A Judge’s Decision – The Death of Lauren Johansen
Podcast
BODY BAGS with Joseph Scott Morgan
Murder
July 29, 2024
Accused Killer Ballerina Murder Trial: Ashley Benefield Takes Stand, Claims Self-Defense
Testimony continues in the case against Ashley Benefield, a former ballerina who’s accused of murdering her husband. Benefield took the stand Monday morning in Manatee County, Florida, and claimed she was “scared to death” of her husband, Doug Benefield, who …
Missing
July 29, 2024
Missing Autistic 6-Year-Old Boy Found Dead in Pond Following Daylong Search
The search for a missing 6-year-old boy in Maryland reportedly ended Sunday with the discovery of his body. Fawzan Hassanwas last seen Saturday at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg. Hassan’s father told WUSA that he left the kids with his mother-in-law …
Missing
July 29, 2024
BOLO: New York Police Seek Tips on Missing 19-Year-Old Girl
New York police are seeking tips on a 19-year-old girl who hasn’t been seen since Saturday. According to the New York Police Department, Alexandra Tejeda was last at about 11:30 a.m, leaving 3724 Brookwood Avenue. Crime Stoppers of New York …
Assault
July 29, 2024
Hiker Injured When Suspects Throw ‘Unknown Substance’ on Her Legs at Ohio Park
Police in Ohio are investigating after two men threw “an unknown substance” on a woman hiking in a county park in Norton, causing severe burn injuries that sent her to a local hospital. Summit Metro Parks spokesperson Lindsay Smith said …
Swatting
July 29, 2024
11-Year-Old Virginia Boy Charged With Making 20+ Swatting Calls Against Florida Schools
An 11-year-old boy was arrested in Virginia last week, charged with calling in more than 20 swatting calls to schools in Florida and other places. Swatting is making fake calls to emergency services to prompt a massive response from SWAT …
Shooting
July 28, 2024
13-Year-Old Florida Boy Paralyzed in Shooting; Friends Were ‘Playing’ With Loaded, Unsecured Gun
A 13-year-old boy is paralyzed and in critical condition after he was shot while playing with loaded, unsecured guns at a friend’s house. The boy’s grandparents, Elizabeth and Daniel Green, identified the child as Nathaniel Green, WESH reported. The shooting …
Homicide
July 28, 2024
Georgia Man Sentenced for Speeding Into Landscape Worker in His Car, Killing Him
A Georgia man was sentenced this week to six years in prison and nine years probation for ramming into a landscape worker with his 2018 Mustang, killing him instantly. Patrick Emerson Thomas, 69, was convicted last month with homicide by …
Murder
July 28, 2024
Teen Shot Dead in Maryland Mall
A 17-year-old Maryland boy was shot and killed Saturday evening in the food court of a suburban Baltimore-Washington mall. Howard County Police identified the victim as Angelo Little and said a reward of up to $5,000 had been offered for …
Murder
July 28, 2024
Remains Found, Believed to Be Missing 18-Year-Old Georgia Mom; 2 Charged in Her Murder
Human remains believed to belong to a teen mom who disappeared last October were found this week in central Georgia. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office said the remains were found in a wooded area in Monroe County, just north of …
Criminal Mischief
July 28, 2024
Teen Charged With Criminal Mischief in Train Derailment That Caused $350,000 in Damage
A 17-year-old Nebraska boy has been charged with causing a train derailment earlier this year that caused thousands of dollars in damage. The derailment took place shortly after 6 p.m. on April 21 when a fully-loaded coal train derailed near …
Murder
July 28, 2024
Florida Woman Faces Murder Charge in ‘Gruesome’ Stabbing Death of Her Elderly Mother
A 37-year-old Florida woman was arrested last week for the “gruesome” stabbing death of her elderly mother in Bay County. Sheriff’s deputies were alerted to a woman “appearing to be in distress” walking along US 231 on Wednesday, the Bay …
Missing
July 28, 2024
‘There’s no reason to be afraid anymore’: Volunteers, Mother Continue Search for 5-Year-Old Harmony Montgomery’s Remains
The search continues for the remains of New Hampshire girl Harmony Montgomery, presumed dead after she vanished in late 2019. On Saturday morning, the group searched in parts of North Shore, Massachusetts, according to ABC 5. Harmony’s mother, Crystal Sorey, …
Shooting
July 28, 2024
Developing: Five Shot, Officer Injured Following Gas Station Shooting, Suspects on the Run
Five people were shot, and one officer was injured early Saturday morning, at a gas station in Dallas. Law enforcement is searching for three male suspects in connection with the shooting at the Texaco on the 100 block of West …
Court
July 27, 2024
California Man Convicted of Gunning Down Girlfriend While She Was Driving in Front of 4 Young Children
A California jury this week convicted a 31-year-old man of shooting his 23-year-old girlfriend in the head while she was driving with four small children in the car, causing the car to crash into the Sacramento River. Mandiko Kwadzo then …
Murder
July 27, 2024
Boyfriend Arrested for Domestic Violence Murder of Georgia Woman
Police in an Atlanta suburb have arrested a 32-year-old man for the murder of his girlfriend. Andreily Acacio Rodriguez, 27, was found dead in her apartment Friday morning by a family member, according to the Roswell Police Department. Officers first …
Child Abuse
July 27, 2024
SC Pair Arrested for Abandoning Baby in Car at Mall Parking Lot for Hours
Police in South Carolina arrested a man and a woman Saturday after they allegedly left a baby in their running car for several hours in a mall parking lot. Spartanburg Police said they were called to Westgate Mall at about …
Murder
July 27, 2024
Car Thief Who Ran Over Dad of 2, Killing Him, Caught in Virginia Beach
Virginia authorities say they have arrested a suspected car thief who ran over and killed a father of two trying to stop the theft of his own vehicle. Keith Anthony McBride, 41, was taken into custody in Virginia Beach on …
Murder
July 27, 2024
23-Year-Old Man Rapes and Kills 82-Year-Old Vermont Woman, Burns Her Body: Prosecutors
A Vermont man pleaded not guilty in court Friday afternoon to the murder of an 82-year-old neighbor who went missing last week from her Enosburgh home and was found dead on Sunday. Vermont State Police announced Thursday that 23-year-old Darren …
Murder-Suicide
July 27, 2024
Retired Probation Officer Murders Grandson’s Mother, Then Turns Gun on Herself in Front of Infant: Police
A paternal New York grandmother is accused of shooting the mother of her grandson before turning the gun on herself Friday morning. According to ABC 7, Marissa Galloway, 45, picked up her son from his father’s residence at 519 East …
Murder
July 27, 2024
2nd-Degree Murder for NC Mom Who Left Tots, 2 and 3, in a Hot Car While Gambling
After leaving her two toddlers in a car to roast back in 2022, a North Carolina mother has pled guilty to second-degree murder. According to CBS 17, Launice Shanique Battle reached a plea deal on Thursday that will cost her …
Hot Car
July 27, 2024
4-year-old Georgia Tot Dies Inside Hot Car, Marking 15th Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke in US This Year
An unsupervised Georgia toddler who climbed into a hot car has died, police say. Kelsey Monaco, 30, is accused of allowing her 4-year-old boy to leave their Fitzgerald apartment alone on Wednesday. At some point, the young boy got into …
Child Abuse
July 26, 2024
Florida Mom Charged With DUI and Child Abuse After Leaving Baby in Wrecked Car: Cops
A Florida woman was arrested Thursday on child abuse charges after she rolled her Jeep into a ditch, trapping her baby in the back seat, and told a witness not to call 911. Josefina Lopez, 21, was charged with DUI …
Arson
July 26, 2024
DA: California Man Pushed Flaming Car Into Gully, Starting 180,000-Acre Park Fire
A northern California man has been arrested and charged with pushing a flaming vehicle over an embankment and starting the Park Fire in Butte County, which by Friday evening had torched nearly 180,000 acres. Ronnie Stout, 42, has so far …
Kidnapping
July 26, 2024
Ohio Man Caught in Utah After Allegedly Kidnapping San Diego Teen
An Ohio man was arrested in Utah this week after he allegedly kidnapped a 15-year-old girl in California. An affidavit says Ryan Gray Patch, 27, was booked into the Iron County Jail for investigation into aggravated kidnapping, endangerment of a …
Missing
July 26, 2024
DEVELOPING: Alison Chao’s Dad Arrested for Conspiring Daughter’s Weeklong Disappearance
The father of a California girl who was missing for a week before being found on Tuesday has been charged in connection with his daughter’s disappearance. Monterey Park police said Alison Chao’s father, Jeffrey Chao, was arrested on Friday for …
Missing
July 26, 2024
Maria Gomez-Perez: 12-Year-Old Girl Missing for 2 Months Was With Man She Met Online
A 12-year-old Georgia girl who was found alive in Ohio on Thursday — nearly two months after her disappearance — was reportedly with a man she met online. According to WSB-TV, Hall County, Georgia, Sheriff Gerald Couch said Maria Gomez-Perez …
Murder
July 26, 2024
3 Teens Charged with Killing Ohio Mom While Stealing Her SUV With Sleeping Son Inside
Three Ohio teenagers were charged this week with the murder of 29-year-old mom who died trying to stop them from stealing her SUV with her 6-year-old child sleeping inside. Gerald Dowling, 19, and two 16-year-olds were arrested Wednesday for the …
Missing
July 26, 2024
Developing: Missing Georgia Girl Found Safe Out of State
Investigators in Georgia announced late Thursday night that 12-year-old Maria Gomez-Perez, missing since May, had been found in another state. “Maria is safe and OK,” the Hall County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Facebook. The department did not …
Death investigation
July 26, 2024
Boyfriend of Woman Found Hanging from Texas Boat Dock Arrested
The boyfriend of a Texas woman found hanging from a dock in May has been arrested in connection with the death. James Hart was charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair a human corpse, KRIV …
Murder
July 26, 2024
NC Man Charged With Murder After His Missing Father Is Found Dead
A 21-year-old North Carolina man was arrested for murder after his missing father was found dead in Charlotte. Fred Dunlap, 79, was reported missing last Friday, and a Missing and Endangered Alert issued on Tuesday. Family members said he rquired …
Murder
July 25, 2024
DA to Seek Death Penalty for Couple Accused of Torture Murder of 12-Year-Old Girl Who Weighed 50 Pounds When She Died
A Pennsylvania district attorney announced Thursday he plans to seek the death penalty for a couple charged with the murder of a 12-year-old girl. Malinda Hoagland’s father, 52-year-old Rendell Hoagland, and his girlfriend, 45-year-old Cindy Warren, have been charged with …
July 25, 2024
Ex-Girlfriend, 2 Others Charged With Conspiracy to Kill Louisiana College Student
Three people have been charged with conspiracy to murder a Louisiana college student who was found shot to death in western Mississippi earlier this month. The West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested Derek Terrell Hollins Jr, 21; Calajia Jack, 20; …
Murder
July 25, 2024
Michigan Woman Charged With Murder After 4-Month-Old Baby Taken Off Life Support
A Michigan woman charged earlier this week with child abuse for severe injuries inflicted on her girlfriend’s 4-month-old daughter has now been charged with murder. Doctors at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids turned off life support for little …
Hoax
July 25, 2024
Former Alabama Nursing Student Speaks Out a Year After Faking Her Own Kidnapping
The Alabama nursing student who drew national attention when she faked her own kidnapping a year ago spoke out this week on her now private Instagram account, for the first time since she was sentenced to a year’s probation, community …
Celebrity
July 25, 2024
‘Jeopardy!’ Champ Busted on Child Porn Charges, Catfished Teens for Sexually-Explicit Photos
A New York man who appeared on “Jeopardy!” turned himself in on Thursday for soliciting sexually-explicit photos from children. According to the New York Times, math teacher Winston Nguyen, 37, was first arrested last month at Saint Ann’s School in …
Missing
July 25, 2024
MISSING: 14-Year-Old Girl Vanishes While at Friend’s House
North Carolina police are searching for a 14-year-old girl who vanished on Tuesday. WJZY reported that Akira Richard was last seen at a friend’s home in Concord. Details regarding Richard’s disappearance are scarce, but her family said she does not …
Death investigation
July 25, 2024
Seattle Woman Arrested in Death of Newborn Found Abandoned in Bushes
A 41-year-old Washington state woman was taken into custody this week on suspicion of manslaughter in the death of her newborn in February 2023. The womanbut was ordered held Wednesday on a $150,000 bail, KOMO reported. An arrest report says …
Murder
July 25, 2024
Georgia Dad Stabs 17-Year-Old Daughter to Death, Shoots Himself: Family
A 17-year-old Georgia girl was found dead over the weekend, and the man suspected of killing her is in critical condition with a gunshot wound. Savannah Police said they were called to the home of Maria Pollock Saturday night on …
Court
July 25, 2024
Alabama Man, Awaiting Trial for Death of 19-Year-Old Special Needs Son, Found Dead at Home
An Alabama man awaiting trial in the death of his son, whose decomposing body was found in a non-function freezer, has died. Court records say Michael Halstead, 44, was out of jail on bond when he died on July 7, …
Death investigation
July 24, 2024
UConn Scientist, Set for Sentencing In Murder of Professor Husband, Found Dead in Home
A woman scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday for her husband’s murder was found dead in her Connecticut home. Connecticut State Police went to Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi’s home in Burlington shortly after 10:30 a.m. after someone reported they were unable to contact …
Child Abuse
July 24, 2024
Kentucky Woman Charged With Child Abuse After Toddler ODs on Drugs
A Kentucky woman was arrested on Sunday afer her 20-month-old child overdosed on drugs. Jasmine Bartolo was charged with four counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, first degree criminal child abuse 12 or under, possession of marijuana, and trafficking in carfentanil …
Death investigation
July 24, 2024
Fetus Found Dead in Georgia Walmart Dumpster
Georgia sheriff’s deputies are investigating after a fetus was found in a dumpster at a Grovetown Walmart on Tuesday. Columbia County Sheriff’s Major Steve Morris told the Augusta Chronicle the department was called shortly before 6 p.m. The fetus is …
Vehicle crash
July 24, 2024
Drunk Teen Crosses Center Line, Crashes into Oncoming Car, Killing 2 Other Teens
An 18-year-old man has been charged with multiple counts, including driving while intoxicated and driving without a license, in a fatal crash that killed two Louisiana 18-year-olds and injured two others early Sunday morning. The Louisiana State Patrol said that …
Celebrity
July 24, 2024
Suspect Said Diddy Paid $1 Million to Have Tupac Murdered, Prosecutors Claim in Court Docs
The man arrested last year in connection with Tupac’s murder implicated embattled producer Diddy in the rapper’s 1996 slaying, Nevada prosecutors wrote in a recent court filing. Citing a 179-page court document, Radar Online reported that Clark County prosecutors said …
Missing
July 24, 2024
5-Year-Old Boy Still Missing Weeks After Mom Is Found Murdered in Home
A 5-year-old Colorado boy who vanished earlier this month — weeks after his mother was found fatally shot — remains unaccounted for. Helliono Martinez was last seen with his father, Charles Martinez, 43, on July 16. Two weeks earlier, on …
Child Abuse
July 24, 2024
Smiling Mugshot Mom Kept 10-Year-Old Daughter in Dog Cage for Days
A Kentucky woman was arrested last month for keeping her 10-year-old daughter in a dog kennel for days. Sheila Mann, 31, allegedly abused her daughter from January through March of this year. Mann’s daughter not only claimed her mother tried …
Death investigation
July 24, 2024
Day-Old Infant Found Dead in LA Trash Bin After Mother Arrives at Hospital
Police in California are investigating after a day-old baby girl was found dead in a trash bin outside a home in Los Angeles’s Woodland Hills neighborhood. Police told KTLA that they were notified after a 23-year-old woman, bleeding extensively, arrived …
Murder
July 24, 2024
Ex-Boyfriend Charged With Death of Pregnant Teen, Feticide
A 20-year-old Georgia man has been charged with murder in the death of his pregnant ex-girlfriend, 16-year-old Mia Campos. Gwinnett County Police upgraded charges against Jesus Monroy on Tuesday to malice murder, felony murder, feticide, and aggravated assault, WXIA reported. …