ReportWire

Tag: APP Crime

  • Wesley Chapel family seeks answers after fatal hit and run

    WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — A family in Wesley Chapel is pleading for answers in a deadly hit and run that took the life of their loved one.

    Daniel Avena was hit while walking on Boyette Road in Pasco County on Nov. 16.

    What You Need To Know

    • Daniel Avena was killed in a hit and run on Nov. 16 in Wesley Chapel

    • The driver of a dark-colored Toyota Forerunner is sought by authorities

    • Avena’s family has posted signs urging community help and awareness

    • Florida Highway Patrol has released surveillance photos of the suspect vehicle


    Daniel Avena was hit while walking on Boyette Road in Pasco County on Nov. 16.

    Florida Highway Patrol is investigating after they say the driver who hit him took off, leaving Avena to be found by someone driving by the next morning.

    Avena’s family is devastated, but they say the way the community has rallied around them is comforting. They’ve posted signs all over the area, warning everyone to be on the lookout for the dark-colored Toyota Forerunner that’s believed to have hit Avena.

    “He was the most amazing person. Anybody who knew him knew he was so infectious. He had the best laugh, the best smile, the best sense of humor,” said Erin Day.

    Day is the mother of two of Avena’s children. She says Avena was better known as Bernie Mac, though, because of his funny, outgoing personality. Day says that on Nov. 16, all of their lives changed.

    “Around 6 o’clock he was hit by what they assume is a Toyota Forerunner, dark color, they hit him and then proceeded to stop right here and check their vehicle, and not call 911 and not go to make sure it wasn’t an animal or a human being at first, you know, they just left him there,” she said.

    Florida Highway Patrol recently released pictures from a surveillance camera at a RaceTrack gas station less than a quarter mile from where Daniel’s body was found. Troopers are looking for the driver of the Toyota Forerunner in these photos.

    “We have to get the word out so everybody can see this car, we have to find these people,” said Day. “My kids, that’s the only Christmas present they need is to find the person that did this.”

    Avena’s kids, Daniel and Lyric, say their dad deserves justice, and they deserve peace to grieve, because now all they have are memories.

    “One thing I’m really grateful for is he gave us the same smile, that gummy smile he had, just that fills a room, fills the world honestly, that’s something I won’t ever forget and when I wake up and look in the mirror, that’s what I still see and I’m so grateful for that,” said Avena’s son Daniel.

    “I know him, he wouldn’t want us to stay sad all the time, he’d want us to laugh and he’s probably sitting up there laughing about how much attention he’s getting,” said Lyric.

    Erin says she’ll keep fighting for Bernie, and as for whoever is responsible for his death, “I know they’re watching. I know they see these posters. I know they know what they did now, turn yourself in, give us some peace please.”

    If you have any information about this investigation, you can call *FHP or Crime Stoppers.

    Fallon Silcox

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  • Florida sets execution date for man who fatally shot couple in 1987

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of fatally shooting a man and woman during a home invasion robbery and later confessing to three other killings is scheduled to be put to death in December under a death warrant signed Tuesday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is setting a record pace for executions.

    Frank Athen Walls, 58, is scheduled to die by lethal injection Dec. 18 at Florida State Prison. Walls would be the 19th person set for execution in Florida in 2025, with DeSantis overseeing more executions in a single year than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The previous record was set in 2014 with eight executions.

    DeSantis signed the death warrant two days before the execution of Richard Barry Randolph. Another convicted killer, Mark Allen Geralds, is set to die Dec. 9.

    Walls was convicted of two counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping, burglary and theft and sentenced to death in 1988. The Florida Supreme Court later reversed the conviction and ordered a new trial, where Walls was again convicted and sentenced to death in 1992.

    According to court records, Walls broke into the Florida Panhandle mobile home of Eglin Air Force Base airman Edward Alger and his girlfriend, Ann Peterson, in July 1987. Walls tied the couple up, but Alger managed to break free and attack Walls. Walls cut Alger’s throat and then shot him in the head when the airman continued to fight. Walls then went to attack Peterson and shot her as she struggled.

    Walls was arrested the day after the bodies were found when his roommate tipped off police about Walls’ odd behavior. During a search of the home, investigators reported finding items from the crime scene, and Walls later admitted to the killings.

    After his conviction, DNA evidence linked Walls to the May 1987 rape and murder of Audrey Gygi. Walls pleaded no contest, avoiding another trial and possible death sentence. Walls also admitted responsibility for the killings of Tommie Lou Whiddon in March 1985 and Cynthia Sue Condra in September 1986 as part of a deal with prosecutors.

    Attorneys for Walls are expected to file appeals to the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

    So far 43 people have been executed in the U.S. in 2025. Florida leads the way with a flurry of death warrants signed by DeSantis. The state’s most recent execution was the Nov. 13 lethal injection of Bryan Frederick Jennings, who was convicted of raping and killing his neighbor.

    Associated Press

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  • Woman to be sentenced for falsely accusing astronaut wife of space crime

    HOUSTON — Federal prosecutors say a case that was widely reported to be the first case of “space crime” has come to an end after a 50-year-old Kansas woman pleaded guilty to falsely accusing her now ex-wife of illegally accessing an online bank account from the International Space Station in early 2019.

    What You Need To Know

    • In March 2019, Summer Heather Worden, 50, accused her “estranged spouse,” NASA astronaut Col. Anne C. McClain, of illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station

    • At the time, the case was widely reported to be the first case of “space crime”

    • In April 2020, Worden was indicted on charges of lying to federal officers in the case, and on Nov. 13, she pleaded guilty to one of the charges as part of a plea deal

    According to a plea agreement in the case, Summer Heather Worden had accused NASA astronaut Col. Anne McClain (identified in court documents as “Person A” and as an “estranged spouse” in a U.S. Attorney’s Office statement) of illegally accessing her bank account twice in January 2019 while she was serving aboard the ISS.

    Worden told investigators on March 19, 2019, that McClain had “guessed the password and illegally accessed her bank account,” one she had opened in September 2018, “to prevent (McClain) from accessing her accounts.”

    “However, Worden had actually opened the account in April 2018,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office statement said. “Both parties had accessed it until January 2019, when Worden changed the credentials.

    “The investigation revealed Worden had granted her spouse access to her bank records from at least 2015, including her login credentials.”

    In an Aug. 24, 2019, post on Twitter (now X), McClain said that there was “unequivocally no truth to these claims. We’ve been going through a painful, personal separation that’s now unfortunately in the media.”

    She concluded by saying she had “total confidence in the (NASA Office of the Inspector General) process.”

    Court records in Travis County, Texas, show that Worden and McClain divorced in early 2020.

    As part of the plea agreement, Worden faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 

    She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 12, 2026, and information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas says she will remain free on bond until that hearing.

    Mark Boxley

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  • Search heats up for escaped killer 60 years after Ohio teen’s murder

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Investigators say a convicted child killer and known sexual predator could be anywhere except where he is supposed to be: behind bars.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lester Eubanks, 82, is one of the U.S. Marshals Service’s “15 Most Wanted Fugitives”

    • Eubanks was sentenced to death for the Nov. 1965 murder and attempted rape of Mary Ellen Deener, 14, but his sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional in 1972

    • On Dec. 7, 1973, Eubanks escaped from custody during an unsupervised furlough at a Columbus shopping center

    Lester Eubanks, 82, is one of the U.S. Marshals Service’s “15 Most Wanted Fugitives,” and Dep. U.S. Marshal Vinny Piccoli is now the lead investigator tasked with tracking him down.

    “It’s kind of surreal and crazy to look back at a case from, you know, when this initial incident happened in 1965, and then now it’s come all this time and all this way,” Piccoli said.

    On Nov. 14, 1965, Mansfield police found Mary Ellen Deener’s body behind a vacant house on North Mulberry Street. Within hours, Eubanks confessed to killing the 14-year-old during an attempted rape.

    “My poor sweet sister,” said Myrtle Carter. “Gotta fight you. A person that has karate experience, black belts or yellow, whatever color. And you fight a child.”

    At the time, Eubanks was out on bond for another attempted rape.

    “He should have been in jail then, because it wasn’t his first one then,” Carter said.

    Carter said her mother sent Mary Ellen and another younger sister, Bonnie, to finish chores at the laundromat after their home washer or dryer broke. She said Mary Ellen went by herself to get some change for the machines and Eubanks grabbed her on her way back.

    Mary Ellen Deener. (U.S. Marshals Service)

    “If she hadn’t run out of change, it would have been a whole different story,” Carter said. “Because he would have had to fight both of them.”

    She said that when her little sister tried to resist Eubanks, he shot her and left the scene. She said Eubanks returned when he heard her moaning.

    “That’s when he hit her in the head with a brick and killed her,” Carter said.

    She said the laundromat the girls were using was next to their grandmother’s house.

    “And her mother lived, like, say, 10 houses down on the opposite side of the street,” Carter said. “So where Mary Ellen’s body was found, that’s like halfway between both houses.”

    She said Bonnie saw Eubanks outside the laundromat.

    “We don’t know what he came back for, but she saw him in the window,” Carter said. “And when he left, she ran over to my grandmother’s house.”

    Carter said their grandmother went looking for Mary Ellen and found a group of police officers. When she told them about her missing granddaughter, Carter said her grandmother was asked to identify Mary Ellen’s body.

    “I never recall her talking about it,” Carter said.

    Carter said she attended every day of the Eubanks’ trial.

    “I wanted him to turn around and see me,” she said. “I just wanted him to know that somebody was here and somebody was there for her.”

    “This is a court document from Nov. 26, 1968, from Richland County Court of Common Pleas showing that Eubanks was found guilty by a jury of his peers and sentence should be carried out,” Piccoli said, referring to a scanned document on his computer screen. “At the time, it was the death penalty.”

    But before Eubanks had his appointment with Ohio Penitentiary’s electric chair, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional in 1972. His sentence was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

    “But you get to go Christmas shopping,” Carter said. “Make it make sense.”

    On Dec. 7, 1973, Eubanks was treated to an unsupervised shopping trip in Columbus with other inmates as a reward for good behavior.

    “Who are you buying a gift for?” Carter said. “The people that let you out?”

    “Someone like him, he was supposed to be doing life,” Piccoli said. “He was literally sent to death and then was commuted to life in prison. So how he made his way onto an honor group, an honor assignment, is beyond me.“

    Eubanks used the opportunity to escape.

    “You look back at what he did, his crime back in 1965, and, you know, he spent roughly seven years in prison and then has been free for 50 plus years,” Piccoli said. “So it’s just, it’s not fair to Mary Ellen. It’s not fair to her family.“

    Piccoli now oversees the manhunt for Eubanks. In his first year as lead investigator, he brings a fresh perspective to the case.

    “I don’t believe that if he were to run, you know, now and try to escape, I don’t think he would be on the run for 50 years,” Piccoli said. “It’s just unfortunate. Back then, you know, investigators did all that they could with what they had. And he got lucky in a way.”

    “Fugitives … on the run,” U.S. Marshal Peter Elliott said, “will make up a story about their past where nobody’s going to go back and ask questions about. And they’re not going to have any family or friends, you know, to the ones they’re talking to, because they’re going to say that ‘my family was killed in a fire, traffic accident,’ or so on and so on.“

    But one thing Eubanks can’t change is his genetics.

    Elliott said 60 years after Mary Ellen’s murder, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office re-tested the clothes Eubanks wore that night and found his DNA in a pocket.

    “It’s a game changer,” Elliott said. “It’s going to get us a step closer to catching him. It’s only a matter of time.”

    Eubanks could be anywhere.

    Age-progression photos of what Lester Eubanks could look like now at age 82.

    Age-progression photos of what Lester Eubanks could look like now at age 82. (U.S. Marshals Service)

    One of his last known sightings was in Southern California where Piccoli said Eubanks likely worked in a mattress factory in the 1970s using the alias “Victor Young.”

    “There’s no doubt in my mind that someone has had recent contact with him,” Piccoli said. “You know, maybe not as recent as this week, but over, you know, the last month or years.”

    He hopes that person will offer information leading to the violent fugitive.

    “We have a job, and our job is to find individuals, no matter how long it takes to find individuals,” Piccoli said.

    The arrest would give Mary Ellen’s family some long-awaited closure.

    “I like to think I’d be like my mother would probably want me to be,” Carter said. “And say, ‘I forgive you.’”

    The U.S. Marshals Service is offering up to a $50,000 reward for information leading to Lester Eubanks. His only known distinguishing feature is a 1-to 3-inch scar or burn mark on the upper outer portion of his right arm.

    If you have any tips, call 1-866-4-WANTED.

    Jenna Jordan

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  • Cincinnati fentanyl dealer hit with 18-year prison sentence

    CINCINNATI  — A Cincinnati drug dealer who dealt in fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana and who shot a rival dealer last year has been handed an 18-year prison sentence in U.S. District Court.

    What You Need To Know

    • A fentanyl dealer in Cincinnati, who also shot a rival dealer, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison

    • Robert Lee Howard, 34, pleaded guilty in July of this year

    • He was arrested when agents conducted a search warrant at his Price Hill home

    Robert Lee Howard, 34, was charged in in a criminal complaint back in June last year and pleaded guilty in July of this year, according to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.

    That release notes that Howard had been captured on camera in February last year “shooting a rival fentanyl dealer repeatedly in the chest, after losing a bet over who sold more potent fentanyl.”

    They also said agents recorded Howard, back in June of 2024, when he said he was awaiting 23 pounds of meth in the mail in several packages. When they intercepted the packages, agents found “more than four kilograms of 96% pure crystal meth.”

    “That same month, Howard’s car was shot up while he was driving around Cincinnati,” the release reads. “The next day, he was recorded on calls offering to pay $10,000 total for ‘friends from Chicago’ to come to Cincinnati and solve his ‘problem’ by ‘putting [the rival fentanyl dealer] on a T-shirt.’”

    He was arrested when agents conducted a search warrant at his Price Hill home. During that search, agents found:

    • More than nine kilograms of fentanyl
    • Cocaine
    • Industrial size pill press
    • Supplies to create “fake ‘ecstasy’ pills with fentanyl”
    • Body armor
    • Ammo
    • AK-47 magazines
    • Multiple firearms

    The release states that four young children also lived at this residence.

    Cody Thompson

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  • More charged in FBI investigation related to alleged Halloween plot in Michigan

    OHIO — Authorities in New Jersey have charged two more young men in a sprawling federal investigation of an alleged terrorism-style attack planned for suburban Detroit.

    What You Need To Know

    • The allegations against Tomas Jimenez-Guzel and Saed Mirreh, both 19, do not specifically focus on Michigan, where three people were charged, but they have a connection

    • They had discussed “comprehensive plans” to travel abroad for Islamic State, the FBI said in a court filing in Newark

    • In Michigan, three young men have been charged with conspiracy and receiving and transferring guns and ammunition for an attack
    • The possible targets, according to the FBI, were LGBTQ+ bars in suburban Detroit
    • One man also scouted Cedar Point, an amusement park in northern Ohio

    The allegations against Tomas Jimenez-Guzel and Saed Mirreh, both 19, do not specifically focus on Michigan, where three people were charged, but they have a connection. Investigators said the two were poised to travel abroad and fight for the Islamic State group.

    Jimenez-Guzel and Mirreh were charged Wednesday with conspiring to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization. Jimenez-Guzel faces an additional charge of attempting to provide material support.

    The Montclair, New Jersey, man was arrested Tuesday while trying to fly to Turkey from the airport in Newark, the FBI said. Mirreh was arrested in Kent, Washington, where he lives.

    They had discussed “comprehensive plans” to travel abroad for Islamic State, the FBI said in a court filing in Newark, N.J.

    Those plans picked up speed after the Oct. 31 arrests of several people in the Detroit area with whom they had been communicating, the FBI said.

    Messages seeking comment from their attorneys were not immediately returned Friday.

    In Michigan, three young men have been charged with conspiracy and receiving and transferring guns and ammunition for an attack. Investigators said a group chat between the men indicated they were planning a Halloween attack with repeated references to pumpkins and pumpkin emojis.

    The possible targets, according to the FBI, were LGBTQ+ bars in suburban Detroit. One man also scouted Cedar Point, an amusement park in northern Ohio. Separately, The Detroit News reported Friday that a 16-year-old boy is in federal custody as part of the investigation.

    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • St. Pete woman accused of using AI to create fake suspect

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — With artificial intelligence advancing every day, the FBI says the low cost, ease and lack of regulation around AI create opportunities for criminals.

    Investigators say one Tampa Bay area woman found, though, that law enforcement is aware of the issue and knows how to spot the fakes.

    What You Need To Know

    •  A St. Petersburg woman has been accused of calling police to report a burglary and sexual assault using an AI-generated photo of the perpetrator

    •  AI experts warn that as the technology gets better, law enforcement will see challenges they never have before

    •  Experts advise using ChatGPT and other products so you can understand how they work and what they can do


    On Oct. 7, Brooke Schinault called St. Petersburg police saying someone broke into her home and knocked her to the ground.

    “We took all the information we could at the time, she provided us with images as proof, and then nothing — we continued on with our investigation,” said Ashley Limardo, public information specialist with the St. Petersburg Police Department.

    Later that day, though, Limardo said Schinault called back.

    “Saying that oh, well, actually she forgot to let us know that she was also sexually battered by this person,” Limardo said. “So, our officers went out a second time.”

    She said the female detective assigned to the case realized there was something off with the photo Schinault provided. 

    “She received information on this case and was going through the evidence immediately when she saw that one picture,” Limardo said. “She was able to recognize it was part of the trend, and then that’s what completely changed the course of the investigation.”

    According to court documents, investigators say they found digital evidence that showed the photo was created by ChatGPT days before the alleged burglary and sexual assault took place.

    Police said Schinault tried to use a recent TikTok trend to her advantage.

    They say people are taking pictures of their living rooms and imputing the pictures into ChatGPT. From there, they ask AI to add someone else into the picture, and send altered photos to their loved ones to get a laugh.

    But this situation, police said, was no laughing matter. Investigators say Schinault allegedly used that tactic to create a photo of the suspect — a suspect who didn’t exist.

    St. Petersburg police said they’ve never seen anything like this.

    “It can be very dangerous,” Limardo said. “Especially in a sense of what if this person had matched the description of someone in our town or they tried to claim it was someone, now we’re going after that one person.”

    Schinault was arrested and charged with two counts of false reporting of a crime. She is currently out of jail on bonds totaling $1,000.

    Professor Dr. John Licato teaches at the University of South Florida’s Billeni College of AI, Cybersecurity and Computing. As long as technology has been around, Licato said there have always been bad actors on the internet.

    “When I hear that particular story, my immediate thought is, ‘What’s the motivation? Why would anyone actually do this?’” Licato said.

    But when it comes to realistic creations made by AI, Licato said the public needs a crash course in what’s possible.

    “We need to increase the amount of AI literacy amongst the general public for reason like exactly this case,” he said. “The cops, they saw the memes, they saw the TikTok trend and, in a sense, that was a form of AI literacy. Because now they realize this is possible, so they know to look for it in the future.”

    As artificial intelligence technology becomes better, Licato said that it’s important for people to try it themselves, so they know what’s possible. 

    Without recognizing that trend, police may not have been able to catch on to what Schinault allegedly did. 

    In Hillsborough County, deputies tracked down 19-year-old Sammarth Gautam after he transformed photos from social media of clothed girls he knew into AI generated nude photos.

    He posted eight of these photos online. The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office provided Spectrum News with video of him being questioned.

    “Is there a specific reason why this happened,” the detective said in interrogation tapes provided to Bay News 9.

    “So, I was just really starting to hear things about AI and the different things that it could do,” Gautam said in his interrogation. “And I know I shouldn’t have, but I kind of got curious, and I just wanted to use the technology to see what it could do.” 

    Prosecutors ultimately charged him with 16 counts of promoting altered sexual depictions without consent. Gautam took a plea deal that landed him behind bars for 12 days.

    “We do have to watch out and make sure that we put proper safeguards to help protect people,” Licato said.

    Licato said that while the technology to do what Gautam did isn’t new, it’s advancing.

    He said society is being forced to address questions about what is considered acceptable use and acceptable regulation.

    Using regulations involving vehicles, Licato said, “They made it so there was the right level of balance between restrictions and guidance. I think that we need that with any new technology.”

    Bay News 9 attempted to contact Schinault for this story, but she did not respond to requests for comment.

    Officials said Gautam has since been picked by immigration enforcement officials and is currently awaiting deportation in an ICE holding facility in New Mexico.

    Andy Cole

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  • Officer in stable condition after injury during ‘gunfight’

    LIMA, Ohio — A Lima police officer is in stable condition after being shot in a “gunfight” that took place during a traffic stop late Friday night, according to a press release from the city.

    What You Need To Know

    • A Lima police officer is in stable condition after being injured in a “gunfight” Friday night

    • The gunfight occurred during a traffic stop

    • The city confirmed a suspect is also in stable condition

    It said an officer conducted a traffic stop around St. John’s Avenue and Second Street at around 10:44 p.m. Friday.

    “During the encounter, shots were fired from the stopped vehicle, and a gunfight ensued,” the release reads.

    The city said an officer and “multiple occupants of the vehicle” suffered injuries from gunshots, and all are receiving medical treatment.

    They said no fatalities have been reported as of now.

    “The incident remains under active investigation,” the release reads. “Additional details will be released as the investigation progresses and after notification of the individuals’ families. The City of Lima and the Lima Police Department ask for patience and respect for the privacy of those involved as this situation continues to unfold.”

    A spokesperson for the city later confirmed to Spectrum News 1 that the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is taking over the investigation.

    “The officer and the suspect are stable and receiving medical treatment,” the spokesperson said.

    They said a person identified as a suspect was injured severely and is receiving ongoing medical treatment while another passenger had minor injuries and was released from the hospital after treatment.

    Cody Thompson

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  • Woman who stabbed, killed 3-year-old sentenced to life in prison

    CLEVELAND — A woman was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for stabbing and killing a 3-year-old and stabbing his mother at Giant Eagle last fall. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Bionca Ellis, 34, stole two knives from the Volunteers of America Thrift Store next to Giant Eagle near Lorain Road and Dover Center Road on June 3, before she walked next door to the Giant Eagle

    • Ellis continued to follow the victim and her child to their vehicle and immediately stabbed the 3-year-old, who was sitting in the shopping cart, multiple times

    • Ellis was found guilty on Oct. 15

    “In my years as prosecutor, I have seen unimaginable acts of violence — but this is among the most heartbreaking,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley. “Bionca Ellis’s horrific actions warrant nothing less than life without parole. My thoughts and prayers remain with Julian Wood’s family as they continue to grieve this unimaginable loss.” 

    Ellis, 34, stole two knives from the Volunteers of America Thrift Store next to Giant Eagle near Lorain Road and Dover Center Road on June 3, before she walked next door to the Giant Eagle. As Ellis entered the Giant Eagle, she spotted the 37-year-old victim and her 3-year-old child, Julian Wood, in the store and followed them. After the victim paid for her groceries and walked towards the exit, Ellis followed the victim and her son into the parking lot. She continued to follow them to their vehicle and immediately stabbed the 3-year-old, who was sitting in the shopping cart, multiple times. His mother attempted to pull him out and was also stabbed. Several people called the police and reported the stabbing.

    The North Olmsted Police Department (NOPD) arrived at the scene and located Ellis walking toward Dover Center Road with a knife in her hand. She was arrested at the scene without incident. North Olmsted Police officers and EMS began providing life-saving aid to Julian Wood. Julian Wood and his mother were transported to a nearby hospital. Julian Wood was later pronounced dead. His mother was treated for her injuries.  

    Ellis was found guilty on Oct. 15 on the following charges:

    • One count of aggravated murder
    • Two counts of murder
    • Two counts of attempted murder
    • Two counts of felonious assault
    • One count of endangering children
    • One count of misdemeanor theft

    Madison MacArthur

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  • St. Petersburg police target e-bike misuse after 3 fatal crashes

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — This week the St. Petersburg Police Department conducted a special operation targeting e-bike misuse.

    The crackdown comes after three fatal accidents this month, where the e-bike riders were allegedly at fault.

    What You Need To Know

    • St. Petersburg Police issued 161 tickets to electronic mobility device users over three days this week

    • The targeted enforcement operation was in response to three fatal e-bike accidents this month

    • Officers were looking for people riding down the wrong side of the road, running stop signs or red lights, and lane splitting 


    “We’re out here trying to do the enforcement to try to curb that problem,” said Sgt. Michael Schade. “The biggest problem we’re seeing is just that the bicycles and the scooter operators are not following the basic rules of the road.”

    The targeted enforcement was conducted from Wednesday through Friday with officers looking out for riders on e-bikes, e-scooters, and uni-wheels. The violations officers said they saw were people riding down the wrong side of the road, running stop signs or red lights, and lane splitting.

    “The scooters can’t ride tandem,” Schade said. “The uni-wheels can’t be on the road at all, road or sidewalk.”

    Schade said officers issued 68 citations on Wednesday, 24 on Thursday and 69 on Friday.

    The enforcement on Thursday night involved a large group of e-riders who completely take over the road when they go from North Shore Park to Beach Drive in downtown St. Petersburg. Due to complaints, police said the group, which rides on a regular basis, was stopped and warned over the summer about restrictions on the various mobility devices.

    On Friday, Spectrum News went on a ride-a-long with Schade, who quickly spotted a man who allegedly ran a red light on a bicycle. He stopped the man and explained the problem.

    “You went through the red light, OK?” Schade said. “So, we’re out here doing bike enforcement because we’ve had several fatalities related to bicycles.”

    The rider, Patrick Jarrell, was issued a $64 ticket. Jarrell said he understood why he was stopped.

    “They’re doing their job. There’s a lot of accidents out here,” he said. “So I’m glad they’re doing it. Unfortunately, I’m not loving this, but it is what it is.”

    Another rider on an e-scooter, who allegedly ran a stop sign at the Pier, did not stop when ordered by Schade. The man fled on his scooter until Schade caught up with him near the Vinoy. The man was arrested on charges including fleeing and eluding, DUI, possession of marijuana and no driver’s license.

    Schade said any scooter motor that’s stronger than 750 watts is considered a motor vehicle. He said the e-scooter the man was riding has 5,600 watts.

    “It’s capable of doing over 50 miles an hour,” he said. “So, this is actually classified as a motorcycle.”

    The problem is being seen all over the city, police say. In the Harbor Isle neighborhood, resident Geoff Davis said he and his neighbors have been having problems with kids on e-bikes riding in backyards and cutting in between homes.

    “They literally trespass on everybody’s property,” he said. “These are dirt bikes that are very high horsepower, very high powered, and they’re very fast.”

    Davis said the kids also race their e-bikes on 16th Street N.E., because it’s a long straight road.

    “It goes all the way down there like a big drag strip,” he said. “This is where we routinely see donuts, tire marks, drag racing kids on these e-bikes, doing wheelies up and down the street. This is where they play.”

    Schade said officers have been seeing people from all ages riding recklessly on electronic mobility devices — from 12 years old to 60. He said the three fatal accidents all involved adults.

    Davis said he’s thrilled the police conducted a special operation on e-rider who break the rules, especially the kids.

    “The issue is the sheer number of them and the fact that they’re not regulated,” he said. “The parents do not understand what they’re doing. They’re contributing to something that can get these children injured or killed.” 

    Josh Rojas

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  • Heat’s Rozier and Trail Blazers’ Billups among dozens arrested in gambling probe

    NEW YORK — The head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and a player for the Miami Heat were arrested Thursday along with more than 30 other people in two criminal cases alleging sprawling separate schemes to rake in millions by rigging sports bets and poker games involving Mafia families, authorities said.

    What You Need To Know

    • The head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and a player for the Miami Heat have been arrested along with more than 30 other people in two criminal cases alleging sprawling schemes to rake in millions by rigging sports bets and poker games involving Mafia families

    • Authorities said Thursday that Portland coach Chauncey Billups is charged in an indictment alleging a wide-ranging scheme to rig underground poker games that were backed by La Cosa Nostra crime families

    • Heat guard Terry Rozier is accused in a separate case of participating in an illegal sports betting scheme using private insider NBA information

    • Both men face money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy charges

    Portland coach Chauncey Billups was charged with participating in a conspiracy to fix high-stakes card games in Las Vegas, Miami, Manhattan and the Hamptons that were backed by La Cosa Nostra Crime families. Heat guard Terry Rozier was accused in a second scheme to concoct fraudulent bets by exploiting confidential information about NBA athletes and teams.

    The indictments unsealed in New York create a massive cloud for the NBA — which opened its season this week — and show how certain types of wagers are vulnerable to massive fraud in the growing, multi-billion-dollar legal sports-betting industry.

    “My message to the defendants who’ve been rounded up today is this: Your winning streak has ended,” said Joseph Nocella, the U.S attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “Your luck has run out.”

    Both men face money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy charges and were expected to make initial court appearances later Thursday. Also arrested was former NBA assistant coach and player Damon Jones, who is charged with participating in both schemes.

    Nocella called it “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States.”

    “The fraud is mind boggling,” FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters. “We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft and robbery across a multi-year investigation.”

    Billups and Rozier have been placed on leave from their teams, according to the NBA, which said it is cooperating with authorities.

    “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the NBA said in a statement.

    A message seeking comment was left Thursday morning with Billups. Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, said in a statement that his client is “not a gambler” and “looks forward to winning this fight.” Trusty said the FBI had previously said his client was not a target in the probe.

    But at 6 a.m. “they called to tell me FBI agents were trying to arrest him in a hotel,” Trusty said. “It is unfortunate that instead of allowing him to self-surrender they opted for a photo op. They wanted the misplaced glory of embarrassing a professional athlete with a perp walk. That tells you a lot about the motivations in this case.”

    “We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today. Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being placed on immediate leave from their teams, and we will continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities. We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority.”

    Athletes accused of leaving games early

    In the sports betting scheme, players sometimes altered their performance or took themselves out of games early, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. In one instance, Rozier, while playing for the Hornets, told people he was planning to leave the game early with a “supposed injury,” allowing them to place wagers that raked in thousands of dollars, Tisch said.

    The indictment of Rozier and others says there are nine unnamed co-conspirators, including a Florida resident who was an NBA player, an Oregon resident who was an NBA player from about 1997 to 2014 and an NBA coach since at least 2021, as well as a relative of Rozier.

    Rozier and other defendants “had access to private information known by NBA players or NBA coaches” that was likely to affect the outcome of games or players’ performances and provided that information to other co-conspirators in exchange for either a flat fee or a share of betting profits, the indictment says.

    The NBA had investigated

    The NBA had investigated Rozier previously. He was in uniform as the Heat played the Magic on Wednesday in Orlando, Florida, in the season opener for both teams, though he did not play in the game. He was taken into custody in Orlando early Thursday. The team did not immediately comment on the arrest.

    The case was brought by the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn that previously prosecuted ex-NBA player Jontay Porter. The former Toronto Raptors center pleaded guilty to charges that he withdrew early from games, claiming illness or injury, so that those in the know could win big by betting on him to underperform expectations.

    Billups was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year. The five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA point guard led the Detroit Pistons to their third league title in 2004 as NBA Finals MVP. Boston drafted the former Colorado star with the No. 3 pick overall in 1997.

    The player known as Mr. Big Shot also played for Toronto, Denver, Minnesota, the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers. Billups won the Joe Dumars Trophy, the NBA’s sportsmanship award, in 2009 while playing for his hometown Denver Nuggets.

    The 49-year-old Billups is in his fifth season as Portland’s coach, compiling a 117-212 record. The Trail Blazers opened the season Wednesday night at home with a 118-114 loss to Minnesota.

    A game involving Rozier that has been in question was a matchup between the Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans on March 23, 2023. Rozier played the first 9 minutes and 36 seconds of that game — and not only did not return that night, citing a foot issue, but did not play again that season. Charlotte had eight games remaining and was not in playoff contention, so it did not seem particularly unusual that Rozier was shut down for the season’s final games.

    In that game, Rozier finished with five points, four rebounds and two assists in that opening period — a productive quarter but well below his usual total output for a full game.

    Posts still online from March 23, 2023, show that some bettors were furious with sportsbooks that evening when it became evident that Rozier was not going to return to the Charlotte-New Orleans game after the first quarter, with many turning to social media to say that something “shady” had gone on regarding the prop bets involving his stats for that night.

    A prop is a type of wager that allows gamblers to bet on whether a player will exceed a certain statistical number, such as whether the player will finish over or under a certain total of points, rebounds or assists.

    Associated Press

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  • Experts, lawmakers debate the lack of A/C in most Florida prisons

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A former Tampa Bay lawmaker calls it a “moral collapse” that a majority of Florida prisons do not have air conditioning. 

    While federal prisons are required to have air conditioning, state prisons are not. A 2023 report suggested about 75% of the facilities in Florida do not cool the air.

    What You Need To Know

    • A 2023 report found that around 75% of Florida prisons don’t have air conditioning  

    • Officials say it would cost around $582 million to install A/C at all state prisons
       
    • Some consider not having air conditioning at prisons to be cruel and unusual punishment, a violation of the Eighth Amendment 

    • Others think the money should be used on continuing education and job training for inmates 


    “That isn’t just logistics,” said former State Sen. Jeff Brandes, a Republican who represented Tampa Bay in the Florida Legislature from 2010 to 2022. “That’s morally saying, ‘We’re doing something wrong.’”

    The Florida Department of Management Services commissioned KPMG in 2022 to develop a 20-year master plan for the Florida Department of Corrections. The plan, released in 2023, found that more than a third of state prisons were in “critical” or “poor” condition, and work for “immediate needs” — basic life, health and safety modifications needed to make Florida prisons inhabitable — would cost $2.2 billion.

    According to the plan, adding air conditioning to Florida prisons that currently lack HVAC systems would cost $582 million.

    Brandes suggested that all state lawmakers should tour prisons to understand what inmates are dealing with. He said his experience touring facilities — he described the heat by saying it  “felt like 105 (degrees)” — convinced him the money should be spent to outfit facilities with air conditioning.

    “Going to prison is supposed to be the deterrent,” said Brandes, who is currently the president of the Florida Policy Project. “That is the punishment. You are in prison. Prison is not supposed to be additional punishment while you’re there.”

    State Sen. Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers) said he disagrees with Brandes. He has argued the $582 million would be better spent on job training and continuing education for inmates, saying they have told him that’s what they prefer.

    “There’s a finite amount of resources,” Martin said. “Could we do more if we moved these resources somewhere else?”

    Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) argued that not having air conditioning during Florida’s hot summers is a violation of the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment, which outlaws cruel-and-usual punishment.

    “It’s not meant to be a luxury hotel. We all get that,” he said. “But the punishment is time away from their families and society and their loved ones. The punishment is not cruel and inhumane conditions.”

    Martin, though, pointed to Florida statute 921.002 (“The Criminal Punishment Code”) which specifically states: “The primary purpose of sentencing is to punish the offender. Rehabilitation is a desired goal of the criminal justice system but is subordinate to the goal of punishment.”

    He went on to argue that the Eighth Amendment was ratified in 1791, before modern air conditioning existed.

    “To say somehow that not having air conditioning is a violation of your constitutional rights flies in the face of everybody over the age of 30 in the state of Florida who rode a school bus to school without air conditioning,” Martin said.

    Attorneys representing the state during a lawsuit over hot conditions at a prison in Miami-Dade County recently argued “the lack of air conditioning does not pose a substantial risk of serious harm.” They contended that, to violate the Eighth Amendment, conditions must be “objectively extreme enough to deny an inmate the minimal civilized measure of life’s necessities.”

    Brandes said he believes the state was arguing the conditions were cruel, just not “cruel enough.”

    “What is cruel? Is it 110 degrees? 115? If you could fry and egg on the floor, would that make it cruel and unusual?” Brandes asked.

    Connie Baroth Edson, an inmate advocate in Central Florida, has fought for years to bring air conditioning to prisons.

    She said adding air conditioning would decrease turnover among correctional officers (which is a significant issue in Florida) and offer basic humanity to inmates.

    “Why are you made to feel like you’re not worthy of anything by not having air conditioning?” Baroth Edson asked.

    While she did not think the state would ever pay the $582 million necessary to put air conditioning into all the Florida prisons, Baroth Edson said she was encouraged when the Florida Legislature agreed in 2025 to spend $300,000 on a pilot program to add wall units to some institutions.

    The expenditure was ultimately vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

    When Spectrum News requested an interview with the secretary for the Florida Department of Corrections, the department provided a statement that said: “FDC has air-conditioning housing units serving the most vulnerable inmate populations, including the infirmed, mentally ill, pregnant and geriatric.”

    The statement said all new institutions are designed to include air conditioning, but noted many existing facilities were built before air conditioning was commonplace.

    The Florida Department of Corrections uses “various climate control measures” to reduce heat, according to the statement.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Trial for FSU mass shooting suspect postponed until next year

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The trial of the Florida State University student accused of a deadly mass shooting on campus in April has been postponed until next October.


    Authorities say 21-year-old Phoenix Ikner allegedly walked through campus on April 17 firing a handgun. Two people were killed and six others were injured.

    The suspect’s court-appointed lawyer withdrew from the case, citing a conflict of interest, causing the trial delay. According to the Associated Press, he has been assigned a new defense team.

    Ikner’s trial was initially supposed to start Nov. 3, but was rescheduled for late March, AP reported. The trial will now start on Oct. 19, 2026, according to AP.

    He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted first-degree murder.

    Ikner, the stepson of a Leon County Sheriff’s Office deputy, is accused of using his stepmother’s previous service weapon in the attack.

    Investigators said Ikner arrived on campus nearly an hour before the shooting, which lasted between three and four minutes before officers had him in custody.

    According to AP, prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty. 

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • 3 dead in ‘highly premeditated’ shooting at North Carolina waterfront bar

    SOUTHPORT, N.C. — A mass shooting that shattered the evening tranquility of a picturesque, seaside town in North Carolina was a “highly premeditated” attack that left three people dead and five injured, police said Sunday. The suspect who allegedly carried out the attack on a waterfront bar was in custody.

    Nigel Edge, 40, of Oak Island is accused of opening fire Saturday night from a boat into a crowd gathered at the American Fish Company in Southport, a historic port town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wilmington, Police Chief Todd Coring said. 

    At a press conference Sunday, Coring said the location was “targeted,” but he did not elaborate.

    Authorities said Edge piloted a small boat close to shore, which was lined with bars and restaurants, stopped briefly and fired. He then sped away.

    A makeshift memorial sprung up outside American Fish Company in Southport, N.C. where three people were killed and eight others were injured. (Spectrum News 1/David Ivey)

    Roughly half an hour after the shooting, a U.S. Coast Guard crew spotted a person matching the suspect’s description pulling a boat from the water at a public ramp on Oak Island. The person was detained and turned over to Southport police for questioning, officials said.

    Edge is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. He could face additional charges, Coring said.

    The weapon used was an assault rifle, although Coring didn’t specify what kind.

    “We understand this suspect identifies as a combat veteran. He self-identifies. Injured in the line of duty is what he’s saying, he suffers from PTSD,” Coring said, referring to post-traumatic stress disorder.

    Edge is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday, District Attorney Jon David said. He is being held without bond.


    Among the five people hospitalized with injuries, at least one “is now clinging for their life,” David said. Some of the victims were vacationers from out of town.

    Oak Island Police Chief Charlie Morris said the suspect was known to police as someone “who frequently hung out on our pier,” and that he had filed lawsuits against the town and police department over the last few years. He did not elaborate.

    The district attorney said Edge had had “minor contacts” with police in the past “but nothing significant in his past which would give us any indication that he was capable of such horror.”

    It was not immediately known whether Edge has an attorney to speak on his behalf. No attorney was listed on court documents.

    Investigators from multiple agencies — including the State Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard — remained on the water and at the scene Sunday collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses.

    Officials did not immediately release the names of the victims.  

    “Our hearts are heavy this morning following the tragic mass shooting in Southport that claimed the lives of three individuals and left others injured,” Brunswick County Sheriff Brian Chism. On behalf of the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, I extend my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and my prayers are with those who are recovering from their injuries.”

    He went on to call Southport a strong and resilient community” and asked that people pray for the victims and their families. 

    (Spectrum News 1)

    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • 3 dead, multiple injured in shooting at a North Carolina waterfront bar

    SOUTHPORT, N.C. — Three people are dead and several others are injured after a shooting at the American Fish Company in Southport, city officials said.

    The Southport Police Department responded to calls of shots fired with multiple injuries at the waterfront bar around 9:30 p.m. Saturday night. Officials said a person on a boat traveling on the Cape Fear River opened fire, fatally wounding three patrons, and injuring at least eight others. The boat then fled the area towards the Intracoastal Waterway in the direction of Oak Island.

    The city of Southport said the U.S. Coast Guard detained the suspect around 10 p.m. and was turned over to the Southport Police Department for questioning, officials said.

    The investigation is ongoing. Officials have not released information on those who were killed or wounded in the shooting. 

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Seven men sentenced for role in methamphetamine operation

    CINCINNATI — The seventh and final person involved with a “national narcotics conspiracy” has been sentenced to almost eight years in prison, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Ohio.

    What You Need To Know

    • Seven men have been handed sentences for their roles in a methamphetamine operation

    • The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Ohio states that these individuals brought more than 100 pounds of the drug to the Cincinnati area from California

    • The men had been indicted back in March of 2023

    “According to court documents, from at least July 2018 until March 2023, Juan-Jose Carrillo, 32, of Compton, California, and the six other defendants were responsible for the distribution of more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine from California into and throughout the Cincinnati area,” the release reads. “The methamphetamine supplier was connected to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).  The defendants charged represent both high-level suppliers and local-level drug distributors.”

    The other individuals and their sentences are as follows:

    • Franklin Johnson: 156 months
    • Gerald Jeter, Jr.: 132 months
    • Anthony Clardy II: 104 months
    • Dre’Quan Christopher: 102 months
    • Robert Day: 72 months
    • Tyrone Jordan: 36 months

    A federal grand jury had indicted the men back in March of 2023.

    The release notes that Carillo was the supply source, coordinating delieveries to Jeter, Johnson and Clardy. It calls Jeter and Johnson “high-level distributors,” Clardy and Day “mid-level distributors” and Christopher “a street-level dealer.”  

    Cody Thompson

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  • ‘Just disappeared’: Police need help closing case of 1977 missing teen

    FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio — Sometimes the smallest tips can lead to the biggest breaks for investigators working to solve a case. Even one that has gone cold.

    What You Need To Know

    • Fairview Park Police Chief Paul Shepard said he is counting on someone speaking up with information to finally bring Yvonne Reglar’s family answers after she went missing 48 years ago

    • On Aug. 8, 1977, Shepard said the 17-year-old was abducted during a work shift at a gas station on Lorrain Road; she would now be 65 years old

    • The U.S. Marshals Service is assisting with the investigation

    Fairview Park Police Chief Paul Shepard said he is counting on someone speaking up with information to finally bring Yvonne Reglar’s family answers after their loved one went missing nearly 50 years ago.

    “She was a tomboy, played in the band,” Shepard said while flipping through photographs. “Just a decent, good kid.”

    The pictures give a glimpse into Yvonne’s life. At least up until Aug. 8, 1977: the day Shepard said the 17-year-old was abducted during a work shift at a gas station on Lorrain Road.

    “The fact that she wasn’t supposed to be there,” he said. “Two, she had plans that night. We found no indication that she ran away.”

    Shepard said coworkers brought the North Olmsted teen to the Fairview Park service station around 8 a.m. He said she was transferred there to replace the scheduled employee, who was skilled at changing tires and sent to cover a shift at a location with a garage.

    “It was raining that day,” Shepard said. “There were storms, business wasn’t super busy. It was just like, ‘Hey, just go and do it.’”

    Yvonne was the only attendant on duty.

    A photo of Yvonne Reglar as a teen and an age-progressed photo. (Fairview Park Police Department)

    “The other thing is, it’s Fairview Park,” he said. “What could happen to you in Fairview Park?”

    Shepard said Yvonne initialed a receipt around 1:25 that afternoon, but between 1:30 and 2:05 p.m., he said two customers and a coffee machine repair person found the gas station empty. Yvonne’s personal items were still there.

    “Would you leave your purse and all your belongings behind?” Shepard said. “No. You would take something.”

    He said it was only after her shift replacement arrived for work at the empty station around 3 p.m. that Yvonne was reported missing. By that time, it was about an hour and a half after Shepard believes she was either tricked or physically taken.

    “She was taken from the pump,” he said. “There was no DNA. There’s no evidence. Because she would have just been grabbed and put in the car.”

    The disappearance captured newspaper headlines at the time, as her parents asked for answers.

    Peter Elliott said he was a detective at the Higbee’s department store where Yvonne’s mom worked.

    “I can remember that time,” he said. “I can remember the mom and her daughter was missing. Again, I wasn’t in law enforcement at the time, I was in security, so I really didn’t know what was going on.”

    But now as the U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio, Elliott brings national resources to assist with the investigation into what happened to Yvonne.

    “Not very typical is a serial killer that comes to town and snatches people,” Elliott said. “So typically it’s somebody you know, may know well.”

    Shepard said they look into every lead, as he combed through a box of files to bring out an example. A black-and-white clipping of an advertisement.

    “They thought this model looked like her from a 1970s hair stylist, and they ended up finding out that this was a professional model,” Shepard said, explaining the tip. “But there is some resemblance.”

    The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children released an updated age progression photo of how Yvonne might look today at age 65.

    Shepard hopes someone recognizes her or remembers something to close a case that generations of Fairview Park officers have worked to solve.

    “This is a young lady that showed up to work, did nothing wrong, she’s missing,” Shepard said. “We owe it to her, her family and the rest of the community to find out what happened to her.”

    He vowed that his department will not stop searching until they find her.

    If you have any information about Yvonne Reglar’s disappearance on Aug. 8, 1977, please call Fairview Park Police at (440) 356-4418 or email chiefofpolice@fairviewparkohio.gov.

    Jenna Jordan

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  • Ormond-By-The-Sea couple recounts tragic shooting at Circle K

    ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA, Fla. — Multiple communities are still reeling after off-duty Edgewater Police Officer David Jewell was shot and killed at a Circle K in Ormond-By-The-Sea.

    The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office confirms that 24-year-old suspect Eduardo Machado is in custody and admitted to the shooting, but the motive is still being investigated.

    What You Need To Know

    • Edgewater Police Officer David Jewell was shot and killed inside of a Circle K in Ormond-By-The-Sea Monday while off-duty

    • A couple that lives near the Circle K says they went there daily and were shocked to learn that Eduardo Machado was the suspected shooter

    • David and Teressa Pender say they heard multiple gunshots the night Jewell was shot

    • The Edgewater Police Department confirms that a vigil for Officer Jewell will be announced in the coming days and a memorial ride has been planned for Friday Sept. 19 at 7:30pm at Goodfellas Beer and Wine in Edgewater


    David and Teressa Pender say they go to that Ormond-By-The-Sea Circle K on Ocean Shore Boulevard and Wisteria Drive everyday and know everybody on staff, including Machado, and are still shocked that this even happened.

    David Pender says he bought a pack of cigarettes from one of the store clerks less than ten minutes before David Jewell was tragically shot 24 times.

    “I had just pulled out to get to the house and as soon as I got out of my truck, I heard pop, pop, pop, pop! And then I heard pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,” exclaimed David Pender.

    His wife Teressa said she thought he just heard construction noise nearby until the store was surrounded by law enforcement within five minutes and a search ensued.

    The two said they couldn’t believe the news when they learned the suspect was Eduardo Machado, as he was someone that they grew to adore when they visited the store.

    “We’ve known him for two and a half years. He’s the quietest, doesn’t really talk, great guy and you know everybody in the condos, people were friends with him,” Teressa Pender said. “Everybody knew him. You would just never have expected this. Especially when we hear how devastating it was.”

    The Penders also gave their condolences to the Jewell family and even brought flowers to the scene.

    Meanwhile, in Edgewater, a memorial with Jewell’s vehicle and picture has been started in front of the police station with local businesses like the family-owned Frosty King, who paid tribute with a sign for Jewell.

    “United we stand tall and divided we fall. So, we just want to let everyone know on that big sign and let the community and everybody know that we feel really sorry about what happened and we only get through this by being there for each other,” Frosty King employee Victoria Ice said.

    Flowers surround an Edgewater Police cruiser on Sept. 16, 2025, after an off-duty officer was shot and killed this week. (Spectrum News/Nick Allen)

    It’s an incident that has changed many lives and for the Penders, even changed how they go about their days.

    “Oh, brother I’m going to have a hard time walking through those doors. I’m not going to lie to you because I know the managers and the staff, and it just becomes a little community of the same people,” David Pender said. “You know, and then when something like that happens, it just kind of rips your heart a part.”

    The Edgewater Police Department confirms that a vigil for Officer Jewell will be announced in the coming days.

    Edgewater businesses, however, have partnered up and shared on Facebook that a Memorial Ride is expected to happen Friday Sept. 19 at 7:30 at Goodfellas Beer and Wine in Edgewater.

    Brandon Spencer

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  • Man arrested in fatal shooting of off-duty Edgewater officer

    ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA, Fla. — An investigation is underway in Volusia County after a man was arrested for reportedly shooting and killing off-duty Edgewater Police Officer David Jewell in the head multiple times at a convenience store.

    It all happened just after 4 p.m. at a Circle K in Ormond-By-The-Sea.

    Officials with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office say Jewell and the suspected gunman, identified as Eduardo Machado, reportedly knew each other.

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Bethune-Cookman University on lockdown after threat

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Bethune-Cookman University went into lockdown Thursday after officials say a threat was made against the  school.

    The school posted on its Facebook page at 12:23 p.m saying: “Due to a potential threat to campus safety, as a precaution, Bethune-Cookman University is currently on lockdown.”

    The alert did not give any details on the nature of the threat received by the school.

    Due to the lockdown, all classes were canceled, and students were told to return to their dorm rooms and shelter in place.

    All faculty and staff were also sent home, and those not on campus were told to plan to work remotely.

    “Safety is our first priority, and we will continue to provide updates,” the school’s Facebook message said.

    No other information was immediately released by the university.



    Spectrum News Staff

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