STORIES ON THIS BEAT
Two Relatives Were Found Dead 30 Minutes Apart. Hours Later, the Suspect Was Killed by Police
Hayes McCloud, 24, was shot and killed by police in Seaside after being identified as a person of interest in the deaths of two people in Pierce County, Washington. Authorities say the killings happened about 30 minutes apart, appeared targeted, and involved victims who were reportedly related, though the motive remains unknown.
His Friends Left the Island. Two Days Later, Nolan Wells Was Found Dead
Eighteen-year-old college football player Nolan Wells disappeared during a July 4 boat trip to Horn Island and was found dead two days later near the Mississippi Gulf Coast. While authorities say no foul play is currently suspected, his family is planning an independent autopsy as questions grow over conflicting accounts, his cell phone, and what happened before his friends left the island without him.
LA Gang Accused of Branding Women and Trafficking Girls as Young as 14 on “The Blade”
Los Angeles authorities say Operation Broken Blade exposed a violent sex trafficking network tied to the Hoover Criminals gang along the Figueroa Corridor, known locally as “the Blade.” Prosecutors allege victims, including girls as young as 14, were branded, beaten, threatened, and forced into commercial sex as officials continue identifying victims and pursuing more arrests.
Postal Worker Mom Killed on Her Route Had a Troubled Past. Now Her Two Daughters Are Orphans
Brandi Reynolds, a 35-year-old North Carolina postal worker and mother of two, was kidnapped and shot dead while working her mail route in Hays. Court records show Reynolds and her late husband had prior drug convictions, but investigators have not confirmed a motive in her killing as her two daughters are now left without either parent.
Texas Sisters Smiled During Their Arrest. Police Say Hours Earlier, a Mother of 5 Was Stabbed to Death
Two Texas sisters, Amaya “Cookie” Diaz and Kitty Mia Diaz, along with Kyandra Renee Faz, have been charged with murder after police say 32-year-old Caroline “Caro” Peña, a mother of five, was fatally stabbed in Del Rio. Arrest footage showing the sisters smiling and laughing has sparked outrage as investigators continue working to determine a motive.
Teen Girl Vanished From a Pontoon Boat With 10 Friends. Days Later, Marly Kinney Was Found in a Kentucky Lake
Nineteen-year-old Marly Kinney vanished from a rented pontoon boat on Grayson Lake while out with at least 10 friends, authorities said. After a five-day search involving sonar, helicopters, K-9 teams, underwater drones, and dozens of volunteers, her body was recovered from the lake as investigators continue working to determine what happened.
Neighbors Hadn’t Seen Them for Days. Police Found 4 Children and 2 Adults Dead Inside a New York Home
Six people, including four children, were found dead inside a Mechanicville, New York apartment after neighbors requested a welfare check. Police say the investigation remains ongoing, autopsies are underway, and officials are not yet prepared to classify the deaths as a homicide, murder-suicide, or any other manner of death.
He Walked Through the Library First. Then Police Say He Came Back With a Shotgun
Police say 18-year-old Bradley Scott Sayer walked through a Chico, California library before returning with a shotgun and opening fire, killing Jacob Hull and Robert Johnson. The attack has shaken the community, raised questions about public library safety, and drawn attention to the suspect’s alleged interest in past mass shootings.
Police Responded to a Diaper Shoplifting Call: 1-Year-Old Boy Was Shot Dead
A 1-year-old Mississippi boy was fatally shot after police responded to an alleged shoplifting call involving diapers at a Walmart in Senatobia. As Kohen Wiley’s family disputes parts of the official account, his death has sparked protests, outrage, and renewed demands for police accountability in the small town.
Goo Goo Ga Ga: The 26-Year File on the Man in the Diaper
A man in a diaper and a pacifier chased two little girls in Tyler, Texas. Police had been logging his name since 1999. CRIMEHOWL pulled every booking in his Smith County file, eight arrests and eight mugshots no other outlet has published, and tracked one man aging across two decades while the system kept reaching for the lightest charge on the belt.