The murder verdict closes the trial phase of a case that began after Kayla Holder and her infant son were found dead in 2020. HONOLULU, Hawaii — The last ordinary conversation Michelle Chamberlain remembered having with her daughter was a FaceTime call about dinner, plans and everyday life. Hours later, 23-year-old Kayla Holder and her … Read more
One witness disarmed the suspect while another stayed with the wounded man, whose final statement became part of the murder investigation. HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — Two witnesses broke up a violent confrontation between roommates at a South Florida mobile home park, police say, but the injured man managed to walk only a short distance before … Read more
A fellow inmate’s warning exposed a second planned attack before Larry Wayne Cole pleaded guilty and received a 42-year prison term. GALLATIN, Tenn. — The case against Larry Wayne Cole had already crossed state lines by the time prosecutors say it took a second turn inside the Sumner County Jail, where another inmate told authorities … Read more
Jesse McNeely escaped through a window and called 911 before authorities captured Nathanial Pipkin more than 100 miles from the family home. COLUMBIA, Tenn. — Jesse McNeely escaped a deadly shooting inside his family’s home by climbing through a window and reaching a neighbor for help. Nearly five years later, a Maury County jury sentenced … Read more
Relatives described a troubled childhood and difficult caregiving relationship before Jennifer Mulligan received 17 years in prison for second-degree murder. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Jennifer Mulligan once traveled to Texas to bring her elderly father into her Virginia Beach home, relatives said, despite a childhood in which she and her siblings accused him of years … Read more
A jury convicted Jeffery Kendall of murder and child endangerment after Brittany Ligdis was killed with their son in the room. MARTINEZ, Calif. — The 50-years-to-life sentence imposed on Jeffery Kendall did more than punish the murder of Brittany Elizabeth Ligdis. It also reflected a second crime recognized by the jury: endangering the couple’s 4-year-old … Read more
The adult cousin’s statement was redacted, leaving the injured boy’s account, a family witness and recovered evidence central to the public record. SUNRISE, Fla. — A 12-year-old boy’s account from his hospital bed became a central part of the police case against his 28-year-old cousin after an argument over a gaming console allegedly ended with … Read more
Investigators recovered heavily burned human bones at a Saline County property before prosecutors charged four people with concealing Simpson’s remains. NELSON, Mo. — A DNA identification from human remains recovered at a rural burn site became the central physical link in the investigation of Amber Simpson’s disappearance, a case that now has four defendants accused … Read more
Grand jury testimony traces escalating concern over 14-month-old Evangelina Thrift before a relative found her unresponsive in March. HENDERSON, Nev. — In the hours before 14-month-old Evangelina Thrift was found dead, her mother’s half-sister said she repeatedly pushed for the child to be taken to a hospital, culminating in an early-morning visit and a 911 … Read more
Susan Gehrke had survived cancer twice and was days from turning 62 when an alleged assault left her mortally injured. TUCSON, Ariz. — Susan Gehrke had spent years working, survived two bouts of cancer and was preparing to retire when, days before her 62nd birthday, a nighttime visit to her boyfriend’s Tucson apartment ended with … Read more