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Alex Murdaugh retrial could bring potential death penalty as AG says 'all our legal options are on the table'

Fri, 15 May 2026 17:01:06 -0400

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said Friday that prosecutors could seek the death penalty against Alex Murdaugh if he is found guilty again at a new trial after the state Supreme Court overturned his murder convictions.

"In light of the Supreme Court’s decision, we’re back to square one on this case, and that means all our legal options are on the table, including the death penalty," Wilson said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday vacated Murdaugh’s 2023 convictions in the fatal shootings of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and younger son, Paul Murdaugh. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for those killings.

ALEX MURDAUGH'S DOUBLE MURDER CONVICTION UNANIMOUSLY OVERTURNED BY SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT

The court ordered a new trial, saying that Mary Rebecca "Becky" Hill, who served as the court clerk in Colleton County, exercised "improper external influences" during Murdaugh's first trial.

The state Supreme Court voted unanimously on the decision.

"Although we are aware of the time, money, and effort expended for this lengthy trial, we have no choice but to reverse the denial of Murdaugh’s motion for a new trial due to Hill’s improper external influences on the jury and remand for a new trial," their ruling said.

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According to testimony reviewed by the court, jurors said Hill told them to "watch him closely," "watch his actions," and not be "fooled" by the defense.

One juror recalled "that Hill told the jurors not to be fooled by the evidence Murdaugh's defense presented," according to the document, saying, "They're going to say things that will try to confuse you. Don't let them confuse you or convince you or throw you off."

The documents say Hill tried to "insert herself into the jury's deliberations through these comments was in line with her stated desire for a guilty verdict to sell more copies of the book she planned to write."

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ALEX MURDAUGH: TIMELINE OF THE ONCE POWERFUL SOUTH CAROLINA LAWYER'S SPECTACULAR DOWNFALL

The ruling references the post-trial court's finding that, "Hill was attracted by the siren call of celebrity" and "allowed her desire for the public attention of the moment to overcome her duty to her oath of office."

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"Accordingly, we hold Murdaugh's right to a fair trial by an impartial jury was violated, and the post-trial court erred in denying his motion for a new trial," the ruling says.

In December 2025, Hill pleaded guilty to four charges — obstruction of justice and perjury for showing a reporter photographs that were sealed court exhibits and then lying about it, plus two counts of misconduct in office for taking bonuses and promoting a book she wrote on the trial through her public office.

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"There is no excuse for the mistakes I made. I’m ashamed of them and will carry that shame the rest of my life," Hill said in a statement read to the court.

She was sentenced to three years of probation.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Murdaugh's lead defense attorney, Dick Harpootlian, for comment.

Coast Guard releases new photos of sailboat seized in missing American's Bahamas disappearance case

Fri, 15 May 2026 10:55:46 -0400

The Coast Guard released new pictures of the agency's seizure of Brian Hooker's sailboat as a criminal investigation remains ongoing into the disappearance of his wife.

Agents with the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) seized the sailboat Soulmate, which belongs to Brian and Lynette Hooker, 40 nautical miles off the coast of Melbourne, Florida, according to a news release. A source previously told Fox News Digital the sailboat was seized between May 8-10.

Lynette Hooker fell off a dinghy after leaving shore at Hope Town in the Bahamas at around 7:30 p.m. on April 4, her husband, Brian Hooker, told authorities. Brian Hooker claimed that rough waters caused Lynette to fall off the small boat. Brian Hooker paddled to shore and arrived at Marsh Harbour around 4 a.m. on April 5, according to authorities.

The couple was headed back to their sailboat, their full-time home in retirement, when Lynette fell overboard. They frequently sail around the U.S. and Caribbean, according to their social media pages.

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Brian Hooker hasn't been charged with a crime.

COAST GUARD OPENS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO MISSING WOMAN LAST SEEN IN BAHAMAS

The Coast Guard said the seizure was part of a "complex surveillance and interdiction operation." Soulmate was taken to Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce, where investigators are processing the boat for potential evidence.

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"The vessel Soulmate is currently in the custody of CGIS as part of an active criminal investigation," the Coast Guard said.

Images taken by Fox News Digital on Tuesday show Brian and Lynette Hooker's sailboat taped off as it sits at the U.S. Coast Guard's station in Fort Pierce.

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The boat's seizure comes about a week after the Coast Guard sought the public's help in finding the owner of a sailboat that was moored near Brian and Lynette Hooker's Soulmate sailboat in the Bahamas.

Brian Hooker left the island for the U.S. to tend to his ill mother, his Bahamian attorney previously said.

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His Michigan-based attorney previously asked Americans to give him the benefit of the doubt in an interview with ABC News.

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"I would ask those watching to treat him the way you would want to be treated, to give him the benefit of the doubt, and to consider that not all of us, nor you, considering your own relationships, the way you speak to one another, we all handle things in different ways," Crystal Marie Hauser said.

Auburn grad who just landed dream job allegedly shot and killed by boyfriend's father in Alabama

Fri, 15 May 2026 10:50:34 -0400

An Alabama man is facing charges two months after allegedly shooting his son's 22-year-old girlfriend, who was a recent Auburn University graduate and had just landed her dream job as an interior designer.

Whitney Harlow Robeson, a 22-year-old Virginia native, died on March 7 from a gunshot wound at a home on Deer Trail in Trussville, Alabama, about 15 miles northeast of Birmingham.

Police responded around 9:30 p.m. First responders rushed her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead just over an hour later.

This week, Trussville police announced an "extensive investigation" led them to the arrest of her boyfriend's father, Jeffrey Scott Towers, 54, on a charge of reckless manslaughter. Public records indicate he and his son, also an Auburn alumnus, both live at the Deer Trail address.

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Court records have not revealed details of the shooting or evidence surrounding the charges against Towers, other than to allege he shot Robeson.

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In a statement, Towers' attorneys John Amari and Dain Stewart called Robeson's death a "tragic event."

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"We know that the facts will show that Mr. Towers has no criminal history, has been a productive and upstanding citizen for his entire life and is not guilty of these charges," they wrote.

POLICE SHOULD BE TAKING 'CLOSER LOOK' AT COLLEGE STUDENT'S DEATH AFTER MOTHER'S ALLEGATIONS: FORMER PROSECUTOR

Robeson's death was initially reported as accidental to the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner's Office, according to AL.com.

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In an online obituary, Robeson's family revealed she had wanted to work in interior design since her childhood, inspired by shows on HGTV.

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After graduating summa cum laude from Auburn's interior design program, she got a job as a trade consultant for RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, doing just that.

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She grew up in Richmond, where she had been a lifeguard and a clerk at boutique shops downtown, according to the obituary.

Towers has been freed after posting $30,000 bail. He's due back in court on July 22.

Criminal profiler reveals 'extremely rare' red flag in case of suspected serial killer migrant in Texas

Fri, 15 May 2026 06:00:20 -0400

A prominent criminal profiler is warning that a suspected budding serial killer in Texas has allegedly started years earlier than expected and fears there may be more victims due to a six-year gap between murder charges.

Luis Benitez-Gonzalez, a 26-year-old previously deported Mexican national, is accused of strangling two women in the area of Austin, Texas, in 2018 and 2024.

Police announced his arrest earlier this week after two more women survived shootings in 2025, including one who fought back and police say swiped her attacker's cellphone.

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"The rub for me...is that he is accused of killing Alba Jenisse Aviles-Marti when he was only about 18 years old," said John Kelly, a criminal profiler who had been following the case since before Austin police and the U.S. Marshals announced an arrest. "We worked hard looking for this guy, because we believed there was a serial killer in this area. Little did we expect a budding serial killer who allegedly started killing at 18."

Historically, most serial killers are older when they evolve into murderers, he said.

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"This is extremely rare, as serial killers usually start killing between 23 to 35 years old," the STALK Inc. founder told Fox News Digital. "We usually never find out who the first victims really were. I just wonder how many this guy has killed with his homicidal anger towards women over the years?"

Investigators working the case are asking the same question.

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"We believe that there is a strong likelihood that Benitez is responsible for further acts of extreme violence," said Chris Anderson, a homicide detective with the Austin Police Department.

He said police are already looking into more cases for potential connections.

He is urging anyone with additional information on Benitez-Gonzalez to contact the Austin Police Homicide unit at 512-974-8477 or Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477.

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The suspect, an illegal immigrant from Mexico who voluntarily self-deported in 2020 before reentering the country at an unknown time, is believed to have ties to Austin, Houston, Dallas and Hidalgo County.

WATCH: Texas authorities say illegal migrant charged in 2 murders, 2 shootings and more victims possible

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WANTED FOR BRUTAL BATHTUB MURDER ARRESTED IN TEXAS AFTER CROSSING SOUTHERN BORDER AGAIN

Authorities announced charges against him Tuesday in connection with the murders of Aviles-Marti and Alyssa Ann Rivera, whose remains were found just three miles away in 2024.

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Anderson said that it's suspicious that there's a six-year gap between the slayings and that evidence shows an alleged "repeated pattern of violence conducted against vulnerable female victims."

"He has a 2018 case, and he has a 2024 case," Anderson said. "People who commit crimes of this nature, with the very distinct MO, they usually don't take a break.

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Benitez-Gonzalez is also accused of shooting two more women in Austin in November and December 2025. Both of them survived, which helped authorities catch Benitez-Gonzalez.

He allegedly claimed self-defense in all four cases, but authorities said they don't believe him. He has not yet entered a plea.

Man shot at In-N-Out drive-thru drove family to safety with bullet lodged in head

Thu, 14 May 2026 19:44:47 -0400

Oregon police have arrested two suspects in connection with the shooting of a father who drove himself to a hospital after being struck in the head by a bullet after shots rang out while he was pulling out of In-N-Out drive-thru with his wife and two young sons.

Ethan Adrian Armenta-Lagunas, 20, and Gabriel "Alex" Javier, 18, both of Salem, were taken into custody Wednesday.

They face charges of first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, criminal mischief, and recklessly endangering another person in connection with the Feb. 9 shooting of Marcio Garcia.

Multiple guns were allegedly found at Armenta-Lagunas’ apartment, the Keizer Police Department said. Javier was arrested later in the day. Authorities are still searching for a third suspect, 22-year-old Anthony Taylor-Manriquez, who is considered armed and dangerous.

GUNMAN REMAINS AT LARGE AFTER SHOOTING FIVE PEOPLE AT CONNECTICUT MALL

Garcia, 28, was in a car with his wife and two children, ages 2 and 7, when shots rang out near the burger chain. The gunfire shattered the car windows and struck Garcia in the head; his wife and children were uninjured, police said.

FLORIDA AUTHORITIES RESCUE 122 MISSING CHILDREN IN HISTORIC OPERATION, MANY EXPLOITED AND ABUSED: OFFICIALS

"In the middle of chaos and fear, while he was injured and in pain, he somehow found the strength to drive us out of the scene to safety," his wife wrote in an online fundraiser. "He protected our family before thinking of himself. That is the kind of man and father he is."

Images posted online showed the bullet that was removed from Garcia’s head during surgery in February, according to his wife. She also noted that Garcia did not suffer major brain damage and is currently recovering at home.

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"The doctors told us what we already believe—this is nothing short of a miracle," she said. "Now he faces a long road of rest, healing, and recovery."

Death row inmate who ate 3 last meals granted bond after Supreme Court overturned his conviction

Thu, 14 May 2026 18:17:38 -0400

Former death row inmate Richard Glossip is set to be released on bond as he awaits retrial over a 1997 killing for which he was nearly executed three times — and had three last meal requests.

Examining the "ample" record in Glossip’s case, Judge Natalie Mai found Thursday that she could not deny bail to the longtime prisoner, who was convicted of first-degree murder in 1998.

She issued an order setting bond at $500,000 and mandated that Glossip remain in Oklahoma wearing an electronic monitoring device.

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The ruling comes after the U.S. Supreme Court in February overturned Glossip’s conviction and death sentence, finding prosecutors failed to correct false testimony from key witness Justin Sneed, the admitted killer who avoided execution by testifying against Glossip.

SUPREME COURT TOSSES CONVICTION AND DEATH SENTENCE OF OKLAHOMA INMATE, ORDERS NEW TRIAL

The high court ordered a new trial, citing concerns that jurors never heard critical information about Sneed’s mental health history and credibility.

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In Thursday’s order, Mai noted the unusually extensive record developed over nearly three decades of litigation and said the state could not meet the high constitutional standard required to deny bail in a capital case.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Glossip's attorney, Don Knight, said that Glossip ate a remarkable three last meals and will get the chance "to taste freedom."

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"We are extremely grateful that Judge Natalie Mai has granted Richard Glossip a bond. In doing so, she rejected the State’s claim that there is a strong case for guilt. For the first time in 29 years of being incarcerated for a crime he did not commit, during which he faced nine execution dates and ate three last meals," Knight said.

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"Mr. Glossip now has the chance to taste freedom while his defense team continues to pursue justice on his behalf against a system that the United States Supreme Court has found to be guilty of serious misconduct by state prosecutors. Mr. Glossip is deeply grateful to the many thousands of people who have expressed support for him over the years and now looks forward to the day when he is exonerated and truly free from this decades-long nightmare."

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He was convicted for the 1997 killing of his former boss, Barry Van Treese. The motel owner was beaten to death by Sneed, a maintenance worker, but state prosecutors said Glossip ordered him to carry out the crime in a murder-for-hire plot.

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Glossip has been incarcerated since January 1997.

DHS rails against illegal aliens hit with capital murder charges for allegedly killing unborn baby: 'monsters'

Thu, 14 May 2026 16:49:19 -0400

The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday released a scathing statement after two illegal immigrants in Dallas were charged with capital murder in relation to the shooting death of an unborn child.

"These monsters shot multiple people and killed an unborn baby," Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in the statement. "They now face multiple felony charges, including homicide and aggravated assault. This is an unspeakable crime, and these criminal illegal aliens should never have been in our country in the first place."

"Thankfully, Dallas cooperates with ICE, so together with our partners we will ensure these criminals can never again terrorize our communities," the statement said.

Yeremy Alexander Zapata Aleman, 17, of Honduras, and Keyner Ariel Calero Jiron, 20, of Nicaragua, who both crossed the border illegally, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), are accused of the murder after an argument in a 7-Eleven parking lot led to a drive-by shooting and later a police chase, KDFW reported.

ILLEGAL ALIENS ACCUSED IN DALLAS KILLING OF TEEN MOTHER'S UNBORN BABY CHARGED WITH CAPITAL MURDER

The incident occurred May 3, around 12:40 a.m.

The pregnant teen was riding with another person who confronted Zapata Aleman and Calero Jiron from a vehicle before leaving the 7-Eleven. The victims reported that, shortly thereafter, the two suspects followed them from the parking lot.

Calero Jiron was allegedly driving the car when the shots rang out, striking the victim and her unborn child. Another vehicle was also struck by gunfire, but the driver was uninjured.

DA TO SEEK DEATH PENALTY AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ACCUSED IN NUNGARAY MURDER CASE

When the victim, who was 22 weeks pregnant, told police she was carrying a child, she was taken to nearby Baylor Hospital where a cesarean section was performed. The baby did not survive.

Police later located Calero Jiron's vehicle and say he led them on a pursuit, eventually crashing.

Police said they found cocaine and MDMA in the car.

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Along with the murder charges, both suspects were charged with five counts of felony aggravated assault and one count of cocaine possession.

Calero Jiron was also charged with one count of unlawfully carrying a weapon.

Fugitive tied to decades-old slaying of punk rocker roommate caught in tropical hot spot: feds

Thu, 14 May 2026 14:48:30 -0400

A Michigan man on the run for over three decades after allegedly killing his punk-rock singer roommate has been captured, officials said.

Richard Werstine, who also went by the name Joseph Alan Stavros, 56, was arrested in Panama City, Panama, in April, the U.S. Marshals Service said in a news release.

Werstine was sought by authorities for the alleged murder of his roommate, 23-year-old Rodney Barger, in Detroit on Sept. 15, 1993.

At the time of his death, Barger was a vocalist for the punk band Cold as Life, according to the Detroit Metro Times.

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Federal authorities said Werstine was arrested just days after the alleged murder but failed to appear for his trial — prompting an arrest warrant to be issued in 1994.

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"He was a ghost since ‘94," a federal source told Local 4. "He was very cunning, very crafty while on the run."

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He allegedly remained on the lam for several years, and in 2022 the USMS adopted the arrest warrant after investigators learned he had been arrested several times under different aliases while he continued to evade authorities.

US MARSHALS PURSUING 'LIFELONG CRIMINAL' ACCUSED OF KILLING PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN, BURYING HER IN SHALLOW GRAVE

"Over the course of the investigation, the USMS utilized state-of-the-art investigative resources and techniques and devoted numerous hours in efforts to find the fugitive," federal officials said.

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The investigation led authorities to arrest Werstine at a dog park in Panama City on April 29, 2026.

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Upon being taken into custody, officials said Werstine confessed to his true identity after he was allegedly found with fraudulent documentation and admitted to entering Panama illegally in 2005.

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He was subsequently extradited from Panama to the United States and handed over to Wayne County officials.

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"The tenacity and commitment of the United States Marshals Service working to bring Werstine and those like him into police custody where they belong is at the forefront of our daily mission here in Detroit," Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Jimmy Allen said.

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"His arrest not only works toward bringing closure to the friends and family who have lost a loved one but also demonstrates our promise to pursue those who think they can prey on the members of our communities without being held accountable."

Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. Marshals Service for comment.

FBI reports largest drop in violent crime and murder since 1937 as homicides fall more than 18%

Thu, 14 May 2026 14:12:30 -0400

Violent crime fell across the United States from 2024 to 2025, with murders falling by more than 18%, as well as declines in other major categories not seen in almost a century, according to the FBI.

The numbers were part of the FBI’s figures on preliminary annual crime trends titled "First Look: 2025 Crime Data," which the bureau said provides a faster, "early look" at annual crime trends before the finalized, comprehensive "Crime in the Nation" report is published later in the year.

In addition to declining homicides, the report showed a decrease in robberies — which fell an estimated 18.5% — as well as rapes and aggravated assaults, both of which saw 7% drops.

"The 2025 crime data in this report shows the single largest decrease in violent crime and murder since 1937 – as well as huge decreases across the board in terms of aggravated assault, rape, and robbery," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement.

FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL FILES $250 MILLION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE ATLANTIC OVER 'DEFAMATORY HIT PIECE'

"Over the last 14 months, we made major transformations at the FBI, and these results show those changes are working," Patel said in a statement. "This FBI will continue to stack these wins for the American people under President Trump and always Back the Blue every step of the way."

Property crime, which includes offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson, dropped by an estimated 12.4%, the FBI said. This year's report used data shared by roughly 17,075 law enforcement agencies — 2.4% more agencies than last year — across the U.S., accounting for nearly 96% of U.S. residents, the FBI said.

US CRIME DROPPED WIDELY IN 2024, FBI SAYS — WITH SOME NOTABLE CAVEATS

The report found that 53 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2025, down from 64 in 2024. More than 90,000 were assaulted and 28 were accidentally killed, the FBI said.

Meanwhile, nearly 414,000 arrests were made for violent crimes and another 868,000 for property crimes. The FBI noted that a murder in the U.S. occurred every 37.3 minutes and a violent crime happened every 28.2 seconds.

Meanwhile, a quarterly report released by the Major Cities Chiefs Association said violent crime fell across large U.S. cities in the first months of 2026.

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Data collected from 67 responding U.S. police agencies found that homicides fell 17.7%, alongside a 20.4% drop for robberies from Jan. 1 through March 31. Some of the agencies include police departments in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City and Philadelphia.

Suspect in custody for alleged murder of college student after police released eerie surveillance photos

Thu, 14 May 2026 13:18:38 -0400

A man suspected in the Sunday night murder of a University of Washington student turned himself in to police on Wednesday night.

The move came after the Seattle Police Department (SPD) on Wednesday afternoon released photos of a suspect in the murder of a University of Washington student, and solicited the public's help in tracking him down.

"On May 13, Seattle police detectives arrested a 31-year-old man in connection to a homicide that occurred May 10 in a University of Washington campus housing building. Officers found the 19-year-old victim deceased with stab wounds," SPD said in an early Thursday morning statement.

SEATTLE ROBBER BITES OFF 88-YEAR-OLD WOMAN'S FINGER DURING VIOLENT ROBBERY, POLICE SAY

The suspect is a former student at the University of Washington who attended the school from 2015 to 2021, an SPD spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Police said the suspect, who remains unnamed, turned himself in to the Bellevue Police Department and was transferred to the custody of Seattle homicide detectives.

Authorities were hunting for three days for the suspect after a gruesome late-night stabbing murder on Sunday in a laundry room in the Nordheim Court apartments. Those apartments are privately managed and located off campus, but are listed on the University of Washington's website as an option for undergraduate housing.

The suspect is described as a light-skinned Black male who is approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and has a thin build. In the photos, he sports thin wire-framed glasses, a scruffy goatee and navy blue pullover sweatshirt paired with blue jeans.

In one eerie photo, the suspect can be seen looking over his right shoulder directly into what appears to be a surveillance camera.

SURVEILLANCE CAM SHOWS BRUTAL ATTACK OF 77-YEAR-OLD-MAN

University of Washington Police responded to the scene, where they, along with the Seattle Fire Department, attempted life-saving measures to no avail.

The victim, who is reportedly transgender, has not been named.

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"I want to express my deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and loved ones of the UW student who was killed late last night," University of Washington President Robert Jones told the school's newspaper The Daily. "There are no words that can express the profound loss of a student. While investigators have not yet identified a suspect or a motive, I want to recognize that when violence affects a trans person it can be especially worrying to our LGBTQIA+ community members."

Fox News Digital reached out to SPD.

Alex Murdaugh wins new trial after court clerk allegedly told jurors not to be 'fooled' by defense

Thu, 14 May 2026 07:00:58 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: On Thursday, 30-year-old Buster Murdaugh, Alex's son, was spotted by Fox News Digital on the porch of his Bluffton, South Carolina home one day after the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that misconduct by a court official tainted the 2023 trial that sent his father away for life.

Alex Murdaugh, the disgraced South Carolina legal scion convicted of killing his wife and son, is getting a second shot in court after the state’s highest court tossed his murder convictions over allegations of jury tampering by former Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca "Becky" Hill.

ALEX MURDAUGH'S DOUBLE MURDER CONVICTION UNANIMOUSLY OVERTURNED BY SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT

The Murdaugh family’s longtime housekeeper, Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson, in her first statement following the stunning reversal, told Fox News Digital that while she believed that the guilty verdict brought justice to Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, she respects the legal process.

"Today’s decision has brought forward many emotions for me. Since the murders of Maggie and Paul, I have tried to approach everything with honesty, dignity, and respect for the people we lost. When writing "Within the House of Murdaugh, Amid a Unique Friendship, Blanca & Maggie," I openly shared my fears surrounding the possibility of a retrial."

In her book, Turrubiate wrote that she believed that Murdaugh's guilty verdict "was justice for them," and she believed it "should stand."

"At the same time, I respect the legal process and understand the court’s responsibility to ensure fairness under the law. My hope moving forward is that Maggie and Paul are not lost in the headlines, speculation, or noise surrounding this case. They were deeply loved people whose lives mattered far beyond the tragedy that brought national attention to their family," she said.

WATCH: Alex Murdaugh defense team details appeal win, slams 'lying' clerk

Murdaugh's attorneys, Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, said on "Fox & Friends" Thursday that Murdaugh was surprised but grateful for the conviction being overturned.

"He is very thankful for the result of the Supreme Court," Griffin said.

At the center of the stunning reversal is Hill, who oversaw the blockbuster proceedings and was later accused of improperly influencing jurors. According to the court, Hill made comments that could have swayed how jurors viewed the evidence and pushed them toward a guilty verdict.

According to testimony reviewed by the court, jurors said Hill told them to "watch him closely," "watch his actions," and not be "fooled" by the defense.

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WATCH: Becky Hill walks into Colleton County Courthouse

ALEX MURDAUGH: TIMELINE OF THE ONCE POWERFUL SOUTH CAROLINA LAWYER'S SPECTACULAR DOWNFALL

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"Accordingly, we hold Murdaugh's right to a fair trial by an impartial jury was violated, and the post-trial court erred in denying his motion for a new trial," the ruling says.

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Because Hill was a top court official, her words carried unusual weight and raised serious concerns that the jury’s decision may not have been based solely on the evidence presented at trial.

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AG AIMS TO RETRY ALEX MURDAUGH ‘QUICKLY’; BOTH SIDES ENTER COURTROOM CHESS MATCH WITH EACH OTHER’S GAME PLANS

"There is no excuse for the mistakes I made. I’m ashamed of them and will carry that shame the rest of my life," Hill said in a statement read to the court.

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She was sentenced to three years of probation.

WATCH: Becky Hill reads Alex Murdaugh 2023 guilty verdict

In 2023, Murdaugh was convicted of gunning down his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, at the family’s hunting estate in 2021. The case exposed a web of lies, including Murdaugh’s opioid addiction and millions in stolen client funds.

Despite the legal win Wednesday, Murdaugh will not be walking free. He remains behind bars serving lengthy sentences for a string of financial crimes that cemented his fall from power.

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For his financial crimes, Murdaugh was sentenced in state court to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to 22 counts including money laundering and breach of trust. In federal court, he received a 40-year sentence for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which he is serving concurrently with his state time.

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Though his murder convictions and subsequent life sentences were overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday, he remains in prison to serve the financial sentences.

Fox News Digital's Peter D'Abrosca contributed to this report.

Black Dahlia breakthrough: LAPD examines new fingerprint tied to victim’s ex-boyfriend

Thu, 14 May 2026 11:41:40 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: Cold case detectives in Los Angeles are looking at newly discovered fingerprints from 1943 in connection with the mysterious Black Dahlia murder — the unsolved slaying and dismemberment of aspiring actress Elizabeth Short in 1947.

The 22-year-old Massachusetts native's mutilated remains were discovered in a vacant lot in Los Angeles nearly 80 years ago. She had been cut in half, drained of blood, scrubbed clean and posed in a way that the young mother who found her initially thought she was a mannequin, according to the FBI.

"This is probably one of the most difficult cases, realistically, because of the time that’s passed," said Detective Marty Mojarro, one of two LAPD cold case investigators who have inherited the case.

ZODIAC KILLER MAY BE TIED TO BLACK DAHLIA CASE AFTER 'CODE CRACKED,' NEW SUSPECT EMERGES

Most recently, independent forensic examiner Alex Baber, co-founder of the Cold Case Consultants of America, said he found evidence that could link Short's ex-boyfriend Marvin Margolis to her murder and to the Zodiac Killer, another infamous, unsolved case in California.

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Mojarro said the claim still needs vetting but warrants further investigation, and he has received what Baber says is Margolis' government fingerprint card from 1943, which had not previously been obtained by police.

"As an investigator, if it potentially could help, I would absolutely not turn it down," Mojarro told Fox News Digital.

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Margolis served in the Pacific in the Navy in World War II. He lived in Los Angeles after the war with a roommate named Bill Robinson, who was a Navy cryptologist, and he dated Short.

LOS ANGELES DA ANNOUNCES CHARGES AFTER BREAKTHROUGH IN 30-YEAR-OLD MURDER COLD CASE

Margolis was among 22 persons of interest in her death identified in 1951, according to police records Baber shared with Fox News Digital previously. Later, he changed his name to Marvin Merrill, then again to Marty Merrill, and settled in the Midwest.

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Mojarro said he could not comment on what other evidence the LAPD may or may not have in the case file to compare the exemplars to.

The FBI has revealed previously that there was a letter that may have been sent to authorities by Short's killer. Fingerprints on the packaging were not a match for anything in the FBI's database in the past.

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According to Baber, his team at Cold Case Consultants was unable to exclude a print on the package, which was sent to the Los Angeles Herald Express on Jan. 24, 1947.

"It contained 23 pieces of Elizabeth's personal belongings that would've been in her purse the night she was abducted and murdered on Jan. 14," Baber said.

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For the LAPD's cold case investigators, all leads with potential are worth vetting.

"We don't have live witnesses to interview," Mojarro said. "All the physical evidence that was ever collected — it is what it is."

Illegal immigrant who killed American woman outside her home walks free decades later – then into ICE custody

Thu, 14 May 2026 09:00:57 -0400

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement arrested a Vietnamese illegal immigrant after he was released from prison for murdering a Texas woman 30 years ago.

Nahn Tu Hoang killed then-32-year-old Sarah "Kathy" Arceneaux at her home in Port Arthur, Texas, on Feb. 29, 1996 when he shot her five times, according to ICE.

She was killed when Hoang and a group of friends went out drinking and decided to rob homes in the Port Arthur area, the agency said.

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Hoang got access to a .22-caliber rifle, and the group went on a shooting spree firing shots at dogs and homes.

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According to court documents, "Hoang testified that as he was walking to the front of the house, he was startled by a woman leaning over her dog. Hoang testified he was scared and started shooting. Hoang shot the woman five times, killing her."

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ICE called it a "horrific, tragic story" in a post on X announcing the arrest.

He was taken into custody by ICE on May 5 after being released from prison and is being held pending deportation.

AG aims to retry Alex Murdaugh ‘quickly’; both sides enter courtroom chess match with each other’s game plans

Wed, 13 May 2026 19:33:58 -0400

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson says his office will move quickly to retry Alex Murdaugh after the state Supreme Court threw out the disgraced lawyer’s murder convictions, stressing prosecutors still believe they can secure a guilty verdict.

"The Supreme Court, in its order today, basically laid the blame on this reversal on the shoulders of former Colton County Clerk of Court Rebecca [Becky] Hill, and it was her conduct that has led to this decision today, not the conduct of anyone else," Wilson told Fox News Digital.

Wilson said the Palmetto State plans to retry Murdaugh and will push for a speedy trial as prosecutors evaluate next steps.

ALEX MURDAUGH'S DOUBLE MURDER CONVICTION UNANIMOUSLY OVERTURNED BY SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT

"We are disappointed in the court’s decision. We respect this court, we respect the members of the court, but we strongly disagree with their reasoning," Wilson told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum on "The Story."

The South Carolina Supreme Court vacated Murdaugh’s 2023 convictions in the killings of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, ruling that misconduct by former Colleton County Clerk Becky Hill tainted the jury process.

At issue were allegations that Hill made improper comments to jurors during the trial, conduct the court said created a risk of influencing the verdict.

MURDAUGH COURT CLERK BECKY HILL RELEASED ON BOND AFTER ARREST ON PERJURY, MISCONDUCT CHARGES

The comments included jurors saying "that Hill told the jurors not to be fooled by the evidence Murdaugh's defense presented. They're going to say things that will try to confuse you. Don't let them confuse you or convince you or throw you off."

Wilson said prosecutors were not aware of the clerk’s conduct during the trial.

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"No, we obviously weren’t aware of any of this conduct until after. Obviously, it had occurred," he told MacCallum. "We never defended her conduct. We just believe that it wasn’t enough to warrant a reversal."

MURDAUGH LAWYER ‘CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC’ COURT CLERK’S MISCONDUCT COULD PAVE WAY FOR NEW TRIAL

WATCH: South Carolina AG on overturned Murdaugh conviction: ‘We have time to try him again’

Retrying the high-profile case will come with challenges, but Wilson said his office still has most of the original team in place and a clear road map from the first trial.

"So, we had the benefit of having a road map for our case that we developed three years ago. Obviously, the defense knows what our trial strategy was. We know what their trial strategy is. And, so, it will be a different kind of trial because both sides have seen the hands we have to play," he told Fox News Digital.

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CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO: DICK HARPOOTLIAN'S PLAN TO OVERTURN ALEX MURDAUGH'S CONVICTION

The attorney general said multiple legal options remain under consideration, including potential appeals.

"The state has 15 days on whether or not we want to petition the state Supreme Court for reconsideration of their decision. And we have up to 90 days to petition the U.S. Supreme Court to take this case up on appeal. All options, all legal options, are on the table," Wilson said.

"But, regardless, it is my intention right now, assuming that nothing changes, to retry this case as quickly and expeditiously as possible. That is our goal."

Wilson said his office is aiming to bring the case back to court within the next year, though he admitted that timeline is not guaranteed.

"Look, I'm being aspirational when I say this, but we would like to try to get this case up before January 2027. That would be our goal," he said.

Murdaugh, 54, was convicted of gunning down his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, at the family’s hunting estate in 2021. The case exposed a web of lies, including Murdaugh’s opioid addiction and millions in stolen client funds.

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Despite the legal win, Murdaugh will not be walking free. He remains behind bars serving lengthy sentences for a string of financial crimes that cemented his fall from power.

For his financial crimes, Murdaugh was sentenced in state court to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to 22 counts, including money laundering and breach of trust. In federal court, he was sentenced to 40 years for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which he is serving concurrently with his state time.

Mother charged after 2 toddler daughters found drowned with cocaine in their systems in Texas

Wed, 13 May 2026 17:42:43 -0400

A mother was arrested in Florida three months after her two young daughters allegedly drowned in Texas with cocaine in their systems, according to authorities.

The case dates back to Feb. 11, when deputies with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in Katy, Texas, for reports of two children drowning. The victims, ages 2 and 3, were later found to have cocaine in their systems.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths have raised questions about how the children were exposed to the drug and what alleged role their mother, Laura Nicholson, 23, may have played, according to authorities.

Before being arrested Monday in Fort Myers, Florida, Nicholson was charged May 8 with two counts of injury to a child in the deaths.

NEW HAMPSHIRE 6-YEAR-OLD TESTS POSITIVE FOR COCAINE, CANNABIS, AS MOTHER FACES MULTIPLE CHARGES

Under Texas law, injury to a child can include acts or omissions that cause serious bodily harm or place a child in imminent danger, though officials have not publicly detailed the specific actions that led to the charges in this case.

Authorities have not said when toxicology results confirmed the presence of cocaine or what specific evidence led to charges being filed nearly three months after the incident.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said its Violent Criminals Apprehension Team coordinated with the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force to locate Nicholson in Florida.

COLORADO MOM ACCUSED OF KILLING 2 CHILDREN AND FLEEING TO UK RETURNS STATESIDE TO FACE MURDER CHARGES

Nicholson was taken into custody Monday afternoon in Fort Myers, according to Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno.

Members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, who are also deputized as part of the U.S. Marshals Task Force, located Nicholson at a local mental health treatment facility around noon and took her into custody without incident.

She was transported to the Lee County Jail.

"This arrest highlights the strong partnership the Lee County Sheriff’s Office has with the U.S. Marshals Service and law enforcement agencies across the country, working together to locate and apprehend wanted fugitives," Marceno said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of two young toddlers — sisters — in our community," Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, wrote on X, announcing Nicholson's arrest. "May these little ones rest in peace."

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Authorities have not said how the toddlers were exposed to cocaine or whether investigators believe the substance was ingested accidentally or through neglect.

It also remains unclear whether anyone else could face charges in the case or when Nicholson will be extradited to Texas to face the charges.

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It was not immediately clear whether Nicholson has retained an attorney. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for additional details.

Investigators have not released further details about the circumstances surrounding the drowning deaths, and the case remains under investigation.

Children’s book author sentenced for husband’s poisoning death; judge calls her ‘too dangerous’

Wed, 13 May 2026 17:12:03 -0400

A Utah children’s book author who once wrote about helping her young sons cope with grief was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted of killing her husband with a fentanyl-laced drink.

Kouri Richins was sentenced in a case that stunned observers with its mix of alleged greed, deception and deeply personal fallout.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Richard Mrazik said he considered the full scope of the case under Utah law, including the severity of the crime and its impact on those involved, especially the couple’s three sons.

Records show the couple’s sons had asked that their mother be sentenced to life in prison, saying they feared her.

UTAH CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR KOURI RICHINS CONVICTED IN HUSBAND’S MURDER

The judge noted that, even under a lesser sentence of 25 years to life, Richins likely would not have been eligible for parole until around age 66.

The judge said the sentence ensures Richins "will be unable to harm anyone for the next three decades or much longer," while acknowledging the long-term emotional toll on her children.

He said he has "genuine concern" for the boys in the decades ahead and could not predict how their views may evolve over time, expressing hope that those affected by Eric Richins’ death will eventually find peace.

The judge added that Kouri Richins is "simply too dangerous to ever be free."

Before handing down the sentence, the judge warned those in the courtroom to remain composed.

CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR ACCUSED OF POISONING DEAD HUSBAND SPUN WEB OF TALL TALES: PROSECUTORS

"This is an emotionally charged situation, reasonably so, but no outward reactions," Mrazik said.

Richins sat at the defense table in a lime green jail uniform as her supporters filled the back rows, while Eric Richins’ family sat just feet away.

Prosecutors called victim witnesses, beginning with Eric’s father, Gene, who described a son devoted to his family.

"Eric was first and foremost an incredible father," he said. "To his three boys, his sons were his world.

UTAH MOM IN UPSCALE SKI COMMUNITY KILLED HUSBAND TO FUND ROMANCE AND LAVISH LIFESTYLE, DA SAYS

"The sports teams still break their huddle by saying, ‘1-2-3 Eric,’" he added. "Eric’s boys lost a father. I lost my son."

Eric’s sister, Katie, spoke next on what would have been his 44th birthday.

"Today is Eric’s birthday. I stand before you because he can’t," she said.

HOUSEKEEPER EXPECTED TO PLAY KEY ROLE IN TRIAL OF WIFE ACCUSED OF HUSBAND’S MURDER IN WEALTHY SKI TOWN

She accused Richins of cutting the boys off from family and trying to access their father’s assets.

"She used them as a bargaining chip," Katie said, adding Richins spent years fighting for control of trust funds.

Katie also described her brother’s fears about the marriage, telling the court he believed Richins was "the most evil person he had ever met."

"He knew his sons did not like her and preferred to be far away from her," she said. "He said he could never allow his children to spend half of their time alone with her."

Statements from the couple’s children were also read in court, describing fear and trauma.

UTAH CHILDREN’S AUTHOR KOURI RICHINS SAYS STATE THREATENED WITNESSES AHEAD OF TRIAL IN HUSBAND’S POISONING

"I woke up to sirens… I was scared," one child wrote.

"You took away my dad for no reason other than greed," the other said.

In records obtained by People, the children also expressed fear of their mother being released.

SUSPECTED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN’S LAWYER POUNCES ON WITNESS FLIP IN UTAH POISON MOM CASE

"I’m afraid if she gets out, she will come after me and my brothers," one wrote.

Prosecutors urged the court to hold Richins fully accountable.

"Kouri Richins earned this," Summit County Attorney Brad Bloodworth said. "Fathers are not meant to bury sons."

CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR AND ENGINEER HUSBAND EXPOSED FOR DOUBLE LIFE IN HOUSE OF HORRORS

The sentencing fell on what would have been Eric Richins’ 44th birthday.

During the hearing, prosecutors asked the judge to bar Richins from contacting her children unless they initiated it, but the judge said he could not legally grant that request.

"I don’t like what I’m about to say, but under the law, I cannot," Mrazik said.

The court scheduled a restitution hearing for July 31.

The defense presented letters asking for leniency, while a pastor described Richins as active in jail programs.

Richins became emotional as her brother addressed her directly.

"Little sister, I love you. I miss you," he said.

Richins then addressed the court, speaking directly to her children.

"My sweet baby boys," she said. "I know today you don’t want to speak with me. … That’s OK."

She urged them not to let the case define them.

"Use those opportunities to grow and to learn. They do not define you."

Richins claimed she had tried to contact them but had been cut off.

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"I have been desperately trying to get in contact with you," she said.

She insisted she had not abandoned them.

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"I did not abandon you, regardless of what anyone tells you."

She also reflected on her marriage, acknowledging infidelity on both sides.

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"I fell in love with someone who wasn’t your dad. … Your dad fell in love with someone who wasn’t me."

"We forgave and moved on, and we loved. Our love was enough. Your love is all you need to ignore the noise," she added.

Richins also denied killing her husband and said she will continue fighting the conviction.

"Murder? No. Absolutely not," she said. "I will not be blamed for something I did not do."

After the sentencing, Richins’ brother shared an exclusive statement with Fox News defending her and sharply criticizing the case against her.

"Today is not justice," he wrote. "Money, greed and opportunity have ruled the day."

He accused prosecutors and law enforcement of misconduct, calling the case "corruption" and a justice system that has "lost its way."

"Kouri is innocent. We stand with her fully," he wrote, adding the family plans to pursue an appeal.

Defense attorney Kathy Nester echoed Richins' brother and said they plan to appeal and seek a new trial. The judge granted 28 days to file the appeal.

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Richins was convicted earlier this year of murdering her husband, along with multiple counts of fraud and forgery tied to what prosecutors described as a calculated plot to collect nearly $2 million in life insurance while drowning in roughly $7.5 million in debt.

Jurors heard she closed on a $2.9 million mansion the same day her husband died and later spent more than $1.3 million in insurance proceeds within months.

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Investigators testified that Eric Richins had more than five times the lethal amount of fentanyl in his system. Prosecutors also pointed to an earlier alleged attempt to poison him weeks before his death.

The case drew national attention, not only for the allegations, but for what followed.

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After her husband’s death, Richins published a children’s book about grief meant to help her sons cope with the loss, a detail prosecutors said underscored the calculated nature of the crime.

Fox News' Kelly Skehen contributed to this report.

Alex Murdaugh: Timeline of the once powerful South Carolina lawyer's spectacular downfall

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 02:00:28 -0500

Alex Murdaugh, 57, the once-powerful scion of a South Carolina legal dynasty, will get a new trial in the killings of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.

Murdaugh was originally convicted in one of the country’s most high-profile true-crime cases and sentenced to two life terms for the 2021 slayings. But the court ruled that misconduct and alleged jury tampering by former Colleton County Clerk Mary Rebecca "Becky" Hill compromised the fairness of the trial.

The justices said Hill improperly influenced jurors during deliberations and criticized her conduct as serious enough to undermine confidence in the verdict. Hill later resigned and pleaded guilty to misconduct-related charges in the case.

Prosecutors say they still plan to retry Murdaugh for the murders. He will remain in prison regardless of the ruling because he is also serving lengthy federal and state sentences for financial crimes, fraud and stealing from clients.

BUSTER MURDAUGH SAYS HIS FATHER ALEX HAS CHARACTERISTICS OF A PSYCHOPATH, BUT MAINTAINS HIS DAD IS INNOCENT

Prosecutors maintain that Alex gunned down 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh and their troubled 22-year-old son, Paul, on June 7, 2021.

The Murdaughs, a prominent Democratic family, wielded enormous judicial and political power for nearly a century. But the family’s dominance began to wane after Paul was criminally charged for a deadly 2019 boat wreck that triggered a series of lawsuits and threatened to expose his father’s financial schemes.

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The accident set in motion a spiral of destruction that has stained the family’s legacy.

January 2006 — Randolph Murdaugh III steps down as prosecutor

His departure from office marked the end of the Democratic family’s 87-year reign with the top prosecutor overseeing five counties.

The 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office is the chief prosecuting agency for Colleton, Hampton, Allendale, Beaufort and Jasper counties.

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Randolph remained an employee in the solicitor’s office, and Alex joined him as a volunteer prosecutor while remaining a partner at the once prestigious personal injury law firm Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick.

It was founded in 1910 by Randolph Murdaugh, the first member of the family to be elected solicitor in 1920.

The firm changed its name to the Parker Law Group after Alex’s legal and criminal entanglements destroyed the Murdaugh name.

Alex’s brother, Randolph "Randy" Murdaugh IV, remains a partner.

July 8, 2015 — Death of Stephen Smith

Stephen Smith, a former high school classmate of Alex's elder son, Buster Murdaugh, was found dead in the middle of a country road in Hampton, South Carolina. The 19-year-old's car was 3 miles away and out of gas.

An autopsy concluded that Smith died from blunt force trauma caused by a hit-and-run, but his mother, Sandy Smith, believes he was murdered.

Highway Patrol investigators disagreed with the autopsy’s determination and pursued several leads, including rumors Buster was having a secret affair with Smith, and the Murdaugh family may have been behind the killing. But the case remains unsolved.

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The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced in 2021 a fresh probe into Smith’s mysterious demise based on evidence gathered during the investigation into Maggie and Paul's murders.

The agency did not elaborate on the nature of the evidence that led to their decision to reopen the case.

Feb. 26, 2018 — Death of the Murdaugh family’s housekeeper

The family’s longtime nanny and housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, died after falling down a set of stairs at the Moselle home.

Nearly 10 months later, her family filed a wrongful death claim at the urging of Alex. An attorney representing Satterfield’s sons later learned that insurance policies had paid out more than $4 million, which Alex and his cronies had allegedly pocketed.

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In October 2021, Alex was arrested at a Florida drug rehab center and charged with embezzling millions from her sons. He has remained in jail since.

He agreed to pay back the stolen $4.3 million in a confession of judgment. SLED later announced an investigation into Satterfield’s death and plans to exhume her body.

Feb. 24, 2019 — Deadly boat crash

A turning point for the Murdaugh family came in February 2019, when Paul, then 19, drunkenly crashed his father’s boat into the Archer’s Creek Bridge in Beaufort, killing Mallory Beach, 19, and injuring four other friends.

Paul had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit.

Before the collision, his friends said he had morphed into his drunk alter ego "Timmy," becoming belligerent, stripping off his clothes and slapping his girlfriend.

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Beach’s estate and other passengers filed wrongful death lawsuits naming Alex, Maggie, Buster and the convenience store chain that sold Paul, then underage, alcohol using his brother’s ID.

Two months later, Paul was indicted on one count of boating under the influence causing death and two counts of boating under the influence and causing great bodily harm.

He was murdered before the case went to trial.

June 7, 2021 — The double murder

Alex, hysterical and sobbing, called 911 shortly after 10 p.m. to report that he found Paul and Maggie shot to death near the dog kennels on the family’s sprawling 1,700-acre hunting estate in Islandton, South Carolina.

"I need the police and an ambulance immediately," he told the dispatcher. "My wife and child have been shot badly." The first round struck Paul's chest, the second entered his left shoulder, traveling into his neck and brain, which was severed from his body.

Maggie was lying face down in mud about 30 feet away. She had been shot with a rifle at least four times, including once execution-style in the back of the head.

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The property at 4147 Moselle Road straddles Colleton and Hampton counties and served as Alex’s primary residence.

In Alex’s first statement to a responding deputy, he suggested the boat crash litigation was behind the grisly killings.

"This is a long story. My son was in a boat wreck. He’s been getting threats," Alex says in body camera footage to Sgt. Daniel Greene. "I know that’s what it is."

SLED immediately took over the investigation.

Sept. 4, 2021 — Alex claims he was ambushed, shot in the head

Alex called 911 and reported that he was shot in the head while changing a tire on Old Salkehatchie Road by a gunman in a passing truck, not far from the Moselle murders.

Soon after, Alex issued statements announcing that he was leaving the family practice and entering rehab for a longstanding opioid addiction.

MURDAUGH MURDERS: AG TO SEEK LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE AS JUDGE ORDERS STATE TO TURN OVER BLOOD-SPATTER ANALYSIS

Alex was actually pushed out of the law firm the day before the shooting after he was accused of stealing millions from the firm and clients’ settlements.

Jim Griffin, Alex’s lawyer, said his client sustained a skull fracture and hemorrhaging from the shooting, but SLED described the wound as "superficial."

Alex soon admitted he hired former client Curtis Edward Smith, known as "Cousin Eddie," to kill him so his surviving son, Buster, could collect a $10 million life insurance policy.

He and Smith were indicted on fraud and conspiracy charges for the murder-suicide scheme.

In June 2022, he and Smith were hit with new felony charges, including one for the distribution and purchase of the narcotic oxycodone.

The South Carolina Supreme Court yanked Alex’s law license over his "egregious ethical misconduct," a decision he didn’t contest.

July to December 2022 — Alex charged with his wife and son’s murder and other crimes

On July 14, Alex was indicted on two counts of murder for the slayings of Paul and Maggie. He pleaded not guilty and continued to have the support of his son, Buster; his sister, Lynne Murdaugh Goette; and his brothers, John Marvin and Randy Murdaugh.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson is prosecuting the case.

About six months after the murder charges, a state grand jury indicted Alex on nine counts of tax evasion for failing to report $6,954,639 of illegally earned income between 2011 and 2019, for which he owes $486,819 in taxes.

The latest counts are modest additions to the 90 state financial crimes charges he already faced, spanning 18 indictments for schemes to defraud victims of $9,789.447.

Jan. 23, 2023 — Alex’s murder trial begins

It took two days to select a jury of eight women and four men for the murder trial in the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

Judge Clifton Newman presided over what has been called the most anticipated trial in the state’s history.

A portrait of Alex’s late grandfather, 14th Circuit Solicitor Randolph "Buster" Murdaugh Jr., was removed from the courtroom for the proceeding.

On Jan. 25, prosecutor Creighton Waters gave his opening statement and revealed publicly for the first time that investigators recovered a blue raincoat coated with gun residue that Alex allegedly stashed at his mother’s home one week after the murders.

He poked holes in Alex's alibi, telling jurors there was video placing him at the dog kennels three minutes before the slayings.

"He told anyone who would listen he was never there," Waters said. "The evidence will show he was there he was at the murder scene."

Dick Harpootlian, a Democratic state senator and a member of Alex’s defense team, focused on the victims' shocking injuries.

He argued in his opening statements that it was unthinkable a father who had a wonderful and loving relationship with his son could perpetrate such a heinous crime.

"The gases from that shot literally exploded his head like a watermelon hit by a sledgehammer," Harpootlian said of Paul’s injuries. "All that was left was the front of his face. Everything else was gone. His brain exploded out of his head, hit the ceiling in the shed and dropped to his feet. Horrendous. Horrible. Butchering."

Harpootlian accused SLED of zeroing in on Alex from day one, "pounding that square peg in the round hole" instead of searching for the real killer.

Week 1 trial revelations – Alex was 'clean'

Jurors heard gruesome testimony and saw photos of the injuries that Maggie and Paul sustained after the shooting. They were both found lying in pools of blood, brain matter and tissue.

A string of first responders testified that Alex had no visible blood on him when they arrived, although he told them he had touched their bodies to check for pulses. He even admitted to trying to roll Paul over and handling his son's cellphone.

Alex was wearing a white T-shirt and shorts. Colleton County Det. Laura Rutland said that Alex's clothes looked "clean" and noted no blood on his shoes, hands or other body parts.

In videotaped interviews with law enforcement, Alex repeated the same timeline. He rode around the property with Paul, then ate dinner with Paul and Maggie. And this was the last time he saw them.

Maggie headed down to the dog kennels a quarter mile from the main house, and Paul left without saying where he was going. Alex fell asleep for about 20 minutes while watching TV.

When Alex awoke, he tried to call and text Maggie, but she didn't answer. A little after 9 p.m., he left to visit his mom, who suffered from Alzheimer's, at her home in Almeda about 20 minutes away.

When he returned to the main house, he saw it was empty and drove down to the kennels to look for Maggie. A little after 10 p.m., he said he came upon the horrific scene. He called 911 at 10:07 p.m.

Gripped by fear, he said he drove back to the main house to retrieve a gun before returning to the dog kennels to wait for first responders to arrive.

Week 2 trial revelations – the dog kennel video placing Alex at the murder scene

Jurors were shown a videotaped interview of Alex on June 10 conducted by SLED special agents Jeff Croft and David Owen.

At one point, Alex started sobbing hysterically and blurted out a garbled statement. Waters paused the video to ask Croft what he said.

"It's just so bad, I did him so bad," Croft answered. On cross-examination, the defense slowed down the audio from the interview and asked Croft whether he now heard "they" instead of "I."

The investigator maintained Alex said "I" but a debate raged in the courtroom and on social media over which pronoun Alex used and whether he had inadvertently confessed.

In the most critical piece of evidence presented by the prosecution so far, jurors were played a video Paul recorded on his phone at 8:44 p.m. at the dog kennels, about three minutes before prosecutors say he was murdered.

The footage shows Paul trying to get a clear shot of the tail of his friend Rogan Gibson's black lab Cash. Paul was concerned Cash had a problem with his tail and told Gibson in a phone call a minute earlier he'd send a video, but Gibson never got it. Investigators later found it on Paul's phone.

A man and woman, who prosecutors say are Alex and Maggie, can be heard in the background bantering about a dog with a chicken in its mouth.

Gibson and another of Paul's friends, Will Loving, identified the male voice as "100%" Alex.

Maggie and Paul's devices went dark about three minutes later at 8:49 p.m. when Water says they were murdered.

The video appears to contradict Alex's claim he didn't visit the dog kennels that night until he found the bodies of his slain wife and son.

Week 2 trial revelations – the Snapchat video

About an hour before the double murder, Paul sent a Snapchat video to his friends at 7:56 p.m.

Jurors were played the clip showing Paul and his dad laughing as they looked at a poorly planted tree on the property.

Waters established that Alex was wearing a blue shirt and khaki pants in the video, not the white T-shirt and shorts he was wearing when first responders arrived.

MURDAUGH MURDERS: MYSTERIOUS SNAPCHAT VIDEO 'CRITICAL' TO CASE: PROSECUTORS

The week of testimony wrapped up with a ballistics expert testifying that older shell casings found on the property were cycled through the same weapon as the shell casings found near Maggie's body.

Prosecutors have argued that Maggie was killed with Paul's .300 Blackout rifle, which hasn't been recovered.

Week 3 trial revelations – bomb threat leads to evacuation

In the most dramatic moment of the trial, the courthouse was evacuated after a person called in a bomb threat. The incident was a hoax, and the proceeding resumed.

Jurors heard extensive testimony about Alex's alleged financial crimes, including the pressure he was under over the wrongful death lawsuit from the 2019 boat wreck.

They also heard that he allegedly stole millions from his own law firm, his clients and even his best friend and was deeply in debt.

His mother's caretaker, Shelley Smith, testified that Alex pressured her to tell anyone who asked that he had visited his mother's home the night of the murders for at least 45 minutes. He had only been there for 20.

The family's housekeeper took the stand and told jurors that Alex had also pressured her to say he'd been wearing a different shirt the day of the slayings.

Week 4 trial revelations – prosecution rests

Maggie's older sister, Marian Proctor, was the first family member to testify at the trial. She told jurors that her sister didn't want to go to Moselle the night of the murders, but Alex summoned her and Paul there.

MAGGIE MURDAUGH'S SISTER RECOUNTS ALEX MURDAUGH'S ‘STRANGE COMMENT’ AFTER MURDERS IN TEARFUL TESIMONY

Proctor wept as she testified that she had pressured Maggie to go and support her husband, whose father, Randolph Murdaugh III, was admitted to the hospital earlier that day. Although Alex and Maggie's marriage wasn't perfect, they were happy, Proctor added.

The final prosecution witness, SLED special agent Peter Rudolfski, presented a comprehensive timeline from the day of the murders, including 4,820 GPS coordinates from Alex's Chevrolet Suburban, phone records and other data.

Prosecutors highlighted a perplexingly tight timeline. Alex arrived at the dog kennels at 10:05:57 p.m. and called 911 less than 20 seconds later at 10:06:14 p.m., according to the data.

READ THE FULL TIMELINE OF ALEX MURDAUGH'S MOVEMENTS THE NIGHT OF THE MURDERS

But Alex told the 911 dispatcher that he had already checked the pulses of Paul and Maggie, whose bodies were found 30 feet apart.

Rudolfski also revealed that, one month before the killings, Paul confronted his father in a text message about his drug addiction after Maggie found a bag of pain pills in his computer bag.

ALEX MURDAUGH SPED UP WHEN HE PASSED LOCATION WHERE HIS SLAIN WIFE'S PHONE WAS FOUND: WITNESS

"I am very sorry that I do this to all of you. I love you," Alex texted his wife the next day. Maggie didn't respond, according to Rudolfski.

Prosecutors rested their case Feb. 17 after presenting four weeks of evidence and calling 61 witnesses.

Week 5 – Murdaugh takes the stand in his own defense

Murdaugh admitted Feb. 23 from the witness box that he lied to investigators, friends and family about being with his wife and son at the dog kennels at 8:45 p.m. less than five minutes before prosecutors say they were murdered.

But the ex-Hampton attorney vehemently denied killing his wife and son. Murdaugh told jurors he lied because he did not trust investigators, and his opioid addiction made him paranoid. He had a bag of drugs on him that night.

Once he started lying, he had to continue the lie, he said.

"Oh, what a tangled web we weave," he told jurors, quoting 19th-century writer Sir Walter Scott.

Other than that lie, he said he had been completely cooperative with investigators.

ALEX MURDAUGH GRILLED ON CROSS-EXAMINATION OVER THEFT OF MILLIONS FROM VULNERABL CLIENTS

He pinned the slayings on the boat wreck, suggesting that vigilantes who had read about the case on social media slaughtered his family.

During a grueling cross-examination that spanned two days, Waters grilled an increasingly fatigued Murdaugh on his inconsistent statements.

Waters pointed out that Murdaugh claimed he checked the pulses of Maggie and Paul before calling 911, but GPS data from his Chevrolet Suburban revealed that he made the call 19 seconds after pulling up to the scene.

Murdaugh again revised his story and said he checked their pulses while he was on the phone with 911.

"You, like you have done so many times in your life, had to back up and make a new story to fit with the facts?" Waters asked.

"No, sir," Murdaugh replied.

ALEX MURDAUGH TESTIFIES HE IS NOT A ‘FAMILY ANNIHILATOR’ AT HIS DOUBLE MURDER TRIAL

The defense called 13 additional witnesses as part of its case, including a ballistics expert who testified that the trajectory of the shots that killed Maggie showed the killer was no taller than 5-foot-4.

A crime scene analyst told jurors the shot that killed Paul was a contact wound to the back of his head that would have left the shooter injured from flying pellets and covered in blood.

Week 6 – summations, conviction and sentencing

Waters told jurors Murdaugh was a cunning conman who tried to deceive them when he took the stand last week.

"This is a man who made his trade on lying. He lied about the most important facts in the case and effortlessly and easily pivoted to a new lie when confronted by something he wasn’t prepared for," Waters said.

Griffin argued in summations that investigators "failed miserably" in their probe and could have found the real killer if they had done their job properly.

After deliberating for less than three hours March 2, the panel delivered its guilty verdict.

Jurors had endured a wearying six-week trial and testimony from 76 witnesses — for which they were paid just $20 a day. The jury did not pose a single question to the judge or request clarification during their speedy deliberations.

Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison March 3, capping off his sordid and spectacular downfall that single-handedly destroyed his family's legacy. Judge Clifton Newman excoriated him for his wicked deeds and "duplicitous conduct" before handing him two life sentences to be served consecutively.

ALEX MURDAUGH'S PRISON HOUSES SOUTH CAROLINA’S MOST DANGEROUS INMATES

Newman told Murdaugh that even if he continues to deny his guilt publicly, he'll have to deal with what he'd done within his own soul.

"I know you have to see Paul and Maggie during the nighttimes when you’re attempting to go to sleep. I’m sure they come and visit you. I’m sure," the judge said.

March 2023 — Murdaugh's Appeal

Murdaugh’s legal team filed notice of appeal, arguing the trial was unfair and challenging evidence and courtroom procedures.

WHO IS MURDAUGH COURT CLERK BECKY HILL?

September 2023 — Becky Hill Allegations

Allegations emerged against Colleton County Clerk Hill, who oversaw the trial. Defense attorneys accuse her of improperly influencing jurors and making comments intended to sway the verdict.

January 2024 — Evidentiary Hearing on Jury Tampering Claims

A South Carolina judge held an evidentiary hearing on jury tampering claims. Jurors testified about comments Hill allegedly made during the trial.

December 2025 – Becky Hill Convicted

Hill pleaded guilty to four charges — obstruction of justice and perjury — for showing a reporter photographs that were sealed court exhibits and then lying about it, plus two counts of misconduct in office for taking bonuses and promoting a book she wrote on the trial through her public office.

"There is no excuse for the mistakes I made. I’m ashamed of them and will carry that shame the rest of my life," Hill said in a statement read to the court.

She was sentenced to three years probation.

May 13, 2026 – Murdaugh's Murder Conviction Overturned

The South Carolina Supreme Court overturned Murdaugh’s murder convictions and ordered a new trial in the killing of his wife and son in June 2021, saying the trial was marred by the "improper" influence of the county clerk, Hill.

Attorney General Alan Wilson said his office plans to retry Murdaugh on the murder charges.

"While we respectfully disagree with the court’s decision, my Office will aggressively seek to retry Alex Murdaugh for the murders of Maggie and Paul as soon as possible," he said.

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Murdaugh’s attorneys, Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, praised the ruling in a statement.

"The Supreme Court’s decision today affirms that the rule of law remains strong in South Carolina," they said. "We look forward to a new trial conducted consistent with the Constitution and the guidance this court has provided."

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Prosecutors say Luigi Mangione defense team's juror questions are too 'intrusive' in federal case

Wed, 13 May 2026 14:45:42 -0400

Prosecutors in the Luigi Mangione case are arguing that his defense team's plan to dig into jurors' private lives is too "intrusive."

In court documents filed Monday, federal prosecutors responded to questions to jurors proposed by Mangione's defense team, which haven't yet been made public.

Deputy U.S. Attorney Sean Buckley wrote that some of the questions are "unnecessarily intrusive." Mangione is accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

In his filing, Buckley argued that a question proposed by Mangione's team asking jurors about some aspects of their personal lives goes too far.

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"Disputed Question 14(a) — which asks jurors to list, among other personal details, the ages, genders, occupations, and education histories of their children — is unnecessarily intrusive," he wrote.

LUIGI MANGIONE'S CEO MURDER CASE RAISES CONCERNS ACTIVIST JURORS MAY IGNORE EVIDENCE

READ THE DOCUMENT:

Another question disputed by federal prosecutors asks potential jurors "how often they attend religious services."

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

"This question is inappropriate because a juror’s religious practices have no bearing on the juror’s fitness to serve," Buckley wrote.

One of the other questions opposed by federal prosecutors asks if potential jurors have been "targeted" or "investigated" in a criminal matter, which Buckley says "is not appropriate."

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"Where proposed questions are duplicative, seek highly personal information unrelated to juror impartiality, or risk embedding advocacy and legal argument into the voir dire process itself, this Court should decline to include them," Buckley wrote.

Mangione faces state and federal charges in his alleged assassination of Thompson, and his federal trial is scheduled to begin in October.

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In April, a judge overseeing Mangione's state court case moved the trial date from June 8 to Sept. 8. If convicted, Mangione faces life in prison.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Mangione's defense team for comment.

Judge sentences Nevada mom for drowning young son, daughter: 'I will remember your case forever'

Wed, 13 May 2026 13:58:39 -0400

A federal judge sentenced a Las Vegas mother to life in prison on Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to drowning both of her children in bathtubs in 2021.

Jovan Trevino, 38, apologized for her actions before the sentencing, saying she was not in her "right mind" at the time of the murders. Police in Henderson, Nevada, found Trevino's two children, Christopher Fox, 4, and Gihanna Fox, 1, dead inside the family's home in July 2021.

"On Monday July 19, 2021, my babies’ precious, innocent lives were taken at the hands of their mommy," Trevino told District Judge Carli Kierny, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

"I truly was not in the right mind, in the darkest place that I’ve ever been, which is evident by the horrific crime that I did commit."

KILLER MOM SUSAN SMITH IS NOW 'COMPLETE NIGHTMARE' AFTER PAROLE WAS DENIED: REPORT

While handing down the life sentence, Kierny had a message for Trevino.

"I know that as you live out the rest of your life in a jail cell, you'll probably see them at night, you'll think of them," she said. "That's really the only tribute left that you can give them at this point."

Kierny added, "I will remember your case forever."

Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney John Giordani called the murders an "unforgivable crime."

"This is one of the most extreme cases of matricide that I’ve seen in my 15-year career," Giordani said during proceedings.

Police said Trevino told officers she had drugged herself with a sleeping aid and alcohol before carrying out the murders.

The children’s father, Christopher Fox, and their grandmother, Shawna Fox, also testified before the court prior to Trevino's sentencing.

"The cruelty of what you did by leaving them floating dead in their bathtubs for their daddy to find them when he got home from work is unthinkable," Shawna Fox said.

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"I just want the courts to remember my kids as joyous loving children. Nothing else," Christopher Fox said.

Alex Murdaugh's double murder conviction unanimously overturned by South Carolina Supreme Court

Wed, 13 May 2026 10:48:45 -0400

The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned the murder conviction of Alex Murdaugh, who was convicted in March 2023 of double homicide of his wife and son.

The court ordered a new trial, saying that Mary Rebecca "Becky" Hill, who served as the court clerk in Colleton County, exercised "improper external influences" during Murdaugh's first trial.

Murdaugh's attorney, Dick Harpootlian, said in a statement that Murdaugh will remain in custody.

"The Supreme Court’s decision today affirms that the rule of law remains strong in South Carolina. The Court found that Becky Hill’s conduct during the trial attacked Alex Murdaugh's credibility and his defense. The Court rightly described her conduct as 'breathtaking,' 'disgraceful,' and 'unprecedented in South Carolina," Harpootlian said. "We respect the decision that made clear that the retrial must look very different from the first."

"The initial jury heard more than twelve hours of testimony about Alex's financial crimes. The Court held that this evidence went far beyond what was necessary and gave rise to unfair prejudice. On retrial, that will not be permitted. Alex has said from day one that he did not kill his wife and son. We look forward to a new trial conducted consistent with the Constitution and the guidance this Court has provided."

ALEX MURDAUGH: TIMELINE OF THE ONCE POWERFUL SOUTH CAROLINA LAWYER'S SPECTACULAR DOWNFALL

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The state supreme court voted unanimously on the decision.

WATCH:

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

A post-trial court found that Hill "made improper comments to the jurors on the day Murdaugh testified, e.g., 'this is an important day' or 'this is an epic day' and that they should watch Murdaugh's body language, on the day he testified in his own defense.

One juror recalled "that Hill told the jurors not to be fooled by the evidence Murdaugh's defense presented," according to the document, saying "They're going to say things that will try to confuse you. Don't let them confuse you or convince you or throw you off."

BUSTER MURDAUGH SAYS HIS FATHER ALEX HAS CHARACTERISTICS OF A PSYCHOPATH, BUT MAINTAINS HIS DAD IS INNOCENT

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"Accordingly, we hold Murdaugh's right to a fair trial by an impartial jury was violated, and the post-trial court erred in denying his motion for a new trial," the ruling says.

WHO IS MURDAUGH COURT CLERK BECKY HILL?

LISTEN: ALEX MURDAUGH'S LAWYER TALKS NEW TRIAL STRATEGY

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson released a statement Monday morning in response to the ruling.

"While we respectfully disagree with the Court’s decision, my Office will aggressively seek to retry Alex Murdaugh for the murders of Maggie and Paul as soon as possible. Let me be clear—this decision does not mean Murdaugh will be released. He will remain in prison for his financial crimes. No one is above the law and, as always, we will continue to fight for justice," he said.

Murdaugh, now 57, was accused in 2021 of killing his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul on their family property in South Carolina's Lowcountry. The alleged murders and subsequent trial captivated the nation. Murdaugh was a high-powered personal injury lawyer whose family was considered in the area.

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Hill pleaded guilty to four charges — obstruction of justice and perjury for showing a reporter photographs that were sealed court exhibits and then lying about it, plus two counts of misconduct in office for taking bonuses and promoting a book she wrote on the trial through her public office — in December.

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Murdaugh was sentenced in 2023 to two consecutive life sentences for murdering his wife and son. He is also serving an additional 40 years in prison for his financial crimes and remains in custody at a maximum-security prison in South Carolina.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the father of Mallory Beach, the 19-year-old woman killed in a speed boat crash driven by Paul Murdaugh, expressed his feelings about the ruling.

"We've put everything in God's hands," Phillip Beach said, before citing a Bible verse. "Romans 8:28 – ‘And we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose.’"

The February 2019 crash that killed Mallory Beach was followed by Murdaugh's downfall and the discovery of his financial crimes. Prosecutors previously said Murdaugh killed Paul, who was under indictment at the time of his death, and Maggie in an attempt to keep investigators from discovering his vast criminal enterprise.

Michigan man gets at least 30 years for killing groomsman on wedding night

Wed, 13 May 2026 08:45:16 -0400

A Michigan man will spend decades behind bars after authorities said he fatally ran over his best friend just hours after celebrating his wedding, according to court proceedings.

James Shirah, 24, was sentenced Monday in Genesee County Circuit Court to 30 to 45 years in prison after pleading no contest to second-degree murder in the death of Terry Taylor Jr.

The incident unfolded Aug. 30, 2024, in Flint, roughly an hour northwest of Detroit, after Shirah and his bride, Savanah Collier, had gotten married earlier that day. Authorities said the celebration later moved to a home on East Hamilton Street, where an argument broke out.

Prosecutors said Shirah struck Taylor with his vehicle after the dispute, alleging the act was deliberate. He had briefly left the scene before returning and hitting the victim, according to testimony presented in court.

MICHIGAN MAN FOUND GUILTY OF KILLING WIFE WHOSE BODY WAS DISCOVERED IN FERTILIZER TANK

Testimony reported by mlive.com indicated the force of the impact threw Taylor into the air.

"When I got to him all I could see was blood," Taylor’s cousin said in court, recalling the aftermath. She said first responders were performing CPR when she arrived.

Shirah’s defense attorney argued the crash was not intentional and stemmed from an alcohol-fueled confrontation.

"The only thing I can do for the rest of my life is express my apology and remorse.… I will forever be sorry," Shirah said during the sentencing hearing.

Judge Khary Hanible acknowledged the gravity of the case while delivering the sentence.

LAS VEGAS MEN WHO PLEADED GUILTY TO MOWING DOWN RETIRED POLICE CHIEF LEARN SENTENCE

"Mr. Shirah, I believe that you are not a criminal," the judge said. "You are, however, a killer."

Taylor, 29, is survived by four children and his fiancée.

FATHER-TO-BE WAKES FROM COMA, TELLS POLICE GIRLFRIEND CRASHED CAR ON PURPOSE BEFORE HE DIES

Court records indicate Shirah had no prior criminal history. In addition to the murder conviction, he received concurrent sentences tied to the crash for charges including those related to operating a vehicle without a license and leaving the scene.

He will be eligible for parole after serving at least 30 years.

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Collier, Shirah’s wife, has pleaded no contest to accessory after the fact and is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Democratic Boston councilor rips 'soft-on-crime' policies after suspected gunman's violent past revealed

Wed, 13 May 2026 06:00:06 -0400

A Democratic Boston city councilor slammed what he views as "soft-on-crime" policies that allowed the man who allegedly opened fire in nearby Cambridge on Monday to walk free after previously serving a short amount of time for violent offenses.

Tyler Brown, 46, is in custody after allegedly firing 50 to 60 rounds into traffic on Memorial Drive in Cambridge early in the afternoon on Monday. Terrifying video of the incident, which left three people shot, including Brown, quickly went viral.

Brown is currently in custody in the hospital, recovering from gunshot wounds in his extremities.

"There is absolutely no way this person should have been released on probation and/or parole," Boston Councilor Ed Flynn told Fox News Digital. "When you have a lengthy criminal record and you constantly continue to be convicted and engaged in criminal activities, there should be a long prison sentence for someone, that continues to disregard rules of society."

WATCH: Video shows alleged Cambridge gunman treated at scene after shooting

LENIENT JUDGES IGNORE RED FLAGS, CAVE TO SOFT-ON-CRIME PRESSURES AS THEY RELEASE REPEAT OFFENDERS: ATTORNEY

And Brown does have a violent criminal history.

In 2014, he was convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon — in that case a knife — and witness intimidation.

In 2020, while on probation for the previous crimes, he engaged in a shootout with four Boston police officers, firing 13 rounds from a .40 Glock semiautomatic handgun at the officers when they responded to a report about a man with a gun.

REPEAT OFFENDER WITH LONG RAP SHEET ALLEGEDLY GUNS DOWN MAN WHILE FREE ON PROBATION, BONDS DESPITE VIOLATIONS

In 2021, he pleaded guilty to eight charges stemming from that incident. Those charges included:

Armed assault with intent to murder
Attempted assault and battery by means of discharging a firearm
Three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon for pointing a firearm
Unlawful possession of a firearm
Carrying a loaded firearm and possession of a large capacity feeding device.

Flynn, who was first elected to the city council in 2017 and once worked for the Clinton administration, said he knows one of the four Boston police officers involved in that incident, and that they went to school together.

VIOLENT REPEAT OFFENDER ACCUSED IN CHARLOTTE KNIFE ATTACK WAS FREE DESPITE DECADE-LONG RAP SHEET

An officer wrote a victim-impact statement at the time, saying that, "I am a firm believer that when Mr. Tyler Brown gets out, he will hurt, or worse, kill someone," according to NBC Boston.

"We have to think of the victims and the survivors of violent crime before we sentence someone to prison, probation [or] parole," said Flynn. "And when a victim testifies about the violence used and the likelihood that this person will re-offend and engage in criminal activity, we have to hear that testimony, respect that testimony and implement a sentence that respects the victim and the survivor of crime."

"I don't think we did that in this case. In fact, I know we didn't do that in this case, but this is not an isolated case," he continued.

BLUE STATE JUDGE RELEASES MURDER SUSPECT WITHOUT MAKING HIM PAY A CENT IN BAIL, DESPITE GANG ALLEGATIONS

Brown was sentenced to five to six years in prison and three years of probation, stemming from the 2020 crime, a controversial move at the time that was criticized by then-Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins.

Rollins blasted the sentence handed down by then-Suffolk Superior Court Judge Janet Sanders for not abiding by her recommendation of 10 to 12 years with five years of probation.

"When an individual commits serious, violent offenses that threaten the lives of our community members – which include members of law enforcement – I will advocate for their removal and detention. My office recommended a significant sentence for Mr. Brown given the nature of his offenses and the trauma and harm he inflicted," Rollins said in a statement at the time.

CAREER CRIMINAL ACCUSED OF KILLING ELDERLY WOMAN IN VIOLENT HOME INVASION AFTER SKIPPING COURT DAYS EARLIER

She said she was "disappointed in the sentence that was imposed," and personally apologized to the officers who were attacked and to their families.

Flynn told Fox News Digital that police officers are frustrated with relaxed crime policies that let offenders walk free.

"Police feel frustrated that the criminal justice system does not respect them and survivors of crime. Police want accountability, and they want the criminal justice system to work, and for the criminal system to work, we have to hold people accountable for their actions," said Flynn. "It might be politically incorrect to do that. But we have to provide a safe and healthy environment for residents of the city, for our police, for our neighborhood, and for our neighbors."

FURIOUS FATHER SLAMS 'SOFT ON CRIME' POLICIES AFTER DAUGHTER ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY REPEAT OFFENDER IN SC

He said ignoring violent crime is not a solution and that Bostonians want criminals to be punished.

"Boston is changing, and I think the residents are fed up, and they want us to be more aggressive in holding people accountable," he said. "They want the criminal justice system to work for survivors of crime, for victims of crime and for society at large. Right now, there is a perception that it works for criminals."

He also noted that he represents one of the most progressive districts in the city, but specifically called out that wing of the Democratic Party.

A FORMER BLM ACTIVIST GOES ALL IN ON MASS INCARCERATION

"The progressive base of the Democratic party is soft on crime and doesn't want to hold people accountable for their actions, and I think that's a mistake for the Democratic Party to ignore ongoing criminal activity in neighborhoods, because it creates destabilization of residents of neighborhoods and it contributes to a declining quality of life of residents in an unhealthy neighborhood," he said.

"Residents deserve better than that," he concluded.

A criminal complaint against Brown says he spoke to his parole officer on the phone on Monday morning and said he had relapsed on crack cocaine, and that he was ready to end his own life. His parole officer alerted the police at around 12:10 p.m., shortly before the shooting, and drove to Brown's residence.

JOHN KERRY’S RITZY BLUE CITY NEIGHBORHOOD ROCKED AS DRUG ADDICTS ‘OVERRUN’ COBBLESTONE STREETS

Brown was not home, but called his parole officer on a different phone via FaceTime. He was waving a semiautomatic rifle, according to the complaint, and said, "these people are going to f---ing pay," and, "I'm not going back to prison."

At around 1:30 p.m., Brown is accused of opening fire on Memorial Drive, shooting "erratically" and hitting two people in a vehicle, critically injuring both.

A state trooper arrived on scene and engaged Brown in a firefight. A witness to the event, a U.S. Marine and firearms instructor, also opened fire on Brown.

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Brown had been released from a mental health facility on May 8.

He faces two counts of armed assault with intent to murder using a firearm and two counts of attempted assault and battery by discharge of a firearm, along with a litany of related gun charges.

High school student with history of anger issues charged with murder of homeless woman in Las Vegas

Tue, 12 May 2026 21:51:10 -0400

Authorities on May 5 arrested a 17-year-old male accused of murdering a 61-year-old woman who was found dead on April 21.

Local outlet Las Vegas Review-Journal identified the suspect as Dennis Geiggar, a high school student with a reported history of behavioral issues and anger-related incidents.

He is accused of killing 61-year-old Marceline Biasini, who the Review-Journal reported regularly slept in the area where she was found dead.

The victim was found lying on the sidewalk outside a business and "suffering from apparent injuries" just after 8 a.m. on April 21, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) told Fox News Digital.

NYC TEEN ARRESTED, CHARGED FOR SETTING HOMELESS SUBWAY RIDER ON FIRE, POLICE SAY

Nearby surveillance video captured a brief, suspicious encounter in the middle of the night, showing a suspect approaching the victim’s area and leaving about a minute later, the Review-Journal reported, citing police records.

While the footage did not capture the killing itself, it reportedly recorded what appeared to be a loud scream followed by approximately 61 loud impact sounds.

"The precise location of the crime scene was obstructed from surveillance cameras, but video surveillance with audio … captured the suspect approaching Marceline’s location and, seconds later, a scream is heard followed by approximately 61 loud thuds," the Review-Journal report said.

Detectives determined the woman had been "battered at some point during the night," according to a statement provided to Fox News Digital.

The Clark County coroner’s office ruled Biasini’s death a homicide, citing blunt head trauma, according to the Review-Journal.

HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR CHARGED WITH "RANDOM" MURDER AFTER 68-YEAR-OLD WOMAN FOUND DEAD IN MASSACHUSETTS HOME

Geiggar reportedly has a history of anger issues and troubled behavior.

He was expelled from Valley High School in January after allegedly attempting to start a fire on campus, the Review-Journal said, adding that he has since been attending school online.

Police also said Geiggar had "numerous incidents where his anger had resulted in his punching walls and trash cans" and had been participating in anger management classes, according to the outlet.

According to police reports, surveillance video from a nearby 7-Eleven showed a suspect wearing a red hooded sweatshirt and Vans shoes, clothing Geiggar was reportedly seen wearing while attending Valley High School.

In addition, detectives reportedly found bloody footwear impressions at the crime scene.

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Tests on Geiggar’s Vans shoes came back presumptively positive for blood, though DNA comparison has not yet been completed, the outlet said.

Police added that Geiggar’s physical description matched that of the suspect.

Documents state Geiggar has denied the accusations, though he acknowledged visiting a 7-Eleven nearby around 1–2 a.m. with his older brother, the Review-Journal reported.

Video from that store reportedly did not show him inside at that time.

It was not immediately clear whether Geiggar had retained an attorney who could comment on his behalf. He has not been convicted in connection with Biasini’s death, and the case remains pending.

Geiggar has been taken into custody on one felony count of open murder, a charge alleging homicide without specifying the degree of the offense.

Mural honoring murdered Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska taken down in Providence after local outrage

Tue, 12 May 2026 19:09:55 -0400

A mural painted to honor Iryna Zarutska — the Ukrainian refugee who was murdered while riding a North Carolina train — is being taken down after outrage in Providence, Rhode Island.

On Tuesday, a construction crew was seen near the exterior of The Dark Lady, an LGBTQ+ club in downtown Providence, working to remove the partly finished mural. The mural, which was painted on canvas, was lowered to the ground, folded up and taken away, WJAR-TV reported.

Artist Ian Gaudreau confirmed the news that the artwork was going to be removed after local outrage.

"A lot of people voiced their frustrations, and voices were heard, and the work is coming down as a reaction to that," Gaudreau told WJAR-TV Monday.

IRYNA ZARUTSKA MURAL MOVED TO NEW PROVIDENCE LOCATION AFTER PRESSURE CAMPAIGN FROM MAYOR, ACTIVISTS

The mural's removal came as residents and elected officials complained about the artwork. The office of Mayor Brett Smiley told Fox News that he wanted the artwork taken down, saying that the art is "divisive and does not represent Providence."

"The murder of the individual depicted in this mural was a devastating tragedy, but the misguided, isolating intent of those funding murals like the one across the county is divisive and does not represent Providence," Smiley said in a statement.

He said he continued to "encourage our community to support local artists whose work brings us closer together rather than divide us."

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Chairman of the Narragansett Republican Party Anthony D'Ellena created a petition in an effort to keep the mural of Zarutska in Providence.

"This is exactly what Democrats do — they try to erase the memory of their victims and they don't fix their soft-on-crime policies," D'Ellena told WPRI-TV. "They erase the evidence, so no one sees the deadly price of their policies."

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"I want a local business here in Rhode Island to see this petition and to invite the artist to do a mural on their business," he said.

VICTIM OF RANDOM TRAIN STABBING EMBRACED AMERICAN DREAM, ‘COULD HAVE TAKEN THE WORLD BY STORM,’ NEIGHBORS SAY

On Sept. 9, 2025, Eoghan McCabe, CEO of the AI customer service company Intercom, posted on X that he would pledge $500,000 to paint 50 memorial murals across the country in Zarutska’s honor.

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On Sept. 10, he posted that funding for 300 murals had been raised and that they were in touch with 800 artists. Elon Musk replied to his post with a pledge of an additional $1 million for the project.

WATCH: Video shows moments before Ukrainian refugee stabbed to death on Charlotte light rail

Zarutska, a 23-year-old refugee who fled her country after the Russian invasion, was stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack while riding the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte, N.C., last year.

The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, is charged with violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death, which is a capital offense under federal law.

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Records from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction show Brown has a prior criminal history, including convictions for larceny, breaking and entering and armed robbery.

"Iryna was riding home on the train when a deranged monster, who had been arrested over a dozen times and was released through no-cash bail, stood up and viciously slashed a knife through her neck and body," President Trump said.

Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano Jr. contributed to this report.

Suspected Texas killer is an illegal from Mexico accused in rash of 'extreme violence' against women

Tue, 12 May 2026 16:29:08 -0400

U.S. Marshals and Texas police have arrested an illegal immigrant and suspected serial killer in connection with a pair of strangling murders from 2024 and 2018 — and two more recent shootings in which female victims survived.

Luis Fernando Benitez-Gonzalez, 26, is accused of killing 34-year-old Alyssa Ann Rivera, in Austin, and 28-year-old Alba Jenisse Aviles-Marti in Bastrop County.

"We believe that there is a strong likelihood that Benitez is responsible for further acts of extreme violence," Austin Police Detective Chris Anderson said at a news briefing.

He was arrested on April 27 in the Dallas area by the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, Anderson said.

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The detective alleged that the evidence and Benitez-Gonzalez's own statements show "a repeated pattern of violence conducted against vulnerable female victims."

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He said Benitez-Gonzalez may have interacted with more potential victims in Austin, Dallas, Houston and Hidalgo County.

"He has a 2018 case, and he has a 2024 case," Anderson said. "People who commit crimes of this nature, with the very distinct MO, they usually don't take a break. Not for six years."

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During the briefing, Deputy U.S. Marshal Brandon Filla revealed that Benitez-Gonzalez is a Mexican national who had previously been voluntarily deported in 2020. It was not immediately clear when he returned to the U.S.

Austin police found Rivera dead on June 21, 2024, after a resident called 911 to report seeing a body in a vacant home on Metcalfe Road. She had been beaten and strangled, police said.

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In 2018, Aviles-Marti had been sexually assaulted and strangled with a seatbelt in her car, according to authorities. Bastrop County deputies responded to the scene after a driver reported seeing her car on the shoulder of San Antonio Road — just three miles from where Rivera's remains were found six years later.

TEXAS GRAND JURY INDICTS MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY MURDERED MOTHER OF 9

Austin police announced in 2024 they had linked the two cases after investigators sent DNA evidence from each of them to the FBI's CODIS database. Benitez-Gonzalez, however, was not in the database, and it took another two years before he was charged.

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Then in November and December 2025, two women survived shooting incidents, Anderson said.

One of them fought back and managed to wrestle her attacker's phone away, he added. Ballistic evidence linked her shooting to the other victim, and ultimately to Benitez-Gonzalez in Dallas.

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Anderson and another detective interrogated him.

"During that interview, he made admissions related to both aggravated assaults and the 2024 homicide of Alyssa Rivera and the 2018 homicide of Alba Jenisse Aviles-Marti," he said. "Although Benitez-Gonzalez attempted to characterize his actions as self-defense, the totality of the evidence developed in this investigation does not support that claim."

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Benitez-Gonzalez is being held without bail at the Travis County Jail on charges including first-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has also filed a detainer request.

Anyone with information that may be of value to investigators is asked to call the Austin Police Homicide unit at 512-974-8477 or Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477.