "What if he's dead? What if a plow hit him? ... I don't remember anything from last night, we drank so much I don't remember anything."

Around 6 a.m., Read allegedly found O'Keefe lying in the snow outside Albert's home.

According to prosecutors, a hysterical Read frantically called 911 and repeatedly told the emergency responder, "I hit him. I hit him."

The defense pointed to a Google search allegedly conducted on McCabe's phone for “How long to die in cold,” which they claim occurred at 2:27 a.m. — before O’Keefe’s body was found. However, prosecutors contend the Google search was conducted around 6:23 a.m.

Alan Jackson, an attorney for Read, claimed O'Keefe was killed during a fight inside Albert's home, and then his body was dragged outside and left on the snow-covered lawn.

In addition to Brian Albert, others in attendance at the party were Brian's brother Kevin Albert — a Canton Police Department detective — as well as former Canton Police Chief Ken Berkowitz — who died in December — and Brian Higgins, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives agent.

Prosecutors accused Higgins of exchanging "flirty" text messages with Read in the weeks leading up to O'Keefe's death.

RELATED: 'Haunt me the rest of my life': Father reportedly kills family and himself in murder-suicide on same day as son's graduation

Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Prosecutors allege that Read hit O'Keefe with her car and left him to die in the snow while she was intoxicated. A forensic toxicologist estimated that Read's blood alcohol content would have been between 0.13 and 0.29, exceeding the legal limit.

The medical examiner determined that O'Keefe's cause of death was blunt impact injuries to the head and hypothermia. Prosecutors noted that the medical examiner did not find "any obvious signs of an altercation or a fight."

Defense attorney Alan Jackson argued, "The damage on the car was inconsistent with having made contact with John O'Keefe's body. In other words, the car didn't hit him, and he wasn't hit by the car."

O'Keefe had scratches on his arms, which the defense argued were from an attack by Albert's dog.

'Hopefully she kills herself.'

Investigators discovered broken glass at the alleged crime scene, and the taillight was cracked on Read's Lexus SUV.

Detectives also found a hair on the bumper of Read's SUV.

Karl Miyasako of Bode Technology testified Monday in court about the hair, saying that “based on the genetic data” over 99.8% of the population could be excluded — but Miyasako “could not exclude” O’Keefe or his maternal relatives as the source of the hair, the Boston Herald reported.

Defense attorney Alan Jackson countered, "For all you know that hair could have been placed where it was found by somebody else."

Investigators also obtained an "extract from a taillight" to test, and Nick Bradford — also with Bode Technology — said O'Keefe could not be excluded as a potential contributor to the profile found on the taillight, according to CBS News.

Forensic analyst Shannon Burgess from Aperture LLC also testified Monday about data from Read’s SUV, saying that her vehicle was powered on at 12:12:36 a.m. on Jan. 29 and “not powered off” until 12:42:08 a.m. Then, there was activity again on Read's vehicle at 5:07:46 a.m. and 5:46:20 a.m.

RELATED: After allegedly killing teenager he found in bed with wife, husband tells detectives he's worried about his marriage

Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

In the first trial, defense attorneys asked Massachusetts State Police investigator Michael Proctor to read damning text messages he sent to friends and colleagues while looking into O'Keefe's mysterious death.

Proctor allegedly said of Read in one message, "Hopefully she kills herself."

Proctor was fired two months ago.

Mark Bederow — a criminal defense attorney and former Manhattan assistant district attorney — told Blaze News that "there is nothing normal about this deeply flawed case. The conduct of the Canton Police and Massachusetts State Police in the investigation into the death of a police officer was dreadful."

Bederow also told Blaze News regarding Proctor that "the prosecution is simply ignoring that the lead investigator was terminated because of his alleged bias in the investigation."

"They are ignoring that independent accident reconstruction experts hired by the DOJ entirely support the defense’s contention that John O’Keefe was not killed in a vehicle strike," Bederow also told Blaze News. "They are ignoring that their own medical examiner refused to call O’Keefe’s death a homicide, instead ruling the manner of death of undetermined."

But not everyone is as convinced as Bederow. Local radio host John DePetro believes the prosecution is presenting a much stronger case, and he told Blaze News that the retrial is "much different" than the first trial.

"Special prosecutor Hank Brennan is in complete command in the courtroom and has streamlined the case," DePetro added to Blaze News.

DePetro also told Blaze News that in addition to Read's "angry voicemails" played in the courtroom, on other audio clips "she discusses drinking ... and flirting with Brian Higgins. [The] jury has no reason to like Karen Read."

He also warned, "Many of her interviews have come back to haunt her."

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'I could not be her hero': Dad gives tearful tribute to daughter, 22, who police say was 'randomly murdered' in home invasion



A 22-year-old North Carolina woman was murdered in a tragic home invasion, according to police — and her shattered father honored his slain daughter with a heartbreaking tribute.

Logan Federico — a 22-year-old from Waxhaw — recently visited friends in Columbia, South Carolina.

'You might be able to kill my body ... but you cannot kill my love that my family and friends shared with me.'

On Saturday, Federico was found dead inside the house.

The young woman's cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound to the chest, according to Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford.

During a Monday press conference, officers with the Columbia Police Department said Federico was "randomly murdered by a career criminal" who was "on a spree of thefts, break-ins, and credit card fraud."

Police named the suspect in Logan's death as 30-year-old Alexander Dickey.

Investigators believe Dickey broke into a house near the property where Federico was staying. The suspect allegedly stole several items from the house, including a firearm, credit cards, and keys to a vehicle.

Dickey then committed a home invasion where Federico was staying around 3 a.m. Saturday, police said, after which the suspect reportedly fled the crime scene in the stolen vehicle.

Dickey made several purchases with the stolen credit cards across Lexington County before the vehicle he allegedly stole broke down, according to People magazine.

Law enforcement tracked down Dickey at a house in Lexington County, and the suspect allegedly set the home on fire.

Police officers reportedly extracted Dickey through a window and took him into custody.

Citing the Columbia Police Department, ABC News reported that Dickey was charged with murder, two counts of first-degree burglary, weapons possession, and larceny.

The Lexington County sheriff added that Dickey also was charged with first-degree burglary and second-degree arson.

Dickey reportedly was denied bail.

The Columbia Police Department said in a statement, "While Logan was visiting friends in Columbia, her life was senselessly taken. Our deepest condolences go out to the Federico family and all who knew and loved her. No words can ease the pain of their loss, but we stand with them in support and sorrow."

The statement continued, "We remain committed to pursuing justice and supporting Logan’s family every step of the way."

Logan's father — Stephen Federico — made a touching tribute to his slain daughter during a press conference.

"I am Logan Haley Federico's father, better known as 'Dad,' or her hero," the distraught dad said. "Unfortunately, that day, I could not be her hero."

He continued, "My daughter, I cherished. She was a strong, fun-loving individual who did what she wanted to do and was spicy."

The father added, "My daughter was working hard at school, working two jobs to become a teacher. She loved and adored kids, children of all ages."

Logan's father delivered a powerful message to his daughter's alleged killer.

"The message I want to send to Dickey, who took my daughter's life — this is from her: 'You can't kill my spirit. You might be able to kill my body ... but you cannot kill my love that my family and friends shared with me,'" Federico declared before breaking down in tears.

You can watch the father's painful tribute to his slain daughter here.

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'Oh my God, he's here!' She changes her locks, files restraining order. Yet, chilling voicemail reveals her horrific murder.



A California man has been found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend. Police say her final moments were recorded on a chilling voicemail.

The true crime tragedy began on Sept. 2, 2020, when 25-year-old Laura Sardinha changed her locks at her apartment because she was in fear of her ex-boyfriend — 39-year-old Craig J. Charron. Sardinha also had a restraining order placed against him, which several other women reportedly had done as well.

'Cold-hearted murder.'

That same day, Sardinha was on a three-way phone call with her mother and her best friend around 1:15 p.m.

However, the call was interrupted for a horrific reason.

Despite all of her precautions, Charron allegedly broke into Sardinha's apartment unit.

She allegedly screamed, "Oh my God, he’s here!"

Sardinha's friend hung up the phone call and contacted 911.

Soon, Sardinha reportedly called her friend back and left a chilling 37-second voicemail message that would record her final tragic moments.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Sardinha was heard screaming, "He’s gonna kill me!"

The woman also allegedly yelled, "Get away from me!"

Police arrived at the crime scene to find Sardinha dead and Charron bleeding from wounds to his chest and neck.

'He was the aggressor 100% of the time.'

Charron’s attorney, Michael Guisti, argued during the trial that his client acted in self-defense.

However, prosecutors asserted that Charron inflicted the stab wounds on himself with a serrated steak knife to make it appear as a self-defense case.

"It doesn’t matter if he self-inflicted wounds, or if she defended herself," Orange County Deputy District Attorney Janine Madera stated. "He was the aggressor 100% of the time."

At about 6-feet tall and weighing 220 pounds, Charron stood about nine inches taller and weighed over 100 pounds more than Sardinha, prosecutors noted.

“She can’t cut lemons and limes reliably with a knife, let alone defend her life,” Madera claimed. “He towered over her.”

Madera described Sardinha’s death as "cold-hearted murder" and said of the voicemail recording, "You don’t hear the defendant on it, and his silence is absolutely deafening. He’s enjoying taking his time killing her."

Madera noted in her closing statements at Charron’s Tuesday trial in Santa Ana that “if you listen to it carefully, you hear a woman narrating her own murder."

Charron claimed during the trial that he could not recall much of the encounter with Sardinha but described it as "hazy."

However, Charron insisted that Sardinha had threatened him with a knife and that he stabbed his ex-girlfriend only in self-defense.

During the trial, Charron reportedly described himself as a former combat medic with a 100% disability rating who had received psychiatric treatment at a United States Department of Veterans Affairs hospital.

"I didn’t quite comprehend what was happening in the moment," Charron claimed. "It’s taking me a second to understand I’m being cut up."

During the trial, three of Charron’s ex-girlfriends testified that they had taken out restraining orders against him.

"One woman said he choked her and hit her in the head with a wine bottle," according to the Times. "Another said he slapped her and poured vodka on her head. A third said he pinned her to a wall and punched a man who was in her company."

After less than one day of deliberations, a jury found Charron guilty of first-degree murder. He faces a maximum punishment of life in prison.

Charron is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25.

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'Finish the kids': Father slits wife's throat and threatens family massacre, but heroic 10-year-old girl saves siblings



A heroic 10-year-old girl in Oregon thwarted a possible family massacre by her father after he had already slit the throat of the mother of his children, according to authorities.

The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office said in a statement that police responded to multiple reports that there was a disturbance at a home in Gresham, Oregon, on June 7, 2021.

'The victim’s young daughter showed bravery and resilience that truly inspires us to work hard every day to interrupt the cycle of abuse and to keep families safe.'

Police said Jesus Huchin-Interian began fighting with the mother of his children after accusing her of cheating on him.

The daughter told police that her father threatened the mother that he was going to "finish her" and then "finish the kids."

Huchin-Interian then physically attack his wife and slit her throat, according to police.

The 10-year-old daughter jumped into action to protect herself and her younger siblings.

"The 10-year-old reported that she grabbed a knife herself and tried to stab the defendant, but the knife was too dull, so she dropped it and ran to her room with her little siblings and locked the door," according to the press release from the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office.

Once barricaded in the bedroom, the young girl called 911 for help.

The father reportedly fled the crime scene after the daughter notified the police.

Once the father left the home, the daughter allegedly emerged from her room and began giving life-saving aid to her mother, who survived her horrific injuries.

"When police arrived, they found the victim 'lifeless,' face down in a pool of blood, with a deep 8-inch cut to her neck," according to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office.

Meanwhile, Huchin-Interian was on the lam for years after the alleged attempted murder.

Law enforcement did not track down and arrest Huchin-Interian until March 2024, when he was located in San Francisco, California.

Huchin-Interian accepted a plea deal from prosecutors just days before his trial was set to begin.

On April 18, Huchin-Interian pleaded guilty to a charge of assault in the second degree constituting domestic violence.

The father will serve a prison sentence of at least 70 months, followed by three years of supervised release.

Huchin-Interian will be sentenced on April 28.

Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Robin Beck Skarstad — who prosecuted the case for the state — said, "This case underscores the devastating impact domestic violence has on children in the home. The victim’s young daughter showed bravery and resilience that truly inspires us to work hard every day to interrupt the cycle of abuse and to keep families safe."

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‘Conceiving Crime’ Podcast Tells Horrors Of Abortion, Fertility Industries That Corporate Media Won’t

'It's about reclaiming the light and encouraging the listener to take a moment to consider their worldviews,' Parker said.

Young mother dying next to her 5-year-old son texted one word to reveal her killer in final moments, police say



An Alabama mother and her 5-year-old son were killed in a deadly shooting. The woman gave investigators one last hint of the identity of her killer in the final moments of her life, according to police.

Around 5 p.m. on July 13, 2024, police received a 911 call about a car accident in the Echo Highlands neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama.

"She loved her baby so much. Everything he wanted, he had. Everything he needed, he had."

Officers with the Birmingham Police Department responded to the scene and discovered a blue Nissan Maxima that had jumped a curb. The sedan was reportedly riddled with bullet holes. There were allegedly three shooting victims found dead inside the vehicle.

Investigators reportedly found 28-year-old Arkia “Kia” Berry in the driver's seat, her 28-year-old boyfriend, Eric Ashley Jr., in the front passenger seat, and her 5-year-old son, Landyn Brooks, in the back seat on the driver’s side.

Investigators recovered between 20 and 30 shell casings at the crime scene.

During a preliminary hearing on April 17, Birmingham homicide Det. Jarvelius Tolliver testified to a judge that investigators had located evidence found on Berry's cell phone.

Police went months without arresting a suspect. However, investigators discovered the mother's final one-word text message that allegedly directed cops to a suspect.

AL.com reported that Berry texted the word “Jaco” to a friend at 5:09 p.m. on the day of the deadly shooting. "Jaco" is the reported nickname of 25-year-old Jacorrian McGregor.

One of the homes in the neighborhood where the shooting took place had a surveillance camera that captured an image of a lime green Kia Soul at 5:07 p.m.

At 5:08 p.m., the blue Nissan Maxima driven by Berry is seen on video.

At 5:09 p.m., Ashley’s phone made a call to McGregor at the exact same time that Berry texted "Jaco" to a friend.

At 5:10 p.m., the Kia Soul was reportedly caught on camera speeding out of the neighborhood.

Tolliver noted the Nissan Maxima was not seen after that.

Police said the Kia Soul seen in the video was stolen.

The owner of the Kia allegedly told police that the car had been stolen five or six days before the shooting, but she never reported it stolen.

Police found the Kia Soul set on fire after the fatal shooting.

Tolliver said that McGregor and Ashley exchanged text messages earlier in the day that indicated they were planning to meet up.

Officer Tolliver noted that most of the text messages on McGregor's cell phone from the day of the shooting had been deleted.

Tolliver said of McGregor, "But he was having several conversations with people where they were talking about the incident that had taken place, and there were people telling him to lay low, stay out of sight, stay hidden.”

McGregor’s attorney, John Robbins, was asked if there were any witnesses who could connect McGregor to the Kia, and Tolliver replied: “I would say that Miss Berry was a witness. She texted his name right before she died.”

Police Officer Truman Fitzgerald told AL.com last year, "We believe some sort of interaction took place between the occupants of the victims’ vehicle and the suspects’ vehicle."

Jefferson County District Judge William Bell ruled there was enough probable cause to send the case to the grand jury.

McGregor was ordered to remain in the Jefferson County Jail without bond.

Aniya Berry, Arkia's cousin, previously told WVTM-TV that the slain mother and son were like "two peas in a pod."

"She loved her baby so much. Everything he wanted, he had. Everything he needed, he had. She took care of her baby the way she was supposed to," Aniya said.

Officer Fitzgerald stated at the time of the shooting, "Anytime we have a homicide, it affects us. But when you have a child, it affects you differently. In this case, we have a small, school-aged child that got caught up in the violence that’s taking place in our city. We have to ask the question, ‘When is enough going to be enough?'"

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Anesthesiologist accused of trying to toss his wife off 'must-visit' Hawaiian cliff, charged with attempted murder



An anesthesiologist is accused of attempting to kill his wife by trying to throw her off a picturesque cliff in Hawaii, according to reports.

Dr. Gerhardt Konig — a 46-year-old anesthesiologist from Maui — was charged Wednesday with second-degree attempted murder of his wife.

'Arielle expressed that she did not feel comfortable taking a picture with him that close to the edge, so she declined and began to walk back.'

The doctor and 36-year-old wife — Arielle Konig — had been married since 2018 but had been struggling with their relationship for the last few months, KITV-TV reported.

She claimed her husband accused her of cheating on him in December.

The New York Post reported that the pair had been "participating in both couples and individual therapy and counseling" in an attempt to salvage their marriage.

Therapy reportedly helped the couple's relationship, and Gerhardt allegedly planned a weekend getaway to Oahu to celebrate Arielle's 36th birthday.

The couple arrived in Maui on March 23, according to court filings.

The next day, Arielle said her husband suggested that they hike a trail near the Nu’uanu Pali Lookout.

"This breathtaking viewpoint, perched 1,200 feet above sea level, offers sweeping views of the lush Windward Coast, the turquoise waters of Kāne‘ohe Bay, and the picturesque town of Kailua," according to Hawaii.com. "It’s one of the most stunning scenic stops on O‘ahu and a must-visit destination for both first-time visitors and locals alike."

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported, "Ms. Konig, in her court filing, noted the topography of the trail: 'narrow ridge sections with steep drop-offs on both sides.' She said she became uneasy and told her husband she didn’t want to go any farther."

Arielle told police that her husband wanted to take a photo with her at the edge of the cliff. However, she allegedly was uncomfortable with the idea, and she moved away from the cliff.

"She mentioned that while on the trail, Gerhardt was standing close to the edge and asked her to take a selfie with him,” an officer with the Honolulu Police Department said. "Arielle expressed that she did not feel comfortable taking a picture with him that close to the edge, so she declined and began to walk back."

Arielle allegedly said of her husband, "He was yelling something to the effect of, ‘Get back over there, I’m so [expletive] sick of you,’ and continued to push me."

The wife told investigators that at first she thought her husband was joking but then “quickly realized he was seriously trying to make me fall off the cliff.”

Arielle claimed that she threw herself to the ground and away from the edge of the cliff — but then Konig allegedly climbed on top of her.

Arielle — a renowned nuclear engineer — alleged that she told her husband to think about their children, ages 2 and 5.

According to court documents, Arielle said her husband grabbed a bag and pulled out two syringes then tried to inject her.

“I do not know what was in the syringe, but Gerhardt is an anesthesiologist and has access to several potentially lethal medications as part of his employment,” Arielle said.

Police immediately issued an all-points bulletin for Dr. Konig and shut down the trails during a multi-hour manhunt.

Gerhardt also was accused of grabbing a rock and bashing Arielle in the head. He allegedly tried to push her off the trail and then punched her.

The alleged assault is said to have ended only because two women on the trail heard the commotion.

The first woman — identified only as "Amanda" — told police she started walking up the trail around 10:30 a.m. and 10 minutes later allegedly heard a female screaming: "Help! Help me!"

According to the court affidavit, the woman alleged that she saw Arielle on her back "with a man on top of her hitting her on the head."

The hikers recalled Arielle shouting, "He is trying to kill me! He is hitting me in the head with a rock!"

Amanda claimed that Arielle's attacker stopped assaulting her once he realized he was being watched.

The hikers reportedly yelled that they were calling 911, and the assailant fled the crime scene.

According to the court filing, Arielle also claimed to have learned that her husband had called one of his adult children from a previous marriage on FaceTime.

Arielle alleged in the court filing that Konig told his child, "I just tried to kill Ari, but she got away."

The wife said her husband was covered in blood, and Arielle allegedly needed assistance from the hikers to go down the trail.

She was transported to the Queen’s Medical Center in critical condition with multiple facial and head injuries.

Police immediately issued an all-points bulletin for Dr. Konig and shut down the trails during a multi-hour manhunt.

Gerhardt was found and arrested around 6 p.m., police said.

Konig is being detained at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.

His bail initially was set at $5 million. However, Arielle wrote to the judge that she is afraid for herself, her children, and the rest of her family if her husband is released, and the judge on Friday ordered him to be held without bail.

Arielle on Thursday filed a restraining order against her husband. She told the court that Gerhardt had become prone to “extreme jealousy” and “has attempted to control and monitor all of my communications.”

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Female reportedly orders her 5 lovers to kidnap, torture, and deprive man of food and sleep for a week at Red Roof Inn



A woman and her five reported lovers are facing serious criminal charges after they allegedly kidnapped and tortured a man at an Ohio Red Roof Inn.

Aaron Bradshaw, 49; Austin Bradshaw, 23; Michael Esqueda, 28; Martina Jones, 28; David Cessna, 26; and Chance Johnston, 27, were all arrested March 21. A grand jury on Thursday indicted all six suspects. They all were charged with one count of kidnapping, three counts of felonious assault, and two counts of tampering with evidence.

'His injuries were results of being struck with a baseball bat, struck with fists, elbows, stomping on him when he was on the ground, which over time resulted in multiple fractured bones.'

Citing the police report, the Kansas City Star said a dogfight broke out at Jones' home, and she attempted to break up the melee, but she ended up breaking her arm.

Jones allegedly told Austin Bradshaw, Aaron Bradshaw, Esqueda, Cessna, and Johnston that a 26-year-old man broke her arm.

Police claimed Jones ordered the five men to beat and assault the victim.

The men then punched, kicked, and beat the 26-year-old with a metal baseball bat for several hours, according to a police report.

Police suspect that the victim was assaulted and kidnapped March 14.

Court docs say the group held the kidnapped man against his will for over a week at a Red Roof Inn in Maumee.

The man reportedly was forced to stand for “extended periods of time,” was allowed to eat and drink only one time a day, and slept for a total of 10 hours over seven days.

The group allegedly told the victim that if he tried to escape, they would "beat his [expletive]."

On March 21, the suspects allowed the 26-year-old to leave the motel to go to the Speedway convenience store, police said.

"When he was there, he made contact with an individual, who got in contact with the victim’s mother," stated Maumee Chief of Police Josh Sprow.

The 26-year-old’s mother reportedly rushed to the Red Roof Inn to help her son.

Officers with the Maumee Police Department responded to the hotel.

The victim sustained injuries all over his body and was transported to a local hospital, police said. He's expected to survive his injuries.

The Blade reported that prosecutors told the judge that the victim suffered serious injuries as a result of the abuse, including broken bones, but “the totality of those injuries has not been determined.”

“He was being essentially tortured, assaulted, over the time frame of a week,” stated Sprow. “His injuries were results of being struck with a baseball bat, struck with fists, elbows, stomping on him when he was on the ground, which over time resulted in multiple fractured bones.”

Assistant city prosecutor Andy Lastra called the case “extremely disturbing.”

Investigators determined that Jones was in romantic relationships with the five male suspects and has multiple children with them.

“It’s clearly a strange situation when you have multiple adult men involved in a relationship with a female, and then this whole felonious assault/kidnapping taking place. Definitely not something that is normally happening in our city,” Sprow noted.

All six suspects have been detained at the Lucas County Corrections Center and were given a $200,000 bond, according to court records.

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