Month: May 2026

By Malcolm Shields, Ari Hait

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    PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida (WPBF) — Police in Port St. Lucie say a husband and wife were found shot to death inside their home in the 2700 block of Esenada Terrace on Monday afternoon in what investigators believe was a murder-suicide.

“They were a beautiful family, beautiful. Just something happened between wife and husband,” said Irma, a neighbor.

Authorities said the couple’s two youngest children, ages 1 and 2, were inside the home during the shooting.

Their 6-year-old child came home from school and found the bodies.

“We pray for the family. We pray for the family and for the children,” said Pamela, another neighbor.

Police identified the husband as Jimsley Estime and said he was arrested in January, accused of making written threats to kill his wife, 30-year-old Ketsy Alexis.

Police said the case was dismissed because Alexis refused to prosecute.

“My heart really breaks for this family,” said Nina Batista, a licensed clinical social worker.

Batista, who has treated hundreds of domestic abuse victims, said many cases involve victims who refuse prosecution and protect their abuser.

“The terror floods them to the fact that they don’t feel like they can go anywhere. They’re in survival. They’re stuck. It’s a cage without the physical cage,” Batista said.

In this case, Alexis had filed for divorce from Estime.

Batista said statistics show the idea of losing their partner is often when abusers become most dangerous.

“I think people really need to take this seriously and understand how dangerous and scary these situations can become,” Batista said.

Batista encouraged anyone in an abusive relationship to call 911 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.

She said it’s important for everyone to know help is available.

If you or someone you know needs help, you can talk with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or sending a text message to 988, or you can chat online here.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Peyton Headlee

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    ROSEVILLE, California (KCRA) — A 16-year-old student at West Park High School in Roseville is alive today thanks to the quick actions of school staff after he suffered sudden cardiac arrest in the middle of class last month.

On April 10, sophomore Mark Moon collapsed in his band class. His teacher, Patrick Neff quickly made an emergency call to the school office. School nurse Jennifer Bair and School Resource Officer Adaris were among the first to respond.

“We knew right away, as soon as we walked in, that this was truly an emergency,” Bair said. “We called for EMS, got them dispatched right away.”

Bair began chest compressions after realizing Mark had no pulse, while a campus monitor retrieved an automated external defibrillator (AED). Meanwhile, other staff members worked to clear the classroom of students, assist EMS in getting to the correct classroom, and alert Mark’s parents.

“It tells you to shock if it is a shockable rhythm. And it did for Mark and saved his life,” Bair said.

EMS arrived shortly after, stabilized him and rushed him to the emergency room.

“It felt like doctors were rappelling from the ceiling. My memory is just there’s just people everywhere working on him,” his father, Chris Moon, said.

Mark spent a week in the hospital and now has a defibrillator implanted. Doctors are still working to determine why his heart stopped.

“I’ve been getting better every day and it’s pretty much back to normal now,” Mark said.

Although he doesn’t remember the day of the incident, Moon said he’ll never forget the staff who saved his life.

“I felt like really grateful that I was part of a school that had staff that was able to do that,” he said.

His father shared his appreciation, saying, “The school gave us more time with our kid and more time with our family intact. I don’t know how to say thank you to that gift.”

On Tuesday, eight staff members were honored for their life-saving actions at the Roseville Joint Union High School District Board Meeting. Mark sat in the front row to watch the recognition ceremony.

“When I saw him in that condition, I just knew that this was somebody’s baby, and this was somebody’s baby that I’m not going to let anything happen to. So, it was just good to see him alive and talking,” Bair said.

Mark is now back on campus and attending classes.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Chantelle Navarro

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    MCALESTER, Oklahoma (KOCO) — Raymond Johnson is set to be executed Thursday for the 2007 murders of his ex-girlfriend, Brooke Whitaker, and her 7-month-old daughter, Kya, in Tulsa, after brutally attacking them and setting their home on fire.

Evidence markers from the scene showed the gas can Johnson used to burn down Whitaker’s home in late June 2007. The living room furniture was blackened and charred.

Johnson attacked Whitaker with a hammer, then doused her, her baby and their surroundings with gasoline. Whitaker died in the hospital, and Kya succumbed to her burns.

He is set to be executed by lethal injection at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.

Elizabeth Overman, president of the Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, expressed opposition to the execution.

“The crime is a travesty. But the state response to the crime is an even greater travesty,” Overman said.

The group offered condolences to the victims’ family but argued that Johnson’s execution would not bring healing.

“The state, in response, executing Mr. Johnson is not helping. It doesn’t return those people to the family,” Overman said.

Johnson was previously convicted in a shooting death in the 1990s and later released on parole.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond urged the board to deny clemency, saying Johnson’s heinous crime shattered a family and left three children to grow up without their mother and baby sister.

During the clemency hearing, Johnson’s lawyers presented videos from his family and friends, arguing that he is a changed man. Johnson also addressed the board.

“I know the love shared because to know Brooke and Kya was to love them. Today I sit here responsible for their deaths. I tried to plead guilty, and I got it,” Johnson said.

Whitaker’s surviving daughter, Brooke, shared the pain Johnson caused her family.

“He took everything. Every night these past 19 years have been exhausting. Growing up with what should’ve been grows on me—birthdays, graduations, weddings, pregnancy, births and grandchildren is just a small portion of what my mom’s missed out on,” she said.

The only way to stop the execution now is if Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt intervenes. His office has not yet commented.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Christina Watkins

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    ORLANDO, Florida (WESH) — May is Mental Health Awareness Month. WESH 2 committed to keeping the conversation going by highlighting those who seem the strongest, yet struggle in silence.

First responders are the people who face challenging and dangerous situations. They commit to a life of service and helping those in need. However, the constant exposure to traumatic scenes, combined with severe exhaustion and an unpredictable schedule, can often place an emotional burden on them.

Two retired firefighters from Central Florida say they know the weight of the duty all too well.

“Folks will call 911. We show up, and we fix problems, and it’s very hard for us to admit that sometimes the problem we may have is our own problem, and that we need help because we are the helpers,” said Joe McCluan, retired district chief of the Orlando Fire Department.

Joe McCluan and Chris DeMaagd spent a combined 63 years responding to emergency calls. They started in Seminole County and ended in Orlando. Though they no longer wear a uniform and heavy gear to save lives, now, they’re using a bench at Lake Baldwin in Orlando.

“It’s going to take everything, like what we’re doing here, and more treatment centers, less stigma, more people talking about this,” said DeMaagd, a retired firefighter from the Orlando Fire Department.

McCluan and DeMaagd started The Bench 988 project after two of their fellow firefighters died by suicide.

“If you’re struggling and you need help, you want help, you can reach out to a fellow firefighter, or peer, and say, ‘Hey, Joe, can you meet me at the bench?’ And that’s all you have to say. If I hear you say you need me to meet you at the bench, that means I know you’re struggling and you need some help,” McCluan said.

Statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration show nearly 30% of Florida’s first responders will develop behavioral health conditions, such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, first responders are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.

“Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength because it’s allowing you to reach out and say, ‘I need to do something,’ and just like a physical injury, if you get hurt and you have to go for rehab for a couple weeks, this is a stress injury,” said Dr. Deborah Beidel, the executive director of UCF RESTORES.’

Leaders at organizations such as UCF RESTORES 2nd Alarm Project work hand-in-hand with The Bench 988 to keep first responders alive and not feel shame asking for support after trauma.

“When they step back from that, they need resources, and they need outlets to be able to heal and de-stress and to cope with those situations. So having that support and that understanding that, you know, the real human sides behind the badge is very important,” said Kellie O’Dare, the Deputy Executive Director of UCF RESTORES.

The bench serves as a reminder for anyone to find safety, hope and help. No one walks alone. Call or text 988.

“I truly have faith and hope that, God-willing, there’s a way to solve it,” DeMaagd said.

“We want to do everything we can so that we don’t face another suicide. Whether it be a firefighter, a first responder, police, fire, EMS communications, or maybe even someone in the general public comes and sits at this bench and reads that. They see it, and they reach out,” McCluan said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Todd Magel

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    OSCEOLA, Iowa (KCCI) — The Osceola community is coming together to support the family of two young girls who drowned in White Breast Creek last Friday.

The girls, ages 7 and 10, went missing Friday night, and search crews found their bodies in the creek just outside of Osceola. Several local businesses are raising money to help the family during this difficult time.

At the Nutrition Hub on the Osceola Square, customers are buying energy drinks, knowing proceeds from Tuesday’s sales will go to the family.

“It was heartbreaking,” said Makalya Halverson, owner of Nutrition Hub

Halverson decided to donate her sales from Tuesday and this Friday to the family. “I know that the family is a very, very great family and very appreciative to everybody in the community that’s helping and trying to do anything that we can. But we’re hoping that they’re able to just take the time that they need to, to get through this tragedy,” she said.

Customers are eager to contribute.

“I feel like we’re such a smaller community, and we all just know the gather. And this is a great way to support money for this family in need right now,” said Ace Neisemier, a resident of Osceola.

The Clarke County sheriff confirmed the girls went missing Friday night and were later found in the White Breast Creek area east of Osceola. The news has shocked residents in Clarke County.

“Everybody just wants to help,” said Rebecca Bragg, owner of Nana Greer’s Family Table.

Bragg plans to open her restaurant Monday night to raise money for the family, with her staff volunteering to cook and wait tables. “I can’t imagine what that family is going through and what they’re dealing with. And the last thing that they should be worrying about is how they’re going to take care of the financial side of anything. So, I thought maybe we could help with that,” she said.

Other local businesses, including the Osceola Subway and the Junction Creamery, are also raising money this week to support the family.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Madilyn Destefano, Bob Hazen

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    MELBOURNE, Florida (WESH) — A plane reportedly carrying 11 people went down 80 miles off the coast of Melbourne on Tuesday, according to the United States Coast Guard.

The U.S. Coast Guard said all 11 people were rescued.

Video from the Melbourne Airport captured a rescue helicopter arriving with the victims, who were then transferred to medical transports and taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center.

The hospital is a Level II trauma center capable of treating severe, life-threatening injuries.

Officials have not disclosed the severity of the victims’ injuries.

The U.S. Coast Guard and a team from the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Space Force Base responded to the crash.

The FAA said the plane was a Beechcraft BE-30 that had departed Marsh Harbour Airport in the Bahamas and was heading to Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport when it went down in the ocean about 50 miles east of Vero Beach Airport.

Authorities have not yet determined whether the crash was caused by a mechanical issue or weather conditions. The FAA is investigating.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Nick Lunemann

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    Minnesota (WCCO) — With energy prices putting pressure on families, one Minnesota company is utilizing the power of the sun to help ease the pain.

Ground broke Monday outside Owatonna on one of four new community solar garden projects planned across Minnesota as part of the recently-renamed Melissa Hortman Community Solar Program.

Minnesota-based Enterprise Energy says the 30-acre project will include roughly 15,000 solar panels and generate enough electricity to help power about 1,000 homes. Company leaders say subscribers could save between 8% and 15% on their monthly electric bills.

The Owatonna project is one of four community solar gardens currently under development by Minnesota-based companies. Two additional projects are planned in Sartell, while another is planned in Kasota.

The projects are designed to serve low and moderate-income households through Minnesota’s community solar program, which was modernized in 2023. Customers within Xcel Energy territory can subscribe to the solar gardens without installing solar panels on their own homes.

Enterprise Energy CEO Eric Pasi said rising energy costs are one reason community solar projects are gaining attention.

“Right now we’re in an affordability, energy affordability crisis. And once this project is up and running, there is no fuel cost. The sun is free,” said Pasi.

Pasi also emphasized that the projects are being developed using Minnesota companies, Minnesota financing and American-made materials.

The program now carries the legacy of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman, who helped pass Minnesota’s Solar Energy Jobs Act in 2013.

Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association Executive Director Logan O’Grady called Hortman “the original visionary” of Minnesota’s community solar garden program.

“She passed the Solar Energy Jobs Act in 2013 and the community solar garden program was a portion of that bill,” O’Grady said. “It really was her vision to bring solar quickly to all Minnesotans.”

Developers also say the sites will include pollinator-friendly habitats and native prairie grasses planted beneath and around the solar panels.

O’Grady said many community solar projects across Minnesota now use pollinator seed mixes designed to support bees and other wildlife while maintaining the land underneath the arrays.

The Owatonna solar garden is expected to begin operating later this fall.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Duaa Israr

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    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — After years of military service, and long shifts to make ends meet, a Milwaukee veteran is now receiving support from people across the country.

For 12 years, Ronald Edmonds’ life was spent in the Navy.

“I was an E6 back in that day,” said Edmonds. “In Nam, we’d sit about 50 miles off the shore and ships that were damaged would come off and we’d weld them up, repair them, do whatever we had to do to get them fixed.”

Decades later, Edmonds did what millions of veterans do after serving their country — he went back to work.

Last month, while working at a Walmart in Greenfield, a customer asked Edmonds for help. The interaction was captured in a now viral TikTok.

“And he says, ‘What’s the price of this tie?’ So I gave him the price of the tie. I didn’t know anything else was going on,” said Edmonds.

In the video, Edmonds tells the customer, “I need the money. Social Security don’t pay very much. I still got a house payment. All kinds of payments.”

It’s called the “For Your Service” project, started by social media creator Sam Weidenhofer.

The project honors 50 veterans in all 50 states by starting a GoFundMe to help them with any bills.

“Well, I didn’t really believe it all at first, that people would actually try to help others,” said Edmonds.

The GoFundMe for Edmonds has raised more than $40,000 to help him with his medical bills and home costs.

“It’s overwhelming. It’s just happening all at once. Like, wow,” said Edmonds.

For a man who spent years repairing ships and serving the nation, strangers are now repaying that service.

“Hard to believe but thank you all. Truly, from my heart, thank you,” said Edmonds.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Kimberly King and Marisa Sardonia

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    FAIRVIEW, North Carolina (WLOS) — As investigators work to piece together what happened in a Fairview home where three family members were killed, a relative of the victims is sharing what she says she knows about the situation.

Three people were found dead last week after deputies responded to a welfare check at a home in Fairview. Two suspects – an adult man and the 16-year-old daughter of two of the deceased victims – have been charged with murder, authorities confirmed.

The victims were identified as 41-year-old Travis Eugene Grant, 42-year-old Kimberly Michelle Grant and 66-year-old Sharon Harwood Grant. Authorities said Travis and Kimberly Grant were married, and that Sharon Grant was Travis’ mother.

Brittany Tussey, who lives in Andrews, North Carolina, said Kim Grant is her biological aunt and Travis Grant is her uncle. Tussey claims the couple had been concerned about the relationship between their 16-year-old daughter, Star Grant, and 28-year-old Devan Loving.

“Information came out that Star had been in contact with this older gentleman and that he had bought her a burner phone, and she would take her breaks at lunch at work, and they’d meet at the parking lot above her job. Once they told me that, and I realized that my aunt and uncle were trying to put a restraining order on this man, I kind of put two and two together,” Tussey said.

She said she believes the couple confronted their daughter after taking away her alleged burner phone.

“I think we’re all still in shock,” Tussey said. “As soon as her parents found out about it, they were like, ‘No, this is not happening, and we’re putting a restraining order on him.'”

Court records confirm no restraining order was ever filed.

Tussey described Kimberly and Travis Grant as hardworking parents.

“They worked very hard to make sure they provided the best life they could for Star,” she said. “We’ve all experienced poverty, and with that being said, they have done nothing but work their butts off to provide a good life for them.”

Star Grant and Devan Loving are both charged with three counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Loving appeared in court in Sevier County, Tennessee, on May 11, and indicated he would agree not to fight extradition so he could return to Buncombe County.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.