All articles tagged with #victims family
A gunman, Guy House, opened fire inside a Lexington church after a police chase, killing two women and injuring two men, including the pastor; House was shot dead at the scene. The victims are related, and the motive remains unclear, though family suggests they were not the intended targets. The incident began with a traffic stop linked to active warrants, and police are investigating with body camera footage available.
Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, surprised the family of Irma Garcia, a teacher who was killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, with a visit to offer their condolences.
The son of Ian Coates, one of three people stabbed to death in Nottingham, described the killer as "the most evil person on this planet." Valdo Calocane pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility. The families of the victims expressed disappointment with the plea deal, believing it should have been considered murder due to the calculated and pre-meditated nature of the attacks. The judge is set to hand down the sentence on Thursday.
The family of a 17-year-old girl who was killed in a possible road rage shooting in downtown Houston is pleading for the killer to be caught. The incident occurred when the girl unintentionally swerved in front of a sedan, and an unknown suspect fired shots from the passenger side window, striking the girl and a backseat passenger. The girl managed to safely pull over before succumbing to her injuries. The Houston Police Department is asking for the public's help in finding the suspect, described as a man in his mid-20s. The victim's family is urging anyone with information to come forward, and a reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest.
The family of Shayla Workman, who was shot at by Shaquille Taylor in 2021, is speaking out after Taylor was arrested for shooting and killing Belmont University student Jillian Ludwig. Taylor had previously been charged with aggravated assault but was deemed incompetent and released. Workman's family expressed frustration with the legal system's handling of the case and believes that the system failed both their family and the Ludwig family. Taylor's charges have been bound over to the Davidson County Grand Jury.
A Plainfield man pleaded not guilty to hate crime and murder charges in the brutal attack on a 6-year-old Muslim boy and his mother. Joseph Czuba, 71, appeared in court wearing an orange jumpsuit and showed no emotion as the charges were read. The prosecutor described the alleged attack, stating that Czuba blamed the mother for events in the Middle East due to her Muslim faith. Czuba's defense attorneys highlighted his lack of criminal background and ties to the community, but the judge ordered him to remain detained. The next court appearance is scheduled for January 8. The incident has garnered widespread attention, and the victim's family declined interviews.
A hit-and-run driver who struck and killed a Philadelphia man in Washington D.C. while trying to flee from Secret Service has been arrested. Benjamin Robertson, 33, was charged with second-degree murder after allegedly running a red light and hitting 75-year-old Bing Wong and a 13-year-old girl before fleeing the scene. Wong, a retired chef and cancer survivor, was visiting the area with his daughters when he was fatally struck. The victim's family expressed relief at the arrest and is collecting donations in his honor.
Former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole suggests that Long Island serial murder suspect Rex Heuermann made calls to a victim's family member to hear the fear in their voice, finding it sexually arousing. Heuermann is charged with six counts of murder, including Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. He allegedly used Barthelemy's cell phone to call her family and confessed to killing and sexually assaulting her. Heuermann is also a prime suspect in the death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. His lawyer claims the evidence is circumstantial, while Heuermann pleads not guilty to all charges.
The mother of Ethan Chapin, one of four University of Idaho students killed in an off-campus house in November, says her family won't attend the accused killer's trial, saying doing so wouldn't be energy "well spent." Chapin's mother, Stacy Chapin, said her family is dedicated to keeping her son's legacy alive through their foundation "Ethan's Smile" which provides scholarships to University of Idaho students, and her new children's book "The Boy Who Wore Blue." The suspect, Bryan Kohberger, is expected to face trial in early October.
The body of missing resident Branden Colvin was recovered from the partially collapsed building in Davenport, Iowa, where two other residents, Ryan Hitchcock and Daniel Prien, remain missing. Colvin's son, who spent days outside the building hoping for updates, also graduated from high school on the day his father's body was found. Recovery efforts continue as crews work to remove material from the site.
Jamie Lee Komoroski, the alleged drunk driver who killed a bride and seriously injured her husband in a crash, has hired high-profile defense attorneys Nathan S. Williams and Christopher J. Gramiccioni. Williams is known for successfully prosecuting South Carolina church-shooter Dylan Roof and securing a death sentence for him. Komoroski has been charged with three counts of felony DUI resulting in great bodily harm or death and one count of reckless homicide. The victim's family is preparing for her funeral, while the injured husband and his friend are recovering in the hospital.
Darryl Barwick, a Florida inmate, was executed by lethal injection for the 1986 murder of 24-year-old Rebecca Wendt. Barwick apologized to the victim's family and called for compassion for children in prison before the execution. He was the last of three death row inmates executed in Florida this year. Barwick's attorneys argued that the execution should be halted because of his lifelong mental illness and intellectual disability. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has been signing death warrants at a rapid pace this year as he prepares his widely expected presidential campaign.
The family of a Florida Uber Eats driver allegedly killed by an MS-13 gang member spoke out against the heinous slaying and the family's confusion surrounding the randomness of the attack. Oscar Solis is accused of killing Randall Cooke earlier this month after Cooke's last delivery of the night took him to Solis' home just north of Tampa. Detectives believe Solis pulled the victim into his home and attempted to rob him, then killed him and attempted to conceal his remains. Cooke's stepdaughter called the murder "random," saying her mom and stepfather had just moved to the area and didn't know many people there.
The family of Carl Smalls Jr., who was murdered in 2003, is demanding justice after his killer, Jeroid Price, was released from prison 16 years early. Price was serving a 35-year sentence but was released under an order written by a retired judge. The family is pointing to a state law that requires convicted killers to serve at least 30 years in jail without the possibility of early release. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson is pushing for the court to unseal the secret directive that led to Price's release. The family said Price's release has re-victimized them 20 years after the tragedy and has had a detrimental impact on their healing journey as they now seek justice, again, for their son and brother.
The family of the victim of a shooting on Elmira Street in Mobile, Alabama, has reported that the man, who was in his 50s, has died. The shooting occurred after an argument with another unidentified man. The Mobile Police Department is investigating the incident as a possible homicide.