Coloorado Sex Assault Suspect Killed

6-3-2009 Colorado:

Sometimes all we have is a News Video which is the case here. So we post it and hopefully someday find further information on the person mentioned. This one has been very elusive, so if anyone can find anything please let us know where.



Colorado authorities say a man found shot to death in a park earlier this week was facing child sexual assault charges. Investigators say they haven't ruled out his accuser or her family as suspects in the case. (June 3)

From prison to a pauper's grave

3-28-2012 Mississippi:

VICKSBURG, Miss. (WTW) — When Vicksburg native Stuart Brooks was killed Feb. 21 in his prison cell at the East Mississippi Correctional Facility, a family member's old fear was proved prophetic.

"Stuart is very much in need of psychological help," Brooks' aunt wrote in 1995, before he was sentenced for the sexual battery of her 9-year-old son. "I know that with his mentality, he would not survive in a prison, someone would probably kill him. I don't think he'll ever be able to function in a normal society."

Brooks was 18 when he was convicted in Warren County Circuit Court of assaulting his young cousin. Writing to then-Judge Frank Vollor as part of Vollor's pre-sentencing investigation, Brooks' aunt was torn — angry about what happened to her son but concerned for her nephew.

"He's going to need help for the rest of his life and should be locked up that long," she wrote.

Instead, Brooks was released after serving 15 years of a 30-year sentence, was re-arrested and sent back to prison for failing to register as a sex offender.

About halfway through that three-year sentence, he was strangled, an autopsy showed, at the Lost Gap facility. His cellmate has been charged in his death.

With Brooks' death, all those close to the 1995 case are gone.

Brooks' aunt, who wrote to Vollor, died in 1996; his mother died in 2006. The victim died in 2007. Brooks, who was 35, was given a pauper's burial March 6 in Vicksburg's Cedar Hill Cemetery, the $500 expense approved by the Warren County Board of Supervisors the day before and the plot provided by the city.

The burial was attended by Brooks' sister, Leslie Crosby, now of Madison, his aunt Cynthia Brooks of Houston, his friend Annie Sims of Vicksburg and 10 or 15 others, Sims said.

Crosby, 37, said she last saw her brother in 1993, before she moved away from Vicksburg.

Family members had not visited Stuart Brooks during his incarceration, as finances, transportation problems and other issues got in the way, Cynthia Brooks said.

"In spite of the situation, all the different things that get in the way, they are still your family, regardless," she said.

Sims, 42, said Brooks was a lifelong friend. The two stayed in touch during his years in prison, and it was Sims whom the prison's chaplain, John Newbaker, called Feb. 21 to say Brooks' body had been found.

Sims, Crosby and Cynthia Brooks said getting information from prison officials has been difficult and they've been "given the runaround."

Sims was given conflicting information about where Brooks' body was taken, and Crosby was told she was "not on the list" to be told what happened.

"No one wanted to talk to me," said Crosby. "They said they couldn't give me any information and kept saying I needed to speak with the warden."

She didn't reach him until two days after Brooks' death, and by that time what she knew of the crime she learned in news accounts, the earliest of which reported that he committed suicide. Not believing that, Crosby visited the prison and contacted the Winston County chapter of the NAACP for help.

"I believe if I wasn't bugging them, it would still be (classified as) a suicide," said Crosby.

Sims said Brooks wrote to her "a lot."

"Stuart was a character," she said. "He'd get along with anybody. You just had to get to know him. Yes, Stuart would react, but somebody would have had to be picking on him."

After his arrest on the sexual battery charge, Brooks was separated from other inmates in the Warren County Jail "due to his mental and physical problems," court documents show. He went through other inmates' things, struck at jailers and smeared things with urine and feces.

A psychologist at the Mississippi State Hospital at Whitfield declared Brooks competent to stand trial.

Pre-sentencing documents in Brooks' court file include the letter from his aunt as well as a 1995 psychological profile.

From an early age, Brooks had mental and emotional problems, as well as a profound speech impediment, documents show. He was first referred for treatment as a 5-year-old who was difficult to handle in the classroom; medication was prescribed. He was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and was said to be impulsive and aggressive; tests showed he was mildly retarded.

"Stuart was a profoundly troubled young man," said Mike Bonner, who was his court-appointed defense attorney in 1995. He declined to say more, citing ethical considerations.

Then-Assistant District Attorney John Bullard, who prosecuted the case, declined to comment.

In news reports following the jury's guilty verdict in 1995, Bullard was quoted as saying, "There's nothing you can do for a guy like this but lock him up." The pre-sentencing investigation, Bullard reportedly said, revealed "a complete and documented history of aggressiveness and abuse toward other children."

Vollor sentenced Brooks to the maximum term, 30 years, but Mississippi Department of Corrections released him May 27, 2010. Brooks was considered to have "flat-timed," or completed his sentence under the law, said MDOC spokesman Tara Booth.

"Under the old law (previous to the Truth-in-Sentencing bill which requires sex offenders to serve their entire sentence), he was able to earn time off his sentence," Booth said, through work, completing prison programs and other methods.

MDOC policy calls for sex offenders to be given release counseling by case managers that includes information on registering as a sex offender, she said. Case managers also typically provide information on where inmates who have no place to go can find a shelter, Booth said.

Sims and Crosby said Brooks was given a bus ticket to Vicksburg and $25, and he went to a local men's shelter. The women said they did not think he understood the requirement to register, and Sims said when she tried to help him register 10 days after his release, he was re-arrested on the spot.

In July 2010, the grand jury indicted him for failing to register as a sex offender, and Brooks pleaded guilty and was returned to the EMCF Sept. 14 to serve three years.

The facility is a private prison contracted by the MDOC.

Crosby said she purchased a transcript of the 1995 trial and the family is working on obtaining legal representation but has nothing formal yet.

"I want to see, if they knew he wasn't supposed to be there, if he was supposed to be in a mental facility, whoever is accountable for sending him there," Crosby said. "Even if it is East Mississippi Correctional Facility and not Parchman, there are still hardened criminals in there." ..Source.. by Pamela Hitchins, Vicksburg Post

Student jailed for conspiracy to assault

6-18-2009 Ireland:

Victim stabbed to death after being set up for a beating

A STUDENT has been jailed for three years for conspiring to harm a teenager, who was later stabbed to death by another teenager, in June 2009, in Killarney, Co Kerry.

Martin Ollo (19), who is originally from Estonia but who has been living in Killarney for 10 years, had pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiring with Shane Regan, Dromkerry, Fossa, Killarney, to assault Stephen Lyne causing him harm in June 2009.

Mr Lyne’s body was found on a grass margin yards from his home at Ross Road at about 1.30am on June 18th, 2009, by teenagers in a car on their way to Ross Castle.

Mr Lyne’s father Denis also came upon the scene of his son lying dead and ambulance lights flashing. He had been stabbed in the back.

From the outset the trial was told that it was Regan (then 17), who had stabbed Mr Lyne in the belief he had raped girls, including his girlfriend at the time, Jessica Klok, the previous bank holiday weekend in the Demesne.

That false rape allegation was only recanted by Ms Klok during the course of the trial.

Regan, a distant cousin of Mr Lyne, died himself in August 2010 in a fall down a set of stairs in Tralee.

He had never been charged in connection with the killing.

Ollo never knew Regan had a knife, the prosecution accepted, and his role was “to lure” Lyne to be beaten, in revenge for the false rumour, the trial was told.

Three weeks ago, after a trial which lasted two weeks and heard from 66 witnesses, a jury of six men and six women found Ollo guilty of the first conspiracy count but not guilty of the second.

Ollo had no previous convictions. He had left school before completing his Junior Cert but had returned to education. He had managed to gain entry to a third-level course and was studying for a degree in computer science, the court was told.

Ollo, Mr Lyne, Regan and others were part of a large group of teenagers of the same age hanging around together, socialising a lot, smoking cannabis and drinking while under age during the early summer of 2009, the trial was told. In some cases “trading” cannabis was involved, said John O’Sullivan, defending.

There had been disputes and threats and rumours over money owed for drugs among the teenagers, of underage drinking, cannabis being smoked and rumours circulating about alleged rapes, particularly since the previous fine bank holiday weekend in the Demesne area of Killarney.

Judge Carroll Moran had deferred sentencing overnight after an appeal by Mr O’Sullivan.

Handing down sentence yesterday, Judge Moran said: “Legitimately the point is made, the accused is the only person left to face the music in this awful experience in that the killer, Shane Regan, died in 2010.

“He had been willing to testify against Shane Regan had the latter not died and had he been prosecuted for a crime of homicide.”

The judge also noted how Ollo had been subjected to physical attacks by others “as a result of this tragic incident”.

However, he said the gravity of the offence could not be underestimated and dictated a prison sentence, even though he was not responsible directly for Mr Lyne’s death .

“Independent of the level of culpability of the accused,” the judge said it was only right he offered condolences to the Lyne family. “Stephen has lost his life in a needless attack consequent to an allegation of which he was completely innocent – insofar as that was an excuse for what happened.”

At a press conference on the steps of the courthouse yesterday, Lotte Lyne said her son’s name had been vindicated and “to a certain extent”, justice had been done.

“He was a loyal and trusting son, who never believed evil of anyone and the family were setting up a foundation in his memory.

“He was an honest and loyal young man in the prime of his life who saw no evil in anyone and trusted people without judgment.”

Ms Lyne said she had no ill-feeling towards Ollo, who had expressed remorse during the trial although not directly to the family. ..Source.. by ANNE LUCEY in Tralee

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Teen girl: 'I lied that Stephen Lyne raped me'

2-29-2012 Ireland:

KILLARNEY teen Stephen Lyne was stabbed and killed because of a false claim of rape that had been levelled against him by a teenage girl, Tralee Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

On Tuesday the trial of Estonian national Martin Ollo, who is facing charges linked to the death of Mr Lyne in June 2009, heard from witness Jessica Klok who admitted lying about being raped by Stephen Lyne.

The trial has heard that Shane Regan, who has since died, had stabbed and killed Stephen Lyne in retaliation over the rape allegation made by Jessica Klok.

Miss Klok (18) admitted in court that she had made up the rape allegation against Stephen Lyne and that she had "communicated" that lie to Shane Regan.

"I lied that Stephen Lyne had raped me," Jessica Klok told the court. "It was just a blatant, disgusting lie."

Stephen Lyne's sister Sophia Lyne gave evidence that in the days leading up to the killing Shane Regan had told her about allegations that Stephen Lyne had "dragged a girl into a forest, held a knife to her throat and raped her."

Martin Ollo, of 47 Doirin Alainn, Ballydribeen, Killarney, is being tried at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court on two counts of conspiring with Shane Regan to assault Stephen Lyne causing him harm on dates between June 15 and 18, 2009. Mr Ollo pleaded not guilty to both charges. KILLARNEY teenager Stephen Lyne was killed because of a false claim of rape that had been made against him Tralee Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Witness Jessica Klok admitted lying about being raped by Stephen Lyne at the trial of Estonian national Martin Ollo, who is facing charges linked to the death of Mr Lyne in June 2009. Mr Ollo, a computing student at IT Tralee, with an address at 47 Doirin Alainn, Ballydribeen, Killarney, is being tried at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court on two counts of conspiring with Shane Regan to assault Stephen Lyne causing him harm on dates between June 15 and 18, 2009. Mr Ollo has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

On Tuesday the trial heard that Shane Regan, who has since died, had stabbed and killed Stephen Lyne in retaliation over a rape allegation that Jessica Klok had levelled against Mr Lyne.

Stephen Lyne's sister Sophia Lyne gave evidence that in the days leading up to the Killing Shane Regan had told her about allegations that Stephen Lyne had "dragged a girl into a forest, held a knife to her throat and raped her".

Sophia Lyne said that when he made the allegations against her brother Shane Regan was "really mad and angry."

Miss Lyne said Shane Regan had told her that he was "going to get Stephen himself for this" and that he was going to stab him.

Witness Jessica Klok (aged 18) admitted in court that she had made up a rape allegation against Stephen Lyne and that she had "communicated" that lie to Shane Regan.

"I lied that Stephen Lyne had raped me," she told the court. "It was just a blatant disgusting lie," Jessica Klok said.

Jessica Klok also told the court that Shane Regan had told her he would not get caught for the killing of Stephen Lyne as he had burned his clothes and had set someone else up to get caught for the crime.

She also said she had the impression that Martin Ollo "did nothing" to Stephen Lyne.

Another witness Matt Griffin, an acquaintance of Martin Ollo, told the trial that in the days after Mr Lyne's death Mr Ollo had told him the killing was directly linked to the rape allegation.

Matt Griffin said that he had discussed Stephen Lyne's death with Martin Ollo a few days after the killing. "Later on when he was all flustered and panicked he said it had something to do with Jessica Klok claiming a rape or something like that," he said.

Under cross-examination from defence barrister John O'sullivan, Matt Griffin told the court that Martin Ollo told him that Shane Regan had said that the allegation made by Jessica Klok was the motive behind the fatal attack. ..Source.. by SIMON BROUDER

Murdered Libby man was a registered sex offender

Why would the Sheriff make that comment, esp. when it is unknown who did kill him and why?

3-22-2012 Montana:

LIBBY- The Libby man found who authorities say was murdered in his van in the lower Yaak River area over the weekend was a registered sex offender in Lincoln County.

Ernest Judd, 69, was convicted of one count of sexual assault to a 10-year-old female in 2006 and was designated as a Level 2 offender, meaning there was a moderate risk of a repeat sexual offense.

His body was found in his van in the lower part of the Yaak River area on Sunday and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department says he suffered fatal injuries from blunt force trauma to his body.

Sheriff Roby Bowe says at this time there seems to be no connection between the murder and Judd's sex offense. ..Source.. by KAJ18.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yaak Valley Murder Victim Identified, Was A Registered Sex Offender

The death of a Libby man in Northwest Montana's Yaak Valley over the weekend has sent the tight-knit community into a state of disbelief.

"We had no idea that this guy had gotten killed up there," said Libby resident Kevin Martin.

69-year-old Ernest Judd was found in his minivan on Sunday and had been beaten to death.

"I have known Ernest for little over a year now and he's come in and out of the store," explained fellow resident Lisa Block, "He was always quiet when he came in, kept to himself. I don't... I'm just kinda shocked with what has happened."

But Judd had a tainted past - court documents reveal that he pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl in 2006 and was released from Montana State Prison after serving only 6 months of a 10 year sentence. Locals who knew him say his past did not matter.

"I'm not gonna judge him," continued Block, "he served what was put down by the judge as far as I know, I'm not gonna judge him. It's not my place."

Sheriff Robe Bowe says there's no obvious link between Judd's criminal past and the murder, but locals say they hope justice is served.

"That'll definitely be up to the judge and the jury to decide," said Martin, "all that and questions and everything. And hopefully we'll get some answers and know exactly what happened."

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Department says the homicide is currently under investigation. ..Source.. by Rebecca Vogt, KCFW Reporter

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Suspected murder victim identified

The 69-year-old man found dead of blunt force trauma in his minivan in Lincoln County has been identified as Ernest Cleon Judd of Libby.

Judd and his vehicle were found by a passing driver at about 2 p.m. Sunday in the lower part of the Yaak River area on a gravel U.S. Forest Service road. Initially investigated as a suicide, Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe reported Tuesday that the department now believes Judd was murdered.

According to the Montana Department of Justice’s Sexual or Violent Offender Registry, Judd is a tier 2 registered sex offender. He was convicted in 2006 of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl the year before.

His tier 2 assignment means he was deemed to have a moderate risk of being a repeat sexual offender.

Bowe said his department is aware of Judd’s history, but that there is currently no indication that it has anything to do with his death.

Bowe also addressed a rumor that Judd had recently won a sizable amount of money at a casino, which could have been a possible factor in a murder.

“We’re following all those leads, and as of right now we can’t pin that as a motive either,” Bowe said. “We’ve heard the same rumors, and all they are right now are rumors.” ..Source.. by JESSE DAVIS, The Daily Inter Lake

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lincoln County death investigated as murder; victim identified

Authorities in Lincoln County have released the name of a man whose body was found in a minivan along the Yaak River last weekend, and continue to investigate the death as a homicide.

Ernest Judd, 69, of Libby, died of blunt force trauma, Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe said Friday. His body was found March 18 in a minivan parked on a Forest Service road in the lower Yaak River area.

The death was originally thought to be a suicide, but Bowe said further investigation revealed that it was a murder.

“As of right now, we don’t have any motive,” Bowe said. “We don’t have any inclination at all why this person or persons did this to him.”

Bowe said investigators have spoken with people who knew Judd, and who reported that the man recently won a substantial amount of money at a casino. However, the amounts have varied between $700 and $1,700 and Bowe has not verified the winnings.

“There is speculation that he won money at the local casino, and we are following up on all those leads right now,” Bowe said. “Right now we haven’t confirmed anything, and we are just trying to determine what is true and what’s not.”

Investigators have also taken into account the fact that Judd has a criminal history, but Bowe said nothing so far indicates the murder is connected to the victim’s past legal troubles.

The state Sexual or Violent Offenders Registry lists Judd as a tier-2 registered sex offender. He was convicted in 2006 of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl the year before.

“There is no indication right now that his criminal past has anything to do with this,” Bowe said.

The Montana Department of Criminal Investigations is assisting with the case, and Bowe said the Montana State Crime Lab is processing forensic evidence. So far, there are no suspects.

Judd’s death marks the fourth murder investigation by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in four months, and the only one without an arrest or a suspect.

In December, Kristina Lynn Welch was arrested for the shooting death of her husband, Charles Welch. Then in January, Dale Kinniburgh Jr., 51, killed himself after reporting to police that he had murdered his wife, Catherine Kinniburgh, 55.

Days later, James Bonifas, 75, was arrested for the death of his daughter, 41-year-old Suzanne Campbell.

Bowe said the string of deaths has kept the department busy, but detectives are fully committed to solving the most recent homicide case.

“We are going to take it slow and careful and find out who did this,” he said. ..Source.. by Tristan Scott

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Man, 69, killed; identified; was known sex offender

The Western News on Tuesday learned the identity of the 69-year-old man who was found dead in a vehicle in the lower Yaak is Ernest Cleon Judd of Libby.

Earlier Tuesday, a press release from Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe confirmed the death was determined to be a homicide. However, Bowe did not confirm Judd as the victim, whose body was found about 2 p.m. Sunday.

The Western News learned Judd’s identity independently.

Bowe’s updated statement about the investigation revealed the deceased died of blunt-force trauma to the back of the head. The deceased was found in his minivan.

“The problem is we have not been able to notify his next of kin,” Bowe said. “Sometimes, families are tough to locate, and I don’t know when we might be able to do that.”

Conceding to next-of-kin concerns, The Western News has agreed to not post the news of Judd’s slaying on its Website www.thewesternnews.com until the geographically distant family members are notified by the Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff Bowe was asked whether he could confirm the deceased recently won a sizeable amount at a casino.

Bowe, who stated his department is continuing its investigation, is looking into reports that the deceased boasted about recent winnings — talk that could have made him a target.

“… We’ll be pursuing that,” Bowe said.

The deceased’s body was taken to the Montana State Crime Laboratory where the cause of death was determined, clearing the way for the homicide investigation.

Judd’s slaying is the fourth such homicide in recent months, dating back to December when Kristina Welch allegedly shot her husband, Brian Charles Welch, in their home. Subsequent deaths of Dale and Catherine Kinniburgh, in a murder-suicide in which Dale killed his wife on Jan. 3 before turning the gun on himself.

Three days later, James Bonifas alledgedly shot his daughter, Susanne Campbell, in their home.

In those cases, police had immediate suspects.

Judd’s alleged killer or killers is still at large.

According to the Montana State Web site, Ernest Cleon Judd is a registered sex offender. Judd’s physical description listed him as a 5-foot, 9-inches tall, with blue eyes and white hair. He reportedly weighed 295 pounds. ..Source.. by Western News

Police Shooting: Sexual Assault Suspect Killed

3-12-2012 Arkansas:

A Washington County detective was involved in a deadly shooting at a residence just outside Farmington Monday afternoon, according to the sheriff’s office.

The shooting happened at 12571 Leam Blvd around 1:15 p.m. Detectives were there conducting a follow-up investigation of reported sexual assault of a minor, according to Kelly Cantrell with the sheriff’s office.

Detective L. Scott McAfee told Joshua Adams Thomas, 38, to come outside, but he claimed he needed to go back inside the house to get something, according to Cantrell.

The detective told Thomas to wait, but he went back inside the house, slamming the door behind him, according to a report from the sheriff’s office.

Shortly after, Thomas swung the door open, raised a crowbar and tried to hit the detective, Cantrell says.

Det. McAfee shot the man once. Thomas was pronounced dead at the scene by Central EMS responders.

Arkansas State Police will also begin investigating the incident. As part of standard procedure, Det. McAfee will be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The Washington County Sherriff's Office is also conducting an internal investigation.

Neighbors had mixed reactions about the man killed by police. One considered him aggressive and controlling.

"And I just know Josh from a distance you know he threatened to shoot my dog one time and to shoot me," said Sheila Carter.

Next door neighbors describe Thomas as a nice and caring person.

"He's always been kind of quiet, kept to himself and he offered us some vegetables that he grows in his garden, just a friendly man," said Lauren Shelley.

Neighbors say they believe Thomas had a criminal history.

"He had mentioned that he had been in trouble before. I don't remember if he said was on parole or probation," said James Shelley.

Det. McAfee was involved in another deadly officer-involved shooting on Feb. 19, 2004, according to Cantrell. He was exonerated by an internal investigation and by the prosecuting attorney. ..Source.. by Alicia Agent/Jocelyne Pruna/Mallory Cooke

Sex Offender Found Shot Dead In Car

3-7-2012 North Carolina:

EDWARD -- A convicted sex offender was found dead in Beaufort County, and deputies there are treating it as a homicide.

Bobby Ray Buck, 33, was found shot at what was at first believed to be the scene of a car accident.

Buck is listed in the N.C. Department of Corrections website as a convicted and registered sex offender. Buck was convicted of indecent liberties with a minor in 2004, according to records.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call early morning Wednesday reporting a motor vehicle accident on Minor Run Road in the town of Edward. First responders from Aurora Fire and EMS responded to the scene and discovered a man in a car with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Deputies responded to the location and secured the scene with the assistance of the Aurora responders.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at (252) 946-7111 or Beaufort County Crime Stoppers at (252)974-6400. ..Source.. by WCTI Staff

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Man Murdered In Beaufort County

3-7-2012 North Carolina:

A man is dead after deputies say they found his body inside a vehicle early this morning. The victim had a criminal record dating back to 1998 and was due in court this week on misdemeanor drug charges.

A man is dead after deputies say they found his body inside a vehicle early this morning.

The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office says they were called to Minor Run Road in the Edwards area at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday for a traffic accident. When they arrived they found an Aurora man dead in a vehicle on the side of the road.

Lawmen say Bobby Buck had a gunshot wound. The 33-year-old man has been a registered sex offender since 2005.

Buck was convicted in Beaufort County in 2004 for taking indecent liberties with a child and he spent just over two years in prison for that crime. His criminal record dates back to 1998, including several B&E convictions.

Buck was supposed to appear in court Tuesday on pending misdemeanor drug charges.

Deputies say they have now identified a suspect in the Buck's murder, but have not released any information about an arrest. They are asking anyone with additional information to call them at 252-946-7111. ..Source.. by WITN.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

911 call uncovers homicide

3-7-2012:

Deputies investigate after victim discovered with gunshot wound

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a homicide that occurred Tuesday night on Minor Road in the town of Edward.

At 12:15 a.m. the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a passing motorist who had seen a vehicle off-road, in a ditch and stopped to investigate. According to Major Kenneth Watson, Aurora Fire and EMS arrived at the scene and found a deceased male with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. The victim was identified as Bobby Ray Buck, 33, a resident of Hall Avenue in Aurora, and formerly of Tranquility Lane in Blount’s Creek.

The motorist called in what looked to be a car accident.

“(He) saw the vehicle, checked the driver and reported a vehicle accident with an injury,” Watson said, referring to the initial 911 call.

Sheriff’s Office investigators have identified a suspect in Buck’s homicide, but because of the ongoing investigation, are unable to release any information as to whom Buck was with or why he was at the location, Watson explained.

“We’re following up on a lot of information. We’ve identified a suspect and hope to have additional information to release soon,” he said.

Buck attended Aurora High School and received his G.E.D. from Beaufort County Community College. According to Lt. Jamie Cahoon of the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations unit, Buck was unemployed, but “did odds and ends jobs for people in the community.”

Buck’s run-ins with law enforcement date back to 1998 when he was charged with the first of five DWIs. He served 22 months in prison for a 2004 conviction of indecent liberties with a minor. Buck’s most recent arrest was on Jan. 29 of this year, in which he was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and simple possession of schedule IV controlled substance. His court date had been rescheduled to April 3.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at (252) 946-7111 or Beaufort County Crime Stoppers at (252) 974-6400. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest in this case. ..Source.. by Vail Stewart Rumley

------------------------------------------------------------------

Deputies investigating homicide of sex offender

6-8-2012 North Carolina:

WASHINGTON, N.C. - Deputies say they have a person of interest for a Beaufort County homicide.

Deputies responded early this morning to a 911 call on Minor Run Road in Edwards.

They say they found a man shot to death in a car.

The victim has been identified as 33-year-old Bobby Ray Buck from Aurora. We checked and found out he’s a registered sex offender according to the state's registry.

Deputies say their investigation is on-going. They are willing to pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest. ..Source.. by WNCT Staff

Latino Cop Killed by Cops, Family Wants Answers

1-31-2012 California:

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – A Latino police killed by a fellow police officer while on duty is being denied a police funeral. Many police officers also have not been wearing the black band over their badge customary when a police officer is killed.

Albert Covarrubias Jr., who was at the end of his shift at a DUI check point, was under investigation for having sex with a 17-year-old girl. The 29-year-old was killed by a fellow officer, who happened to be his best friend on the force and best man at his wedding, after he resisted arrest.

Police have disclosed few details about the Covarrubias case, leaving residents to wonder why police felt compelled to make the arrest while the four-year veteran was on duty and how it could have ended with a bullet in the officer's chest.

Covarrubias' family wants answers, too.

"What happened to procedure?" asked his father, Alberto Covarrubias Sr. "Why did they go to arrest him in the field? If it was so urgent why didn't they just say there was a family emergency and he had to come to the station?"

Chief Danny R. Macagni did not respond to repeated requests for an interview, nor did City Manager Rick Hayden or City Attorney Gilbert Trujillo.

At a news conference the day after the shooting, neither Macagni nor his top deputies were wearing the black bands across their badges that are customary after an officer is killed.

"Events unfolded very rapidly," he said. "It was very clear to the investigators that he knew what was going to happen. I cannot divulge why we know that. The information that we had we knew we could not let him get in the car and drive somewhere.

"But we did not expect him to react the way he did," he added.

Covarrubias, a 2000 graduate of Santa Maria High School, always wanted to be a cop. His classmates said he was a funny and charming guy. He had recently remarried — a woman with whom his father said "he just clicked" — 13 months after his first wife committed suicide during their divorce proceedings.

He once was heralded as employee of the month in the department of 105 for nabbing an ATM robber, his father said. Last fall, he was named to the motorcycle unit. "My son was proud to be a cop," he said. "He was a good cop. Now they're dragging his name through the mud."

Everyone has the same question: Why did police try to arrest Covarrubias while he was armed with his service pistol and aware about the investigation?

"I'm concerned about what's happening and it goes beyond the shooting of an officer. It reflects on the management of the police department," said Toru Miyoshi, who formerly served on both the city council and the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

"They could have waited for a more controlled situation. A DUI checkpoint does not just put the accused at risk but it puts the public at risk as well," Miyoshi said.

It's unclear for how long Covarrubias and the girl carried on a sexual relationship, but she confided to an adult described as a "mother figure" on Thursday — Covarrubias' birthday — that the two "were dating." The woman called police, the retired officers said. The girl is reportedly a member of the department's Police Explorer program for young people interested in law enforcement careers.

Police decided to set up a sting to arrest Covarrubias on sexual misconduct charges. In California, the age of consent is 18 unless the two people are within three years of each other in age.

Before the DUI checkpoint started, the lieutenant in charge was told that the Explorer Scout was going to be called away to do a "pretext call," the name for setup calls designed to get suspects to confess with investigators listening in, both retired officers said.

For reasons unknown, the commanding officer told all of the officers at the checkpoint, including Covarrubias, that the girl would be called away for an investigation, they said.

The officers, who have more than six decades of experience between them, independently described what happened that night.

Covarrubias panicked when he heard the commanding officer's announcement about the pretext call, the officers said. He texted the girl, asking if she had spoken to investigators.

Investigators proceeded with their plan, sending the "mother figure" to fetch the girl and tell her there was a family emergency. Covarrubias saw the girl leave and became frantic.

"As soon as she gets pulled out he starts texting her again," said one of the retired officers. "He started texting stuff like 'I'm not going to jail' and 'I'd rather kill myself' and that type of stuff."

Soon the girl called Covarrubias' cell phone and, though he knew she was part of an investigation, he acknowledged their sexual relationship, the former officers said. After hanging up he sent a text saying that he hoped the call wasn't set up by the department.

Sometime around 1 a.m., two sergeants — one of them the officer's cousin — arrived to take Covarrubias into custody.

Covarrubias backed up and, according to police, tried to draw his gun as the sergeants wrestled him to the ground. Police at the scene told the retired officers that Covarrubias fired four times, but not at anything or anyone.

Then, he pointed his pistol at his best man, Officer Matt Kline, the retired officers said. Kline fired his weapon, fatally wounding his friend.

Santa Maria, nestled between oak-studded hills and cooled by the Pacific 10 miles away, is a mixture of 1950s California and the kind of stucco-clad, cookie-cutter development seen elsewhere. Over the years, Latinos have increasingly moved in.

It's easy to see their influence — they now comprise 70 percent of the city's 100,000 residents. A new drug store sits around the corner from Clinicas Naturistas. And a throw-back hamburger stand on the main drag serves menudo, a Mexican stew, on weekends.

Killings are uncommon; the city averages less than a half-dozen homicides a year, mostly gang-related. But the recent spate of violence has some city officials worried.

"We're in tough times trying to get business and people to settle here," said Mike Cordero, a City Council member who served 30 years on the Santa Maria police force.

The department denied Covarrubias a police funeral, said his father, who then opted not to bury his son in the uniform he loved.

"What happened to the brotherhood?" the father asked. "This is all stewing inside of me. I should have my son here, not be planning his funeral." ..Source.. by FoxNews

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SMPD officer suspected of sex crimes shot dead by colleagues after resisting arrest

1-29-2012 California:

‘The definition of a sad day’

In what Santa Maria Police Chief Danny Macagni called “the definition of a sad day,” an on-duty police officer accused of having sex with a 17-year-old girl was shot and killed early Saturday morning by a fellow Santa Maria policeman.

The shooting erupted after two of the dead officer’s colleagues tried to arrest him. The accused officer allegedly resisted arrest and fired his handgun, prompting another officer to return the fatal shot.

The officer who was killed was a four-year member of the Santa Maria Police Department with no major disciplinary issues during his tenure, Macagni said during a press conference Saturday afternoon at the Santa Maria Police Station.

“We aggressively investigated this as quickly as we could,” Macagni said. “Who would ever have expected this type of outcome?”

The deadly shooting occurred about 1:20 a.m. Saturday at McElhaney Avenue and Broadway as police were breaking down a DUI checkpoint they had conducted since Friday evening.

Police supervisors were sent to arrest the officer, who was working at the DUI checkpoint, but he put up a physical fight, Macagni said, and a scuffle ensued.

“He chose to resist, to remove his weapon ... and fire his weapon,” the chief said.

Other officers, including the policeman who fired the fatal shot, came to the aid of the two supervisors making the arrest, Macagni said.

The accused officer was shot once in the chest and was taken to Marian Medical Center for emergency surgery, where he died. No one else was injured.

The police chief did not release the name of either officer involved because family members were still being notified, but he said that information will eventually be made public.

The officer who fired the fatal shot was an eight- or nine-year veteran, Macagni said. As is routine in police-involved shootings, that officer has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of internal and external investigations.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the shooting.

About seven officers were on scene clearing up the checkpoint when the shooting happened, and there was very little traffic in the area at the time.

Police were made aware Thursday of some minor misconduct on the part of the accused officer, Macagni said, but explained it wasn’t even serious enough to suspend the officer. Instead, police initiated an investigation, and then the new information came to light.

According to Macagni, information surfaced shortly before the shooting that necessitated the immediate arrest of the officer who was suspected of having an illegal sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl.

“It was not only compelling, it was egregious and needed to be dealt with immediately,” the police chief said.

“There is some witness intimidation involved,” Macagni added, but declined to reveal further details about the alleged crimes.

It’s devastating when police officers must take any life, Macagni said. While Saturday was a tragic day for law enforcement, he said, illegal activity on the part of public servants can’t be tolerated.

“My officers don’t take that lightly. I don’t take that lightly. It’s tragic anytime it happens.”

He said that while typically the Santa Maria department might call in another agency to handle the arrest of one of its own, it was urgent that the accused officer be arrested immediately to preserve public safety.

“Who do you call at 1 a.m.?” he asked.

“If you violate the law, I don’t care if you’re wearing a uniform or not,” he said. “The protocol is, as soon as you identify enough information to proceed with a criminal investigation, a criminal arrest, you do so.”

The accused officer won’t be honored the way a fallen member of law enforcement usually is, Macagni said, because “that would be totally hypocritical on my part.”

Late Saturday morning, Broadway remained cordoned off with yellow police tape in the area of the shooting.

Members of the Sheriff’s Department knelt down in a patch of grass outside a stretch of businesses, gathering physical evidence. Several police officers stood watch.

Curious bystanders stood close to the tape, gazing at the scene.

By Saturday night, a small memorial made of a balloon and religious candle had been placed in the area as vehicles once again drove along Broadway.

Drew Sugars, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Department, said the agency conducts investigations for other law enforcement departments when it is asked to do so.

He said that while he had no comment right now on the incident, the Sheriff’s Department will eventually submit its findings to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.

Saturday’s shooting has struck a nerve with many in the community, including Santa Maria resident Pedro Reyes.

Reyes, vice president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, a civil rights group, showed up to the press conference Saturday afternoon to express his concern about the safety of Santa Maria residents.

After the conference, Reyes said he finds it troublesome that a police officer entrusted with public safety was committing crimes.

“At the end of the day, they are a liability to the city,” he said.

In addition, he wondered if the accused officer’s life could have been spared with other arrest tactics.

“How well trained are they to respond to these crises?” Reyes asked.

Santa Maria has recently been the site of numerous officer-involved shootings.

On May 4, Santa Maria police fired at Andrew Wittke, striking him once and wounding him, after he pointed a gun at them. He pleaded guilty in September to charges of brandishing a firearm at a person in a motor vehicle and exhibiting a gun in the presence of a police officer.

The county District Attorney’s Office determined that police used reasonable force.

In early December, Santa Maria police shot and killed 24-year-old Samyr Ceballos, a documented Santa Maria gang member, after Ceballos reportedly confronted them with a gun.

One officer suffered a hand wound and another was shot in the leg by bullets from other officers’ guns during the flurry of gunfire. Both are recovering, and that event remains under investigation. ..Source.. by Samantha Yale Scroggin

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grandfather questions details of incident

2-1-2012 California:

Family: Covarrubias dreamed of police career

Vicente R. Soto, grandfather of the Santa Maria police officer who was shot and killed over the weekend by a fellow officer, remembers his grandson not as a gun-wielding sex offender, but as a little boy riding with him in a truck towing hay bales.

Even then, the grandfather said in an interview Tuesday, Alberto Covarrubias Jr. had dreams of being a police officer.

Covarrubias, a four-year veteran of the Santa Maria Police Department, was fatally shot early Saturday morning by a fellow officer while supervising officers attempted to arrest him for allegedly having sex with a 17-year-old girl.

He was on-duty and breaking down a DUI checkpoint at the intersection of East McElhaney Avenue and Broadway at about 1 a.m. when the incident occurred.

Soto continued, speaking in Spanish as his daughter, who asked not to be identified, translated.

The hay was too heavy, Soto said, so a California Highway Patrol officer pulled him over.

Young Alberto spoke to the officer.

"He said, ‘you know, I want to be a police officer like you'," Soto recalled.

The officer did not give Soto a ticket, and instead followed his truck home to ensure no hay fell out of the trailer.

"That was the beginning of when he wanted to be a police officer," Soto said.

Covarrubias's family has taken issue with the fact that he was arrested while on duty and in the public eye.

They want the community to hear about the man who was passionate about protecting the public as a police officer, and who loved his stepchildren and other family members.

"Because Albert was killed, he cannot defend himself," said Soto's daughter.

Covarrubias, 29, had recently become a motorcycle officer, according to family members.

He and Officer Matthew Kline, who has been widely reported but not officially confirmed as the officer who fired the shot that killed Covarrubias, were best friends, family members said.

Kline served as the best man in Covarrubias's recent wedding.

The marriage was his second, and he was a stepfather to his first wife's children, family members said. His first wife reportedly committed suicide during divorce proceedings.

Santa Maria Police Chief Danny Macagni and other police administrators did not return phone calls seeking comment Tuesday.

The department has said nothing publicly about the incident since a press conference Saturday, at which Macagni described the events leading up to Covarrubias's fatal shooting.

But family members say they don't have faith in Macagni's account.

"We don't know what's going on. We weren't there," the daughter said. Soto added, "his only witnesses are the police themselves."

Soto said he is especially devastated that his grandson was killed by his close friend, and dissolved into tears while talking about it.

"He says, how do you expect him to feel?" his daughter translated.

Soto said he urged Covarrubias not to be a police officer because the job was too dangerous, but his grandson responded that he wanted to do good work in the community.

"And he did. He was very well-respected," said Soto's daughter.

She said the family doesn't understand why police attempted to arrest Covarrubias while he was working, rather than calling him back to the station.

He would have complied if summoned to the station, the daughter said.

She said she doesn't know anything about Covarrubias's alleged relationship with the 17-year-old girl, adding "we've just been concentrating on what happened to him." ..Source.. by Samantha Yale

Suspected rapist beaten to death

3-6-2012 South Africa:

Johannesburg - A man was beaten to death in Soweto on Monday after trying to rape a woman, Gauteng police said.

The man, in his 30s, entered a shack in Doornkop where two women were sleeping around 03:00, Warrant Officer Kay Makhubela said.

"He tried to rape one of the women, but she started to scream."

The man tried to escape, but neighbours caught him and started beating him.

"Police arrived to find the man severely beaten and in a serious condition. He was taken to hospital, but died on arrival."

No arrests had been made. ..Source..

Gordon Morrice murder trial: Brain injury evidence given

1-23-2012 United Kingdom:

The brain of a suspected paedophile allegedly murdered by five people showed signs of a head injury suffered months before his death, a doctor has told a murder trial.

Gordon Morrice, 57, died several months after being severely injured at playing fields in Aberdeen's Golf Road in 2010.

Robert Laird, 25; Paul Yates, 38; Williamina Stewart, 37; Hector Stewart, 30; and Paul Noble, 17, deny murder.

Dr James MacKenzie said he had found "softening" on Mr Morrice's brain.

The consultant neuropathologist, who examined Mr Morrice's brain after his death, told the trial at the High Court in Aberdeen he had examined the brain microscopically with the naked eye and found the damage was mainly on the left side.

He said there was evidence to suggest Mr Morrice had suffered a head injury although the major damage had been caused by subsequent bleeding.

In his visual exam he detected "softening" on parts of the brain, which he said could appear "boggy".

"The brain deals with damage in one way," he said. "It walls it off, takes it away and you are left with softening.

"Many months have elapsed between the incident that caused it and the death of the deceased."

He added: "What I'm looking at is the remains on the battle field long after the battle is over."

The doctor said Mr Morrice's memory, movements, speech and swallowing would all have been affected.

He said: "The distribution and severity of the brain damage is likely to have rendered the deceased severely neurologically disabled."

'Spontaneous haemorrhage'

Advocate depute David Nicolson told the witness the court had heard that Mr Morrice regained some of his speech in the months after the attack.

Dr MacKenzie replied: "What often happens is there is some degree of functional recovery after time goes by, but there are bits you can't put back together."

The court heard Mr Morrice had been prescribed Warfarin - a blood thinning drug - before the alleged attack and did not lose consciousness until several hours afterwards.

Dr MacKenzie said Mr Morrice may have appeared to function normally after the alleged incident until the build up of a clot started to damage the brain.

He added that this was consistent with someone who may have a "slow bleed" on the brain.

He told the court that a "spontaneous haemorrhage" can occur in a person who is taking Warfarin.

Paul Noble's defence counsel, Edward Targowski QC, asked Dr MacKenzie: "If it can occur relatively spontaneously, then little force would be required to cause a haemorrhage of a patient who is on Warfarin?

The witness replied: "Yes, there is an increased risk of haemorrhage inside the head."

Background checks

The five accused are alleged to have attacked Mr Morrice at a park in Seaton on 24 June 2010.

They are alleged to have struck him on the body with a bicycle and repeatedly punched and stamped on his head and body at Golf Road and the adjoining park.

The attack is alleged to have caused the death of Mr Morrice on 14 March last year at an Aberdeen nursing home.

Williamina and Hector Stewart are also accused of previously showing malice and ill-will towards Mr Morrice.

The trial has heard several witnesses claim that rumours of Mr Morrice being a paedophile had circulated the Seaton community before the alleged attack.

Pc William Thom, of Grampian Police, previously said he ran background checks on Mr Morrice following a report that he had asked to bounce on a trampoline with two children, but they had come back clear.

The trial, before Lord Uist, continues. ..Source.. by BBC

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pair who killed man wrongly accused of being paedophile in Aberdeen jailed

A schoolboy and a mother who killed a man wrongly accused of being a paedophile have been jailed.

Gordon Morrice, 58, died months after being severely injured at playing fields in Aberdeen's Golf Road in 2010.

The attack happened after he asked to bounce on a child's trampoline near his flat in the city.

Williamina Stewart, 37, was jailed for 10 years and Paul Noble, 18, for eight after they both admitted culpable homicide.

They had gone on trial for murder at the High Court in Aberdeen.

Relatives of Mr Morrice said in a statement after the sentencing: "This was a terrible sustained attack on our dad which not only led to his death but caused his family great pain and anguish.

We would also like to thank the good people who came forward”

Family statement

"Not only has our family lost a father and a son but no amount of time can change what has happened or take our pain away.

"We also had to endure nine months of agony while our dad lay in a hospital bed without knowing what would happen. The reality is his life ended on the day of this attack."

They explained: "We still can't believe what these people have done and cannot comprehend why they did it.

"This was a brutal attack which was pre-planned. What sort of people could do something like this? We hope they feel a little bit of our hurt and pain, but I really doubt they will.

"The hurt and pain will always be with us and it is something we will have to live for the rest of our lives."

They added: "It was also extremely hurtful for us to see repeated claims that our dad was a paedophile when this was completely untrue. He was the innocent one and not the one on trial, and I hope the people responsible realise the effect this has had, and will continue to have, in our lives.

"The family would like to thank the police and the crown for their efforts in getting to the truth of the incident and for clearing our dad's name.

"We would also like to thank the good people of Seaton who came forward and helped the police with their enquiries."

'Untimely death'

Grampian Police Det Insp Cammy Preston, who led the inquiry, said: "This is a harsh lesson for anyone who takes the law into their own hands.

"This group made the wrong assumption that Gordon Morrice was a 'paedophile' on the back of a throwaway remark which has literally led to his death.

"There is absolutely nothing to suggest he posed any risk or threat to children."

He went on: "Although those who have been convicted have been justly punished, there were others - some with their children - who stood by and watched the vicious attack on Mr Morrice and did nothing to stop it.

"In contrast, a number of the local community who were horrified by what they saw gave us the information we needed to pursue the accused and I thank them for their assistance.

"The untimely death of Mr Morrice from such a vicious attack, coupled with the malicious allegations from the accused, have caused his family untold pain and I can only hope this brings some closure for them."

Stewart's partner Paul Yates, 38, and her brother Hector Stewart, 30 admitted a reduced charge of assault.

They were admonished.

The case against co-accused Robert Laird, 25, was dropped due to a lack of evidence. ..Source.. by BBC

San Jose police: Kidnapper assaulted 11-year-old girl before cop killed him

1-23-2012 California:

San Jose police say the 42-year-old man who abducted an 11-year-old girl at gunpoint sexually assaulted her during the nearly 11-hour ordeal before an officer killed him in a narrow stairwell.

Police also confirmed Tri Truong Le was firing blanks from a replica 9 mm Beretta-lookalike pistol during the fatal confrontation at his Pistachio Road townhome on Friday afternoon.

Police Chief Chris Moore, in a Monday news conference, lauded the "extraordinary" efforts of more than 100 police officers who rescued the girl, and lamented the "disturbing trend of violent domestic violence in our city and county."

The Mercury News is no longer identifying the girl because she was a victim of assault.

Acting Deputy Chief Edgardo Garcia said before Le was shot, he had an EKOL Firat pistol in his right hand and a large kitchen knife in his left. Le had the girl, the daughter of his ex-girlfriend, wrapped in a cross hold. And as he stood with the girl as a human shield near his back window, police said Le fired his gun.

When officers heard the shots, they raced into hostage-rescue mode and rushed through the front door, Garcia said. Officer Mauricio Jimenez, a SWAT officer, fired two rounds at Le, the first hitting Le in the left arm. Le then tried to use the girl as a shield. Jimenez fired a second time, hitting Le in the head, killing him.

"It's great that we saved her life, but the bad part is she was assaulted right before we rescued her," police spokesman Sgt. Jason Dwyer said after the news conference. "It's almost impossible to make a precision shot on a suspect without harming the hostage and under heavy fire at point blank range. The officer is a hero. She owes her life to that team and Officer Jimenez."

Police said they could not answer why Le would shoot blanks in the face of heavily armed officers.

The sexual assault was discovered at a hospital after the girl was rescued and taken there. Because she was traumatized, police did not thoroughly interview her about the kidnapping. They planned to do that later Monday. The girl's uncle asked Monday morning that the family's privacy be respected.

Court records show that Le has a criminal history in Santa Clara County dating back to at least 1998. He's been convicted at least three times for DUI; the last time was in 2008, when he was so drunk, police noted, that he slurred and stumbled and stated out loud that he had also taken the drug ecstasy.

Three years before that, Le was charged with violating a domestic violence protective order. In February 2005, an ex-girlfriend called police to say that Le had threatened to kill her and her new boyfriend after she broke up with him. "How could you do this to me?" she recounted what Le said to her, according to the police report. Then he scratched and choked her, records state, and threatened he'd go get his gun and come for her.

Le also made threats about weapons before Friday's kidnapping and shooting, police said.

About 1:20 a.m. Friday, Le barged into the girl's home on Taffy Court, fired the replica pistol several times, and took off with the 11-year-old, prompting a statewide Amber Alert.

Texts on Friday between Le and the girl's mother, whom he had been dating for four years and sometimes lived with, showed that he threatened to use his gun and "he would be ready" for police, Garcia said.

Police at the time did not know for sure that Le's pistol was shooting blanks.

"Had he been shooting a real gun, a lot more officers would have been injured," Garcia said.

The girl's mother told police that Le physically abused her. But she never reported the abuse. She broke up with him a short while ago.

Patricia Bennett, a coordinator at Next Door Solutions anti-domestic violence program, told reporters at the news conference that she never wants to blame women for the violent behavior of their abusers. But she continually tries to educate those who want to leave, to do so quietly, without announcing a breakup until you can talk to a domestic violence expert to draw up a safety plan.

All of last year's domestic violence homicides in Santa Clara County resulted during some stage of breakup. But Bennett said that "90 to 99 percent" of the time, victims who get expert advice on leaving an abuser, before going public with that plan, don't end up dying. She said domestic violence advocates often will help a victim get a restraining order, help them find circles of support and sometimes move them into hiding, to try to wrest power away from an abuser.

"We just try to help them be as safe as they can when they make that move at such a high-risk time," Bennett said. ..Source.. by Lisa Fernandez

Police kill man wanted in shooting, sexual assault in South Jersey

7-22-2010 New Jersey:

A man wanted in a shooting and sexual assault in Collingswood early Wednesday was killed hours later after he pulled a gun on members of a fugitive task force, officials said.

Naquan Johnson, 21, of Williamstown, was tracked down to a unit of the Cherrywood Apartments in Gloucester Township after fleeing an apartment in Collingswood where he Tasered and sexually assaulted a woman and shot a man about 1 a.m., authorities said.

When members of the New York/New Jersey U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force tried to take him into custody about 6:30 p.m., he a “made a threatening gesture” with a handgun, prompting officers to open fire, said a statement issued by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office.

Johnson died from his wounds.

Earlier, police said, he sexually assaulted an 18-year-old woman during a gathering at an apartment on the 1000 block of Collings Avenue in Collingswood.

“He apparently made romantic overtures toward the woman, and when she rebuked him, he Tasered her and sexually assaulted her at gunpoint,” the statement said.

He then shot a 21-year-old Philadelphia man in the head during a subsequent dispute, police said.

The shooting victim was reported in critical condition at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton Wednesday night.

The New Jersey State Police and the New Jersey Attorney General's Shooting Response Team are investigating the shooting that left Johnson dead. ..Source.. by Inquirer Staff Report