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  • Guthrie investigators turn to Mexico, genealogy, pacemaker amid fears the trail is going cold

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    As the search for Nancy Guthrie stretches into its third week, there is growing concern that the trail to find the missing 84-year-old is rapidly growing cold.

    Investigators have detained two people since Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson-area home in the early hours of Feb. 1. But both were released after questioning and no suspects have been publicly identified.

    Authorities insist the case is still very much active, with the FBI receiving more than 20,000 tips. But the case is branching off into some new directions.

    Look at Mexico

    Law enforcement sources told The Times that investigators have been in touch with Mexican authorities in the case given Tucson’s proximity to the border, but there is no evidence that the abductors crossed with Guthrie.

    The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the case candidly.

    The Guthrie home near Tucson is only about an hour’s drive from the border. Sources stressed the request for help from Mexico was to exhaust all options but there is not any clear evidence suggesting either Guthrie or the kidnappers are there.

    State of the investigation

    DNA on a glove discovered two miles away from Guthrie’s home that matched those worn by a masked man seen on Nest camera footage didn’t return any matches in the national DNA database used by law enforcement, CODIS. Biological evidence that was found at Guthrie’s home is still being tested but did not produce a match in CODIS, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told Fox News this week.

    An anonymous donor this week gave $100,000 to 88-CRIME for information that would lead investigators to arrest the individual involved in Guthrie’s disappearance. This is in addition to the $100,000 reward for information being offered by the FBI.

    Nanos has tried to dispel concerns that investigators are hitting nothing but dead ends, telling NBC News that “as long as we have the ability to chase a lead, it’s not cold.”

    “We have thousands of leads we’re looking at,” he said. “We’re going to find Nancy, and we’re going to find who did this.”

    So far, experts say investigators’ best bet to solving the case quickly would be if someone recognizes the suspect in Nest video footage, a masked man seen on Guthrie’s porch the morning she was abducted.

    At 1:47 a.m. Feb. 1, the individual appears at the door of Guthrie’s home. The man is wearing a balaclava, gloves and a backpack. A gun is holstered by the man’s waist, positioned at the front of his body and easily visible.

    At one point, the man, whom authorities describe as approximately 5 feet 9 to 5 feet 10 with an average build, notices the camera on the front porch and tries to cover the lens with his hand. The man scouts around the patio and yard area, apparently for something to obstruct the camera before settling on some greenery found in the yard.

    In the video, the man is wearing a black, 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack that can be purchased at Walmart, according to the FBI. Investigators have been working with Walmart leadership to see if they can identify who purchased the backpack.

    Authorities are also canvassing gun shops, showing the video released by the FBI to see if anyone recognizes him, according to the sheriff’s department.

    Investigators employ genetic genealogy

    DNA found inside the Guthrie home could also prove fruitful in the case, experts say.

    Although law enforcement did not get any hits in the federal database, they are also employing genetic genealogy in an effort to identify a suspect in the case.

    “If they actually have the suspect’s DNA — Nancy’s kidnapper’s DNA — he will be identified through genetic genealogy,” said CeCe Moore, a genetic genealogist and co-founder of DNA Justice. “It’s just a matter of time.”

    Authorities can compare DNA collected from Guthrie’s home with publicly accessible databases containing the genetic profiles of millions of people who have given them over for family history research and other reasons. From there, investigators can sometimes find distant relatives to help piece together a family tree that can point to a suspect.

    The technology has helped solve some of the nation’s most high-profile cases in recent years. Investigators used genetic genealogy to identify Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. as the Golden State Killer who terrorized California in the 1970s and 80s. It was also used to secure the conviction of Bryan Kohberger, who was sentenced to life in prison for murdering four college students in Idaho in 2022.

    There are limits to the technology, but law enforcement sources told The Times it’s probably the best way forward.

    Law enforcement does not have easy access to the roughly 50 million genetic profiles contained in Ancestry.com, 23andMe and MyHeritage databases. The companies have barred authorities from accessing such information and said they would release it only if compelled by a court order or warrant.

    Databases GEDmatch, FamilyTreeDNA and DNA Justice are open to law enforcement use but contain fewer than 2 million genetic profiles, Moore said.

    With fewer genetic profiles to work with there is more legwork involved, but Moore said it will probably be key to identifying a suspect.

    “It could happen in minutes, hours, days, weeks, but I don’t think it’ll stretch much longer than that because of all the resources available for this case,” she said.

    Searching for her pacemaker

    Law enforcement has also deployed “signal sniffer” technology in the search for Guthrie.

    Parsons Corp confirmed this week that the Pima County Sheriff’s Department requested its help early this month deploying BlueFly units to search for Guthrie. BlueFly is a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi sensor that can be used on air and ground vehicles for search and rescue operations in challenging environments, providing authorities with a heat map to identify signals within a specific area, according to the company.

    BlueFly can detect medical devices such as Guthrie’s pacemaker.

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    Hannah Fry, Richard Winton

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  • Nancy Guthrie kidnapping investigation draws scrutiny as case drags on

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    Nancy Guthrie had been missing less than three days when family members and reporters, and even an Amazon delivery worker, could be seen wandering onto her property, with drops of her blood still staining the front entryway.

    It’s been nearly two weeks since the 84-year-old mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie was abducted. With no suspects in custody as of Saturday, scrutiny is growing over how authorities have handled the case.

    Some questions have focused on Pima County (Ariz.) Sheriff Chris Nanos and his department, which was the first to respond when Guthrie was reported missing from her Tucson home Feb. 1. Since then, Nanos has been the leading law enforcement communicator on the investigation, including after reports emerged of ransom notes demanding millions of dollars in cryptocurrency for Guthrie’s return.

    The global spotlight is now on him.

    “I’m not used to everyone hanging on to my every word and then holding me accountable for what I say,” Nanos said at a press conference early in the probe. “This is really, for me, pretty new.”

    Critics pointed out his department opened up the crime scene a day after Guthrie was reported missing and sent vital evidence across the country to be analyzed for free, and the sheriff was seen at a weekend college basketball game while a ransom deadline still hung over the family.

    President Trump has even weighed in on the issue.

    “It was a local case originally, and they didn’t want to let go of it, which is fine,” President Trump said when asked about the case at the White House on Friday. “It’s up to them, it’s really up to the community, but ultimately where the FBI got involved, I think, you know, progress has been made.”

    Guthrie was discovered missing after she didn’t show up at a friend’s house to watch a church service. She was taken from her home without any of her heart medication, and it’s unclear how long she can survive without it.

    Though she initially was considered missing, the urgency to quickly find Guthrie pulsed through the first days of media coverage because of her heart condition. So it came as a surprise to some observers that just a day after she’d been reported missing, Nanos declared the crime scene clear and released the home back to the family.

    Forensic workers had processed the ranch-style home for evidence, including DNA and fingerprints, but could not recover images from a Ring camera because the family did not pay for a subscription to back up the recordings, Nanos said.

    Afterward, as the home stood unguarded, reporters, photographers and others wandered the property, walking to the front door and capturing video of blood drops along the porch.

    The crime scene eventually was closed again so the FBI could conduct its own search, and Nanos told reporters opening the scene up the first time may have been premature.

    “Monday morning quarterback. Absolutely. I probably could have held off on that,” Nanos said at a news conference, with top FBI agents flanking him.

    Sheriff‘s deputies eventually were stationed outside home, but even so, a pizza delivery driver walked food that had been ordered for someone in the neighborhood up to the door of the Guthrie home. On Friday, a company showed up to service Guthrie’s backyard pool, which was accommodated at the “request of the Guthrie family,” the sheriff’s department said.

    Breaks in the investigation have come in fits and starts.

    After searching the home last week, FBI technicians have been processing evidence from in and around it. Testing revealed the blood drops outside the door belonged to Guthrie.

    Then, a series of ransom notes arrived in the tip boxes of two Tucson television stations and TMZ, seeking $4 million and $6 million in bitcoin, and included details about Guthrie’s home.

    The fact that law enforcement announced Guthrie disappeared and then publicly gave credence to reports she was being held for ransom put authorities at a disadvantage, said Adam Bercovici, who has worked multiple kidnappings as the former supervisor of the Los Angeles Police Department’s special investigations unit.

    “It is a debacle,” he said. “This kidnapping is one of the worst cases of incompetence I have seen.”

    With so much information floating around, Bercovici said, it would be difficult to verify a legitimate ransom demand. Indeed, not long after news about the ransom notes broke, officials said a man in Hawthorne sent an imposter demand to the Guthries. He has been charged with a federal crime.

    Much is still unknown about the details inside the investigation and exactly what evidence detectives have collected. Because of this, it will take time to fully assess their tactics and truly understand the complexity of the case.

    The first big break in the case came Tuesday, when the FBI released surveillance videos of someone approaching Guthrie’s door wearing a holstered gun, ski mask and backpack. The videos, recovered by Google engineers, provided the first look at Guthrie’s kidnapper and last less than a minute. More than 4,000 tips flooded law enforcement agencies in the 24 hours after the images were broadcast.

    By the following evening, sheriff‘s investigators were detaining a 36-year-old man after a traffic stop south of Tucson. Sheriff’s officials announced they obtained a court-approved search warrant for his Rio Rico home, immediately raising expectations among those closely watching the case.

    But those hopes soon were deflated.

    Surrounded by the throng of cameras and reporters, investigators and FBI forensic technicians swarmed the man’s home. His mother-in-law, under the glare of camera lights, declared him innocent, saying she didn’t know who Savannah Guthrie was, and told them “you won’t find anything here, we have nothing to hide.”

    By the next morning, the man was free and his house cleared of investigators. The Times is not naming him because he has not been arrested or accused of any wrongdoing.

    “I hope they get the suspect because I am not it,” the man told reporters. “And they better do their job and find the suspect that did it so they can clear my name.”

    On Friday night, authorities served a search warrant at a home in Tucson and swarmed a parked Range Rover. In the end, officials said no arrests were made.

    Investigators are casting an even wider net to find photos, videos and any other clues. Other people in the area should expect to be detained and questioned, Nanos told local station KOLD.

    On Thursday, authorities revealed a series of images of men in the dark with backpacks near cars and homes. About two miles from the Guthrie home, investigators discovered a glove on the ground, then several others farther from the home, the sheriff’s department announced Friday. They’ll all be analyzed for DNA in hopes it leads to the 84-year-old grandmother. The department said other DNA found at the home did not match Guthrie or anyone in close contact with her, and investigators are working to identify who it belongs to.

    Meanwhile, the FBI doubled its reward for information this week to $100,000 and released a description of the person seen at her front door.

    “The suspect is described as a male, approximately 5’9” – 5’10” tall, with an average build. In the video, he is wearing a black, 25-liter ‘Ozark Trail Hiker Pack’ backpack,” the bureau said. More than 13,000 tips have flowed into the bureau.

    On Friday, the sheriff’s department sought to quash rumors that there was a divide between local and federal investigators, centered around the handling of evidence and which lab it should be sent to.

    “Our strong partnership is critical, and we remain fully committed to this collaborative investigation. To ensure consistency and streamline testing, evidence requiring forensic analysis is being sent to the same out-of-state lab that has been utilized since the beginning of this case,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. “This decision was discussed with and agreed upon by local FBI leadership.”

    But Nanos himself expressed frustration about the pace of the probe.

    “It’s exhausting, these ups and downs. But we will keep moving forward,” he told the New York Times. “Maybe it’s an hour from now. Maybe it’s weeks or months or years from now. But we won’t quit. We’re going to find Nancy. We’re going to find this guy.”

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    Richard Winton, Hannah Fry

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  • Investigators search second home in Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case

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    Authorities served a search warrant at a home in Tucson on Friday night in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, who investigators say was kidnapped from her nearby home 13 days ago.

    A SWAT team converged on a house about two miles from Guthrie’s Arizona residence and removed two people from inside, law enforcement sources told The Times.

    A man and a woman complied with orders to exit the home, News Nation reported. It is unclear what role, if any, the people may have played in Guthrie’s disappearance, which has flummoxed investigators for almost two weeks.

    A Pima County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson confirmed late Friday that there was “law enforcement activity underway” at a home near E Orange Grove Road and N. First Avenue related to the Guthrie case, but declined to share additional information.

    The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Around midnight, federal agents and sheriff investigators focused their attention on a silver Range Rover SUV parked outside a restaurant about two miles away from the home that was being searched. After taking photographs of the vehicle, agents opened the trunk of the SUV using a tarp to block onlookers view inside the vehicle, video shows.

    It is not clear what, if anything, was found.

    Investigators got their first major break in the case Tuesday with the release of footage showing an armed man wearing a balaclava, gloves and a backpack approaching the front door of Guthrie’s home and tampering with a Nest camera at 1:47 a.m. the night she was abducted.

    “Today” host Savannah Guthrie with her mother, Nancy, in 2023.

    (Nathan Congleton / NBC via Getty Images)

    Later Tuesday, authorities detained a man at a traffic stop in Rio Rico, a semirural community about 12 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, in connection with the investigation. Deputies and FBI forensics experts and agents searched his family’s home overnight but did not locate Guthrie. The man was released hours later and has denied any involvement in her disappearance. The Times is not naming him because he has not been arrested or accused of a crime.

    Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie, was discovered missing Feb. 1 after she didn’t show up to a friend’s house to watch a church service. She was taken from her home without her heart medication, and it’s unclear how long she can survive without it.

    A day after Guthrie disappeared, news outlets received identical ransom notes that investigators treated as legitimate. Days later, a note was sent directly to the Guthrie family, allegedly from a man living in Hawthorne, that authorities say was an impostor.

    Another ransom note was sent to a television station in Arizona last week.

    Sources told The Times that authorities have no proof the person who authored the ransom notes has Guthrie. But they also said the Feb. 2 note felt credible because it included details about a specific damaged piece of property and the placement of an accessory in the home that had not been made public.

    On Friday, TMZ said it received a letter from someone claiming to know the identity of the person who abducted Guthrie and demanding the $100,000 FBI reward in bitcoin. The person wrote they don’t trust the FBI, which is why they’re sending the communication through TMZ, the website’s founder, Harvey Levin, told CNN.

    “The manhunt of the main individual that can give you all the answers be prepared to go international,” the letter reads, according to Levin.

    Authorities have released limited details about other evidence in the case.

    A woman walks her dog past a Pima county sheriff's vehicle parked in front of Nancy Guthrie's home

    A woman walks her dog past a Pima county sheriff’s vehicle parked in front of Nancy Guthrie’s home on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz.

    (Ty ONeil / Associated Press)

    However, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said Friday that investigators located several gloves, including some found about two miles from Guthrie’s home, that are being tested.

    Authorities also found DNA evidence that does not belong to Guthrie or members of her family at her home. Investigators are working to identify whom the DNA belongs to, according to the sheriff’s department.

    Staff writer Hannah Fry contributed to this report

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    Clara Harter, Richard Winton

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  • Second video offers more clues in Nancy Guthrie abduction as authorities seek more

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    Authorities are examining security camera footage from a home in the Tucson area near Nancy Guthrie’s property that shows a man wearing a backpack trying to scale a wall near a home the morning of her disappearance.

    The video, which was captured on a Ring camera about 1:54 a.m. Feb. 1, shows a bald man wearing a gray jacket and a backpack similar to the one worn by the masked man outside Guthrie’s door before she was abducted. Another video, which is also being reviewed, shows a man wearing a baseball cap and a black backpack pulling on a car door handle outside a home in the neighborhood the morning after the 84-year-old vanished.

    Sources told The Times the videos are being looked at as part of the investigation into Guthrie’s abduction. But it’s unclear whether or how they might be connected.

    Sheriff‘s officials have also asked residents to pull any video from Jan. 1 to Feb. 2 that includes vehicles, people or anything deemed “out of the ordinary” or possibly important to the investigation.

    Kimberlee Guluzian, a lecturer at Cal State Long Beach and a forensic consultant who spent decades as a crime scene investigator, said that in addition to reviewing videos, detectives probably are pulling data from license plate readers and cell towers to see who was in the area in the days and weeks before Guthrie’s kidnapping.

    It could be an indication that authorities suspect the person may have cased Guthrie’s home before the abduction, she said.

    “They’re trying to look for people or cars that typically aren’t in the area,” she said. “So if it was a rental car, they’re going to try to get a license plate and go back to the company to see who rented that vehicle. They’re just trying to find any lead possible at this point.”

    The latest piece of video evidence comes as Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos says more people are likely to be detained in the case.

    Guthrie was discovered missing from her home 12 days ago after she didn’t show up at a friend’s house to watch a church service. She was taken from her home without any of her medication, and it’s unclear how long she can survive without it.

    Guthrie’s children have been holding on to hope that their mother will be found. “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, one of her daughters, posted a tribute to her mother on Instagram on Thursday morning.

    The short video shows a much younger Nancy Guthrie picking pink flowers in the garden with her elementary school-aged children. Guthrie smiles as one of her young daughters places the flowers near her nose, an invitation to smell the fragrant blossoms.

    “Our lovely mom. We will never give up on her,” Savannah Guthrie wrote in the caption. “Thank you for your prayers and hope.”

    The unusual case has seemingly hit a host of dead ends in recent days.

    Authorities on Tuesday detained a 36-year-old man after a traffic stop south of Tucson, but released him hours later. Deputies and FBI forensics experts and agents searched his family’s home overnight but did not locate Guthrie. Authorities have not said whether or how he might be connected to the case or what evidence led them to search his family’s home.

    A Sheriff’s Department spokesperson said the man’s detention “was part of follow-up on incoming leads.”

    Footage from the Nest camera outside Guthrie’s home led to roughly 4,000 new tips over the course of 24 hours, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Meanwhile, investigators on Wednesday scoured along roadways in the foothills north of Tucson for any evidence that could help them crack the case.

    Investigators discovered “several items of evidence including gloves” that are being tested, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

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    Richard Winton, Hannah Fry

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  • In tearful video, Savannah Guthrie addresses possible kidnapper: ‘Ready to talk’

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    Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings posted a tearful video Wednesday in which they pleaded for the return of their mother, Nancy Guthrie, and asked her possible kidnapper to communicate with them.

    “We live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know, without a doubt, that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us,” Guthrie says in the video posted to Instagram.

    She says she is aware of reports of a ransom demand and that the family is ready to talk.

    Guthrie, the “Today” co-anchor, expresses concern for her mother’s health. “She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive and she needs it not to suffer.”

    Guthrie describes her mother as “kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving.”

    “She loves fun and adventure. She is a devoted friend. She is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her, and you’ll see.”

    “Mama, if you’re listening,” Annie Guthrie says, “we need you to come home, we miss you.”

    Authorities have been looking for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie for four days.

    There was evidence that someone had forced their way inside her Tucson home, and there was blood on the premises, according to law enforcement sources not authorized to speak about the case publicly. Images reviewed by The Times showed a trail of blood droplets near the front door of the home.

    On Wednesday morning, amid rumors swirling online about who could be involved, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators still had not identified a suspect or person of interest.

    “While we appreciate the public’s concern, the sharing of unverified accusations or false information is irresponsible and does not assist the investigation,” the sheriff said in a social media post.

    The statement comes as details of the case have trickled out and after several news outlets reported receiving possible ransom notes requesting money in exchange for Nancy Guthrie’s release. The Sheriff’s Department said it was aware of those notes but did not verify their authenticity.

    “We have nothing else to go on but the belief that she is here, she’s present, she’s alive, and we want to save her,” Nanos told NBC during an interview Wednesday.

    On Tuesday, the sheriff said investigators still “don’t know where she is” and called for anyone who had had contact with her to come forward.

    Nancy Guthrie was last seen by family members around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, according to officials, when she was dropped off at her home in the Catalina Foothills, a community just north of Tucson.

    The following morning, family members were notified around 11 a.m. that their mother hadn’t shown up for church, prompting them to go to her house to check on her. She was nowhere to be found.

    Soon after, family members reported her missing.

    Local authorities said they immediately found “concerning circumstances” at the house, and later said Nancy Guthrie might have been forcibly taken in the middle of the night.

    “We do believe Nancy was taken from her home against her will,” Nanos said at a news conference Tuesday.

    In Wednesday’s Instagram video, Savannah Guthrie says, “Our mom is our heart and our home. She is 84 years old. Her health, her heart, is fragile. … We will not rest, your children will not rest, until we are together again.”

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    Richard Winton, Clara Harter, Grace Toohey

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  • Firefighters battle Orange County house fire that started in the bedroom, officials say

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    A house in Orange County caught fire on Friday. Investigators say it started in the bedroom.Orange County Fire Rescue arrived at 7607 Treasure Island Court and quickly contained the active blaze.An OCFR spokesperson confirmed that crews were able to isolate the fire to the room of origin.All occupants were safely evacuated before crews arrived.OCFR investigators are working to determine the cause and origin of the fire. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is also on the scene. >> This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information is released.

    A house in Orange County caught fire on Friday. Investigators say it started in the bedroom.

    Orange County Fire Rescue arrived at 7607 Treasure Island Court and quickly contained the active blaze.

    An OCFR spokesperson confirmed that crews were able to isolate the fire to the room of origin.

    From WESH

    House fire in Orange County

    All occupants were safely evacuated before crews arrived.

    OCFR investigators are working to determine the cause and origin of the fire.

    The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is also on the scene.

    >> This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information is released.

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  • Central Florida jury duty scam calls linked to Georgia prison

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    Those “jury duty” scam calls many Central Floridians have been getting may be coming from an unexpected place: a prison — linked to organized criminal networks.A joint investigation involving state and federal agencies found inmates inside a Georgia prison were behind a wave of jury duty scams targeting victims across the country, including Florida. Sarasota Detective Andrew Rowe says the jury duty scam network he has been investigating has moved staggering amounts of money. He said that “from September 2023 through roughly November 2024, $87 million flowed through one platform alone.”Rowe’s investigation began about two years ago and ultimately helped connect the scam calls to a Georgia prison. He believes roughly 90% of the scam jury duty calls hitting Central Florida trace back to the same perpetrators.The breakthrough came in January 2024, when a Sarasota woman received a call saying she had missed jury duty. Investigators say she was pressured into sending about $18,000 in bitcoin. Rowe and his partner traced the money to a woman in Macon, Georgia. She told police her boyfriend — who was incarcerated — was using cellphones inside the prison to run the scam.That raised a major question: How are inmates getting phones behind bars?Rowe says the investigation expanded quickly, including evidence suggesting contraband was being delivered by drones dropping bags containing items like phones and drugs. To confirm what they were hearing, Rowe says investigators received a call from the inmate. In the background, he says, they could hear the sounds of prison life: cell doors and inmates yelling.How the scam sounds so realDetectives say the scammers do their homework to make the calls convincing. They use real deputy names found on agency Facebook pages and spoof numbers. He says the inmates also pull personal details using online search tools.In one recent case reported in Volusia County, a scammer posed as the sheriff’s second-in-command, Chief Deputy Brian Henderson. A recording captured the fake message:”This is Chief Deputy Brian Henderson … Volusia County Sheriff’s Department. I need you to give me a call back.”Investigators say the voice was not Henderson’s.A local case tied to the Georgia inmatesMarion County deputies recorded at least one case believed to be linked to the same Georgia inmate group. In that case, a woman lost $4,000 after receiving a call that sounded legitimate and included personal information like her name, address and date of birth.When she told the scammer she was going to call her son, who works for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the report states the caller insisted there was no need, saying they had already spoken to him, even referencing him by name.Detectives say fear is the weapon. Victims are told they could be arrested if they do not comply, and many of the people targeted could lose their jobs if they were arrested for a felony. Rowe says scammers also appear to target people with professional licenses — such as medical licenses — because Florida’s public records make many of those details searchable.Investigators say it’s bigger than one caseIn the Sarasota investigation, indictments were secured for an inmate and his girlfriend, who are awaiting sentencing. However, Rowe says the operation likely extends beyond one couple.”This is much bigger. We have a pretty good suspicion that this is being done to support the gangs on the outside.”What you should doLaw enforcement’s message is simple: Do not send money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to anyone saying you missed jury duty — and do not trust caller ID.If you get a call like this, hang up and contact your local sheriff’s office using a verified number from the agency’s official website.

    Those “jury duty” scam calls many Central Floridians have been getting may be coming from an unexpected place: a prison — linked to organized criminal networks.

    A joint investigation involving state and federal agencies found inmates inside a Georgia prison were behind a wave of jury duty scams targeting victims across the country, including Florida.

    Sarasota Detective Andrew Rowe says the jury duty scam network he has been investigating has moved staggering amounts of money. He said that “from September 2023 through roughly November 2024, $87 million flowed through one [pay] platform alone.”

    Rowe’s investigation began about two years ago and ultimately helped connect the scam calls to a Georgia prison. He believes roughly 90% of the scam jury duty calls hitting Central Florida trace back to the same perpetrators.

    The breakthrough came in January 2024, when a Sarasota woman received a call saying she had missed jury duty. Investigators say she was pressured into sending about $18,000 in bitcoin.

    Rowe and his partner traced the money to a woman in Macon, Georgia. She told police her boyfriend — who was incarcerated — was using cellphones inside the prison to run the scam.

    That raised a major question: How are inmates getting phones behind bars?

    Rowe says the investigation expanded quickly, including evidence suggesting contraband was being delivered by drones dropping bags containing items like phones and drugs.

    To confirm what they were hearing, Rowe says investigators received a call from the inmate. In the background, he says, they could hear the sounds of prison life: cell doors and inmates yelling.

    How the scam sounds so real

    Detectives say the scammers do their homework to make the calls convincing. They use real deputy names found on agency Facebook pages and spoof numbers. He says the inmates also pull personal details using online search tools.

    In one recent case reported in Volusia County, a scammer posed as the sheriff’s second-in-command, Chief Deputy Brian Henderson. A recording captured the fake message:

    “This is Chief Deputy Brian Henderson … Volusia County Sheriff’s Department. I need you to give me a call back.”

    Investigators say the voice was not Henderson’s.

    A local case tied to the Georgia inmates

    Marion County deputies recorded at least one case believed to be linked to the same Georgia inmate group. In that case, a woman lost $4,000 after receiving a call that sounded legitimate and included personal information like her name, address and date of birth.

    When she told the scammer she was going to call her son, who works for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the report states the caller insisted there was no need, saying they had already spoken to him, even referencing him by name.

    Detectives say fear is the weapon. Victims are told they could be arrested if they do not comply, and many of the people targeted could lose their jobs if they were arrested for a felony.

    Rowe says scammers also appear to target people with professional licenses — such as medical licenses — because Florida’s public records make many of those details searchable.

    Investigators say it’s bigger than one case

    In the Sarasota investigation, indictments were secured for an inmate and his girlfriend, who are awaiting sentencing. However, Rowe says the operation likely extends beyond one couple.

    “This is much bigger. We have a pretty good suspicion that this is being done to support the gangs on the outside.”

    What you should do

    Law enforcement’s message is simple: Do not send money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to anyone saying you missed jury duty — and do not trust caller ID.

    If you get a call like this, hang up and contact your local sheriff’s office using a verified number from the agency’s official website.

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  • Toxicology report reveals oxycodone, alcohol in driver’s system during deadly wrong-way I-95 crash

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    The Florida Highway Patrol says toxicology results show the driver who caused a deadly wrong-way crash on I-95 in Brevard County had high amounts of oxycodone and alcohol in her system.Troopers say the 34-year-old Cocoa woman had a blood alcohol level of 0.053, which is below Florida’s legal limit of 0.08, but impairment is still considered a factor in the crash.The crash happened in September 2025 near Wickham Road, when investigators say the woman made a U-turn at Viera Boulevard and began driving the wrong way in the northbound lanes.FHP says her vehicle struck another car head-on, triggering an eight-car pileup.Two people were killed in addition to the driver, and six others were seriously injured, according to troopers.Investigators previously said the woman traveled about 2 1/2 miles the wrong way before the collision. Because she made a U-turn in the interstate lanes, the wrong-way driver detection systems on ramps did not catch the incident.Anyone impacted by impaired-driving crashes can contact Mothers Against Drunk Driving Central Florida for support and resources at 1-877-623-3435.

    The Florida Highway Patrol says toxicology results show the driver who caused a deadly wrong-way crash on I-95 in Brevard County had high amounts of oxycodone and alcohol in her system.

    Troopers say the 34-year-old Cocoa woman had a blood alcohol level of 0.053, which is below Florida’s legal limit of 0.08, but impairment is still considered a factor in the crash.

    The crash happened in September 2025 near Wickham Road, when investigators say the woman made a U-turn at Viera Boulevard and began driving the wrong way in the northbound lanes.

    FHP says her vehicle struck another car head-on, triggering an eight-car pileup.

    Two people were killed in addition to the driver, and six others were seriously injured, according to troopers.

    Investigators previously said the woman traveled about 2 1/2 miles the wrong way before the collision. Because she made a U-turn in the interstate lanes, the wrong-way driver detection systems on ramps did not catch the incident.

    Anyone impacted by impaired-driving crashes can contact Mothers Against Drunk Driving Central Florida for support and resources at 1-877-623-3435.

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  • Timothy Busfield faces new sex abuse accusation as he appears in court

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    Timothy Busfield made a first appearance in New Mexico court Wednesday as prosecutors detailed a new sexual abuse accusation against the Emmy-winning actor.

    Busfield, 68, has been charged with two felony counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and a single count of child abuse for allegedly inappropriately touching two child actors while he worked as a director and executive producer on the Fox drama “The Cleaning Lady,” filmed in Albuquerque. He was held without bond pending a hearing on a motion for pretrial detention.

    In that motion, prosecutors argued Busfield should be jailed pending trial due to what they called “a sustained pattern of predatory conduct” that they said dated to at least 1994. That year, a 17-year-old extra on the film “Little Big League” accused Busfield of sexually assaulting her in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court that was later settled privately, the motion states.

    Most recently, a man named Colin Swift reported to law enforcement on Tuesday that, years ago, Busfield sexually abused Swift’s then-16-year-old daughter during an audition at B Street Theatre in Sacramento, the motion states. Swift alleged that Busfield begged the family to not report the abuse to law enforcement if he received therapy, and they initially agreed, the filing states.

    No charges have been filed against Busfield in connection with that incident.

    Busfield founded B Street Theatre as a touring company called Theatre for Children Inc. in 1986, according to its website. Although he is listed as an emeritus board member, he has not participated in the organization since 2001, and the incident recently reported to police is alleged to have taken place there about 25 years ago, according to a statement from B Street Theatre. The theater has retained legal counsel to conduct an internal investigation, the statement said.

    Prosecutors allege Busfield’s conduct “reflects a calculated pattern of grooming, lack of boundaries, and exploitation of professional authority to gain access to minors,” according to the motion for pretrial detention. Witnesses have said they fear retaliation and career harm for speaking out against him, demonstrating “how individuals in positions of power are able to silence victims and witnesses, allowing abuse to persist unchecked,” they wrote.

    A representative for Busfield could not be reached Wednesday. His attorney Stanton “Larry” Stein previously said in a statement that the actor is innocent and “determined to clear his name.” He also referenced an affidavit in which Busfield suggested to investigators that the child actors’ mother might have sought “revenge” on the director for “not bringing her kids back for the final season.”

    The actor, known for his work on television series “The West Wing” and “Thirtysomething,” turned himself in Tuesday, which prosecutors allege was five days after he knew a judge had issued a warrant for his arrest. During that time, Busfield traveled from New York to New Mexico to avoid the extradition process and surrender at a convenient time, the motion alleges.

    He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, where he remained Wednesday.

    Busfield is accused of inappropriately touching the two child actors, who are brothers, on the set of “The Cleaning Lady,” according to an affidavit. Their mother reported the abuse took place from November 2022 to spring 2024, according to the complaint. Police launched an investigation in November 2024 after being notified of the alleged abuse by a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital.

    According to prosecutors, “Cleaning Lady” producer Warner Bros. conducted an investigation into Busfield’s behavior in February 2025 after the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists hotline fielded an anonymous complaint that the director entered a trailer on the set and kissed a 6-year-old boy on the face while he was getting a haircut. Another caller to the hotline claimed that, in September 2024, Busfield asked a parent to wait outside and took a minor — one of the alleged victims in the New Mexico case — behind closed doors for an audition at the Cinelease Studios office in Albuquerque, according to the motion.

    A third-party investigator retained by Warner Bros., however, found no evidence that Busfield had been alone with the brothers on set or engaged in other inappropriate conduct, according to a statement from the investigator released by Stein, Busfield’s attorney. But the investigator failed to speak with one of the victims and his parents, as well as key witnesses, prosecutors allege in the motion.

    Warner Bros. Television said in a statement that it takes all misconduct allegations seriously and has cooperated with law enforcement by expediting the sharing of the report by its third-party investigator, which it could have withheld as privileged. The studio has a clear non-retaliation policy to ensure employees feel comfortable reporting concerns, the statement said. “Our top priority is the health and safety of our cast and crew across all productions,” it said.

    Busfield, who is married to actor Melissa Gilbert, was also accused of battery in March 2012 by a 28-year-old woman who said he sexually assaulted her in a Los Angeles movie theater, but prosecutors declined to file charges due to “slim evidence,” according to the motion for pretrial detention.

    The hearing on the motion, during which a judge will decide whether Busfield remains in jail, will be scheduled in 2nd Judicial District Court in Albuquerque within the next five business days, said Camille Cordova, a public information officer for the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court.

    Before he surrendered, Busfield recorded a video at his attorney’s office in which he denied the allegations. “I’m gonna confront these lies,” he said in the video published by TMZ, “they’re horrible.”

    Prosecutors called the move “troubling” and said it demonstrated “a willingness to prioritize personal narrative control and public relations” over complying with court processes.

    Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.

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    Alex Wigglesworth

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  • No motive revealed in killing of prominent California farmer’s estranged wife in Arizona

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    Investigators declined to reveal the suspected motive in the shooting death of a prominent California farmer’s estranged wife in eastern Arizona, but they said the couple’s prolonged divorce case arose in nearly all interviews with family and friends.Michael Abatti, 63, was arrested last week in El Centro, California, in the shooting death of Kerri Ann Abatti, 59, at her family’s vacation home in Pinetop, Arizona, where she moved after splitting with her husband.Investigators, who discussed the case at a news conference Monday, say Michael Abatti traveled from El Centro to Pinetop on Nov. 20, carried out the killing and returned to California early the next morning. They declined to say what occurred at the Pinetop house in the last days of Kerri Abatti’s life.“Different theories will come up,” Navajo County Sheriff David Clouse said of the motive. “The only thing that’s glaring that I think everybody already knows is there’s a divorce in place and they weren’t able to come to a resolution. But I can’t speak exactly to what the motive would be.”Owen Roth, one of Michael Abatti’s attorneys, said his client surrendered to law enforcement, agreed to be extradited to Arizona and remains innocent under the law. “Our client is in his mid-60s and has significant health issues, and we continue to worry about his well-being,” Roth said. “We ask the public to respect his privacy and constitutional rights and reiterate that this case will be decided based on the evidence by a jury.” An autopsy report released Monday said Kerri Abatti’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head.The report said she was found unconscious on the floor near her kitchen by her nephew, who told investigators he heard a loud sound before finding her. When investigators searched the home they found a “circular defect” on a window and determined “a gunshot likely originated from the yard outside the home,” the autopsy report said.The Associated Press left a message for the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office for further explanation. The medical examiner’s office in Coconino County, which conducted the autopsy, directed questions about the report to a Navajo County official, and the AP also left a message for the official. A descendant of early Latter-day Saints settlers who helped found Pinetop in the 1880s, Kerri had filed for divorce, with proceedings pending in California at the time of her death.Authorities searched his home in far Southern California on Dec. 2 as part of the investigation into his wife’s death.Michael Abatti comes from a long line of farmers in the crop-rich Imperial Valley, which is the biggest user of Colorado River water and known for growing leafy greens, melons and forage crops. His grandfather, an Italian immigrant, was among the region’s early settlers and his father helped start the Imperial Valley Vegetable Growers Association.Michael Abatti served on the board of the powerful Imperial Irrigation District from 2006 to 2010.The Abattis, who married in 1992 and had three children, were sparring over finances. Kerri told the court the couple had lived an affluent lifestyle during more than three decades of marriage. They owned property in three states, vacationed internationally and sent their children to private school.Kerri initially received $5,000 monthly temporary spousal support. She later sought an increase, citing struggles to maintain her standard of living as well as keep up the Arizona property. She also asked for an additional $100,000 in attorney’s fees, court filings showed.Michael Abatti eventually agreed to raise support to $6,400 monthly, despite having countered in a court filing that poor farming years had reduced his income. He blamed market shifts favoring Ukrainian crops, rising shipping costs and harsh weather.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    Investigators declined to reveal the suspected motive in the shooting death of a prominent California farmer’s estranged wife in eastern Arizona, but they said the couple’s prolonged divorce case arose in nearly all interviews with family and friends.

    Michael Abatti, 63, was arrested last week in El Centro, California, in the shooting death of Kerri Ann Abatti, 59, at her family’s vacation home in Pinetop, Arizona, where she moved after splitting with her husband.

    Investigators, who discussed the case at a news conference Monday, say Michael Abatti traveled from El Centro to Pinetop on Nov. 20, carried out the killing and returned to California early the next morning. They declined to say what occurred at the Pinetop house in the last days of Kerri Abatti’s life.

    “Different theories will come up,” Navajo County Sheriff David Clouse said of the motive. “The only thing that’s glaring that I think everybody already knows is there’s a divorce in place and they weren’t able to come to a resolution. But I can’t speak exactly to what the motive would be.”

    Owen Roth, one of Michael Abatti’s attorneys, said his client surrendered to law enforcement, agreed to be extradited to Arizona and remains innocent under the law. “Our client is in his mid-60s and has significant health issues, and we continue to worry about his well-being,” Roth said. “We ask the public to respect his privacy and constitutional rights and reiterate that this case will be decided based on the evidence by a jury.” An autopsy report released Monday said Kerri Abatti’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head.

    The report said she was found unconscious on the floor near her kitchen by her nephew, who told investigators he heard a loud sound before finding her. When investigators searched the home they found a “circular defect” on a window and determined “a gunshot likely originated from the yard outside the home,” the autopsy report said.

    The Associated Press left a message for the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office for further explanation. The medical examiner’s office in Coconino County, which conducted the autopsy, directed questions about the report to a Navajo County official, and the AP also left a message for the official. A descendant of early Latter-day Saints settlers who helped found Pinetop in the 1880s, Kerri had filed for divorce, with proceedings pending in California at the time of her death.

    Authorities searched his home in far Southern California on Dec. 2 as part of the investigation into his wife’s death.

    Michael Abatti comes from a long line of farmers in the crop-rich Imperial Valley, which is the biggest user of Colorado River water and known for growing leafy greens, melons and forage crops. His grandfather, an Italian immigrant, was among the region’s early settlers and his father helped start the Imperial Valley Vegetable Growers Association.

    Michael Abatti served on the board of the powerful Imperial Irrigation District from 2006 to 2010.

    The Abattis, who married in 1992 and had three children, were sparring over finances. Kerri told the court the couple had lived an affluent lifestyle during more than three decades of marriage. They owned property in three states, vacationed internationally and sent their children to private school.

    Kerri initially received $5,000 monthly temporary spousal support. She later sought an increase, citing struggles to maintain her standard of living as well as keep up the Arizona property. She also asked for an additional $100,000 in attorney’s fees, court filings showed.

    Michael Abatti eventually agreed to raise support to $6,400 monthly, despite having countered in a court filing that poor farming years had reduced his income. He blamed market shifts favoring Ukrainian crops, rising shipping costs and harsh weather.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Authorities examine possible connection between Brown shooting, MIT professor’s slaying

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    Police have identified a person they believe is connected to the mass shooting at Brown University and the killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor in Brookline, Massachusetts, earlier this week, sources tell Boston sister station WCVB.Multiple media outlets, including CNN, ABC News, and CBS News, have reported that a search warrant for an individual has been signed and that investigators are actively seeking that person. The Associated Press and the New York Times also report that police are actively seeking an individual.No name has been released. Hundreds of investigators are involved in the region-wide search for the person. Sources tell WCVB the search for the suspect now includes New Hampshire.Related video below: Former FBI Assistant Director details agencies’ work in identifying person of interest in MIT professor, Brown shootingsNuno F.G. Loureiro, 47, was shot Monday night at his home on Gibbs Street at about 9 p.m. He was taken to an area hospital with apparent gunshot wounds and died the next morning, according to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office.Loureiro was an MIT faculty member in the departments of Nuclear Science & Engineering and Physics, as well as the Director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center. On Saturday, two Brown University students were killed and nine others were wounded when a gunman opened fire in the Barus & Holley engineering building, where exams were scheduled. “We don’t know the motive of either one of these shootings, but from an investigative standpoint, what could possibly match? Shell casings from the scene, he left those at MIT, it could also be from surveillance cameras in and around the professor’s house or on the campus,” former FBI agent Brad Garrett said.The two students killed in the shooting shooting at Brown were identified as Ella Cook, a Birmingham, Alabama, native and leader of the College Republicans at Brown, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, a freshman who was studying to become a doctor. The gunman in both slayings remains unidentified and at large. In the days since the Brown shooting, investigators have released a series of images from area security cameras of a person of interest. They describe the person as wearing a two-tone coat and about 5 feet 8 inches tall. In all the images, however, the person’s face is partially covered by a mask and hair is covered by a winter hat. The person spent hours in the neighborhood around the university on Saturday.Video below: Former Rhode Island AG on FBI investigation into Brown, MIT shootingsIn Brookline, Loureiro’s neighbors reported hearing multiple gunshots Monday night. “We heard a really loud noise. I thought it sounded like a crashing noise, but my husband heard it, and he said it sounded like gunshots,” neighbor Anne Greenwald said.No images of a suspected gunman or vehicle in that case have been released to the public. Loureiro, who grew up in Portugal and joined MIT in 2016, was named last year to lead MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, where he aimed to advance clean energy technology and other research. Brookline is about 50 miles north of Providence.Anyone with information about the case is asked to submit tips to investigators through the FBI’s website or by calling 401-272-3121. A reward of up to $50,000 is offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

    Police have identified a person they believe is connected to the mass shooting at Brown University and the killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor in Brookline, Massachusetts, earlier this week, sources tell Boston sister station WCVB.

    Multiple media outlets, including CNN, ABC News, and CBS News, have reported that a search warrant for an individual has been signed and that investigators are actively seeking that person. The Associated Press and the New York Times also report that police are actively seeking an individual.

    No name has been released. Hundreds of investigators are involved in the region-wide search for the person. Sources tell WCVB the search for the suspect now includes New Hampshire.

    Related video below: Former FBI Assistant Director details agencies’ work in identifying person of interest in MIT professor, Brown shootings

    Nuno F.G. Loureiro, 47, was shot Monday night at his home on Gibbs Street at about 9 p.m. He was taken to an area hospital with apparent gunshot wounds and died the next morning, according to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office.

    Loureiro was an MIT faculty member in the departments of Nuclear Science & Engineering and Physics, as well as the Director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center.

    On Saturday, two Brown University students were killed and nine others were wounded when a gunman opened fire in the Barus & Holley engineering building, where exams were scheduled.

    “We don’t know the motive of either one of these shootings, but from an investigative standpoint, what could possibly match? Shell casings from the scene, he left those at MIT, it could also be from surveillance cameras in and around the professor’s house or on the campus,” former FBI agent Brad Garrett said.

    The two students killed in the shooting shooting at Brown were identified as Ella Cook, a Birmingham, Alabama, native and leader of the College Republicans at Brown, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, a freshman who was studying to become a doctor.

    The gunman in both slayings remains unidentified and at large.

    In the days since the Brown shooting, investigators have released a series of images from area security cameras of a person of interest. They describe the person as wearing a two-tone coat and about 5 feet 8 inches tall. In all the images, however, the person’s face is partially covered by a mask and hair is covered by a winter hat. The person spent hours in the neighborhood around the university on Saturday.

    Video below: Former Rhode Island AG on FBI investigation into Brown, MIT shootings

    In Brookline, Loureiro’s neighbors reported hearing multiple gunshots Monday night.

    “We heard a really loud noise. I thought it sounded like a crashing noise, but my husband heard it, and he said it sounded like gunshots,” neighbor Anne Greenwald said.

    No images of a suspected gunman or vehicle in that case have been released to the public.

    Loureiro, who grew up in Portugal and joined MIT in 2016, was named last year to lead MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, where he aimed to advance clean energy technology and other research.

    Brookline is about 50 miles north of Providence.

    Anyone with information about the case is asked to submit tips to investigators through the FBI’s website or by calling 401-272-3121. A reward of up to $50,000 is offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

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  • Investigators seek help identifying woman found dead on mountainside in San Bernardino

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    Investigators in San Bernardino County are seeking the public’s help in identifying a woman who was found dead on the side of a mountain in Crestline.

    Deputies from the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station responded to a call about a body near the intersection of Highway 138 and Crestline Road on Nov. 18 around 11:42 a.m., according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. They located the woman about 75 feet down a steep embankment.

    The stretch of highway is also referred to as the “Rim of the World Scenic Byway” because of its panoramic views along mountain edges.

    Officials described the woman as 48 to 60 years old, 5-foot-1 tall and weighing 115 pounds. She was wearing a blue sweatshirt, blue pants and white-and-black New Balance shoes. She has bleached blond hair, brown eyes and no tattoos.

    The woman was transported to the county Coroner’s Office where an autopsy found injuries consistent with a fall, the sheriff’s department said.

    They are asking anyone with information about the woman’s identity to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coronor Division at (909) 378-2978 and reference case number 702507482. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can contact We-Tip at (800) 78-CRIME (27463) or go to wetip.com.

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    Hayley Smith

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  • Decades-old murder solved after new analysis, investigators say

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    Officials announced Monday that they have solved a 50-year-old murder case in which a 22-year-old woman was found dead in her apartment in Concord, New Hampshire.Attorney General John Formella said a review of the 1975 death of Judy Lord determined that she was killed by her neighbor, Ernest Theodore Gable.”I’m proud to say but also solemnly say that we can bring long-awaited closure to this case,” Formella said.He said Gable will not face justice in the case because he was stabbed to death in 1987 in Los Angeles. Lord was 22 years old when she was found strangled to death inside her home at the Royal Gardens apartment complex on May 20, 1975. She was living with her 20-month-old son at the time, and the baby’s cries led the building’s apartment manager to discover Lord’s body.”The scene police discovered more witnesses to a violent and desperate struggle,” said Senior Assistant Attorney General Christopher Knowles.Knowles, who runs the state’s Cold Case Unit, said the original Concord police investigation was thorough, and Gable, who was 24 at the time, was identified as a suspect early in the case. But he said a flawed FBI hair analysis incorrectly excluded Gable as a suspect.Gable had a lengthy arrest history, and Lord had told her friends that she was afraid of him.Knowles said there was evidence that Lord was sexually assaulted. Semen found on a towel matched Gable’s blood type, and fingerprints at the scene also matched, Knowles said.Knowles called the circumstantial evidence “overwhelming” before hair samples were sent to the FBI, which conducted a microscopic analysis of the hairs. That technique was considered to be the gold standard in hair analysis, and the FBI was the leading authority, Knowles said. But the technique has since been discredited, and Knowles said it is no longer a tool used by investigators. New DNA analysis definitively linked Gable to the crime, and the new analysis by the Cold Case Unit allowed investigators to remove the FBI report from the case, Knowles said.Investigators said that if Gable were still alive, he would be charged with first-degree murder.”This case demonstrates that no cold case is ever truly closed until we find the truth, and that time is only one impediment,” Formella said. “Time is also an asset, because we will continue to work year after year, decade after decade, until we find the answers in these cases.”Several of Lord’s family members were at Monday’s press conference watching the announcement. Her son, Gregory Lord Jr., was watching virtually and sent a statement saying his mother will always be with him.”I’m told I look just like my mom, and I’m proud of that,” he said.

    Officials announced Monday that they have solved a 50-year-old murder case in which a 22-year-old woman was found dead in her apartment in Concord, New Hampshire.

    Attorney General John Formella said a review of the 1975 death of Judy Lord determined that she was killed by her neighbor, Ernest Theodore Gable.

    “I’m proud to say but also solemnly say that we can bring long-awaited closure to this case,” Formella said.

    He said Gable will not face justice in the case because he was stabbed to death in 1987 in Los Angeles.

    Lord was 22 years old when she was found strangled to death inside her home at the Royal Gardens apartment complex on May 20, 1975. She was living with her 20-month-old son at the time, and the baby’s cries led the building’s apartment manager to discover Lord’s body.

    “The scene police discovered more witnesses to a violent and desperate struggle,” said Senior Assistant Attorney General Christopher Knowles.

    Knowles, who runs the state’s Cold Case Unit, said the original Concord police investigation was thorough, and Gable, who was 24 at the time, was identified as a suspect early in the case. But he said a flawed FBI hair analysis incorrectly excluded Gable as a suspect.

    Gable had a lengthy arrest history, and Lord had told her friends that she was afraid of him.

    Knowles said there was evidence that Lord was sexually assaulted. Semen found on a towel matched Gable’s blood type, and fingerprints at the scene also matched, Knowles said.

    Knowles called the circumstantial evidence “overwhelming” before hair samples were sent to the FBI, which conducted a microscopic analysis of the hairs. That technique was considered to be the gold standard in hair analysis, and the FBI was the leading authority, Knowles said. But the technique has since been discredited, and Knowles said it is no longer a tool used by investigators.

    New DNA analysis definitively linked Gable to the crime, and the new analysis by the Cold Case Unit allowed investigators to remove the FBI report from the case, Knowles said.

    Investigators said that if Gable were still alive, he would be charged with first-degree murder.

    “This case demonstrates that no cold case is ever truly closed until we find the truth, and that time is only one impediment,” Formella said. “Time is also an asset, because we will continue to work year after year, decade after decade, until we find the answers in these cases.”

    Several of Lord’s family members were at Monday’s press conference watching the announcement. Her son, Gregory Lord Jr., was watching virtually and sent a statement saying his mother will always be with him.

    “I’m told I look just like my mom, and I’m proud of that,” he said.

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  • Investigators make arrest in 1987 killing of 34-year-old mother

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    Authorities this past week announced the arrest of a 76-year-old man in the 1987 killing of Margit Schuller, a 34-year-old mother found shot outside a laundromat near her home at the Palmetto Apartments.Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner on Wednesday said Cortez Sabino Lake, a former Navy corpsman stationed at Parris Island, who lived in the same apartment complex at the time, was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder. Lake is being held pending a bond hearing.Schuller was last seen between 8:15 and 8:45 a.m. on Nov. 1, 1987, folding clothes inside the complex laundromat. Her 12-year-old daughter later found her under a tree outside. Investigators determined Schuller had been shot inside the laundromat and crawled outside. A second blood trail leaving the scene indicated the assailant was injured.Cold case investigator Bob Bromage said DNA taken from that trail in 1987 was first profiled in 2005 and uploaded to CODIS, but produced no hits. In 2019, forensic genealogy and a composite analysis by Parabon Nanolabs helped narrow the focus. Investigators recently obtained Lake’s DNA – first through noncooperative means and then via a court-ordered sample – which matched in the “septillions,” Bromage said. Detectives also recovered the murder weapon in 1989 at a construction site on U.S. 21 and matched it to a casing found in the laundromat. Bromage said investigators believe sexual assault was the motive based on evidence at the scene.Lake, who lived at Battery Creek Apartments in 1987 and later worked more than three decades at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, was not named as a suspect at the time, Bromage said. The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who knew Lake in the late 1980s – particularly residents of Battery Creek or Palmetto Apartments – to come forward with information. Tips can be provided to investigators or through Crime Stoppers.Schuller worked as a cardiac care nurse. Her husband, Jozsef, a Navy corpsman, was deployed for training in San Diego when the killing occurred. They were both originally from Hungary and immigrated to the U.S. in 1982.

    Authorities this past week announced the arrest of a 76-year-old man in the 1987 killing of Margit Schuller, a 34-year-old mother found shot outside a laundromat near her home at the Palmetto Apartments.

    Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner on Wednesday said Cortez Sabino Lake, a former Navy corpsman stationed at Parris Island, who lived in the same apartment complex at the time, was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder. Lake is being held pending a bond hearing.

    Schuller was last seen between 8:15 and 8:45 a.m. on Nov. 1, 1987, folding clothes inside the complex laundromat. Her 12-year-old daughter later found her under a tree outside. Investigators determined Schuller had been shot inside the laundromat and crawled outside. A second blood trail leaving the scene indicated the assailant was injured.

    Cold case investigator Bob Bromage said DNA taken from that trail in 1987 was first profiled in 2005 and uploaded to CODIS, but produced no hits. In 2019, forensic genealogy and a composite analysis by Parabon Nanolabs helped narrow the focus. Investigators recently obtained Lake’s DNA – first through noncooperative means and then via a court-ordered sample – which matched in the “septillions,” Bromage said.

    Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office

    Detectives also recovered the murder weapon in 1989 at a construction site on U.S. 21 and matched it to a casing found in the laundromat. Bromage said investigators believe sexual assault was the motive based on evidence at the scene.

    Lake, who lived at Battery Creek Apartments in 1987 and later worked more than three decades at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, was not named as a suspect at the time, Bromage said. The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who knew Lake in the late 1980s – particularly residents of Battery Creek or Palmetto Apartments – to come forward with information. Tips can be provided to investigators or through Crime Stoppers.

    Schuller worked as a cardiac care nurse. Her husband, Jozsef, a Navy corpsman, was deployed for training in San Diego when the killing occurred. They were both originally from Hungary and immigrated to the U.S. in 1982.

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  • UPS identifies crew in Louisville cargo plane crash

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    SYSTEMS. REENA ROY, ABC NEWS, NEW YORK. AND AGAIN, ONE OF THE PILOTS IS CONFIRMED TO BE FROM ALBUQUERQUE. JULIAN PARAS JOINS US IN STUDIO NOW WITH WHAT HE’S LEARNED. THAT’S RIGHT GUYS. SO THE NAME OF THAT PILOT IS LEE TRUITT. ACCORDING TO OUR TARGET 7 TEAM, TRUITT STARTED WORKING AT UPS FOUR YEARS AGO IN 2021. HE ALSO EARNED A DEGREE AT UNM IN 2006, BUT HAD BECOME PART OF THE AVIATION INDUSTRY BEGINNING IN 1998. WE ALSO RECEIVED A STATEMENT FROM UPS OFFICIALS ABOUT THAT CRASH IN KENTUCKY. THE UPS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT SAYS WORDS CAN’T EXPRESS THE SORROW WE FEEL OVER THE HEARTBREAKING FLIGHT. 2976 ACCIDENT. IT’S WITH GREAT SORROW THAT WE SHARE THE NAMES OF THE UPS PILOTS ON BOARD UPS FLIGHT 2976 CAPTAIN RICHARD WARTENBERG, FIRST OFFICER LEE TRUITT, AN INTERNATIONAL RELIEF OFFICER, CAPTAIN DANA DIAMOND. WERE OPERATING THAT FLIGHT INVESTIGATION IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AND IS BEING LED BY THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD. WE ARE WORKING TO REACH OUT TO MORE PEOPLE WH

    UPS officials confirmed the identities of the crew aboard the cargo plane that crashed in Louisville, Kentucky, this week.The crew operating UPS Flight 2976 was identified as:Captain Richard WartenbergFirst Officer Lee Truitt Relief Officer Dana DiamondFAA records indicate Truitt was from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Wartenberg was from Independence, Kentucky. UPS Flight 2976 crashed moments after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The flight’s destination was Honolulu, HI. At least 13 people, including all three pilots, are confirmed dead, with nine people unaccounted for.Social media video of the crash shows the MD-11 was already in flames as it reached the end of the runway and struggled to take off. Flight data shows the plane rose briefly before dropping into an industrial area just outside the airport property.Investigators for the National Transportation Safety Board confirm the plane’s left-hand engine detached from the aircraft before the crash. Investigators also recovered the airplane’s cockpit voice and flight data recorders, commonly known as the “black boxes.” Investigators say the recorders show signs of heat exposure, something they say the recorders are designed to withstand.Because of the long flight, the plane was fully fueled with about 38,000 gallons of fuel, leading to a large fire. The flames spread easily to nearby facilities, including a large recycling center. It took more than 100 first responders more than six hours to get the fires under control. UPS said the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation and will be the primary source of information.

    UPS officials confirmed the identities of the crew aboard the cargo plane that crashed in Louisville, Kentucky, this week.

    The crew operating UPS Flight 2976 was identified as:

    FAA records indicate Truitt was from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Wartenberg was from Independence, Kentucky.

    UPS Flight 2976 crashed moments after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The flight’s destination was Honolulu, HI.

    At least 13 people, including all three pilots, are confirmed dead, with nine people unaccounted for.

    Social media video of the crash shows the MD-11 was already in flames as it reached the end of the runway and struggled to take off. Flight data shows the plane rose briefly before dropping into an industrial area just outside the airport property.

    Investigators for the National Transportation Safety Board confirm the plane’s left-hand engine detached from the aircraft before the crash. Investigators also recovered the airplane’s cockpit voice and flight data recorders, commonly known as the “black boxes.” Investigators say the recorders show signs of heat exposure, something they say the recorders are designed to withstand.

    Because of the long flight, the plane was fully fueled with about 38,000 gallons of fuel, leading to a large fire. The flames spread easily to nearby facilities, including a large recycling center. It took more than 100 first responders more than six hours to get the fires under control.

    UPS said the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation and will be the primary source of information.

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  • Investigation underway into suspected intentional explosion at Harvard University medical campus

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    Overnight explosion at Harvard University’s medical campus believed to be intentional, police say

    Updated: 12:56 PM PDT Nov 1, 2025

    Editorial Standards

    The Harvard University Police Department is investigating what it is calling an intentional explosion inside a building on the medical campus early Saturday morning.Police say the explosion occurred around 2:48 a.m. on the fourth floor of the Goldenson Building at 220 Longwood Ave.There were no reports of any injuries.A responding officer saw two people fleeing the scene and tried stopping them, but was unsuccessful, according to police.Investigators from the Boston Fire Department Arson Unit made an initial assessment that the explosion appeared to be intentional.Boston police officers conducted a sweep of the building to check for additional devices.The Harvard University Police Department is actively investigating the incident, as well as the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. No further information was immediately available.

    The Harvard University Police Department is investigating what it is calling an intentional explosion inside a building on the medical campus early Saturday morning.

    Police say the explosion occurred around 2:48 a.m. on the fourth floor of the Goldenson Building at 220 Longwood Ave.

    There were no reports of any injuries.

    A responding officer saw two people fleeing the scene and tried stopping them, but was unsuccessful, according to police.

    Investigators from the Boston Fire Department Arson Unit made an initial assessment that the explosion appeared to be intentional.

    Boston police officers conducted a sweep of the building to check for additional devices.

    The Harvard University Police Department is actively investigating the incident, as well as the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.

    No further information was immediately available.

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  • Prosecutors drop murder charge against woman accused in deadly Orange County road-rage shooting

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    Video above: Previous coverageA murder charge has been dropped against a woman who was accused of killing a man during a road rage shooting in Orange County. Tina Allgeo appeared in court on Thursday morning for a hearing about a motion to dismiss the charges against her. Allgeo was facing charges of second-degree murder and aggravated battery.Allgeo pleaded no contest to aggravated battery, and the murder charge against her was dropped.BackgroundThe victim, Mihail Tsvetkov, and Allgeo encountered each other in front of an Olive Garden restaurant. She got out of her car and confronted him about driving too close to her.Allgeo says he then bumped her car. The report says she exited her car a second time, holding her phone to call the police. Police said Tsvetkov drove away.In a written statement, Allgeo told police she accidentally struck his car while trying to get his tag number.The report says Tsvetkov then got out of his car, approached Allgeo, opened the car door, and a struggle ensued.According to the report, she said she shot him once because she feared for her life as he punched her multiple times.Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has criticized the case, saying it’s “stand your ground.”Witnesses at the scene described the confrontation as brief and unprovoked. About the victim The victim was identified as Mihail Tsvetkov. The victim’s sister said he was planning to relocate in 12 days to be with his family before he was killed.

    Video above: Previous coverage

    A murder charge has been dropped against a woman who was accused of killing a man during a road rage shooting in Orange County.

    Tina Allgeo appeared in court on Thursday morning for a hearing about a motion to dismiss the charges against her.

    Allgeo was facing charges of second-degree murder and aggravated battery.

    Allgeo pleaded no contest to aggravated battery, and the murder charge against her was dropped.

    Background

    The victim, Mihail Tsvetkov, and Allgeo encountered each other in front of an Olive Garden restaurant. She got out of her car and confronted him about driving too close to her.

    Allgeo says he then bumped her car. The report says she exited her car a second time, holding her phone to call the police. Police said Tsvetkov drove away.

    In a written statement, Allgeo told police she accidentally struck his car while trying to get his tag number.

    The report says Tsvetkov then got out of his car, approached Allgeo, opened the car door, and a struggle ensued.

    According to the report, she said she shot him once because she feared for her life as he punched her multiple times.

    Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has criticized the case, saying it’s “stand your ground.”

    Witnesses at the scene described the confrontation as brief and unprovoked.

    About the victim

    The victim was identified as Mihail Tsvetkov.

    The victim’s sister said he was planning to relocate in 12 days to be with his family before he was killed.

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  • Suspects arrested over the theft of crown jewels from Paris’ Louvre museum

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    Suspects have been arrested in connection with the theft of crown jewels from Paris’ Louvre museum, the Paris prosecutor said on Sunday, a week after the heist at the world’s most visited museum that stunned the world.The prosecutor said that investigators made the arrests on Saturday evening, adding that one of the men taken into custody was preparing to leave the country from Roissy Airport.French media BFM TV and Le Parisien newspaper earlier reported that two suspects had been arrested and taken into custody. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau did not confirm the number of arrests and did not say whether jewels had been recovered.Thieves took less than eight minutes to steal jewels valued at 88 million euros ($102 million) last Sunday morning. French officials described how the intruders used a basket lift to scale the Louvre’s façade, forced open a window, smashed display cases and fled. The museum’s director called the incident a “terrible failure.”Beccuau said investigators from a special police unit in charge of armed robberies, serious burglaries and art thefts made the arrests. She rued in her statement the premature leak of information, saying it could hinder the work of over 100 investigators “mobilized to recover the stolen jewels and apprehend all of the perpetrators.” Beccuau said further details will be unveiled after the suspects’ custody period ends.French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez praised “the investigators who have worked tirelessly, just as I asked them to, and who have always had my full confidence.”The Louvre reopened earlier this week after one of the highest-profile museum thefts of the century stunned the world with its audacity and scale.The thieves slipped in and out, making off with parts of France’s Crown Jewels — a cultural wound that some compared to the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral in 2019.The thieves made away with a total of eight objects, including a sapphire diadem, necklace and single earring from a set linked to 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense.They also took an emerald necklace and earrings tied to Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte’s second wife, as well as a reliquary brooch. Empress Eugénie’s diamond diadem and her large corsage-bow brooch — an imperial ensemble of rare craftsmanship — were also part of the loot.One piece — Eugénie’s emerald-set imperial crown with more than 1,300 diamonds — was later found outside the museum, damaged but recoverable.

    Suspects have been arrested in connection with the theft of crown jewels from Paris’ Louvre museum, the Paris prosecutor said on Sunday, a week after the heist at the world’s most visited museum that stunned the world.

    The prosecutor said that investigators made the arrests on Saturday evening, adding that one of the men taken into custody was preparing to leave the country from Roissy Airport.

    French media BFM TV and Le Parisien newspaper earlier reported that two suspects had been arrested and taken into custody. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau did not confirm the number of arrests and did not say whether jewels had been recovered.

    Thieves took less than eight minutes to steal jewels valued at 88 million euros ($102 million) last Sunday morning. French officials described how the intruders used a basket lift to scale the Louvre’s façade, forced open a window, smashed display cases and fled. The museum’s director called the incident a “terrible failure.”

    Beccuau said investigators from a special police unit in charge of armed robberies, serious burglaries and art thefts made the arrests. She rued in her statement the premature leak of information, saying it could hinder the work of over 100 investigators “mobilized to recover the stolen jewels and apprehend all of the perpetrators.” Beccuau said further details will be unveiled after the suspects’ custody period ends.

    French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez praised “the investigators who have worked tirelessly, just as I asked them to, and who have always had my full confidence.”

    The Louvre reopened earlier this week after one of the highest-profile museum thefts of the century stunned the world with its audacity and scale.

    The thieves slipped in and out, making off with parts of France’s Crown Jewels — a cultural wound that some compared to the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral in 2019.

    The thieves made away with a total of eight objects, including a sapphire diadem, necklace and single earring from a set linked to 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense.

    They also took an emerald necklace and earrings tied to Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte’s second wife, as well as a reliquary brooch. Empress Eugénie’s diamond diadem and her large corsage-bow brooch — an imperial ensemble of rare craftsmanship — were also part of the loot.

    One piece — Eugénie’s emerald-set imperial crown with more than 1,300 diamonds — was later found outside the museum, damaged but recoverable.

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  • Suspects arrested over the theft of crown jewels from Paris’ Louvre museum

    [ad_1]

    Suspects have been arrested in connection with the theft of crown jewels from Paris’ Louvre museum, the Paris prosecutor said on Sunday, a week after the heist at the world’s most visited museum that stunned the world.The prosecutor said that investigators made the arrests on Saturday evening, adding that one of the men taken into custody was preparing to leave the country from Roissy Airport.French media BFM TV and Le Parisien newspaper earlier reported that two suspects had been arrested and taken into custody. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau did not confirm the number of arrests and did not say whether jewels had been recovered.Thieves took less than eight minutes to steal jewels valued at 88 million euros ($102 million) last Sunday morning. French officials described how the intruders used a basket lift to scale the Louvre’s façade, forced open a window, smashed display cases and fled. The museum’s director called the incident a “terrible failure.”Beccuau said investigators from a special police unit in charge of armed robberies, serious burglaries and art thefts made the arrests. She rued in her statement the premature leak of information, saying it could hinder the work of over 100 investigators “mobilized to recover the stolen jewels and apprehend all of the perpetrators.” Beccuau said further details will be unveiled after the suspects’ custody period ends.French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez praised “the investigators who have worked tirelessly, just as I asked them to, and who have always had my full confidence.”The Louvre reopened earlier this week after one of the highest-profile museum thefts of the century stunned the world with its audacity and scale.The thieves slipped in and out, making off with parts of France’s Crown Jewels — a cultural wound that some compared to the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral in 2019.The thieves made away with a total of eight objects, including a sapphire diadem, necklace and single earring from a set linked to 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense.They also took an emerald necklace and earrings tied to Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte’s second wife, as well as a reliquary brooch. Empress Eugénie’s diamond diadem and her large corsage-bow brooch — an imperial ensemble of rare craftsmanship — were also part of the loot.One piece — Eugénie’s emerald-set imperial crown with more than 1,300 diamonds — was later found outside the museum, damaged but recoverable.

    Suspects have been arrested in connection with the theft of crown jewels from Paris’ Louvre museum, the Paris prosecutor said on Sunday, a week after the heist at the world’s most visited museum that stunned the world.

    The prosecutor said that investigators made the arrests on Saturday evening, adding that one of the men taken into custody was preparing to leave the country from Roissy Airport.

    French media BFM TV and Le Parisien newspaper earlier reported that two suspects had been arrested and taken into custody. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau did not confirm the number of arrests and did not say whether jewels had been recovered.

    Thieves took less than eight minutes to steal jewels valued at 88 million euros ($102 million) last Sunday morning. French officials described how the intruders used a basket lift to scale the Louvre’s façade, forced open a window, smashed display cases and fled. The museum’s director called the incident a “terrible failure.”

    Beccuau said investigators from a special police unit in charge of armed robberies, serious burglaries and art thefts made the arrests. She rued in her statement the premature leak of information, saying it could hinder the work of over 100 investigators “mobilized to recover the stolen jewels and apprehend all of the perpetrators.” Beccuau said further details will be unveiled after the suspects’ custody period ends.

    French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez praised “the investigators who have worked tirelessly, just as I asked them to, and who have always had my full confidence.”

    The Louvre reopened earlier this week after one of the highest-profile museum thefts of the century stunned the world with its audacity and scale.

    The thieves slipped in and out, making off with parts of France’s Crown Jewels — a cultural wound that some compared to the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral in 2019.

    The thieves made away with a total of eight objects, including a sapphire diadem, necklace and single earring from a set linked to 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense.

    They also took an emerald necklace and earrings tied to Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte’s second wife, as well as a reliquary brooch. Empress Eugénie’s diamond diadem and her large corsage-bow brooch — an imperial ensemble of rare craftsmanship — were also part of the loot.

    One piece — Eugénie’s emerald-set imperial crown with more than 1,300 diamonds — was later found outside the museum, damaged but recoverable.

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  • Mitt Romney’s sister-in-law dead after possible fall or jump from parking structure, authorities say

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    The sister-in-law of former Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, Carrie Elizabeth Romney, was found dead near a Santa Clarita shopping mall on Friday.

    Her cause of death remains under investigation. Investigators are speculating, however, that the 64-year-old Valencia resident fell or jumped from a five-story parking structure, according to L.A. County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Nicole Nishida.

    Homicide investigators responded to the 24000 block of Town Center Drive near the Valencia Town Center shopping mall around 9 p.m. Friday, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

    The L.A. County medical examiner is still running tests to confirm the cause of death, Nishida said.

    Romney’s cause of death was listed as deferred on the medical examiner’s website. It could take months for toxicology tests to be completed and information to be updated.

    Mitt Romney served as the governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and was the Republican Party’s 2012 presidential nominee. He was elected U.S. senator from Utah in 2018 and left office at the end of his term in January.

    Carrie Elizabeth Romney appeared to be the wife of Mitt’s older brother, G. Scott Romney, an attorney who has supported Mitt on the campaign trail over the years.

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    Clara Harter

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