New sanctions against profiting on the display of the Confederate flag have been announced in Canada. Retailer Carl Neary of Windco Flags on Portugal Cove Road, St. John’s, Newfoundland, said the store had been selling the flags as novelty items only.

Neary explained to the CBC that sales at his store have been stopped, and remaining Confederate flag merchandise will be destroyed.

“I don’t know if people in Newfoundland really see it as the Confederate flag or the Dukes of Hazard [sic] flag. I’ve always felt that the Confederate was a novelty flag around Canada. They haven’t really given much reason for buying it, but I haven’t been asking many questions.”

As PBS Newshour notes, it is actually against the law to destroy or desecrate the Confederate flag in several American states.

As previously reported by Inquisitr, retailers with international markets, including Walmart, Etsy, Google, and Amazon, have already removed Confederate flag merchandise from their online stores.

Many additional Canadian flag retailers have already removed the Confederate flag from store shelves in Vancouver, Ontario, and Alberta.

These are only some of the latest in a series of motions to stop the promotion of a flag that has become associated with such violent extremist groups as the KKK, as mass grief is responded to by an increasing number of North Americans.

Since the murder of nine people in a South Carolina church last week by an 18-year-old shooter, apparently radicalized to insanity by a North American extremist group, calls to remove the Confederate flag from state capitals and state flags have been echoing across the United States of America.

South Carolina governor Nikki Haley has called for the removal of the flag from the South Carolina capital. Alabama governor Robert Bentley has already removed the Confederate flag from the Alabama capital. There are also calls to remove the Confederate flag from more state license plates across America.

The debate about removing the Confederate flag from state capitals and from state flags and license plates is not a new one. Protests have increased since the South Carolina murders, partly from an increase in mass grief, and partly due to political motivation.

As CNN reported, the Confederate flag issue is now an election topic that will be difficult to avoid. Some believe that it will be deciding issue for many voters.

Many comments on social media indicate a troubled awareness on the part of grieving Americans that the problem is not the Confederate flag at all, but the lack of arrests or any type of justice for the recruiters, real men and real women that are still at large and who co-ordinate extreme crime with no consequences for their criminal behavior.

The shooter wasn’t radicalized overnight. It is clear fellow North Americans target our children from a young age, and their goals include murder.

The Confederate flag did not shoot nine people at a church service, an 18-year-old American did. One arrest for a crime acknowledged by so many Senators and the President of the United States to be a group crime is not adequate, nor is it just.

[Lead Image Photo Credit: Joe Raedie / Getty Images]

Canadian Retailers Destroying Confederate Flag Merchandise As American Manufacturers Stop Production: General Lee Debates Rage On is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A group of Mississippi ghost hunters Sunday night stumbled upon something that they most assuredly didn’t expect to find: a dead body. They promptly beat a retreat.

As the Vicksburg Post reports, a group of ghost hunters was exploring the abandoned Kuhn Memorial State Hospital at about 7:00 p.m. when they found the body, says Vicksburg Police Chief Walter Armstrong.

“We found a white female that appears to be in her late 60’s with trauma to the head and the body has been sent to Jackson to be processed. There was some people over at the hospital ghost hunting and they stumbled upon the body, and they took off and reported it to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.”

It turns out that Vicksburg just happens to be in the midst of an ongoing homicide investigation, according to CBS News. In fact, the story is almost as creepy as any ghost story. Here’s what happened:

Police in the nearby town of Leland found a vehicle abandoned alongside the road. When they determined that the vehicle belonged to a 69-year-old Vicksburg woman, they notified Vicksburg police, who went to her house. There, they found signs of a disturbance, but no one was home. Then, on Sunday morning, a routine traffic stop turned up two men driving a stolen vehicle and carrying weapons; both were arrested. One of the men claimed to know the location of the missing woman’s body, and led police on a wild goose chase.

“The gentleman that we had with us that had been arrested in Leland was to show us where he had let the lady out of the vehicle, but that never panned out. We ended up canvassing several turn roads up there in hopes to find her, but we didn’t. We don’t believe that he was being truthful, we believe he was lying the whole time and only came back to Vicksburg when we heard that a body had been found.”

As of this post, police have not connected the body found by the ghost hunters with the missing woman, but Armstrong isn’t letting that stop him from putting two and two together.

“We can not say that the body found at the hospital is her, but this body happens to be that of a white female that matches the description of the [missing woman].”

The Kuhn State Hospital, where the body was found, is a popular destination for ghost hunters. The abandoned building, vacant since 1989, has been the site of creepy goings-on for years.

Although the body found by the ghost hunters has not officially been identified as of this post, Chief Armstrong has notified the family of the missing woman that a body matching her description has been found.

[Image courtesy of Shutterstock / Tom Tom]

Mississippi Ghost Hunters Found Something They Weren’t Expecting: A Dead Body is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A handful of proposed reforms to the New York City Police Department (NYPD) has the police officers’ union seeing red, The New York Post is reporting.

Those measures before the City Council include provisions that officers get a suspect’s consent before searching their person, home, or vehicle without probable cause or a warrant (a requirement already established by the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution); imprisonment for officers who use illegal chokeholds such as the one that contributed to the death of Eric Garner; and a requirement that officers give out the number of the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) at every arrest.

Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) – that is, the NYPD police officers’ union – is not impressed.

“These pieces of legislation have been proposed by individuals who have neither the expertise nor the experience to establish policy in the dangerous business of fighting crime. Policing policies must be left to the police management who understand the intricacies and difficulties of complex legal issues and the appropriate use of crime-fighting tactics.”

But to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the proposed NYPD police reforms are merely common sense. In a statement made available via Russia Today, the ACLU called on the city council to pass the proposed reforms.

“Too often, New Yorkers are subjected to police encounters in which they are provided no information about the person stopping them or the basis for the interaction. New Yorkers have often misunderstood the extent of their privacy rights during a consensual search, and police officers exploit that misunderstanding.”

Other proposed NYPD reform measures before the city council include the following:

• A measure requiring the NYPD to report the precincts of the cops with the most CCRB complaints against them.
• A measure allowing “injurious physical force” only when absolutely necessary, and only a “proportionate amount” of such force.
• A task force to study a possible body camera program.

Councilman Rory Lancman, who has sponsored three of the proposed police reform measures, is clear that the timing of the proposed reforms is important.

“[These proposed reform measures have] everything to do with the fact that we are fast approaching the one-year anniversary of Eric Garner’s death and the public rightly wants to know what we have done to make things better.”

Do you think the proposed NYPD reforms are reasonable? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.

[Image courtesy of: Getty Images/Spencer Platt]

NYPD ‘Livid’ Over Proposed Reforms That Include Consent For Searches, Punishing Use Of Chokeholds is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Glenn Ford, a 65-year-old man who was exonerated last year after it was proved that he was wrongly convicted for a crime he did not commit has died a little over a year since his exoneration. According to USA Today, Glenn Ford, who was suffering from lung cancer, died on Monday. His death was confirmed by the Innocence Project New Orleans. According to a press release issued by the organisation, Ford passed away at 2:11 a.m. local time surrounded by family and friends.

Before his release in 2014, he was wrongly convicted for the murder of Isadore Rozeman, a jeweler from Shreveport, Louisiana. Isadore was robbed and killed – allegedly by Glenn. However, in 2014, a confidential informant informed police that it was someone else who had committed the murder which Ford was accused of committing – paving way for his release. When he was released last year, Ford had spent 29 years, three months and five days of his life in prison. At the time of his release on March 10, 2014, Glenn was the longest-serving death row inmate in the United States.

Glenn Ford’s wrongful conviction became an issue of national discussion last year after the Attorney who pressed for his conviction apologised to him for his role in Ford’s wrongful conviction. Attorney A.M. “Marty” Stroud III, the lead prosecutor in Ford’s trial, had written a letter to Ford apologizing for his role in his wrongful conviction. In the letter, Stroud recalled that he was 33-years old, arrogant and judgmental in 1984 when he had Glenn Ford sentenced to death. Glen would then sent the rest of his 30 years in death row.

“In 1984, I was 33 years old. I was arrogant, judgmental, narcissistic and very full of myself. I was not as interested in justice as I was in winning,” Stroud wrote in a letter that went viral

Both the men later met face to face – but Ford said he was unable to apologize to the man who caused him to wrongly spend nearly half of his life in prison. Glenn Ford, too, was 33-years-old at the time of his conviction.

When he was released, all Glenn Ford had was $20 given to him by the State Of Louisiana for a bus ride home. He was also denied further compensation under the state’s wrongful conviction statute, Innocence Project New Orleans said.

Soon after his release, Ford was diagnosed with Lung cancer which led to his death on Monday. Glenn Ford never married but had several children. Several of his grandchildren were able to meet him before his death. A service is scheduled to held in his memory, officials from Innocence Project New Orleans confirmed.

This is not the first time the Inquisitr had reported about people being released decades after wrongful convictions. Last year, the Inquisitr had reported about the release of Susan Marie Ellen who was released after spending 17 years in prison.

[Image Via USA Today]

Glenn Ford: Louisiana Man Convicted Of Murder He Did Not Commit Dies A Year After Spending 30 Years In Prison is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A boy was in a swing for three days when he was discovered dead by police, and now his death is being ruled a homicide.

Last month, a 3-year-old Maryland boy named Ji’Aire Lee was found dead in a swing at a Southern Maryland park as his mother pushed him. According to the Washington Post, Ji’Aire was alive when he was put in the swing, but died after being pushed for three days.

Charles County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Diane Richardson confirmed that Lee’s death was considered a homicide, and a medical examiner’s office said he died from dehydration and hypothermia.

The police had been notified of suspicious activity on May 22, after they noticed the 24-year-old mother Romechia Simms pushing her son for an unusual amount of time at Wills Memorial Park near La Plata, about 35 miles (55 km) south of Washington, Reuters reports. The police arrived at approximately 7 a.m. and immediately noticed the boy was not alive. At the time, they were unsure of how he had died.

New post: “Death of baby found in swing ruled homocide” http://t.co/Taz92TeOsx

— USA tday (@mshusa) June 30, 2015

Ji’Aire and his mother had been at the park since Wednesday, and police didn’t discover them until Friday. While a time of death has not been determined, Richardson says the temperatures on Thursday were unseasonably cold. The autopsy results will be sent to the county state’s attorney’s office, who will then decide whether or not to press charges against the boy’s mother.

On Tuesday night, Vontasha Simms, the boy’s grandmother, spoke to reporters, saying that her daughter had suffered from so much mental illness that she “doesn’t realize herself that she was there for that long of a time.”

“We’re all upset by it [Ji’Aire’s death], because that’s not what we’re about. It doesn’t shine a good light,” Vontasha Simms said. “We know she was in a terrible situation, and I know she didn’t do anything purposefully to harm him. But I am not going to contradict anything [investigators] are saying. I don’t want to muddy the waters.”

Ji’Aire Lee death is a case of homicide He died of hypothermia & dehydration while being pushed on a swing by his mom pic.twitter.com/jjrIY6lgpl

— Doug Buchanan (@dbfox5) June 30, 2015

Right now, the Simms’ have not hired an attorney, but Vontasha said they are looking into it.

“Right now, we’re waiting to see what happens,” she said. “It’s just a tough pill to swallow. I don’t know what [the prosecutors] are going to do, but our main concern is keeping [Romechia Simms] emotionally stable. She’s at a fragile point. She goes a few times a week to a mental health facility.”

Dead toddler Ji’Aire Donnell Lee pushed on swing for two days, reports say http://t.co/26BYoibFCa pic.twitter.com/IjwPUG2whw

— The Daily Telegraph (@dailytelegraph) July 1, 2015

Just weeks before Ji’Aire’s death, James “Donnell” Lee, his father, had petitioned the court for custody, claiming that he was “concerned for [his] child’s safety and well being.”

However, when Lee and Simms appeared before D.C. Superior Court Judge Peter A. Krauthamer on May 11, he did not reiterate his fears, and when he was asked if there was an unfit parent, he responded by saying, “there’s no one unfit.”

[Photo via Shutterstock]

Boy Was In Swing For Three Days When Found Dead, Ji’Aire Lee’s Death Ruled Homicide is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A group of hotel workers chased a killer, showing their bravery in a moment of pure chaos.

A video, obtained by SkyNews, shows the hotel workers chasing after killer Selfeddine Rezgui as he made his way through the grounds of the Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel in Sousse on Friday afternoon.

Selfeddine Rezgui apparently entered the hotel grounds and opened fire at the crowd, killing 38 people, 30 who are believed to be British, according to Express.

One Tunisian threw an ashtray at the gunman, while another tried to attack him with a glass bottle of olive oil. Ibrahim el-Ghoul, 18, leapt on a jetski so he could get close to the terrorist to throw rocks at him. However, before pursing Rezgui, el-Ghoul made sure to help the tourists, saving four of them and shouting “Allahu Akbar [GOD IS GREAT].”

Below is el-Ghoul’s account of what happened.

“When I got there I found four British tourists — one man, two women and a girl — who were swimming down the beach, trying to get away. They were so scared. So I jumped into the water and tried to protect them and take them to a boat that was near.

When I was taking the first one into the boat, someone said: ‘He’s out! He’s out!’ I saw the terrorist coming out of the hotel with a gun in his hand. He looked towards me swimming with these people because he heard their screams.

He raised the gun and aimed at me. He didn’t see I was an Arab. I gathered the four people close to me and turned my back towards him and shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’.

When he heard ‘Allahu Akbar’ he lowered his gun and went on walking along the beach. Then I decided to go after him. So I took a jetski and caught up to where he was.

I picked up rocks and was throwing them at him, anything I could. I was about seven meters behind him. I was saying bad words in Arabic at him. But he just kept smiling. He walked about five metres and stopped, turned around and said: ‘I am not here to kill you. Turn around and go home.’ That was the last thing I heard from him.”

“When the terrorist started killing tourists, I was in the sea trying to evacuate some people,” Mahdi, 25, a hotel staff member said, according to the Canada Journal. “Afterwards, I ran after him and threw an ashtray when I saw that he was out of bullets, before he could reload and shoot, because there were many people nearby.”

A video has since emerged of the terrorist attack,with the cameraman believed to be a member of the hotel’s staff. He is seen chasing after Rezgui, ducking in and out of harms way. Eventually, the police intervened, and Rezgui was killed in an exchange of gunfire.

The Islamic State terror group has claimed responsibility for the killings, which is the worst terrorist attack on British people since the July 7 bombings on the London Underground nearly 10 years ago.

What do you think about the hotel workers chasing the killer? Leave your comments below.

[Photo via Shutterstock]

Hotel Workers Chase Killer: Video Shows Hotel Staff Chasing Gunman As He Murders 38 People [Watch] is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Journey drummer Deen Castronovo has officially been arraigned on charges of rape, and multiple other crimes, in an Oregon courthouse, People is reporting. He has been denied bail.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Castronovo was first arrested on June 14 and charged with menacing and aggravated assault after an argument with a woman. At the time, he posted bail and was released. However, since his release, the 50-year-old has allegedly committed other crimes against the woman, including forcible rape and additional charges of menacing, among others. Based on the new charges, Circuit Judge Audrey Broyles denied Castronovo bail, according to the Statesman Journal.

The additional charges against Castronovo include five counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of second-degree criminal mischief, one count of first-degree rape, two counts of menacing, one count of second-degree assault, one count of second-degree sex abuse, one count of unlawful use of a weapon, one count of coercion, and three counts of contempt of court. The alleged crimes, including the initial charges and the charges since Castronovo initially posted bail, took place between April 25 and June 29, 2015.

Although some sources are not identifying Castronovo’s alleged victim, TMZ has stated that the victim of the crimes was Deen’s wife.

Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Gardiner states that, while he was free on bail, Castronovo allegedly texted his victim 122 times and called her 35 times.

“The texts ranged from threats to kill himself, that she hates him, that he hates her. They were sorrowful and vengeful — several also said he wanted to see her suffer for what ‘she has done,’ to him.”

Gardiner also stated that allowing Castronovo to post bail would put the victim at risk of further harm by him.

“He will disregard the court order. His continued threats and contact presents a risk to be released.”

Castronovo has had a history of running afoul of the law. In 2012, Deen was charged with interfering with a police report, reckless endangerment, harassment, and second degree criminal mischief following an incident with a woman who was later identified as his ex-girlfriend.

The band Journey, meanwhile, has moved on from Castronovo, at least for the time being. In a statement on the band’s Facebook page, Journey announced that they have hired Omar Hakim as their temporary drummer through August 6.

Deen Castronovo had been with Journey since 1998.

[Image courtesy of: Getty Images / Handout]

Deen Castronovo, Drummer For Rock Band Journey, Charged With Rape, Denied Bail is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Singer Enrique Iglesias was arrested in Florida this spring, and the news is now making headlines. While the initial news of the singer’s arrest seemingly flew under the radar at the time, he’s facing charges related to the incident and is due in court soon. The singer, and his tour manager (who was involved in the incident), are said to have pled not guilty to the charges they’re facing.

As NBC Miami reports, the charges are a result of an incident that took place during a traffic stop in Miami-Dade County on May 6. Enrique Iglesias was arrested after his Cadillac Escalade was pulled over on Interstate 95.

Reports indicate that after the Escalade was pulled over, Enrique quickly jumped from the driver’s seat to the back of the vehicle. Isglesias’ passenger, said to be his tour manager, Abel Tabuyo, then slid into the driver’s seat. After that, Iglesias slid into the passenger seat and the two men tried to lead the officer to believe that Tabuyo had been the driver all along.

The Florida Highway Patrol report indicates that an officer saw Iglesias’ vehicle improperly move from the regular lanes on Interstate 95 into an express lane, though the express lanes were clearly marked and closed. The trooper saw the driver and passenger exchange seats, which is what led to problems for the both of them. In addition, it seems that Tabuyo even admitted the two had switched seats, though he reportedly said he didn’t know why he went along with the idea.

After Enrique Iglesias was arrested, he was charged with obstruction without violence and driving with a suspended license. Tabuyo was also charged with obstruction in the incident. Reports indicate that all of the charges are misdemeanors. Entertainment Tonight shares that both men were taken into custody after the May 6 incident, and they were released once they signed commitments to appear in court.

This has been a challenging few months for the singer, as just a few weeks after the arrest he severely injured his hand during a concert. Though Enrique kept singing at the time, the injuries were significant and video of the incident went viral online. Iglesias needed reconstructive surgery to manage the injuries.

Most would imagine that Enrique Iglesias’ arrest and charges won’t lead to anything too concerning in terms of consequences, though for now, fans will have to stay tuned. Enrique’s next court date is said to be July 10.

[Photo by Anthony Harvey / Getty Images]

Enrique Iglesias Arrested And Charged After Driver Switcheroo Stunt Goes Awry is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Though the drama surrounding the Duggar family and 19 Kids and Counting had died down a bit, a new report indicates that there may be a Josh Duggar lawsuit brewing. The time limitations from a criminal standpoint related to the molestation incidents may have passed already, but a new report indicates that one of Josh’s victims may be considering a civil lawsuit. What’s the scoop?

InTouch reports that the molestation victim who is not a member of the Duggar family is preparing to file a civil lawsuit against Josh Duggar. If the suit does indeed move forward, it seems that Josh and his parents, Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar, would face depositions and possibly need to testify in court. This could certainly get hairy, as the site reports that the family could not invoke their Fifth Amendment rights due to the statute of limitations running out on the criminal side.

Though TLC has pulled all episodes of 19 Kids and Counting for now, they have not yet officially canceled the show. There had been some buzz about a possible spin-off involving Jill and Jessa, but the network hasn’t shown any signs of moving forward on that front. Given how Jill, Derick, and Israel are heading in a new direction and pursuing international ministry, it would seem that the Duggars may be preparing to bid farewell to the television cameras.

In terms of the Josh Duggar lawsuit, it seems that this unnamed victim does indeed still have the ability to file a civil lawsuit under Arkansas law. As Raw Story notes, the police report revealed that the five victims included four of Josh’s sisters plus a non-related babysitter who had been at the Duggar home. Jill and Jessa came forward and did an interview addressing the incidents, though the other victims have not been publicly named.

As was previously reported by the Inquisitr, sources indicate that the babysitter who is not a Duggar family member is considering a suit not only because of the molestation, but also because of how the family handled the situation with their Fox News interviews. Though there are a lot of 19 Kids fans standing by Josh, Michelle, Jim Bob, and the full family, there have been plenty of critics as well. Many felt that the family came off looking poorly in the Fox interviews and it seems likely that this victim would have a lot of support should she move forward with a lawsuit.

If indeed this victim does file a lawsuit, Josh Duggar and his parents could find themselves scrambling. Most would imagine that a civil lawsuit would likely become the final nail in the coffin in terms of TLC and any possible moves to put 19 Kids and Counting back on the air. For now, everybody will have to stay tuned and see if anything formally develops along the lines of the reported Josh Duggar lawsuit from this former victim.

[Image via Newslocker]

Josh Duggar Facing Lawsuit? ’19 Kids And Counting’ Star May Face Suit From Molestation Victim is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Kimberly Lynne Umphlett, a teacher in North Carolina and employee of Dirty Dick’s Crab House (according to her Facebook Page), has been arrested for sex with an underage student. The New York Daily News is reporting today that 24-year old Kimberly Lynne Umphlett was arrested and charged with felonious sex offense for being in a relationship with an 11th grade student who attended Currituck County High School in the city of Barco. Court documents indicate that the sexual relationship with the student began in April of this year and continued until May. Public records indicate that Kimberly Lynne Umphlett has lived in Kill devil hills, North Carolina and Gates, North Carolina. It is unclear if the student is male or female.

Authorities learned about the case when school administrators alerted them about the inappropriate relationship. Detectives say the student confided in another teacher about the affair, leading that teacher to tell school administrators. Kimberly Lynne Umphlett was fired from her position at the Currituck County High School, where she had worked as an English teacher since August 2013.

Kimberly Umphlett turned herself in to authorities. Bond was set at $5,000. Umphlett was released after bonding out of jail. As of now, no trial date has been indicated. The number of teachers who are sexually involved with students is staggering.

In another recent case, 25-year old Carrie Miller, a teacher at Johnson Country Central High School in Tecumseh, Nebraska, was sent to prison for sex with a 15-year old student. Carrie Miller, who taught Spanish at the high school, was involved with the underage student for a year.

In Florida, Alecia Dotson, a 45-year old teacher’s aide at Highland Grove Elementary School was arrested for attempting to have sex with an 11-year old boy in a movie theater. Authorities say that Alecia Dotson was a mentor to the 5th grade boy but had developed “a crush” on him. When police arrested Dotson, she had a strawberry lubricant in her possession.

As reported by CBS, the U.S. Department of Education concluded the following:

“The study found that up to seven percent of all middle and high school students were the targets of physical sexual abuse by teachers, coaches and other adults working in the school system.() The data supports that but that there was a lot more female abuse than I imagined. One-third of the reported abuse is female to male.”

In an effort to combat the problem of sexual molestation, it is suggested that parents and school administrators speak frequently with students about sexual predators and how to report questionable incidences and encounters before a crime actually takes place. Parents should also be leery of legal adults who take a special interest in a child.

[Photo Credit: Facebook]

Kimberly Lynne Umphlett: Former Teacher, ‘Dirty Dicks’ Employee, Arrested For Intercourse With Student In North Carolina is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Aaron Veliz, a 42-year-old man from Houston, Texas, is on the run after shooting and killing his estranged wife in front of their 16-year-old son. According to KHOU, Veliz fatally shot his wife, 44-year-old Armandina Leach, as their own teenaged son watched in horror.

According to officers from the Houston Police Department, the incident happened shortly before midnight on Wednesday in the driveway of a residence on 8136 Findlay Street. Initial reports say that Leach was inside her pickup truck when Aaron approached the truck and fired several bullets. She was visiting a relative and had gone there to drop her teenage son.

According to Dolores Medrano, a resident of the neighborhood, she was terrified when she heard the sound of gunshot.

“Pow, pow, pow. It sounded like four gunshots. I was too scared to even open the window or anything,” she said.

Investigators believe that Veliz hid in the bushes near the driveway of the home and waited for an opportunity to fire the fatal shots. The badly injured Leach was taken to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, New York Daily News reported.

Aaron’s wife Armandina Leach who was shot dead

Marelana Piña, a friend described Leach as a great friend.

“I never thought this could happen to her. Not to her. She was awesome. She was like mama bear! She always be there for the kids, 100-percent for the kids no matter how busy she was.”

The couple’s teenage son, who was witness to the shooting, was not injured in the attack. Meanwhile, eyewitnesses told police that Veliz was last seen heading eastbound and was initially on foot.

The reason behind the fatal shooting remains unclear. However, authorities believe it could be related to the fact that Aaron and his wife had recently separated and had initiated the process of divorce. Apart from the teenaged son, the couple also have an 11-year-old daughter.

“I mean I feel bad for the kids really,” said neighbor Alyssa Gutierrez. “They ain’t got no mom, and now they don’t have a dad.”

Meanwhile, a manhunt is on for Aaron, who remains at large. Police officers have issued a warning and described Aaron Veliz as “armed and dangerous.” A K-9 unit has also been deployed in search of Veliz. An earlier search, however, revealed nothing. Officers suspect that Veliz could be headed to Mexico and have beefed up security near the border to make sure Aaron doesn’t cross over.

The Inquisitr had a few months ago reported about another such incident that involved a former Marine.

[Images via KHOU]

Aaron Veliz: Texas Man Shoots And Kills Wife In Front Of Their Own Teenage Son is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Running into old schoolmates can sometimes be a nostalgic thrill, a forgettable awkward encounter, or a downright embarrassing moment. And for one Arthur Booth, a recent courtroom reunion with a former middle school classmate seems to unfortunately teeter on the latter.

Booth appeared at the Miami-Dade Circuit Court in front of Judge Mindy Glazer, who was presiding over a bond hearing for the 49-year-old following an alleged burglary and police pursuit.

Upon seeing Booth, Glazer asked if he’d attended Nautilus Middle School.

“Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!” Booth exclaimed as a smile of recognition crept onto his face before he broke down and started crying.

“I’m sorry to see you there, I always wondered what happened to you sir,” said Glazer as Booth continued to cry. “This was the nicest kid in middle school, he was the best kid in middle school. I used to play football with him, all the kids, and look what has happened.”

Continuing, Glazer sought to offer words of encouragement to her former playmate.

“I am so sorry to see you there. Mr. Booth, I hope you are able to change your ways, good luck to you. What’s sad is how old we’ve become. Good luck to you sir, I hope you are able to come out of this ok and just lead a lawful life.”

According to Local10 News, Booth’s cousin, Melissa Miller, believes that he broke down in court after recognizing his old classmate because he had the potential to do great things with his life, and he felt shame and remorse for where he was.

“It just brought back memories of how smart he was,” said Miller. “He was a scholar, well-rounded athlete, bilingual.”

However, Miller states that Booth went down a path of drugs and crime instead of going to college. Still, despite his criminal record, Miller insists Booth is a good person and a loving father and grandfather.

“I was heartbroken. I mean, it just broke my heart,” she said. “We’re really trying to find help because there’s obviously a need for help.”

NBC reports that Booth was arrested on Monday on suspicion of robbery. It is alleged that when he was spotted by the police, he took off and a pursuit ensued, which resulted in two accidents before he was eventually caught.

Booth’s bond was set at $43,000.

[Image via NBC Miami]

Former Middle School Classmates Share An Emotional Reunion In Court As Judge And Defendant [Video] is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Jonathan Ryan Davis is charged with statutory sexual assault and corruption of minors. Police charged the 21-year-old with committing bizarre crimes in the quiet little town of Vandergrift, Pennsylvania.

Police told WTAE that Jonathan Ryan Davis admitted to the sexual assault charges, as well as the bloodletting accusations, when investigators questioned him in January.

According to police, Davis explained the idea of bloodletting and drinking a human’s blood came to him as a result of him playing the South Korean online computer game called Mabinogi.

Police said two female minors and one male minor were Jonathan Davis’ victims. According to law enforcement, some people who cut themselves and participated in bloodletting and blood swapping with Davis, were over 18-years-old.

On June 30, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Davis “used a knife to cut [a girl’s] arm. When he felt there was enough blood, he sucked the blood from her arm. He then cut himself and told her to drink his blood.”

As far as the statutory sexual assault charges against Jonathan Ryan Davis are concerned, Davis admitted to police that he had sex with a 14-year-old girl he knew was underage on December 14, 2014.

Jonathan Ryan Davis is accused of having sex with 14-year-old girl, and drinking teens’ blood. (Photo courtesy of DeviantArt/xNohara)

The criminal complaint says Davis and the girl were with a group at a park in Vandergrift. When everyone left the park for the night, the girl and Davis went into St. Gertrude Church on Franklin Avenue and had sexual intercourse.

In addition to the statutory sexual assault charges, the Westmoreland County man is facing charges that include telling a witness to lie to police and cutting the arms of several girls, licking their blood, and having the girls do the same to him.

KDKA reports comments made by Vandergrift Police Officer, Joseph Gray.

“There were some ritualistic issues from the summer and fall of last year, some bloodletting where victims (juveniles) cut their own wrists, and Davis would take their blood in his mouth and vice versa. None of the victims were forced into doing anything, and Davis has been fully co-operating in the on-going investigation.”

The charges against Davis for trying to get witnesses to lie to the police are a result of investigators discovering the following Facebook posts by Davis and a witness.

“Davis: ‘You were the last one with [Victim] and I, so you’re the only one that can say I left the same time as you.’

Witness: ‘[You] didn’t dude.’

Davis: ‘But you’re the only one that can say I did and get me out of this mess.”

When Officer Gray was asked if he had ever heard anything like this before, the 22-year veteran said, “Only in Hollywood.”

[Featured image via DeviantArt/xNohara]

Man Charged With Statutory Sexual Assault And Making Teenage Girls Drink Human Blood is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The murder of April Tinsely is back in the news and police are still looking for clues as to what happened to her. Hopefully, a new composite sketch of the killer will provide them with the answers. According to WTHR-13, Parabon NanoLabs is using DNA collected from the crime scene to make a new composite. April Tinsley is the 8-year-old girl who was found dead in Fort Wayne, Indiana in the late 1980’s. Since that time, law enforcement officials have very few leads in the case. The murder of April Tinsley was profiled on John Walsh’s hit show America’s Most Wanted.

April Tinsley was found dead in 1988, just three days after she was reported missing. Police became aware of the case when the victim’s mother contacted police after she failed to return home from a friend’s house. According to a witness, April Tinsley was last seen being pulled into a vehicle by a man. Investigators still have not identified the man despite the original police sketch. Over the years, law enforcement officials have released more details. They believe that the person who committed the crime knows the area well and is a white man who is now in his 40’s or 50’s. With the release of the new sketch, Fort Wayne police officials are expecting someone to come forward with the killer’s identity, Deputy Chief Paul Shrawder.

“When we became aware of Parabon NanoLabs and learned how the Snapshot DNA Phenotyping Service could assist us in providing investigators with another visual clue in the April Tinsley investigation, it made sense to utilize their expertise.”

Here is a brief timeline in the rape and murder of April Tinsley.

On April 1, 1988, April Tinsley leaves her home in the 300 block of West Williams Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The first grader then heads to pick up her umbrella from a friend’s home located in the 2300 block of Hoagland Avenue. A person then reports seeing a young girl fitting April Tinsley’s description being pulled into a truck by a man—possibly in his 30’s. Hour later, April Tinsley fails to show up at home and the police is called.

Three days later on April 4, 1988, a jogger comes across a dead body. The body is identified as missing child April Tinsley. An autopsy report concludes that the girl was suffocated an raped. The body was clothed with the same clothing that April Tinsley was last seen wearing. In 1990, a person admitting to the murder of April Tinsley scrawls the words “I will kill again” on a barn located on 5907 Schwartz Road. By 2004, various notes are found in several areas of Allen county. The confession notes are left in Ziploc bags. There have been no real developments in the case since 2004. Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Fort Wayne Police Department at 260-427-1222.

[Photo Credit: YouTube]

April Tinsley Kidnapping And Murder Still Baffles Police is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Four people were found dead by police in an apparent murder-suicide at a South Carolina home.

NBC affiliate WCNC reports that the deputies arrived at the scene of the crime, at the home on Dunlap Roddey Road, south of Rock Hill, in York County early on Sunday evening. According to the York County coroner, Randy Eugene Moore, 55; his wife, Anna Hubbard Moore, 50; their son, Jason Andrew Lockamy, 32; and his 31-year-old girlfriend, Lora Kathryn Young, were all reportedly found dead from gunshot wounds.

Anna Moore served as the York County Assistant Manager, supervising Animal Control, the Department of Fire Safety, Emergency Management, the detention center, Public Safety Communications, and the Summer Feeding Program, according to the Rock Hill Herald. Moore also served as interim county manager in 2013 while the County Council searched for a replacement.

“We lost one of our own,” said Bill Shanahan, who was ultimately hired for the position. “If you had a problem, she was the person you’d go to.”

“York County citizens lost a dedicated employee. She did her job well,” York County Councilman Curwood Chappell said.

Four have been found dead in an apparent murder-suicide at a South Carolina home http://t.co/iaBKdcfAAM pic.twitter.com/x7DceTox06

— People magazine (@people) July 6, 2015

Shanahan said county department heads met Monday morning and brought in grief counselors.

“It wasn’t real until we walked in here this morning,” Shanahan said.

So far, few details have been released about the shooting, but the police department did confirm that they are not actively looking for a suspect and are considering the crime as a murder-suicide. Sheriff Bruce Bryant said it appeared as though all four victims were killed on Sunday.

“Not at this time,” Bryant said. “We’ve got to go in and determine if there are any suspects. We’ll make a determination and then go forward.”

Neighbors told the Herald that the family had just moved into the home, approximately two weeks earlier. They also noted that one of the bodies was found outside of the home.

While the police have said they are not looking for a suspect, it is not yet known who was the shooter.

More details will be released as they become available.

[Photo via Shutterstock]

Four Found Dead By Police In Apparent Murder-Suicide At South Carolina Home is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The search for missing California baby Ember Graham is nearing an entire week, and authorities in Shasta County do not have good news regarding their investigation. ABC News 7 reports that the missing 6-month-old baby may no longer be alive. This unfortunate statement was confirmed by police in one of the most recent updates in the case. This comes on the heels of reports revealing that Matthew Graham has gone uncooperative.

Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko has led a transparent search from the beginning, keeping the public and the media updated with steps taken in the case. He has revealed that this search is leading authorities nowhere for now. He also shared a startling clue about the future prosecution of the child’s father.

“We don’t have any viable leads of where to look, so it’s a little bit of a needle in a haystack search. Matthew is still considered a person of interest and yes, recovering the body can provide in some cases, a lot of evidence value that would certainly help the case with prosecution. We are looking at a number of other charges that could also be brought against him as well.”

Is it possible that Matthew Graham is responsible for his daughter’s disappearance? The comments made by Bosenko indicate that more charges could come, depending on evidence uncovered in the search for Ember.

The Redding Record Searchlight reports that the search for Ember Graham may be called off in the near future. Sheriff Bosenko also confirmed again that there are no signs of abduction in Ember’s disappearance. No evidence points to such a scenario, indicating that her father Matthew Graham has been dishonest with investigators. With no evidence in searches, and no evidence of an abduction, authorities are operating under the idea that the missing baby is possibly dead. This is something already confirmed yesterday by the sheriff.

“My thoughts and prayers go out to the family, but at this point, it’s not looking good for the family.”

Ember Graham was reported missing by her father last week on July 2. Her father told authorities that his front door was open when he realized his daughter was gone. His story, at the time, seemed to indicate that someone walked into their home and snatched the infant from her crib as she and her parents slept. As previously reported, the evidence does not support the father’s claims, and he is now a person of interest in his daughter’s disappearance.

If you know anything about the disappearance of Ember Graham, or if you think you’ve made any sighting of evidence or of the missing baby, please do not hesitate to call 911 or contact the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office.

[Photo: Shasta County Sheriff’s Office handout]

Was Ember Graham Murdered? Missing California Baby ‘Likely Not Alive’ is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Nookie on the beach is something straight out of a romantic movie. And if you’re adventurous, you might want to try it. But a Florida man learned the wrong way to go about it. Rule number one — don’t do “it” in front of a kid.

Forty-year-old Jose Caballero got amorous with his girlfriend, Elissa Alvarez, 21, on Bradenton Beach last year. In the middle of the day. In full view of a toddler.

The Florida man was convicted on two counts lewd and lascivious exhibition and will spend two-and-a-half years in prison. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. The prosecution wanted to lock him away for 15 years because Jose used to be a cocaine trafficker; a crime for which he already served an eight-year prison sentence, the Bradenton Herald reported.

Because of Caballero’s criminal past, the fact that his girlfriend was half his age (they’re still together), and his “aggressive demeanor” that fateful day, they settled for the two-and-a-half year sentence, My Sun Coast added.

The jury took only 15 minutes to convict the Florida man. And a few people, mostly on Jose’s side, are calling his sentence unjust.

What happened on that day on the beach is still under dispute. Caballero and his paramour were apparently videotaped and watched by bystanders as she moved on top of him “in a sexual manner,” The Associated Press added. Witnesses described the act in graphic detail, testifying that a girl, aged 3, was nearby and saw the couple’s lewd behavior.

But Jose says those watching the exchange were mistaken. Oddly, the Florida man’s parents back him up. His father Rogelio, who is wheelchair bound after suffering a stroke, said his son’s punishment went too far.

“They were not naked, you know, they were playing around.”

His mom also contends that her son and his lady love were not getting nasty on the beach. And his attorney, Ronald Kurpiers, called the verdict and sex offender designation “horrifically unfair,” although his client’s past crimes tied his hands.

“I don’t believe that his sex-offender designation is applicable to what he’s charged with or what he’s convicted of. I think it’s horrifically unfair. …Do I believe, personally, that 2 1/2 years is something that he should have to do? The answer is no. But I was caught between a rock and a hard place.”

Alvarez was convicted of the same charges, but she was granted time served. Kurpiers plans to appeal the man’s sentence and sex offender status.

As a side note, the Herald did a bit of Math to determine how much Caballero’s moment of sexual exploration on the beach will cost Florida taxpayers; at $49.49 a day, his incarceration bill will end up being $45,000.

[Photo Courtesy YouTube Screengrab]

Sex On Beach Earns Florida Man Prison Time, Sex Offender Status, And Taxpayers $45K Bill is an article from: The Inquisitr News

In an attempt to prevent crime before it happens, the New York Police Department is hoping to pilot new crime-predicting software that will allow them to anticipate areas of crime in advance and allow for increased patrols in those areas.

The NYPD currently uses a program called CompStat, which was introduced to the department nearly twenty years ago by Bill Bratton, according to the New York Post. The current software can help to predict “hot spots,” but it is not as accurate as the department would like it to be. HunchLab has developed a crime-prediction software that takes factors such as weather, special events, proximity to bars, professional sports events, and the time of day into the overall equation and determine with a level of accuracy the likelihood that a crime or crimes will be committed in the area.

Capital New York shared that the NYPD hopes to pilot the program in at least three precincts in the city over the course of two and a half years. A spokeswoman for the NYPD shared all of the factors that will be used to predict crime in an area, stating it will allow more effective responses to issues that arise.

“[Forecasts are based on]temporal patterns (time of day, day of week, day of month, seasonality); weather; environmental risk factors (locations of bars, bus stops, etc.); socioeconomic indicators; historic crime levels; and near-repeat patterns to help police departments understand and respond more effectively to crime using the resources available to them,”

Currently, the HunchLab crime predicting software is being used in Philadelphia, where the developer Azavea resides, as well as in the Miami police department.

According to a report released by the NYPD, the cost of the HunchLab software implementation is expected to cost nearly $10 million for data center improvements and $45 million for analytics and Compstat upgrades.

Azavea CEO Robert Cheetham shared that the software’s predictive capabilities will not prevent all crime.

“We’re not predicting where crime is going to happen any more than a weather forecaster literally predicts where rain is going to fall. If you’re thinking Minority Report, that’s not happening. Will this cause crime to go down in New York City? We don’t have the answer to that. We believe this will give you better insight into where you can expect crime to occur in a given place and time.”

The benefits of the statistics that will be received from the HunchLab software will be an immense advantage in predicting areas of crime influx, with hopeful results of fewer nefarious incidents.

[Photo by Spencer Platt / Getty Images News]

NYPD Hopes To Add Crime-Predicting Software To Stop Crime Before It Happens, HunchLab Brings Minority Report Closer To Reality is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A Florida man who was convicted of performing sexual acts with his partner on a beach was sentenced Monday to 2.5 years in prison, local media outlets reported. José Caballero, 40, and Elissa Alvarez, 21, could not postpone their sexual desires and decided to unleash their ardor on a Florida beach in front of families with children in broad daylight.

The Bradenton Herald reports that the incident happened on July 20, 2014, and Caballero was convicted in May of having sex on Bradenton Beach. On Monday, the Florida man learned his fate and he will spend the next 2.5 years behind bars.

Caballero and his partner were convicted last May of two counts each of lewd and lascivious behavior after being videotaped while having sex on the beach. Speaking with reporters, assistant state attorney Anthony Dafonseca gave the following statement regarding the case.

“Our office had discretion, and we felt that 2 1/2 years was something that not only held him accountable but also reflected his past history, as well.”

The couple faced a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, but the state prosecution ruled that that penalty “was not a reasonable decision.” Ronald Kurpiers, Caballero’s defense attorney, said that although he felt 2.5 years was too long of a sentence, he didn’t protest it because otherwise the prosecution could reinstate the 15-year sentence.

“Do I believe, personally, that 2 1/2 years is something that he should have to do? The answer is no,” Kurpiers expressed. “But I was caught between a rock and a hard place.”

In his defense, Caballero explained to the jury that he and his partner were not having sex and that witnesses were wrong. However, at the sentencing hearing, a video was displayed in which Alvarez was seen moving on top of Caballero in a sexual manner, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

Kurpiers, who said that never before in his career had he faced a similar case, feared the maximum penalty for Caballero, who had already been imprisoned on drug charges in the past.

“We are grateful that the state has offered 2 1/2 years,” said Kurpiers. The lawyer also said that Caballero plans to appeal his case. For her part, Alvarez was recently convicted and she received time served, although she filed an appeal in her case last June. Both Caballero and Alvarez will have to register as sex offenders.

[Image via YouTube screenshot]

Florida Man: Beach Sex Lands 40-Year-Old Man Behind Bars, Has To Register As A Sex Offender [Video] is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A plane crash, the second tragedy for a family in four days, has left a father and son dead.

The pair lost their lives after when their Cessna 150 and an Air Force F-16 fighter jet, out of Shaw Air Force Base, collided approximately 25 miles north of Charleston, South Carolina, near the Berkeley County airport, ABC affiliate 13 News Now reports. The Berkeley County Coroner Bill Salisbury identified the victims of the crash as Joseph Johnson, 30, and Michael Johnson, 68, from Moncks County, South Carolina.

The F-16 pilot, Maj. Aaron Johnson, was safely able to eject from the jet and was later taken to Joint Base Charleston to undergo a health assessment.

​”These are very rare,” Lt. Jenny Hyden, a spokeswoman for Shaw, told USA Today. “Military aircraft and civilian aircraft are not usually flying in the same airspace. When military aircrafts are doing any combat maneuvers, they are in a different airspace that civilian aircrafts are not allowed in.”

The plane crash occurred on Tuesday while the family was still trying to cope with another tragedy that had happened four days earlier. Over the holiday weekend, James and Beverly Johnson, the brother and sister-in-law of Michael Johnson, were found dead in their home in Missouri, said Connie Stallworth, the men’s sister.

According to CBS affiliate KMOV-TV in St. Louis, Buchanan County authorities arrested the couple’s 16-year-old grandson and charged him with second degree murder in connection with their deaths, after stopping him for a routine traffic violation. Apparently, the police asked him for a number to reach an adult, and they later discovered that he had sent a text to that same number admitting that he had killed his grandparents.

JUST IN: Pictures from scene of the plane crash at Lewis Field Plantation in Moncks Corner. #chsnews #BREAKING pic.twitter.com/TXO0eNd3ih

— WCBD (@WCBD) July 7, 2015

The police had arrived at the house at about 1:05 a.m. after they received a call to check on the well-being of someone living at the home. When they arrived, there was no one there. However, they soon started checking the nearby fields and discovered the bodies of 72-year-old James Johnson and 76-year-old Beverly Johnson. Both victims had been shot to death. Their bodies were recovered and taken to the coroner’s office in Kansas City for autopsies.

“Obviously this is a very tragic situation for anyone,” Col. Bill Puett said. “The residents in the area are extremely upset, the community is upset. I mean, there is a huge concern when you have an event like this.”

“It’s unbelievable. There just aren’t words to express it. I’m dumbfounded that it happened twice in a few days,” Stallworth said of the second tragedy.

[Photo via Shutterstock]

Plane Crash Second Tragedy For Family In Four Days is an article from: The Inquisitr News