CAMDEN — The 47-year-old former boyfriend of a woman
found stabbed to death in her Camden apartment early this morning has
been charged with the woman’s death.
Walkeena
Moody, 24, was found dead in a bathtub in her home in the Ferry Station
Apartments around 3:11 a.m., according to the Camden County
Prosecutor’s Office.
Moody’s
former boyfriend, Robert Norwood, was taken into custody later in the
morning and is being held at the Camden County Jail, authorities said.
Norwood, of the 800 block of Chelton Avenue, is accused of stabbing Moody in the neck and head, authorities said.
Moody had an active restraining order filed against Norwood since August 28, authorities said.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Trenton, NJ: Trenton man is stabbed to death while trying to protect sister in dispute with her ex-boyfriend
TRENTON - A Trenton man was
stabbed to death late Tuesday after he stepped in to protect his sister
during a dispute with her ex-boyfriend, police said.
Courtney Levine, 26, was stabbed once by the ex-boyfriend during the confrontation at his sister’s Chapel Street home in North Trenton, police said. The suspect remains at large.
Levine was rushed to Capital Health Regional Medical Center to be treated for the single stab wound around 10:30 p.m., but was pronounced dead at the hospital soon afterward, Kieffer said.
The killing marks Trenton's 24th homicide of 2012, and the second in two days.
Following the slaying of 17-year-old Joshua Moore Monday night, police have investigated a late morning shooting in Villa Park Tuesday that left a man in critical condition, a shooting on Spring Street that left four people wounded later the same day, and the deadly stabbing last night.
Police believe the domestic-related homicide has no connection to any of the other recent acts of violence.
It was not immediately clear whether the killing occurred inside or outside the home. Large amounts of blood remained on the sidewalk outside the house early this morning.
Detectives were obtaining warrants to canvass the home for evidence and had conducted interviews of potential witnesses in the area.
Trenton had 24 homicides in 2011.
Anyone with information on the crime should call police at (609) 989-4170, or the Confidential Tip Line at (609) 989-3663.
Courtney Levine, 26, was stabbed once by the ex-boyfriend during the confrontation at his sister’s Chapel Street home in North Trenton, police said. The suspect remains at large.
Levine was rushed to Capital Health Regional Medical Center to be treated for the single stab wound around 10:30 p.m., but was pronounced dead at the hospital soon afterward, Kieffer said.
The killing marks Trenton's 24th homicide of 2012, and the second in two days.
Following the slaying of 17-year-old Joshua Moore Monday night, police have investigated a late morning shooting in Villa Park Tuesday that left a man in critical condition, a shooting on Spring Street that left four people wounded later the same day, and the deadly stabbing last night.
Police believe the domestic-related homicide has no connection to any of the other recent acts of violence.
It was not immediately clear whether the killing occurred inside or outside the home. Large amounts of blood remained on the sidewalk outside the house early this morning.
Detectives were obtaining warrants to canvass the home for evidence and had conducted interviews of potential witnesses in the area.
Trenton had 24 homicides in 2011.
Anyone with information on the crime should call police at (609) 989-4170, or the Confidential Tip Line at (609) 989-3663.
San Antonio, TX: Boyfriend is charged in slaying
Tammy Lydia Ramirez felt warily safe after her mother picked her up, rescuing her from an
allegedly abusive relationship that had dragged on for six months.
But someone called 25-year-old Ramirez's cellphone on the way to her mother's house, and she hung up abruptly after a short conversation. Then, her mother said, her mood changed.
“When I looked at my daughter, she looked scared,” said Lydia Delazerda. “I asked her, ‘Mija, he's not coming to the house, right?'”
“He would never do that,” Ramirez said, her mother recalled.
Moments later, Jonathan Robert Garcia, 21, arrived at Delazerda's West Side home. Following a brief argument, according to San Antonio police, Garcia shot his girlfriend in the chest and shoulder.
He fled the scene before Delazerda, who'd heard the couple arguing and was calling 911 when shots were fired, could reach her daughter's side. Ramirez's three daughters, who live with their grandmother, and Delazerda watched as Ramirez died.
“I put my hand on her and felt her bleeding. The girls were crying,” she said. “And then, my baby was gone.”
Around 9:15 p.m., Garcia turned himself in at his ex-girlfriend's apartment in the 5700 block of North Knoll. He remains in the Bexar County Jail on one count of murder; a judge set bail at $250,000.
The killing is the latest in a string of domestic violence incidents locally and nationally, most notably the apparent murder-suicide by Kansas City Chiefs player Jovan Belcher. His girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, was from Austin.
On average, three women in the U.S. die daily as a result of domestic violence, said Katie Ray-Jones, president of the Austin-based National Domestic Violence Hotline. She said the recent cases aren't indicative of a spike during the holidays.
“A few high-profile cases are drawing attention to domestic violence, which is tragic, but it can also be helpful,” she said.
Delazerda doubts her daughter was one of the 21,000 calls the hotline receives each month, especially since Ramirez denied any abuse to her mother. When asked about bruises, Ramirez would say she fell or was clumsy, Delazerda said.
Two months ago, Delazerda called Child Protective Services to report the suspected abuse, and the children — who were healthy, clothed and fed, she said — were placed in her care, she said. A CPS spokeswoman said she couldn't comment, as the agency did not remove Kayla, 7; Krista, 6, and Kimberly, 2.
What she believes is confirmation of the abuse came late Monday, when relatives found Ramirez's diary inside her white leather purse. Among other entries detailing abuse was one that said, “He pointed the gun at me AGAIN today. I'm scared.”
Delazerda said she gave the diary to police.
Garcia's mother said her son had a bad temper but the couple always seemed happy. Her son and Ramirez spent most of Tuesday at her home, near Fortuna, where Delazerda picked up Ramirez.
“They were always kissing,” said Rosemary Garcia. “Like everybody else, they would argue, but I never saw any domestic violence.”
She said she learned about the killing shortly after police came to her home to see if she'd seen her son, and that's when she realized one of her bicycles was missing.
“I just can't believe that she's gone,” Rosemary Garcia said. “I can't believe that it's because of my son. I just keep thinking of those three wonderful, beautiful little girls, and how they have no mother.”
The end of an abusive relationship is notoriously dangerous, and the potential for homicidal violence increases dramatically, said Patricia Castillo, executive director and cofounder of the PEACE Initiative.
“You can't just walk out. You need to have a safety plan,” she said. “You are taking the only sense of power that these people have or feel like they have. When you deny them that power, that is the ultimate insult.”
Ray-Jones said that while going to a relative or friend's house may feel safe, it could be deadly.
“Where could you go that he won't know where to find you?” she asked. “Sometimes your parents' house is not the safest place to go.”
Delazerda said she repeatedly urged her daughter to break up with Garcia and was ecstatic when Ramirez called Monday. She advised others who suspect an abusive relationship to be persistent. For help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-SAFE.
“A mother knows,” she said. “A mother feels when their daughter is in trouble. You just have to keep talking to them, and they'll come around, hopefully before it's too late.”
But someone called 25-year-old Ramirez's cellphone on the way to her mother's house, and she hung up abruptly after a short conversation. Then, her mother said, her mood changed.
“When I looked at my daughter, she looked scared,” said Lydia Delazerda. “I asked her, ‘Mija, he's not coming to the house, right?'”
“He would never do that,” Ramirez said, her mother recalled.
Moments later, Jonathan Robert Garcia, 21, arrived at Delazerda's West Side home. Following a brief argument, according to San Antonio police, Garcia shot his girlfriend in the chest and shoulder.
He fled the scene before Delazerda, who'd heard the couple arguing and was calling 911 when shots were fired, could reach her daughter's side. Ramirez's three daughters, who live with their grandmother, and Delazerda watched as Ramirez died.
“I put my hand on her and felt her bleeding. The girls were crying,” she said. “And then, my baby was gone.”
Around 9:15 p.m., Garcia turned himself in at his ex-girlfriend's apartment in the 5700 block of North Knoll. He remains in the Bexar County Jail on one count of murder; a judge set bail at $250,000.
The killing is the latest in a string of domestic violence incidents locally and nationally, most notably the apparent murder-suicide by Kansas City Chiefs player Jovan Belcher. His girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, was from Austin.
On average, three women in the U.S. die daily as a result of domestic violence, said Katie Ray-Jones, president of the Austin-based National Domestic Violence Hotline. She said the recent cases aren't indicative of a spike during the holidays.
“A few high-profile cases are drawing attention to domestic violence, which is tragic, but it can also be helpful,” she said.
Delazerda doubts her daughter was one of the 21,000 calls the hotline receives each month, especially since Ramirez denied any abuse to her mother. When asked about bruises, Ramirez would say she fell or was clumsy, Delazerda said.
Two months ago, Delazerda called Child Protective Services to report the suspected abuse, and the children — who were healthy, clothed and fed, she said — were placed in her care, she said. A CPS spokeswoman said she couldn't comment, as the agency did not remove Kayla, 7; Krista, 6, and Kimberly, 2.
What she believes is confirmation of the abuse came late Monday, when relatives found Ramirez's diary inside her white leather purse. Among other entries detailing abuse was one that said, “He pointed the gun at me AGAIN today. I'm scared.”
Delazerda said she gave the diary to police.
Garcia's mother said her son had a bad temper but the couple always seemed happy. Her son and Ramirez spent most of Tuesday at her home, near Fortuna, where Delazerda picked up Ramirez.
“They were always kissing,” said Rosemary Garcia. “Like everybody else, they would argue, but I never saw any domestic violence.”
She said she learned about the killing shortly after police came to her home to see if she'd seen her son, and that's when she realized one of her bicycles was missing.
“I just can't believe that she's gone,” Rosemary Garcia said. “I can't believe that it's because of my son. I just keep thinking of those three wonderful, beautiful little girls, and how they have no mother.”
The end of an abusive relationship is notoriously dangerous, and the potential for homicidal violence increases dramatically, said Patricia Castillo, executive director and cofounder of the PEACE Initiative.
“You can't just walk out. You need to have a safety plan,” she said. “You are taking the only sense of power that these people have or feel like they have. When you deny them that power, that is the ultimate insult.”
Ray-Jones said that while going to a relative or friend's house may feel safe, it could be deadly.
“Where could you go that he won't know where to find you?” she asked. “Sometimes your parents' house is not the safest place to go.”
Delazerda said she repeatedly urged her daughter to break up with Garcia and was ecstatic when Ramirez called Monday. She advised others who suspect an abusive relationship to be persistent. For help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-SAFE.
“A mother knows,” she said. “A mother feels when their daughter is in trouble. You just have to keep talking to them, and they'll come around, hopefully before it's too late.”
New Orleans, LA: Man arrested for shooting estranged girlfriend, killing her mother
NEW ORLEANS – Police arrested a New Orleans man in connection with
the wounding of his estranged girlfriend and the fatal shooting of her
mother, according to the New Orleans Police Department.
Wednesday, Keith Phillips was booked on one count of attempted second degree murder and one of count of second degree murder, according to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office. Phillips surrendered to police around 11 a.m., according to a statement from the NOPD.
Just after 10 p.m. Monday, Renesha Nix, 25, and Phillips, 22, were involved in an argument in the 6800 block of Parc Brittany.
Nix called her mother to pick her up from the location to avoid a physical altercation with Phillips, police said.
Tiesha Nix, 40, arrived to pick up her daughter and observed the altercation, police said.
Without notice, Phillips turned to Tiesha Nix and shot her once in the head, which instantly killed her, the NOPD said.
Phillips then turned to Renesha Nix and shot her multiple times in the body, according to police.
Phillips then fled the area on foot, investigators said.
Tiesha Nix was pronounced dead on the scene and Renesha Nix was transported to the hospital, where she is listed in critical condition.
Detectives were able to develop Phillips as the gunman in the incident through witness participation and secured an arrest warrant for second degree murder.
Phillips has been previously arrested for simple battery, domestic violence, illegal carrying of weapons and suspended driver’s license.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 822-1111.
Wednesday, Keith Phillips was booked on one count of attempted second degree murder and one of count of second degree murder, according to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office. Phillips surrendered to police around 11 a.m., according to a statement from the NOPD.
Just after 10 p.m. Monday, Renesha Nix, 25, and Phillips, 22, were involved in an argument in the 6800 block of Parc Brittany.
Nix called her mother to pick her up from the location to avoid a physical altercation with Phillips, police said.
Tiesha Nix, 40, arrived to pick up her daughter and observed the altercation, police said.
Without notice, Phillips turned to Tiesha Nix and shot her once in the head, which instantly killed her, the NOPD said.
Phillips then turned to Renesha Nix and shot her multiple times in the body, according to police.
Phillips then fled the area on foot, investigators said.
Tiesha Nix was pronounced dead on the scene and Renesha Nix was transported to the hospital, where she is listed in critical condition.
Detectives were able to develop Phillips as the gunman in the incident through witness participation and secured an arrest warrant for second degree murder.
Phillips has been previously arrested for simple battery, domestic violence, illegal carrying of weapons and suspended driver’s license.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 822-1111.
Simi Valley, CA: Simi Valley man pleads guilty to killing girlfriend
A Simi Valley man who killed his live-in girlfriend pleaded guilty to
voluntary manslaughter and other felony charges today and faces 16
years in prison when he is sentenced next month.
Jose Escobar Monterrozo, 36, also pleaded guilty to two felony counts of child abuse and residential burglary, which were charges related to the homicide.
Initially, Escobar Monterrozo was charged with murder. Those charges were reduced after the District Attorney's Office received additional evidence about the case through its investigation, according to prosecutor Rameen Minoui.
In an interview, Minoui said reducing the charge from felony murder to voluntary manslaughter was the right thing to do in this case.
"It was an easy decision. It was a right decision," Minoui said.
Attorney Justin Tuttle, who is with the Public Defender's Office, had argued during the preliminary hearing that this was a "classic" voluntary manslaughter case, saying that the slaying was committed in the heat of passion.
"I am pleased with the result," Tuttle said today.
He said Escobar Monterrozo was "shocked and saddened" about the slaying.
Tuttle said Escobar Monterrozo faced 25 years to life if he had been convicted of murder.
Ventura County Superior Court Judge Kevin McGee set sentencing for Jan. 17.
Escobar Monterrozo killed Claudia Minjivar, 33, on Jan. 25 at the couple's Simi Valley home.
Escobar Monterrozo used a car steering wheel lock to beat Minjivar, who was involved in a romantic relationship with an old boyfriend, according to court testimony.
The couple's 5-year-old son was there during the slaying, and Minjivar's 15-year-old daughter arrived later from school, according to testimony from Escobar Monterrozo's preliminary hearing.
Escobar Monterrozo, who is from Guatemala, is facing a deportation hearing after his release from prison, according to jail records.
Jose Escobar Monterrozo, 36, also pleaded guilty to two felony counts of child abuse and residential burglary, which were charges related to the homicide.
Initially, Escobar Monterrozo was charged with murder. Those charges were reduced after the District Attorney's Office received additional evidence about the case through its investigation, according to prosecutor Rameen Minoui.
In an interview, Minoui said reducing the charge from felony murder to voluntary manslaughter was the right thing to do in this case.
"It was an easy decision. It was a right decision," Minoui said.
Attorney Justin Tuttle, who is with the Public Defender's Office, had argued during the preliminary hearing that this was a "classic" voluntary manslaughter case, saying that the slaying was committed in the heat of passion.
"I am pleased with the result," Tuttle said today.
He said Escobar Monterrozo was "shocked and saddened" about the slaying.
Tuttle said Escobar Monterrozo faced 25 years to life if he had been convicted of murder.
Ventura County Superior Court Judge Kevin McGee set sentencing for Jan. 17.
Escobar Monterrozo killed Claudia Minjivar, 33, on Jan. 25 at the couple's Simi Valley home.
Escobar Monterrozo used a car steering wheel lock to beat Minjivar, who was involved in a romantic relationship with an old boyfriend, according to court testimony.
The couple's 5-year-old son was there during the slaying, and Minjivar's 15-year-old daughter arrived later from school, according to testimony from Escobar Monterrozo's preliminary hearing.
Escobar Monterrozo, who is from Guatemala, is facing a deportation hearing after his release from prison, according to jail records.
Jacksonville, FL: Man suspected of killing girlfriend arrested by JSO
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- After
being on the run since Tuesday morning, the Jacksonville Sheriff's
Office arrests 27-year-old Prince Sanders in connection with the murder
of his girlfriend.
Police
say he shot and killed his girlfriend in her home on Ralph Street. The
exact details of how Sanders was taken into custody weren't being
revealed by JSO on Tuesday evening.
Friend Jesse Peterson said, "It's sad. It's so much killing going on. It's just sad. Because she had two little kids."
Neighbors say their kids were just 3 and 1, and they say the kids were home when their mom collapsed on the front steps.
A witness who did not want to be identified told Action News, "She was coming down the hallway bleeding. And she came to the front door and she just collapsed right there on the sidewalk."
Another unidentified witness said, "It's sad because at like 11:30 last night they got into an altercation where he hit her in the head with a gun and split her head open."
The shooting was the second time JSO had been called to at the Riverside home. Police and neighbors say the couple had gotten into a fight late Monday night. They say Sanders left the house, only to come back hours later and finish what he started. Now, they're scared.
"If he killed her, that's his kid's mother, what would he care about me? You? He's dangerous," said a witness. Another neighbor said, "I do feel like he's in that state of mind where he has nothing else to lose now."
According to JSO, Tuesday morning's murder on Ralph Street is the 80th murder in Jacksonville so far this year. Last year, there were 58 murders.
Friend Jesse Peterson said, "It's sad. It's so much killing going on. It's just sad. Because she had two little kids."
Neighbors say their kids were just 3 and 1, and they say the kids were home when their mom collapsed on the front steps.
A witness who did not want to be identified told Action News, "She was coming down the hallway bleeding. And she came to the front door and she just collapsed right there on the sidewalk."
Another unidentified witness said, "It's sad because at like 11:30 last night they got into an altercation where he hit her in the head with a gun and split her head open."
The shooting was the second time JSO had been called to at the Riverside home. Police and neighbors say the couple had gotten into a fight late Monday night. They say Sanders left the house, only to come back hours later and finish what he started. Now, they're scared.
"If he killed her, that's his kid's mother, what would he care about me? You? He's dangerous," said a witness. Another neighbor said, "I do feel like he's in that state of mind where he has nothing else to lose now."
According to JSO, Tuesday morning's murder on Ralph Street is the 80th murder in Jacksonville so far this year. Last year, there were 58 murders.
Travelers Rest, SC: TR man killed wife, took son to daycare, then killed himself, police say
A Travelers Rest man killed his wife Monday night, took their 4-year-old
son to daycare the next day and then returned home and killed himself
in a murder-suicide, authorities said today.
The son wasn’t harmed.
Greenville County Deputy Coroner Kent Dill identified the victims as Dale Patrick Wetzelberger, 47, and his wife, Michele Marie Wetzelberger, 41.
Michele Wetzelberger was a group exercise instructor at the George I. Theisen YMCA in Travelers Rest, according to a statement released by Zack Hall, the Y’s executive director.
“Yesterday, we were shocked to learn of the death of Michele Wetzelberger,” the statement said.
“Michele was a valued Y employee and a caring person. Our prayers go out to her family and friends. We will remember Michele fondly as she meant so much to so many. We will miss her very much.”
Y officials had no other comment.
Police discovered the couple’s bodies Tuesday after their 4-year-old son wasn’t picked up from a day-care facility at the Y, Dill said. Autopsies were conducted earlier today.
Dill said investigators believe Michele Wetzelberger was shot three times - twice in the head and once in the arm - between supper-time and bedtime Monday. The next morning, Dale Wetzelberger took their son to the Y, where his wife was scheduled to teach a class, Dill said.
It appears Dale Wetzelberger covered his wife’s body to keep their son from seeing her when the child got up that morning, Dill said.
When Michele Wetzelberger didn’t show up at the Y and no one came to pick up their son about lunchtime, the day-care staff became concerned and called police, Dill said.
Travelers Rest Police Capt. John Gardner said the bodies were found in the Northcliff Way home about 1:30 p.m. Dill said the couple were found in the living room. Dale Wetzelberger was shot once in the head with a handgun, Dill said.
Police have no record of domestic trouble with the couple and were never called to the house, Gardner said.
He said the child was in the custody of the state Department of Social Services.
The son wasn’t harmed.
Greenville County Deputy Coroner Kent Dill identified the victims as Dale Patrick Wetzelberger, 47, and his wife, Michele Marie Wetzelberger, 41.
Michele Wetzelberger was a group exercise instructor at the George I. Theisen YMCA in Travelers Rest, according to a statement released by Zack Hall, the Y’s executive director.
“Yesterday, we were shocked to learn of the death of Michele Wetzelberger,” the statement said.
“Michele was a valued Y employee and a caring person. Our prayers go out to her family and friends. We will remember Michele fondly as she meant so much to so many. We will miss her very much.”
Y officials had no other comment.
Police discovered the couple’s bodies Tuesday after their 4-year-old son wasn’t picked up from a day-care facility at the Y, Dill said. Autopsies were conducted earlier today.
Dill said investigators believe Michele Wetzelberger was shot three times - twice in the head and once in the arm - between supper-time and bedtime Monday. The next morning, Dale Wetzelberger took their son to the Y, where his wife was scheduled to teach a class, Dill said.
It appears Dale Wetzelberger covered his wife’s body to keep their son from seeing her when the child got up that morning, Dill said.
When Michele Wetzelberger didn’t show up at the Y and no one came to pick up their son about lunchtime, the day-care staff became concerned and called police, Dill said.
Travelers Rest Police Capt. John Gardner said the bodies were found in the Northcliff Way home about 1:30 p.m. Dill said the couple were found in the living room. Dale Wetzelberger was shot once in the head with a handgun, Dill said.
Police have no record of domestic trouble with the couple and were never called to the house, Gardner said.
He said the child was in the custody of the state Department of Social Services.
Torrance, CA: Torrance couple identified in hospital murder-suicide
The Los Angeles County coroner's office on Tuesday released the names
of a couple killed in a reported murder-suicide at a Torrance hospital.
Marlow Galbraith, 75, and his wife, Joanna Galbraith, 74, of Torrance, died of gunshot wounds Saturday at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in the 4100 block of Torrance Boulevard, according to authorities.
The Torrance Police Department said Marlow Galbraith went to the hospital; entered a fourth-floor room where his wife was a patient; shot her and then shot himself. A handgun was recovered inside the hospital room.
The shooting comes two weeks after another elderly muder suicide in Torrance. In the earlier incident, an 80-year-old man shot and killed two employees in his senior-living facility, before killing himself. Employees of the Golden West Towers said the shooter had a history of violent behavior toward fellow tenants and employees.
Police say they are still continuing their investigation into the hospital room shooting. Anyone with information about the case can contact Torrance police at (310) 618-5570
Marlow Galbraith, 75, and his wife, Joanna Galbraith, 74, of Torrance, died of gunshot wounds Saturday at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in the 4100 block of Torrance Boulevard, according to authorities.
The Torrance Police Department said Marlow Galbraith went to the hospital; entered a fourth-floor room where his wife was a patient; shot her and then shot himself. A handgun was recovered inside the hospital room.
The shooting comes two weeks after another elderly muder suicide in Torrance. In the earlier incident, an 80-year-old man shot and killed two employees in his senior-living facility, before killing himself. Employees of the Golden West Towers said the shooter had a history of violent behavior toward fellow tenants and employees.
Police say they are still continuing their investigation into the hospital room shooting. Anyone with information about the case can contact Torrance police at (310) 618-5570
Holly Springs, NC: Former BART officer and wife from Livermore dead in North Carolina murder-suicide
A retired
BART police officer and former Livermore resident shot and killed his
wife and then turned the gun on himself Monday in what the North
Carolina state medical examiner is ruling a murder-suicide.
The woman, whose name has not been released, told 911 dispatchers when she found her daughter's body that her "son-in-law killed her. He killed her, she's dead." Medical examiners' reports later confirmed the woman's suspicions.
Amber Seymore's mother reportedly grabbed the youngest child and ran to a neighbor's house to call 911, police said. The couple's older children were at elementary school at the time of the shooting.
"He's laying on the floor," she cried into the receiver. "They're not moving, neither one of them. I got the baby. I think they're both dead."
Police did not disclose a possible motive, though Amber Seymore's mother told 911 dispatchers that her son-in-law had "just been caught" having two affairs, the news report said. Amber Seymore also called 911 the day after Thanksgiving for a domestic violence incident in which she planned to confront him for his infidelities, and reported that he "had a gun on him and a really bad temper."
Robert Seymore worked for the BART police department as a canine officer from 2001 to 2011, BART Police Operations Deputy Chief Benson Fairow said. According to his LinkedIn page, the retired canine and explosive detection handler had settled into the role of stay-at-home father since moving to North Carolina.
Grief counselors have been made available to all members of the BART police department, Fairow said.
"We're dealing with the loss of one of our own," Fairow said. "Any time there's a situation like that it is a tragedy for all those involved, all left behind. Our thoughts go out to the friends and the family."
Amber Seymore, a graduate of Monte Vista High School in Danville, worked in sales at Anixter. a communications supply company with offices in Pleasanton, for 12 years before moving to North Carolina in March 2011.
New Orleans, LA: Violence leaves 4 dead
New Orleans — A violent weekend in New
Orleans left four people dead and several others wounded, but New
Orleans police have identified suspects and motives in several of the
incidents.
In total, eight people were shot, four were stabbed and several others were robbed from early Saturday morning until Monday. Lt. Gary Marchese, the commander of the NOPD’s homicide division, said police do not believe any of the incidents were connected. Motives in the incidents ranged from domestic disturbances turned deadly to spontaneous disputes that got out of control.
“None of them are related,” he said. “There is no correlation between the cases.”
The largest number of casualties occurred in an incident that happened early Saturday morning. Police said that Larry “Sly” Haynes shot and killed his girlfriend Tiara Reynolds, 32, in the 2800 block of South Roman Street after an argument at about 2:30 a.m. Haynes and Reynolds were arguing, and Haynes became so enraged that he pulled out a handgun and killed Reynolds on the sidewalk in front of the home, police said.
Police also said that Haynes, 38, shot two other men and one other woman. One of those men was shot in the head and remains in critical condition.
A green van was parked in front of the two-story home where the shooting occurred on Monday. The van had a broken windshield and piles of broken glass lay on a driveway. Reynolds was shot in front of two homes where her family lived. A woman who identified herself as Reynolds’ sister declined to speak about the victim’s death, citing her emotional state.
Police are searching for Haynes and said there is a warrant for his arrest. Police said Haynes has prior arrests for murder, domestic violence and narcotics possession.
About a half hour before the quadruple shooting, police were called to the 4300 block of Downman Road, where they found Tyron Quinn, 28, shot outside on the ground. Marchese said detectives believe Quinn was shot after an argument inside a nearby lounge. He died at a local hospital. The incident happened a few yards from the popular Visions Night Club.
Marchese said detectives have identified a possible suspect and are assembling a photo lineup with the hope of making an arrest.
The other fatal shooting over the weekend involved two 16-year-olds who were playing with a handgun in the 2400 block of Odin Street on Saturday afternoon. Hakeem Green was killed in that incident, and police have booked a 16-year-old boy with negligent homicide. It appears one of the boys retrieved the gun to play with, thinking it was unloaded, and it accidentally discharged. No one answered the door at the home where the shooting occurred Monday.
Police investigated two more shootings Sunday afternoon and early Monday morning. The first incident happened near the intersection of St. Bernard Avenue and North Villere Street. An 18-year-old man was walking in the area shortly before 2 p.m. when he heard gunshots and realized he’d been shot in the hand and hip.
The other shooting was reported in the 1900 block of Seventh Street at about 1:30 a.m. In that incident, an unidentified 31-year-old woman was shot multiple times while inside a home and was listed in critical condition.
Late Monday evening, police reported that a man was shot in the face in the 800 block of Broad. No other details were available by press time.
In addition to the shootings, there were several stabbings, some of them serious and others minor. Jerell Miller, 35, was killed in a stabbing in the 500 block of South Miro Street on Sunday morning.
Police say Miller forced his way into a home and stabbed a 41-year-old woman in the face, and then started beating her. Another woman armed herself with a pot, and somehow Miller was stabbed in the melee. Marchese said that the Police Department has ruled that homicide as justifiable but has turned the results of its investigation over to the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office.
On Sunday afternoon, police were called out the 4500 block of Haynes Boulevard, right across from a playground, to handle a stabbing.
In that incident, police said a 16-year-old boy was stabbed after a fight.
The incident happened around 3 p.m., and police said that the 16-year-old argued with an unidentified individual who used a Taser on the boy.
After that, the man took a knife from a woman also on the scene and stabbed the boy in the chest. The teenager was in critical condition. Police are searching for the man and the woman and released a video Sunday night showing the incident.
Also on Sunday night, police said that Kim Dumas, 39, stabbed another woman with a broken bottle inside of Chartres Street bar. Police said that Dumas and the other woman fought shortly before 7:30 p.m. During the fight, police said, Dumas broke a wine bottle and cut the woman on the chest.
The wounds were not serious, but Dumas fled the scene.
When police caught her a few blocks away, they said she made an incriminating statement.
Police also investigated armed robberies in eastern New Orleans, Algiers and Gentilly.
In one of those incidents on Pratt Drive, a man was robbed while hanging Christmas lights by several men who also burglarized his home.
In total, eight people were shot, four were stabbed and several others were robbed from early Saturday morning until Monday. Lt. Gary Marchese, the commander of the NOPD’s homicide division, said police do not believe any of the incidents were connected. Motives in the incidents ranged from domestic disturbances turned deadly to spontaneous disputes that got out of control.
“None of them are related,” he said. “There is no correlation between the cases.”
The largest number of casualties occurred in an incident that happened early Saturday morning. Police said that Larry “Sly” Haynes shot and killed his girlfriend Tiara Reynolds, 32, in the 2800 block of South Roman Street after an argument at about 2:30 a.m. Haynes and Reynolds were arguing, and Haynes became so enraged that he pulled out a handgun and killed Reynolds on the sidewalk in front of the home, police said.
Police also said that Haynes, 38, shot two other men and one other woman. One of those men was shot in the head and remains in critical condition.
A green van was parked in front of the two-story home where the shooting occurred on Monday. The van had a broken windshield and piles of broken glass lay on a driveway. Reynolds was shot in front of two homes where her family lived. A woman who identified herself as Reynolds’ sister declined to speak about the victim’s death, citing her emotional state.
Police are searching for Haynes and said there is a warrant for his arrest. Police said Haynes has prior arrests for murder, domestic violence and narcotics possession.
About a half hour before the quadruple shooting, police were called to the 4300 block of Downman Road, where they found Tyron Quinn, 28, shot outside on the ground. Marchese said detectives believe Quinn was shot after an argument inside a nearby lounge. He died at a local hospital. The incident happened a few yards from the popular Visions Night Club.
Marchese said detectives have identified a possible suspect and are assembling a photo lineup with the hope of making an arrest.
The other fatal shooting over the weekend involved two 16-year-olds who were playing with a handgun in the 2400 block of Odin Street on Saturday afternoon. Hakeem Green was killed in that incident, and police have booked a 16-year-old boy with negligent homicide. It appears one of the boys retrieved the gun to play with, thinking it was unloaded, and it accidentally discharged. No one answered the door at the home where the shooting occurred Monday.
Police investigated two more shootings Sunday afternoon and early Monday morning. The first incident happened near the intersection of St. Bernard Avenue and North Villere Street. An 18-year-old man was walking in the area shortly before 2 p.m. when he heard gunshots and realized he’d been shot in the hand and hip.
The other shooting was reported in the 1900 block of Seventh Street at about 1:30 a.m. In that incident, an unidentified 31-year-old woman was shot multiple times while inside a home and was listed in critical condition.
Late Monday evening, police reported that a man was shot in the face in the 800 block of Broad. No other details were available by press time.
In addition to the shootings, there were several stabbings, some of them serious and others minor. Jerell Miller, 35, was killed in a stabbing in the 500 block of South Miro Street on Sunday morning.
Police say Miller forced his way into a home and stabbed a 41-year-old woman in the face, and then started beating her. Another woman armed herself with a pot, and somehow Miller was stabbed in the melee. Marchese said that the Police Department has ruled that homicide as justifiable but has turned the results of its investigation over to the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office.
On Sunday afternoon, police were called out the 4500 block of Haynes Boulevard, right across from a playground, to handle a stabbing.
In that incident, police said a 16-year-old boy was stabbed after a fight.
The incident happened around 3 p.m., and police said that the 16-year-old argued with an unidentified individual who used a Taser on the boy.
After that, the man took a knife from a woman also on the scene and stabbed the boy in the chest. The teenager was in critical condition. Police are searching for the man and the woman and released a video Sunday night showing the incident.
Also on Sunday night, police said that Kim Dumas, 39, stabbed another woman with a broken bottle inside of Chartres Street bar. Police said that Dumas and the other woman fought shortly before 7:30 p.m. During the fight, police said, Dumas broke a wine bottle and cut the woman on the chest.
The wounds were not serious, but Dumas fled the scene.
When police caught her a few blocks away, they said she made an incriminating statement.
Police also investigated armed robberies in eastern New Orleans, Algiers and Gentilly.
In one of those incidents on Pratt Drive, a man was robbed while hanging Christmas lights by several men who also burglarized his home.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Central City, LA: Boyfriend sought in shooting that killed one and injured three
After a shooting that killed one woman and injured three other people
early Saturday morning on South Roman Street in the Hoffman Triangle
area of Central City, police have identified the boyfriend of the woman
who survived the shooting as the triggerman and are seeking the public’s
help in looking for him.
Larry J. Haynes, 38, also known as “Sly,” is wanted for a single charge of the first-degree murder of 26-year-old Tiara Reynolds and three counts of the attempted first-degree murder of the other victims, police said.
Haynes was outside a home in the 2800 block of South Roman with the Reynolds and the others around 2:40 a.m. Saturday when an argument broke out, and Haynes pulled a gun and then shot all four victims, police said in the release. Reynolds was found dead at the scene, lying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds. Another man was shot in the head and remains in critical condition, while Haynes’ 32-year-old girlfriend and another man were both hit by bullets as well but listed in stable condition.
Haynes’ previous arrest record includes a charge of first-degree murder during a crime, an attack on a police officer, domestic violence, extortion and gun, drug and theft charges, police said. The murder charge dates to 1993, court records show.
Larry J. Haynes, 38, also known as “Sly,” is wanted for a single charge of the first-degree murder of 26-year-old Tiara Reynolds and three counts of the attempted first-degree murder of the other victims, police said.
Haynes was outside a home in the 2800 block of South Roman with the Reynolds and the others around 2:40 a.m. Saturday when an argument broke out, and Haynes pulled a gun and then shot all four victims, police said in the release. Reynolds was found dead at the scene, lying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds. Another man was shot in the head and remains in critical condition, while Haynes’ 32-year-old girlfriend and another man were both hit by bullets as well but listed in stable condition.
Haynes’ previous arrest record includes a charge of first-degree murder during a crime, an attack on a police officer, domestic violence, extortion and gun, drug and theft charges, police said. The murder charge dates to 1993, court records show.
Man Found Guilty for Killing and Castrating His Famous Boyfriend
Lawyers for Renato Seabra, the hunky Portuguese model who was found
guilty this week of stomping his boyfriend to death two years ago,
castrating him with a corkscrew and then wearing his testicles like
bracelets, offered a bevy of unuexpected defense theories during the
trail, including that he was so "tortured" by his romance with much
older, renown journalist and LGBT activist Carlos Antonio De Castro that
he wore the victim's testicles like bracelets on his wrists to
"harness" their power and extract the "virus" of homosexuality as
ordered by God.
After the murder, prosecutors said, Seabra took a shower and took more than $1,500 from Castro's wallet before he left the room.
On Friday, CNN reports, a jury convicted Seabra of second-degree murder of Castro, which took place in January 2011 in a hotel room at the InterContinental Hotel room in New York City.
Cyrus R. Vance Jr., Manhattan district attorney, told reporters after the verdict that the crime was both "brutal and sadistic...But the jury's verdict now, finally, holds Seabra accountable. It is particularly tragic that Carlos Castro was not only ... betrayed by his spurned lover, but met a very painful and violent end far from his home."
The two had been in the U.S. only a couple of weeks. Castro was a TV jounalist and a gossip columnist for the Correio da Manha newspaper, both in Portugal, and Seabra (who prosecutors called a "gold digger") appeared on a Portugese reality TV series A Procura deum Sonho.
Castro allegedly flew the young man to the U.S. from Portugal to meet with model agents in New York but the two began to fight after Seabra was caught hooking up with women and telling Castro that he was no longer gay, according to the New York Daily News' Janon Fisher. Castro reportedly booked his lover an early flight home the night he was killed.
After the murder, prosecutors said, Seabra took a shower and took more than $1,500 from Castro's wallet before he left the room.
On Friday, CNN reports, a jury convicted Seabra of second-degree murder of Castro, which took place in January 2011 in a hotel room at the InterContinental Hotel room in New York City.
Cyrus R. Vance Jr., Manhattan district attorney, told reporters after the verdict that the crime was both "brutal and sadistic...But the jury's verdict now, finally, holds Seabra accountable. It is particularly tragic that Carlos Castro was not only ... betrayed by his spurned lover, but met a very painful and violent end far from his home."
The two had been in the U.S. only a couple of weeks. Castro was a TV jounalist and a gossip columnist for the Correio da Manha newspaper, both in Portugal, and Seabra (who prosecutors called a "gold digger") appeared on a Portugese reality TV series A Procura deum Sonho.
Castro allegedly flew the young man to the U.S. from Portugal to meet with model agents in New York but the two began to fight after Seabra was caught hooking up with women and telling Castro that he was no longer gay, according to the New York Daily News' Janon Fisher. Castro reportedly booked his lover an early flight home the night he was killed.
Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn man, who killed his wife and himself, found with weapon: cops
A Brooklyn man who shot and killed his wife before turning the gun on
himself had the weapon in his hand when cops found the dead couple in
their bed, police said Saturday.
A suicide note was also found near the bodies of Peter and Elsie Jones in their Canarsie townhouse on St. Jude Place on Friday, police sources said.
Cops haven’t said what the 53-year-old husband wrote in the note.
The 38-year-old wife, who helped produce the Viagra pill for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, was trying to separate from her spouse before the violence erupted, friends and police sources said.
Police made the grisly discovery about 11:30 a.m. Friday after Elsie’s sister, Rachelle Thevenin, called to say the couple — who leave behind an 8-year-old son — had not been seen since Wednesday, sources said. Both had been shot in the head.
The child was with a baby-sitter at the time, sources said.
Neighbor Maria Moses, 43, told the Daily News that the couple had gone to counseling. The sessions apparently didn’t work and she asked him for a divorce.
She described Peter Jones as aggressive, adding that the wife was quiet and seemed like she was under his thumb.
Peter — who drove a dollar van and had no criminal record — and Elsie were also in the process of adopting Thevenin’s children, who lived with the couple.
Neither Thevenin nor her mother could be reached for comment on Saturday.
One neighbor, who said he was contacted by a school administrator on Wednesday after the couple failed to pick up one of the children, said he saw them in a recent fight.
“I heard she had tried to kick him out,” the neighbor said.
A suicide note was also found near the bodies of Peter and Elsie Jones in their Canarsie townhouse on St. Jude Place on Friday, police sources said.
Cops haven’t said what the 53-year-old husband wrote in the note.
The 38-year-old wife, who helped produce the Viagra pill for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, was trying to separate from her spouse before the violence erupted, friends and police sources said.
Police made the grisly discovery about 11:30 a.m. Friday after Elsie’s sister, Rachelle Thevenin, called to say the couple — who leave behind an 8-year-old son — had not been seen since Wednesday, sources said. Both had been shot in the head.
The child was with a baby-sitter at the time, sources said.
Neighbor Maria Moses, 43, told the Daily News that the couple had gone to counseling. The sessions apparently didn’t work and she asked him for a divorce.
She described Peter Jones as aggressive, adding that the wife was quiet and seemed like she was under his thumb.
Peter — who drove a dollar van and had no criminal record — and Elsie were also in the process of adopting Thevenin’s children, who lived with the couple.
Neither Thevenin nor her mother could be reached for comment on Saturday.
One neighbor, who said he was contacted by a school administrator on Wednesday after the couple failed to pick up one of the children, said he saw them in a recent fight.
“I heard she had tried to kick him out,” the neighbor said.
Castleton Corners, NY: SI man allegedly killed unfaithful wife before trying to hang himself
A Staten Island man bludgeoned his wife to death with a baseball bat
early today after he found out she was cheating on him, police sources
said.
The dad of two, Gregory Surinaga, 45, then tried to hang himself when EMTs responded to the house of horrors, the sources said.
Surinaga -- who neighbors said worked as a mechanic for the city Fire Department -- was taken into custody, sources added.
His wife, Jodi Surinaga, 42, was found dead in their Beechwood Place home in Castleton Corners after one of the couple’s two teenage children called 911 around 2:25 a.m. after a dispute between the parents, sources said.
"She had an affair, and he moved out, and then they reconciled after a couple of months," said Chris Dowling, 52, who lives across the street.
“There had been some problems between them -- [but] nothing over and beyond. They would split up for a couple of months, and then they’d reconcile. "
They would argue in their house but not anything outside,” he added.
Jodi Surinaga worked as a school-bus attendant and her husband is an FDNY mechanic who also held a second job delivering pizza from Joe and Pat’s, neighbors said. They had been married 20 years.
The family lived in the home for about 18 years and seemed like a “good couple,” Dowling said.
“It’s terrible, I mean absolutely, horrible,” Dowling said after cops led his neighbor away in handcuffs.
“You don’t expect it here, and I never expected it from them.”
The murdered woman’s parents, who live a few blocks away, arrived at the house after the carnage. The victim’s grief-stricken mom was taken away in an ambulance, according to neighbors.
“The mother was hysterical,” Dowling said.
It was not immediately clear how much the teenage children witnessed, but the son seemed dazed when he returned for his belongings, neighbors said.
“The grandfather brought the son back to go in and get some stuff,” said neighbor Sean O’Donovan, 38. “He was, you could tell, in shock, because he was getting disoriented, going toward the detectives’ truck instead of his grandfather’s.”
The husband had returned to the home to take care of odd chores after the couple split up in the spring, and they seemed happy when out in public, despite their marital strife, neighbors said.
“He moved out, but he kept coming around,” said O’Donovan, who knew the family for over 10 years.
The dad of two, Gregory Surinaga, 45, then tried to hang himself when EMTs responded to the house of horrors, the sources said.
Surinaga -- who neighbors said worked as a mechanic for the city Fire Department -- was taken into custody, sources added.
His wife, Jodi Surinaga, 42, was found dead in their Beechwood Place home in Castleton Corners after one of the couple’s two teenage children called 911 around 2:25 a.m. after a dispute between the parents, sources said.
"She had an affair, and he moved out, and then they reconciled after a couple of months," said Chris Dowling, 52, who lives across the street.
“There had been some problems between them -- [but] nothing over and beyond. They would split up for a couple of months, and then they’d reconcile. "
They would argue in their house but not anything outside,” he added.
Jodi Surinaga worked as a school-bus attendant and her husband is an FDNY mechanic who also held a second job delivering pizza from Joe and Pat’s, neighbors said. They had been married 20 years.
The family lived in the home for about 18 years and seemed like a “good couple,” Dowling said.
“It’s terrible, I mean absolutely, horrible,” Dowling said after cops led his neighbor away in handcuffs.
“You don’t expect it here, and I never expected it from them.”
The murdered woman’s parents, who live a few blocks away, arrived at the house after the carnage. The victim’s grief-stricken mom was taken away in an ambulance, according to neighbors.
“The mother was hysterical,” Dowling said.
It was not immediately clear how much the teenage children witnessed, but the son seemed dazed when he returned for his belongings, neighbors said.
“The grandfather brought the son back to go in and get some stuff,” said neighbor Sean O’Donovan, 38. “He was, you could tell, in shock, because he was getting disoriented, going toward the detectives’ truck instead of his grandfather’s.”
The husband had returned to the home to take care of odd chores after the couple split up in the spring, and they seemed happy when out in public, despite their marital strife, neighbors said.
“He moved out, but he kept coming around,” said O’Donovan, who knew the family for over 10 years.
Cass County, KS: Cass County woman charged in shooting death of husband
A Cass County woman has been charged in the shooting death of her husband on Thursday.
Authorities took Billie B. Campbell, 55, into custody Saturday after she was released from a hospital. She was jailed on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Her bond is set at $1 million cash.
According to the Cass County sheriff’s office, deputies were called about 9:50 p.m. Thursday on a reported shooting in the 27000 block of Southeast Outer Road, south of Harrisonville near U.S. 71. They found a wounded Eldon Eugene Campbell Jr., 60. He later died at the hospital.
Campbell, known as Rocky, was an owner of Campbell Fire Protection, which is in the same block where the shooting occurred. The business installs and services fire protection and security equipment and systems.
Court records show that the Cass County sheriff’s office denied Eldon Campbell a gun permit in July 2009 but in response to a judge’s order issued him one three months later, according to The Star’s reporting partner, KCTV5.
In April of this year, Billie Campbell filed for divorce. Later that month, according to KCTV5, the two were given protective orders against each other.
Authorities took Billie B. Campbell, 55, into custody Saturday after she was released from a hospital. She was jailed on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Her bond is set at $1 million cash.
According to the Cass County sheriff’s office, deputies were called about 9:50 p.m. Thursday on a reported shooting in the 27000 block of Southeast Outer Road, south of Harrisonville near U.S. 71. They found a wounded Eldon Eugene Campbell Jr., 60. He later died at the hospital.
Campbell, known as Rocky, was an owner of Campbell Fire Protection, which is in the same block where the shooting occurred. The business installs and services fire protection and security equipment and systems.
Court records show that the Cass County sheriff’s office denied Eldon Campbell a gun permit in July 2009 but in response to a judge’s order issued him one three months later, according to The Star’s reporting partner, KCTV5.
In April of this year, Billie Campbell filed for divorce. Later that month, according to KCTV5, the two were given protective orders against each other.
Chula Vista, CA:Man Fatally Stabs Girlfriend While Toddler is Home
Chula Vista police arrested a 22-year-old man
Saturday night for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend to death in front
of the couple's 3-year-old child.
Officers responded to reports of domestic violence in the 1100-block Morgan Hill Road around 7:15 p.m., police said.
The victim, Yesenia Lynn, 21, was found dead in an upstairs bedroom. Her body had multiple stab wounds, according to police.
Officers on scene had to negotiate
with suspect Michael Chavez by telephone to convince him to come
outside. He walked out of the home carrying his 3-year-old daughter.
Police said the child was not injured during the incident. She was safely taken into custody.
Homicide detectives and the Chula Vista Police Department Family Protection Unit are investigating.
Chavez was booked into jail on suspicion of first degree murder. He is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Wednesday.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Virginia Beach, VA: Police: Beach woman strangled to death
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - The cause of death of a woman found dead in her apartment earlier this week has been determined as strangulation, according to police.
Grazia Moyers with the Virginia Beach Police Department said officers responded to the 1500 block of Hiawatha Drive around 3 p.m. for a report of an unresponsive woman on Monday, Nov. 26.
Upon arrival, officers found the victim, 29-year-old Mandi Myers, dead in her apartment.
Court documents reveal Myers' sister could not get ahold of her so she went to her apartment. There, she found Myers' body inside of a closet.
The night before, a neighbor told WAVY.com said she heard haunting noises coming from Myers' apartment.
"It sounded like screaming at children," the neighbor said. "It was really loud, and a lot of noise."
Myers' vehicle was missing from the apartment. Further investigation revealed Myers' ex-boyfriend, Jamiel Douglas Graves, 29, of the 9300 block of Marlow Avenue in Norfolk, took Myers' vehicle and a firearm from her apartment, Moyers said.
Graves and Myers had two children together.
Graves was been arrested in connection to Myers' death and charged with murder, grand larceny of a motor vehicle and grand larceny of a firearm.
Myers' family declined comment Thursday, but added she was an amazing woman and how saddened they are by the loss.
Wednesday, Graves was charged with the murder in connection with the death of Phylicia Robinson, a Norfolk mother who was last seen Oct. 3. Her body was found Tuesday inside of a closet in Graves' home on Marlow Avenue.
Rapid City, SD: Man admits to killing ex’s sleeping boyfriend
RAPID CITY (AP) — A South Dakota man accused of attacking a sleeping man with a baseball bat and beating him to death has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Kyle Yankton, 21, entered the plea Wednesday in federal court in Rapid City. In exchange for pleading guilty, prosecutors downgraded the charge from first-degree murder and agreed to recommend that Yankton serve from 23 to 30 years in prison. The judge could still reject the deal.
Prosecutors say Yankton entered his ex-girlfriend’s house in Pine Ridge on June 30 and killed her boyfriend, Pablo Galindo Jr., 23, by beating him over the head with the bat while he was sleeping.
Lorna Galindo, of Scottsbluff, Neb., said after the hearing that her oldest son was an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe who moved from Nebraska to Pine Ridge just two months before the incident to help out his grandparents.
Philadephia, PA: Boyfriend sought in woman's North Philadelphia killing
Police were searching Wednesday for the boyfriend of a 27-year-old woman shot and killed Tuesday night in their North Philadelphia apartment while two children slept in another room.
Dominique Haynes, 33, was named by police Wednesday as a person of interest in the killing of Rasheedah Blunt about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday on the 3500 block of Old York Road.
Neighbors reported hearing a loud argument between Blunt and a man in the second-floor apartment before the shooting, Homicide Unit Capt. James Clark said.
A neighbor called 911 after hearing gunfire, Clark said. When police arrived at the rowhouse, he said, the man had fled.
Blunt, whom police found in her bed, had gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene, Clark said.
Haynes did not show up for work Wednesday and "hasn't been seen," Clark said at a news conference at Police Headquarters.
"We need to talk to him," Clark said. He did not say where Haynes worked.
Clark said Haynes and Blunt had been dating for six months and living together for three.
He did not say whether the couple had a history of disputes, but said Haynes was "very well known to police" and was on probation.
Blunt's 6-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old boy she was watching, son of a friend, slept through the shooting, Clark said. They did not wake up until police arrived. Clark said the children were unharmed and with family members Wednesday.
Blunt's family could not be reached Wednesday. A neighbor said Blunt could often be seen in scrubs walking her daughter to school.
Clark said Haynes should be considered armed and "extremely dangerous." Anyone with information about Haynes' whereabouts is being asked to call the Homicide Unit at 215-686-3334 or 911.
Contact Maddie Hanna at 215-854-2771 or mhanna@phillynews.com.
Erie, PA: Erie man charged with homicide in death of city woman
A domestic dispute at a west Erie apartment Saturday night led to an assault that killed a 51-year-old woman, Erie police said Wednesday.
Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook ruled the death of Mary Smith a homicide after an autopsy by Erie County forensic pathologist Eric Vey, M.D., on Wednesday.
The exact cause of Smith's death is pending additional information, Cook said.
Smith is Erie County's 14th homicide victim this year, with 11 of those deaths occurring in the city.
There were eight homicides in the county in 2011, including six in Erie.
Erie police filed a new criminal complaint Wednesday against Jeff A. Selby, 51, charging him with criminal homicide in Smith's death.
Selby, of the 1000 block of Peach Street, was also arraigned before Erie 6th Ward District Judge Dominick DiPaolo on charges of aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and unlawful restraint/serious bodily injury.
DiPaolo returned Selby to the Erie County Prison without bond, and scheduled his preliminary hearing for Dec. 5.
Selby has been in jail since Sunday morning, after he was arraigned before DiPaolo on attempted homicide and other charges. Those charges were withdrawn when the new criminal complaint was filed.
Police said Smith and Selby had dated off and on for about three months.
The two were found in the bathroom of Smith's apartment at 428 W. 17th St. by officers who were summoned there at about 6:20 p.m. Saturday to investigate a reported domestic dispute. A neighbor called police after the neighbor said Smith told the neighbor that Selby would not let her leave, and she needed the police.
The neighbor said Selby pulled Smith back into the apartment and locked the door. Officers who responded entered the apartment through a window after no one answered when they knocked at the door, and officers saw and heard movement inside, police said.
Smith was unconscious when police found her in the bathroom. She and Selby were taken to Saint Vincent Health Center.
Smith suffered multiple injuries to her upper body and neck, including three fractured ribs, according to the criminal complaint. Officers observed injuries including multiple wounds to her right rib cage; bruising on her right hip, right elbow and right armpit; and bruising and scratches on her neck, detectives wrote in the complaint.
Smith was brain-dead when she was admitted to the hospital, according to police. She was pronounced dead at Saint Vincent on Tuesday at 2 p.m., Cook said.
TIM HAHN can be reached at 870-1731 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNhahn.
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