Month: May 2026

By Kimberly King

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    SALUDA, North Carolina (WLOS) — A neighbor worried that a killer may still be on the loose is calling on Polk County authorities to update residents on the investigation into a double homicide that occurred last weekend.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced via social media Thursday that an 80-year-old couple was identified as the two victims of a homicide in Saluda. Authorities confirmed their identities as Robert and Wendy Peck, whose home on West Fork Creek Road burned Sunday. Investigators have still not released a cause of death.

News 13 spoke with a neighbor who called 911 after spotting the fire. She agreed to speak only on the condition that she remain anonymous.

“I saw the fire. I rushed down to get to my house, and we got a signal when we got into the driveway, and she called 911,” the neighbor said.

The neighbor said a friend of hers made the emergency call. The next morning, after learning that Robert and Wendy Peck had died, that neighbor talked with a detective.

“He asked me if I had seen anybody on the property. I said, ‘No,'” the neighbor said.

Days after the fire, News 13 spotted a deputy parked in the driveway of the deceased couple’s home in Saluda. Detectives continue to investigate, while Polk County Sheriff Tim Wright urges residents to remain vigilant.

“I’m terrified. And I know my neighbors are, too,” the anonymous neighbor said. “We want to know that they have a suspect, and knowing that they don’t have any suspects is very unnerving.” Polk County Sheriff Tim Wright did not return News 13’s request for an interview.

“It’s a huge loss for this community. They were very involved,” said Melissa Gillespie, co-owner of Wakey Monkey Coffee Shop.

Melissa and Eric Gillespie knew the Pecks. The couple, they said, were regular customers of their coffee shop, and Wendy had visited the day before her death.

“Wendy had been in Friday morning as well as Saturday morning,” Melissa Gillespie added.

The Pecks were known for their service to the community. “They volunteered at our local elementary school in the after-school program,” Gillespie said. They started a community free meal program and were very devoted to community service work with their church. Eric Gillespie struggled to understand why anyone would want to harm them.

“I don’t know why anyone could even say a bad word about them, much less do anything to them,” he said.

As investigators continue to search for answers, the Gillespies are urging anyone with information to come forward.

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 Tim Fang

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    SAN LEANDRO, California (KPIX) — Officials in San Leandro are urging residents to avoid a portion of the Bay Trail after a dead gray whale washed ashore.

On Thursday, the city said the whale was found along the shoreline south of Marina Park. Experts said the whale is an adult male, measuring about 12 meters (39.3 feet) in length.

In a video posted on the city’s social media, the city said it is coordinating with regional and federal marine wildlife agencies on the response. The California Academy of Sciences and the National Marine Fisheries Service will conduct a necropsy to determine the whale’s cause of death and support ongoing research into the West Coast’s declining gray whale populations.

“The city will continue working closely with environmental and wildlife partners to ensure the situation is handled safely and responsibly,” officials said.

Following the necropsy, the whale would be allowed to naturally decompose due to the shoreline location and limited marine access in the area, with the city calling the option “the safest and most environmentally appropriate.”

Experts told the city while the whale poses no risk to residents, the public is urged to avoid the area while work is taking place.

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 Briauna Brown, Doug Myers, Dawn White

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    CELINA, Texas (KTVT) — The body of a missing 8-year-old boy was recovered from a Celina pond on Friday afternoon, according to officials.

Authorities identified the child as MJ Ashmead.

At about 11:15 a.m., the Celina Police Department posted on social media about Ashmead, asking for the public’s help in locating him. His family reported him missing from his home around 9:30 a.m. in the Rostherne Drive area of the Sutton Field neighborhood.

A short time later, the fire department told CBS News Texas that multiple law enforcement agencies had responded to assist.

CBS News Texas Chopper flew over the scene, where a dive team had been called to search a pond in the area of Wilder Avenue and Sandown Drive, where the body was found.

Officials express condolences after tragic discovery Just after noon, Celina police notified family members that the boy’s body had been located in a pond near the subdivision. No foul play is suspected in the tragedy, Celina police spokesman John Thacker said.

“As neighbors and as first responders, the Celina Police Department and the Celina Fire Department, along with the entire city of Celina, extend our sincere condolences and prayers to this grieving family,” Thacker said.

No additional information would be immediately provided, Thacker said, citing the ongoing investigation and out of respect for the child’s family.

“Celina is a growing community, but we are a very close-knit community,” Thacker said. “A tragic loss like this cuts to the core of who we are as a community.”

The Celina Police Department and the Celina Fire Department were joined in the search efforts by Texas Department of Public Safety air support, the Collin County Sheriff’s Office dive team, the Frisco Police Department K-9 unit, the Hickory Creek Police Department K-9 unit, the Prosper Police Department drone team, the Lewisville Fire Department dive team, and the Prosper ISD Police Department.

CBS News Texas will provide updates when more information becomes available.

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 Brian New

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    DALLAS, Texas (KTVT) — A large explosion and fire at a Dallas apartment building Thursday killed three people, and injured and displaced several others. But even as recovery efforts have ended, an investigation led by the National Transportation Safety Board is still underway to answer questions about what went wrong.

The CBS News Texas I-Team has learned before the explosion, the apartment building located in the 400 block of East 9th Street was for sale and in escrow. The potential buyer planned to convert it into new low-income housing and had hired engineering firm, ECS Southwest, LLP to test the property’s soil. A manager for ECS told the I-Team they had hired a drilling company to bore through the concrete and pull samples.

Thursday afternoon, Atmos said a construction crew hit a gas line, which led to the subsequent explosion.

The big question investigators are now looking into: was 811 called before digging? And if so, were the gas lines accurately marked? Texas state law requires companies call the Texas811 nonprofit before digging on any project to prevent damage to gas and water pipes.

Data shows gas leaks remain problem in North Texas While Thursday’s incident may feel rare, last year alone Dallas recorded 924 major gas leaks classified as Grade 1, the most severe level. Nearly half were caused by third-party contractors digging into the ground.

“Far and away, third-party strikes are the biggest hazard,” said Abe Scarr, energy and utilities program director for the Public Interest Research Group. “The question is, why aren’t utilities doing more to limit them?”

Scarr said that while these accidents are unintentional, they are not unavoidable.

An April I-Team investigation found that since 2019, the rate of hazardous leaks per mile of main pipeline in Atmos’ Mid‑Tex division has increased. At the time, Atmos said the rise reflects better leak detection and faster repairs, not worsening conditions.

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.