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Saturday, December 31, 2011

Police ID man killed on Santa Ana River Trail

12-30-2011 California:

ANAHEIM – A man stabbed to death on the Santa Ana River Trail, near the 91 freeway, has been identified as 42-year-old Lloyd Middaugh, police said Friday.

About 6:15 a.m. on Wednesday, a person exercising on the trail called police to report a person down between Tustin and Lakeview avenues, Anaheim police Sgt. Bob Dunn said.

Police and paramedics responded to the trail and found a man, later identified as Middaugh, suffering from at least one stab wound, Dunn said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

"There is information that he lived under the freeway overcrossing but we are not certain," Dunn said, adding that there was no indication that Middaugh, who was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and about 300 pounds, had been moved.

The motive for the stabbing is under investigation, Dunn said, and the weapon was not found.

Detectives are investigating whether the incident is related to another fatal stabbing involving a transient on Dec. 21 at a shopping center in Placentia.

Middaugh was a registered sex offender, according to the Megan's Law online database. Police indicated that he was required to register after a crime that occurred more than 20 years ago in San Diego.

The popular Santa Ana River Trail stretches 30 miles along the Santa Ana River, from Huntington Beach to the Orange-Riverside county line.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on the stabbing to call 714-765-1900. ..Source.. by DENISSE SALAZAR / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Arrest Made in Slaying of SoCal Homeless Men

1-15-2012 California:

Alert citizens chased a man down and led police to him in a Friday night attack of a homeless man in Anaheim

The man arrested in connection with the Friday night killing of a homeless man in Anaheim is being held as the main suspect in a month-long string of transient murders in Orange County.

"We are extremely confident that we have the man who is responsible for the killing of four homeless people," Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters said in a press conference Saturday afternoon.

Itzcoatl Ocampo, 23, of Yorba Linda, is being held at the Anaheim Jail without bail, said Anaheim Police Sgt. Bob Dunn, a department spokesman.

Friday's stabbing was the fourth such killing of a homeless person in OC.

Officials will ask the District Attorney to pursue four counts of murder against Ocampo, Walter said during the press conference.

"This is great news to know that's been caught," Brad Olsen, brother-in-law of victim Lloyd Middaugh, told NBC 4. "Prayers have been answered. We feel blessed that it's over."

Middaugh was one of four homeless men killed in the area since December. James McGillivray, 53, was stabbed to death Dec. 20 near a Placentia shopping mall. Lloyd Middaugh, 42, was found on the Santa Ana River trail in Anaheim on Dec. 28. Paul Cornelius Smit, 57, was killed outside a Yorba Linda library on Dec. 30.

The latest victim, John, was killed after 8 p.m. Friday behind a Carl's Jr., at 3110 E. La Palma Ave.

The victim has not been identified, but locals called him “John” and believe he is a Vietnam War vet in his mid-60s.

Anaheim Deputy Chief Craig Hunter said the man arrested fits the description of a man wanted in three stabbing deaths - in Anaheim, Placentia and Yorba Linda - dating to Dec. 20.

“I saw (John) at CVS about a week ago and I started crying when he said he wanted to leave the area and I hugged him,” a woman told NBC4. “But then I saw him and I was so happy he was still here, but I've been busy and I didn't have time the last couple of days to say 'hi.'”

The suspect, chased away by some people who saw him running, was caught on La Palma about a quarter-mile away in next-door Yorba Linda.

Police were believed to be questioning more than two dozen witnesses, whom they recognized as "brave citizens" during the public meeting Saturday.

A task force of local police and the FBI had been set up to investigate three homeless men who were killed in December at the hands of what police believed was a serial killer.

A surveillance camera in Placentia captured images of the suspect, a thin man wearing a dark-hooded sweater, who may have been driving a four-door Toyota Corolla. ..Source.. by Jason Kandel and Samantha Tata

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Former Marine pleads not guilty to 6 murders

2-21-2012 California:

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- Itzcoatl Ocampo, the former Marine accused of killing four homeless men and two other people, pleaded not guilty to charges on Tuesday.

During the hearing, Ocampo mumbled to himself and at times appeared to smirk. His own defense attorney said his client is mentally ill.

"He's cracked. He's ill. He's got a mind that is wounded. His mind is so fractured that I think it's hard for him to understand not only the gravity, but even where he is right now," said defense attorney Randall Longwith.

The 23-year-old is charged with stabbing four homeless men to death. The murders took place in Orange County over a three-week period starting in December. It ended with Ocampo's arrest as he ran from the scene of the fourth murder in Anaheim.

Ocampo is also charged with stabbing to death a mother and son in Yorba Linda last October. Unlike the homeless victims, authorities allege Ocampo knew 53-year-old Raquel Estrada and her 34-year-old son Juan Herrera through Estrada's younger son.

Family members of one of Ocampo's homeless victims, 42-year-old Lloyd Middaugh, came to court to see the suspect. Middaugh was found stabbed more than 40 times along the Santa Ana River Trail in Anaheim.

"I'm kind of sick to my stomach," said Marie Middaugh, the victim's mother. "I can't wrap my head around it. It just doesn't seem possible."


Longwith said he has not yet decided whether to use an insanity defense, but stressed that Ocampo was affected by his eight months in Iraq. While he did not see combat, his attorney said Ocampo drove a truck and would have to deal with wounded and deceased people.

Prosecutors have not yet said whether they will seek the death penalty. Ocampo is due back in court on March 9. ..Source.. by Eileen Frere

UPDATE: Investigators scramble for answers in Caldwell man's death

12-29-2011 North Carolina:

LENOIR -- The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office is staying tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding the death of Matthew Jason Carter, 32, of Lenoir.

“We’re working this as a murder investigation,” said Sgt. B.J. Fore of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, “We’ve got the SBI helping us out on it.”

The sheriff’s office announced on Dec. 22 that Carter had been reported missing from his home on Walnut Drive where he was last seen on Dec. 15. Five days later, deputies found Carter dead in a wooded area off Crump Rd. in Lenoir.

Several of the investigators working on the case were present at the autopsy performed Thursday.

“We’re hoping that will give us a little more information,” Fore said.

He wouldn’t discuss any possible suspects in Carter’s death, how he died or what motive there may have been for murder. Fore said his reluctance to talk stemmed from the fact that investigators don’t have all the answers. They’re asking the public to come forward with new information – not wild theories based on what they’ve read in the media’s coverage of the crime.

“Crime Stoppers pays up to $1,000 for information and you don’t have to give them your name,” Fore said.

The photo the sheriff’s office distributed when they announced Carter was missing was a mugshot.

Fore said it was taken when Carter, a registered sex offender, was arrested for pornography – not a crime directly against a person.

“He doesn’t have a history of arrest since then. He’s never been involved with anything violent,” Fore said. “We don’t think that played any part in his death.

Anyone with information about Carter’s death is asked to call the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office at 758-2324 or Crime Stoppers at 758-8300. ..Source.. by Tim Southers | Hickory Daily

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Cause of death determined for Lenoir man found earlier this week

12-30-2011 North Carolina:


The cause of death for a Lenoir man who was found dead earlier this week has been determined. The autopsy performed on 32-year-old Matthew Jason Carter determine that he was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest.

Carter was reported missing last week and was found dead Tuesday in a wooded area near Crump Road in the Gamewell Community. The Caldwell County Sheriff's Office is investigating the case, at this time they are releasing little information.

Authorities are asking for the public's help in determining what happened to Carter. Anyone with any information in in this case is asked to contact the Caldwell County Sheriffs Office at Officials at 828-758-2324 or call Crimestoppers at 828-758-8300. ..Source..

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Man kills wife's rapist

12-17-2011 India:

NAGPUR: A woman's husband killed a farm labourer after catching him red-handed raping his wife on Thursday night at Parasingha about 62-km away from city. Katol police arrested the woman's husband for murder and also booked three more, including the deceased, for gang rape. A school clerk is also among the two arrested for the gang rape.

Akash Kawrati, 27, was a tractor driver and labourer, who came from neighbouring state of Chhattisgarh along with wife and two children, to eke out a living around six months ago. Ravindra Sharmate, another farm labourer in the village, had befriended Kawrati who belonged to the same community.

Police said Sharmate approached Kawrati requesting to arrange a feast for him and his friends Gautam Wagh and Gautam Bagde. Wagh is employed in a school as a clerk. It is learnt that Bagde apparently managed to take Kawrati away on his bike on the pretext of purchasing liquor from a shop around one kilometre away from the house. Kawrati's wife Prema (name changed) was at home preparing the feast along with her two children. Sharmate and Wagh were also present.

As Bagde took Kawrati away, Wagh and Sharmate took the opportunity to molest Prema. Police said that Wagh had already raped Prema. Sharmate was forcing himself upon Prema when Kawrati and Bagde returned.

Catching Sharmate in the act, an enraged Kawrati immediately attacked him with axe and stones. Seeing Kawrati, Bagde and Wagh fled the spot. Kawrati relentlessly assaulted Sharmate until he collapsed, said police.

It was on the following morning that Sharmate's family learnt about the incident and rushed to Katol police station. Sharmate's body was still at Kawrati's house when police reached the spot. Police said that Sharmate had no shirt on him. Kawrati had later put on the trousers on Sharmate's body.

Prema too filed a complaint against Bagde and Wagh following which Katol police also arrested Wagh and Bagde for gang rape. ..Source.. by Times of India

Friday, December 16, 2011

Authorities say woman stabbed Diamond Bar man to death before dismembering him

6-2-2011 California:

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - A prosecutor said Thursday that the head and arms of a slain Diamond Bar man were recovered by police Wednesday in two large flower pots at a Bell Gardens house.

The victim, 63-year-old Samuel Wiggins Jr., was allegedly stabbed to death by his girlfriend, Carmen Montelongo of Riverside, then dismembered, authorities said.

Authorities believe both the killing and the dismemberment may have occurred at Wiggins' Diamond Bar home in the 23700 block of Meadow Falls Drive.

"Probably, but we can't be sure," said David Hidalgo, a supervising deputy district attorney in San Bernardino County.

Montelongo is accused of hiding Wiggins' head and arms in two separate flower pots that she delivered to a relative's home in Bell Gardens. She allegedly buried the rest of his body in the backyard of a relative's home in Ontario.

An autopsy was performed Thursday on Wiggins' remains. Based on the examination, a medical examiner found that Wiggins likely died from multiple stab wounds, said Deputy District Attorney Erica Gallegos, who attended the autopsy.

It also confirmed the body's identity through fingerprints, dentures and unique surgical scars, Gallegos said.

Montelongo was arrested Sunday in Ontario after she allegedly exhumed Wiggins' body in the backyard of a relative's home in the 700 block of North Holmes Avenue, then loaded the remains into a trash can.

Police arrested her after she wheeled the container about 200 yards through residential streets.

A cousin who lives at the Holmes Avenue address said this week that Montelongo may have buried the body about a month ago during what she said was a gardening project.

Hidalgo said police aren't certain of Montelongo's motive in her alleged killing of Wiggins. But he said it may have been for financial gain.

Montelongo used Wiggins' credit cards after his disappearance and was also in possession of his car, Hidalgo said.

When she was arrested, Montelongo told an officer that the body in the trash can was that of a man who assaulted her, according to a declaration from Ontario police Detective Al Parra contained in Montelongo's court file.

Montelongo's son and daughter were arrested at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Rancho Cucamonga on suspicion of being accessories to Wiggins' killing.

Daniel Ortiz, 25, and Chanel Alicia Ortiz, 26, have not yet been charged by the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office, but they may be after police deliver reports to prosecutors about the siblings' alleged crimes, Gallegos said.

Daniel Ortiz allegedly helped his mother deliver the flower pots in early May to a relative's home in the 6700 block of Foster Bridge Road in Bell Gardens. One of the pots contained Wiggins' head, and the other contained his arms, Gallegos said.

Gallegos said she did not know Chanel Alicia Ortiz's alleged involvement.

At Wiggins' home on Thursday, his son, daughter-in-law and neighbors were loading a moving truck with the man's possessions.

His daughter-in-law, Michelle Wiggins, said Wiggins' landlord asked his family members to clear out the home as soon as possible.

Michelle Wiggins said that Samuel Wiggins was retired, and a former serviceman who fought in the Vietnam War.

"He was a good man that didn't deserve this," she said. "He was a great father and father-in-law. He's going to be greatly missed."

Wiggins lived in the Meadow Falls Drive home for at least 10 years, neighbors said.

A woman who lives in the neighborhood said she believes Samuel Wiggins and Carmen Montelongo met through the Internet. She said she was unsure how long they dated, though she said she believed it was a short time.

The neighbor, who asked to remain unnamed, said Montelongo and her daughter also lived in Wiggins' home for a brief period.

Montelongo appeared in West Valley Superior Court on Thursday for a brief hearing in which Deputy Public Defender Rebecca Taft was confirmed as her attorney.

Montelongo's only statement during the hearing was "correct," which she said in response to a question from Judge Michael Libutti about whether she wished to be represented by Taft.

Montelongo is in custody in lieu of $1 million bail. She was handcuffed during the hearing and her legs were shackled.

She wore orange scrubs, which indicate she's being housed in the general population area of West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Taft said during the hearing that she plans to visit Montelongo today. Taft withdrew Montelongo's request at her arraignment Tuesday for reduced bail.

Montelongo is set to return to court Monday. Her children may also be arraigned today or Monday if they are charged in the case, Gallegos said.

Authorities have given conflicting statements as to Montelongo's true name and age.

Montelongo has been identified in some police news releases as Montenegro, but a police spokesman said Wednesday that Montelongo is her true name and Montenegro is an alias.

In mail scattered in the suspect's frontyard in the 6200 block of Indian Camp Road in Riverside, she is identified as Carmen Montelongo. She is also a plaintiff in a lawsuit in San Bernardino County under that name.

Parra identified her as Montelongo in his declaration of probable cause.

Montelongo also uses two different dates of birth - one that makes her 51, and another that makes her 44 - and authorities have given conflicting statements about which they believe is her true age. ..Source.. By Will Bigham Staff Writer

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Money, sex abuse possible motives in trash can body case, says San Bernardino County DA

6-3-2011 California:

Money and sexual abuse are two possible motives investigators are probing in the bizarre case of a Southern California woman charged with stabbing her ex-boyfriend to death, dismembering him and pushing his body parts down the street in a trash can, authorities said.

The San Bernardino County district attorney's office said Carmen Montenegro might have acted for financial gain in the killing of Samuel Wiggins Jr.

Investigators have surveillance video showing Montenegro, 51, using credit and ATM cards belonging to Wiggins after he disappeared on April 20, said David Hidalgo, supervisor of the district attorney's family violence unit. Montenegro also used the 63-year-old Wiggins' car in the days after his disappearance, he said.

Montenegro also told police that she had been sexually abused and authorities are also considering that as a possible motive, Hidalgo said.

Her public defender, Rebecca Taft, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Montenegro has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder and is being held on $1 million bail.

Authorities said she also has a criminal history under the name Carmen Montelongo, but charging documents in the current case list her last name as Montenegro.

An autopsy performed Thursday on Wiggins' remains determined he likely died from multiple stab wounds, Deputy District Attorney Erica Gallegos told The Sun of San Bernardino.

It also confirmed the body's identity through fingerprints, dentures and unique surgical scars, Gallegos said.

Montenegro was arrested Sunday at a house in Ontario, a San Bernardino County city 40 miles east of Los Angeles, after neighbors called police to say a woman was dragging what appeared to be body parts down the street in a 30-gallon trash bin.

Police found a torso and legs at the address, which was the home of some of Montenegro's relatives, and later discovered a head and arms in two large flower pots that Montenegro and her son delivered on Mother's Day to another relative's address in Bell Gardens, near Los Angeles.

The body parts all have been identified as Wiggins' and an autopsy was under way Thursday to determine how Wiggins was killed, authorities said.

Montenegro's two adult children were arrested late Wednesday on suspicion of helping their mother dispose of the remains.

Daniel Ortiz, 25, and Chanel Alicia Ortiz, 26, both of Riverside, were stopped in Rancho Cucamonga and could be charged as early as Friday, Hidalgo said.

It was not immediately clear if they had retained attorneys.

"It's hard to comprehend that someone could be so callous and pushing body parts down the street in a trash can like it was nothing," Hidalgo said. "She was desperate and she was looking for people to help her dispose of the body."

Authorities believe Montenegro killed Wiggins at his home in Diamond Bar, in Los Angeles County, and then transported the remains to her relative's home in Ontario, where she buried the body parts. She dug several deep holes and told relatives she was re-doing the garden, Hidalgo said.

Investigators have also discovered carpet at a home in Riverside where Montenegro was renting storage space, Hidalgo said. The carpet was in a large cardboard box that was used to deliver a sofa and is believed to have come from the victim's house, he said.

At some point, Montenegro uncovered the body and put the head and arms in flower pots that were delivered to the Bell Gardens address, he said.

A family member of Montenegro's, Matthew Bell, told The Sun that he saw Montenegro in a hole in the backyard of his grandmother's house on Sunday. He said he also saw her throw body parts in the trash can and that she offered him $5,000 to help dispose of the remains.

Bell said he instead went to call police and that Montenegro followed him with the trash can, still pleading for help.

She was arrested about 200 yards from the home. ..Source.. by Gillian Flaccus

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Money possible motive in US trash can body case

6-3-2011 California:

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Money and sexual abuse are two possible motives investigators are probing in the bizarre case of a Southern California woman charged with stabbing her ex-boyfriend to death, dismembering him and pushing his body parts down the street in a trash can, U.S. authorities said.

The San Bernardino County district attorney's office said Carmen Montenegro might have acted for financial gain in the killing of Samuel Wiggins Jr.

Investigators have surveillance video showing Montenegro, 51, using credit and ATM cards belonging to Wiggins after he disappeared on April 20, said David Hidalgo, supervisor of the district attorney's family violence unit. Montenegro also used the 63-year-old Wiggins' car in the days after his disappearance, he said.

Montenegro also told police that she had been sexually abused and authorities are also considering that as a possible motive, Hidalgo said.

Her public defender, Rebecca Taft, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Montenegro has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder and is being held on $1 million bail.

Authorities said she also has a criminal history under the name Carmen Montelongo, but charging documents in the current case list her last name as Montenegro.

An autopsy performed Thursday on Wiggins' remains determined he likely died from multiple stab wounds, Deputy District Attorney Erica Gallegos told The Sun of San Bernardino.

It also confirmed the body's identity through fingerprints, dentures and unique surgical scars, Gallegos said.

Montenegro was arrested Sunday at a house in Ontario, a San Bernardino County city 40 miles east of Los Angeles, after neighbors called police to say a woman was dragging what appeared to be body parts down the street in a 30-gallon trash bin.

Police found a torso and legs at the address, which was the home of some of Montenegro's relatives, and later discovered a head and arms in two large flower pots that Montenegro and her son delivered on Mother's Day to another relative's address in Bell Gardens, near Los Angeles.

The body parts all have been identified as Wiggins' and an autopsy was under way Thursday to determine how Wiggins was killed, authorities said.

Montenegro's two adult children were arrested late Wednesday on suspicion of helping their mother dispose of the remains.

Daniel Ortiz, 25, and Chanel Alicia Ortiz, 26, both of Riverside, were stopped in Rancho Cucamonga and could be charged as early as Friday, Hidalgo said.

It was not immediately clear if they had retained attorneys.

"It's hard to comprehend that someone could be so callous and pushing body parts down the street in a trash can like it was nothing," Hidalgo said. "She was desperate and she was looking for people to help her dispose of the body."

Authorities believe Montenegro killed Wiggins at his home in Diamond Bar, in Los Angeles County, and then transported the remains to her relative's home in Ontario, where she buried the body parts. She dug several deep holes and told relatives she was re-doing the garden, Hidalgo said.

Investigators have also discovered carpet at a home in Riverside where Montenegro was renting storage space, Hidalgo said. The carpet was in a large cardboard box that was used to deliver a sofa and is believed to have come from the victim's house, he said.

At some point, Montenegro uncovered the body and put the head and arms in flower pots that were delivered to the Bell Gardens address, he said.

A family member of Montenegro's, Matthew Bell, told The Sun that he saw Montenegro in a hole in the backyard of his grandmother's house on Sunday. He said he also saw her throw body parts in the trash can and that she offered him $5,000 to help dispose of the remains.

Bell said he instead went to call police and that Montenegro followed him with the trash can, still pleading for help.

She was arrested about 200 yards from the home. ..Source.. by WFAA.com

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

DA: Child molester, 64, found slain in prison

12-12-2011 Massachusetts:

An aging child molester was murdered in prison just a few months before he was set to be released after spending nearly 10 years behind bars, authorities said.

Department of Correction spokeswoman Diane Wiffin said the inmate, Richard Silva 64, was discovered about 3 p.m. yesterday by a guard doing rounds during a shift change at MCI-Norfolk.

Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrisey’s office said state police assigned to the office are investigating.

“Due to evidence at the scene, the death is being investigated as a probable homicide,” a spokesman for the office said in a statement last night.

Wiffin said Silva, whose last known address was in Lowell, was sentenced to nine to 10 years in prison. He was convicted of indecent assault and battery of a child under 14 in January 2003. He was due to be released in March 2012.

She said the assault happened in May 1989.

Morrissey’s office said no one has yet been charged or arrested for the death.

According to the Sex Offender Registry Board’s online database, an incarcerated Richard Silva of the same age and with the same 1991 conviction date had two prior convictions for indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, in 1971 and in 1973. ..Source.. by O’Ryan Johnson

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Convicted killer accused of prison murder

1-27-2012 Massachusetts:

A career criminal serving life for the murder of one woman, and awaiting trial in another killing, was charged today with last month’s slaying of fellow MCI-Norfolk inmate Richard Silva, a convicted child molester.

Christopher Fletcher, 50, formerly of Leominster, was indicted by a Norfolk grand jury for beating Silva, 64, to death on Dec. 12, as Silva was nearing the end of his incarceration on sexual abuse charges, Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey said.

Fletcher’s attorney declined comment. Morrissey’s spokesman, David Traub, declined to comment on what evidence prosecutors hold, including whether it includes prison security video.

An arraignment date has not been set.

Fletcher, who the Department of Correction has moved to maximum security at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, rape and kidnapping earlier this month in Worcester Superior Court for the December 1986 slaying in Sterling of Peggy Sue Calvillo, 24, a factory worker and mother of two police believed Fletcher first ran down with a car.

Fletcher is already serving life without parole for the 1995 murder of Elizabeth Salsbury of Lunenberg. When he was arrested for Salsbury’s murder, he told police he had killed before and confessed to Calvillo’s murder, Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said.

Salsbury’s body was found behind a car dealership in Shirley. Police said she had been stabbed repeatedly in the throat.

“I commend the correction officers, administration and investigators at the Department of Correction for their constructive partnership and hard work in this investigation, and thank the Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Section and the homicide detectives attached to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office for their continued professionalism and hard work,” Morrissey said today.

Richard Silva , 64, was serving prison time for a 2003 Suffolk Superior Court sexual abuse conviction, according to Department of Correction spokeswoman Diane Wiffin. The offenses occurred in May 1989, but they were only the latest in a string of sexual abuse convictions dating back to the 1970s, according to the state’s Sex Offender Registry Board.

Silva was scheduled to be released in March after serving a nine- to 10-year stretch for a 2003 sexual abuse conviction. He’d previously been convicted of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 in 1971, 1973 and 1974. In 1991, he was convicted of two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and one count of indecent assault and battery on a child over 14. ..Source.. by Laurel J. Sweet

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Sex offender possibly murdered

12-6-2011 Canada:

Police believe a sexual offender who died last week while serving time in Mission Institution was murdered.

Officers with Correction Service Canada (CSC) discovered an unresponsive male inside his cell at the medium security prison around 10: 45 p.m. on Friday.

Emergency services were called to the scene, however the victim could not be revived and was pronounced dead.

As a result, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) was called to the scene, and an autopsy was scheduled for early this week.

"Investigators continue to look into this suspicious death," Sgt. Jennifer Pound of IHIT said in a press release.

"It appears to be a homicide and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team . . . has been called in and has since taken conduct of the investigation."

CSC identified the victim as 39-year-old Troy Squires, although the IHIT would not confirm that because the victim's next of kin had yet to be notified.

Squires had been serving an indeterminate sentence for forcible confinement, sexual assault, uttering threats to cause death/harm, assault with a weapon and overcome resistance. He began serving that sentence in January of 2006. The CSC will also review the incident, said Brandon Banks, assistant warden of management services for CSC, in a press release.

Mission Institution is a medium security facility that houses roughly 250 inmates. ..Source.. by Cam Tucker, The Times

Homicide Unit investigating prisoner’s death

12-9-2011 Maryland:

North Branch Correctional Institution inmate found unresponsive inside celll

CRESAPTOWN — The suspicious death of an inmate at the North Branch Correctional Institution on U.S. Route 220 is being investigated by the Internal Investigative Unit of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit.

Correctional officers found the 57-year-old inmate unresponsive in his cell in Housing Unit 3 of the maximum-security prison shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday and immediately started CPR until paramedics arrived. Officers were alerted after “an inmate approached a correctional officer and said something was wrong with his cell mate,” police said.

The unresponsive inmate was taken to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

The identity of the inmate is being withheld pending notification of his family. He was serving 40 years on a rape charge.

Cresaptown Volunteer Fire Department ambulance responded to the call at 6:20 p.m., according to the Allegany County 911 center.

The Maryland State Medical Examiner will determine the cause and manner of death.

By law, Maryland State Police are the lead investigators in the case of a suspicious death inside a Maryland correctional facility. ..Source.. by Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News

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Inmate's death caused by strangulation, ruled a homicide

12-12-2011 Maryland:


CUMBERLAND, Md. — Maryland State Police say an inmate who was found unresponsive in a Cumberland prison was strangled and his death has been ruled a homicide.

Fifty-seven-year-old Lewis J. Thompson Jr. was found in his cell at the North Branch Correctional Institution on Dec. 8 and pronounced dead at a local hospital. He was serving a 40-year sentence on a rape charge.

The Herald-Mail of Hagerstown reports that state police are conducting the investigation into Thompson's death. No charges have been filed yet. (http://bit.ly/sCAG6j) ..Source.. by The Republic

Friday, December 9, 2011

Judge finds cause to hold 3 in death of Colona resident

2-6-2008 Illinois:

A Henry County judge has found probable cause to hold three Colona residents charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of another Colona resident.

During Monday's preliminary hearing, James L. Kelley, 41; his sister, Brandy L. Kelley, 32; and her boyfriend, Joshua T. Martin, 31, all of Colona, sat before Judge Larry Vandersnick in orange jail clothes.

All three are charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of home invasion, unlawful restraint and criminal trespass to residence in the death of Shane M. McFalls, 39.

Colona police Sgt. Suzanne Bogart testified Monday that Mr. McFalls was found dead in a bed in his home Sunday morning, Feb. 3, with blood in his nostrils and on his lip, and a bucket of what appeared to be vomit next to his bed.

She testified that an autopsy indicated Mr. McFalls died from a subdural hematoma, a result of blunt force trauma to the head.

The events leading to Mr. McFalls' death started Friday, Feb. 1, Sgt. Bogart said. Mr. McFalls and his girlfriend, Teresa Lacy, were at the American Legion in Colona and allegedly got in an argument, then left the legion after 10 p.m.

On the way home, Mr. McFalls allegedly hit Ms. Lacy with her purse, his hand or both. Ms. Lacy went back to the legion later that night and told the Kelleys and Mr. Martin about the incident, according to testimony.

Sgt. Bogart said Ms. Lacy told her she begged the three not to go to the house because of Mr. McFalls' temper. A fourth person, Don Vanderheyden, also went to the house with the Kelleys and Mr. Martin, allegedly to help calm things down, according to testimony.

Sgt. Bogart said Mr. Vanderheyden told her they approached Mr. McFalls' house, yelling and beating on the door. When Mr. McFalls opened the door, Mr. Kelley and Mr. Martin allegedly tackled him, breaking a table inside the home.

Mr. Kelley and Mr. Martin then stood behind Mr. McFalls and held him to the ground on his knees, and Ms. Kelley allegedly walked around and kicked Mr. McFalls in the side of the face, Sgt. Bogart testified.

Sgt. Bogart said Mr. Vanderheyden told her he yelled at the three to stop, and then all of them allegedly sat down and talked. At some point, a phone call was made to the legion where Ms. Lacy was.

Sgt. Bogart said Ms. Lacy allegedly verified she was hit with a purse and not with Mr. McFalls' hand. Some time during the conversation, Mr. McFalls allegedly got up and shoved Mr. Vanderheyden, who then shoved Mr. McFalls down onto a piece of furniture and told him to stay calm.

According to Sgt. Bogart, the four reportedly then went back to the legion. Sgt. Bogart said Ms. Lacy told her that Mr. Kelley said they shoved Mr. McFalls around a little and talked to him about hitting Ms. Lacy.

Sgt. Bogart testified that Ms. Lacy said she arrived home between 3 and 4 a.m. Saturday morning, Feb. 2, and Mr. McFalls was in the master bedroom. He then moved to the back bedroom and shut the door.

She said Ms. Lacy did not think Mr. McFalls ever left the house.

Henry County Public Defender Eugene Stockton asked Sgt. Bogart if any locks on the house were broken. She said no.

Mr. Stockton asked why Ms. Lacy never checked on Mr. McFalls until Sunday morning, when she found him dead.

"She stated she was afraid to check on him," Sgt. Bogart testified.

Outside the courtroom, the Kelleys' sister, Crystal, said during a television interview that more information needs to come out. "I'm fighting. I'll do whatever I can to help them. We're a good family. We're human. I just know they're loving people."

The three suspects remain in Henry County Jail on $500,000 bail. Home invasion is a Class X felony punishable by a mandatory 6 to 30 years in prison. Involuntary manslaughter is a Class III felony punishable by two to five years in prison.

Mr. McFalls was a convicted sex offender, but Colona Police Chief Tim Krebs has said it had nothing to do with the alleged crime.

A pre-trial hearing for the three is scheduled on March 13. ..more.. by

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3 Charged in ''retribution beating'' of registered sex offender

2-6-2008 Ilinois:

Colona, QUAD CITIES -- Three people are behind bars in Henry County, charged with involuntary manslaughter, accused of beating a registered sex offender as revenge for domestic violence against his girlfriend.

Police say it started Friday night, when 39-year old Shane McFalls and his girlfriend got into a fight at the American Legion in Colona.

''One wanted to go home, the other one didn't, and they ended up getting into a physical confrontation'', said Colona Police Chief Tim Krebs.

The girlfriend returned to the Legion a short time later, battered and crying, and told her friends that McFalls had beaten her up. Police say her friends then took matters into thier own hands.

Investigators say Joshua Martin, James Kelly, and his sister, Brandy Kelly went to McFalls' house to even the score.

''What we're looking at in this case, is more of a retribution type thing, domestic battery that occured between the two parties, and friends wanting to get even'', Krebs said.

Court documents say the trio went to McFall's house, and beat him, tackled him, held him down and kicked him in the head.

McFalls, a registered sex offender who spent time in prison for molesting a 7-year old girl, was found dead, by the girlfriend, who had returned to the house the next day.

Illinois State Police and the Henry County Sheriff's Department helped with the investigation. It's the first homicide in Colona in 15 years.

Both Kelly's and Martin are being held in the Henry County Jail. ..more.. by CHRIS MINOR

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Three acquitted of manslaughter

10-23-2008 Illinois:

Three people were acquitted of involuntary manslaughter Thursday for the death of Shane M. McFalls of Colona, Ill., in February.

A Henry County jury found James L. Kelley, 41, and Brandi L. Kelley, 32, who are siblings, and Brandi Kelley’s boyfriend, Joshua T. Martin, 32, all not guilty on two counts of involuntary manslaughter and home invasion.

The three were each found guilty on other felony charges, including a second home invasion count, unlawful restraint and criminal trespass to a residence.

McFalls, 39, was found dead at 1019 7th St., Colona, on Feb. 3. Colona police said McFalls died from a head injury.

The suspects were all friends with McFalls and his girlfriend. The homicide was the result of a domestic disturbance that began at the American Legion in Colona, police said.

The suspects went to the residence later that night and attacked McFalls, according to police. According to the charges, McFalls was tackled and struck his head on the fall. He also allegedly was kicked in the head.

Police said the suspects left without intending to kill McFalls, but he later died from his injuries.

Of the charges home invasion carried the lengthiest sentence with up to 30 years in prison if convicted.


The three will be sentenced Nov. 18. ..Source.. by Dustin Lemmon

Friday, December 2, 2011

Man killed in mobile-home park identified

12-2-2011 California:

Deputies identify the victim as Bobby Ray Rainwater – a name that appears on a state website of registered sex offenders.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – Deputies responding to an early-morning disturbance call at a mobile-home park here found a man dead in the street outside his home.

Investigators were releasing few details Thursday afternoon, but they were treating the man's death as a homicide and said it was not a random crime.

"There's not a danger to the community," Orange County Sheriff's Lt. Steve Doan said. "We're not looking for somebody running around the neighborhood."

The Sheriff's Department identified the victim as 54-year-old Bobby Ray Rainwater. A man by that name and age is registered as a sex offender on California's Megan's Law website, with an address in San Juan Capistrano.

He was convicted of assault with intent to commit a specified sex offense, according to the website. It does not provide other details, and Bobby Rainwater does not appear in criminal court records in Orange or Los Angeles counties.

Rainwater worked as a handyman and lived with his elderly parents at the San Juan Mobile Estates, park manager Ted Roberts said. A woman who answered the phone at the family's home immediately hung up.

Deputies were called to a disturbance at the mobile-home park in the 32000 block of Alipaz Street around 5:30 a.m. Thursday. Doan did not know who was involved in the disturbance, or who called to report it.

Arriving deputies found Rainwater in the street just outside his home. He had obvious injuries, but the Sheriff's Department was not releasing details about the manner of his death because of its ongoing investigation.

Deputies were interviewing Rainwater's family and neighbors and were "zeroing in on some things," Doan said. They had not made any arrests or named any suspects, but Doan said: "This person was not the victim of a random crime."

He asked that anyone with information about the case call the Sheriff's Department at 714-628-7170. ..Source.. by DOUG IRVING / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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UPDATE: Man Killed at Mobile Home Park ID'd

The body of a 54-year-old man was found outside his mobile home residence early Thursday in what authorities consider a homicide.

Orange County Sheriff's deputies later identified the man as Bobby Ray Rainwater, who lived in the San Juan Mobile Estates park with his elderly parents, said Lt. Steve Doan.

A Bobby Ray Rainwater is also listed as a sex offender on the state's Megan's Law registry. Although the Sheriff's Department wouldn't confirm any connection, both have the same birthdate and town of residence, San Juan Capistrano.

The registry says Rainwater was convicted of assault with intent to commit a specified sex offense, but provided no details. He had several tattoos, including a dragon, devil, and skull and crossbones.

The Sheriff's Department received a 911 call around 5:30 a.m. about a disturbance at the mobile home park at 32302 Alipaz St. When they arrived on the scene, they found Rainwater's body outside a mobile home on Paseo Perdido.

"The victim was already deceased when deputies arrived, but we don't know for how long," Doan said.