Month: September 2026

By Sergio Candido, Anna McAllister

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — The death penalty phase of the trial for a Miami man who pleaded guilty to killing his estranged wife and her two young daughters in 2012 began this Tuesday.

Alberto Sierra, 42, pleaded guilty in August to three counts of first-degree murder and other charges in the deaths of Gladys Machado and her daughters, Julia and Daniela Padron, who were ages 6 and 3 at the time of the murders.

A jury was selected Sept. 16 for the penalty phase, which will determine whether Sierra is sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Sierra admitted his guilt in a Miami-Dade courtroom on Aug. 7, nearly 14 years after the killings. When Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez asked whether he was ready to enter his plea, Sierra responded, “It’s been 14 years, so.” He then told the judge, “I’m guilty.”

Sierra sat in court as a prosecutor told jurors of the murders of Machado and her daughters on Nov. 10, 2012.

“Gladys and her little girls never came home again, all because of that person — right over there. He decided that that day would be their last,” the prosecutor said.

Prosecutors say Sierra initially tried to cover up the crimes but was ultimately linked to them by DNA evidence.

The defense argued that Sierra has brain damage that impairs his decision-making because he was hit by a car when he was 12.

“He is missing a portion of his frontal lobe,” a defense attorney said.

Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors began questioning the neighbor who found the bodies in a bedroom closet.

Earlier in the day, it was brought to the judge’s attention that someone allegedly took a picture of the jury. The judge said the person needs to be identified so the photo can be deleted.

The killings happened in November 2012 after Sierra, Machado, and her daughters went to the Mall of the Americas on West Flagler Street, according to investigators.

Police said Sierra and Machado got into an argument during the visit and Sierra stabbed her. He then drove Machado and the girls to the family’s home on Northwest 4th Street in west Miami-Dade.

Investigators said Sierra forced the family inside the home and locked the girls in a bedroom before taking Machado into the master bedroom and suffocating her with a plastic bag. Police said he then suffocated the two girls.

Investigators also accused Sierra of sexually assaulting Machado and one of the girls after their deaths.

“It was deliberate; it was cold. It was calculated, and it showed a heightened level of premeditation,” the prosecutor said.

A third child, a 6-year-old boy, was with his grandmother at the time and was not harmed.

The bodies were discovered days later after a neighbor noticed a foul odor coming from the home.

Police said Sierra confessed to the killings during questioning.

Search warrant records obtained by CBS News Miami after the killings detailed evidence investigators collected from the home, the victims and Machado’s vehicle.

According to those records, DNA collected from one of the girls was analyzed and matched Sierra. Investigators also recovered blood-stained clothing and bedding from the home, as well as used latex gloves from a trash bag in the laundry room.

Investigators also searched an apartment Sierra shared with his mother and seized blood-stained towels, a camera and a memory card. Police found apparent blood stains in several areas of Machado’s car, which investigators said Sierra used to drive the victims from the mall to the home.

A Miami-Dade grand jury later indicted Sierra on three counts of first-degree murder, allowing prosecutors to pursue the death penalty. He was also charged with kidnapping, armed burglary and abuse of a human body.

Sierra initially pleaded not guilty before changing his plea in August 2026.

The trial continues Wednesday morning.

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 KAKE News

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    WICHITA, Kansas (KAKE) — Seven years after the shooting death of a Wichita man, police have arrested two men in connection with his 2019 homicide.

On July 19, 2019, officers responded to a shooting in the 2100 block of West Columbine Lane. When officers arrived, they found 55-year-old Charles “Chuck” Giles suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Giles, who owned Neighbor’s Bar and Grill, died from his injuries. Investigators with the Wichita Police Department continued to work the case in the years that followed.

Investigators determined Giles had been robbed before the shooting.

Detectives pursued available leads and evidence during the initial investigation but made no arrests. The case remained open.

In July 2026, WPD homicide investigators revisited the case and developed new leads. Continued investigative work led detectives to additional evidence that advanced the case. The case was presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney, who filed formal charges and arrest warrants were issued by the Sedgwick County District Court.

The men, ages 36 and 27, were arrested on charges of premeditated first-degree murder in connection with Giles’ death, pursuant to the arrest warrants.

The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office identified the suspects as Benny Delgado, 36, and Jesus Deleon, 27, both of Wichita. Both men are expected to make their first court appearance on Tuesday, Sept. 29 in Sedgwick County District Court.

At approximately 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, Officers observed one of the suspects entering a business in the 5700 block of North Hydraulic. WPD officers attempted to enter the business to make an arrest and were refused entry by off-site management.

Officers established a perimeter around the building and obtained a search warrant. Once the warrant was secured, officers entered the business and took the suspect into custody at 12:59 p.m. without further incident.

“Seven years is a long time for a family to wait for answers and accountability,” Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said. “Our detectives never lost sight of Charles Giles or the people who loved him. Their persistence and commitment to following the evidence wherever it led brought this case to this point. This is what our community expects from us — to keep pursuing justice no matter how much time has passed. I am proud of the work our investigators put into this case, and I hope these arrests provide Charles’ family some measure of progress toward the justice they have waited years to see.”

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 Gabe Ferris

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    GARY, Indiana (WLS) — Seven weeks after a storm brought down trees and power lines across northwest Indiana, state lawmakers questioned NIPSCO President Vince Parisi about the utility’s response to the Aug. 11 derecho.

“Did you have a plan for emergency response? Was it executed pursuant to the plan?” state Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler, R-District 29, asked.

“Representative, we do have a plan,” Parisi said. “We use the ICS structure, the incident command structure. It’s the same system that’s used by FEMA and, I think, really across the utility industry.”

The Aug. 11 storm caused extensive damage as it ripped through the region.

In Illinois, ComEd restored power to 99% of customers in four days. But in northwest Indiana, 375,000 NIPSCO customers were left without power.

Some remained without power for weeks.

“We recognize the significant hardship that the prolonged outage caused for customers, families, and businesses,” Parisi said.

Communities across northwest Indiana are still recovering. Debris remained piled along roads in Gary, and storm-damaged trees were still visible on Tuesday.

“Since August, I’ve heard the anger, and I understand it. But beneath some of the anger, I heard apprehension. People wonder what happens the next time the weather turns,” state Sen. Mark Spencer, D-District 3, said.

“The people of northwest Indiana carried one another through August, and I believe it’s our responsibility now to ensure that August leaves us better prepared for what comes next,” Spencer added.

NIPSCO’s response in the region has prompted a class-action lawsuit.

“It wasn’t NIPSCO’s fault,” customer Tony Creal told Eyewitness News. “But they do play a part in getting us power back as quick as possible.”

Parisi said the utility is working to rebuild trust with customers.

“We’re meeting with our communities, really on a weekly basis, at this point, to just have the conversation – to hear from them, to understand what we can improve,” he 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 Karen Jordan

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    EVANSTON, Illinois (WLS) — Northwestern will debut its new Ryan Field on Friday, exactly 100 years after the original stadium opened in 1926.

The new stadium is designed to host football, soccer and concerts, with features intended to bring fans closer to the action. For Pat Ryan Jr., whose family helped lead the project, seeing the stadium take shape marks the culmination of years of work.

“We want this to be the best at everything we do. The university takes great pride in that. Having the best stadium in college football is a start,” Ryan, CEO of Ryan Sports Development, said.

Finishing touches are expected to continue for months, but Ryan said nothing should interfere with Friday’s opening, when the Wildcats take on Penn State.

“This will be the best place to see a football game, soccer match or concert of any stadium in America if not the world,” Ryan said.

The $875 million, privately funded stadium is among the most expensive college football venues ever built. Although the new facility is larger than the previous stadium, seating capacity has been reduced from more than 47,000 to 35,000.

Ryan said the smaller capacity was intentional, allowing the stadium’s other features to be positioned closer to the field.

“Because we got rid of those last seats, it lets us put everything else on top of the action. So, the worst seat in this stadium is better than 80% of the seats in most college football stadiums,” Ryan said.

The stadium includes a locker room designed to compete with the NFL, bars, and pubs near the end zone, and a designated student section.

“What you see right here with the wildcat wall is that it puts 2000 students right on top of the end zone,” Ryan said.

Outside the stadium are parks, plazas and festival spaces designed for year-round use.

“Ultimately, we’re really in the experiences business. No one goes to a football game, concert or soccer match alone. They go with friends, they go with family, they go with clients. And what are they looking for? They’re looking for great experiences,” Ryan said.

For the Northwestern class of 2027, the new stadium will be the third home venue during their college careers. They began at the old stadium, spent time at a temporary stadium along the lakefront and will finish their senior year at the new Ryan Field.

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 Jasmine Perry

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    HONOLULU (KITV) — Students at Kulia Academy as young as 11 years old are already excelling in AI data science.

And it’s thanks to the experts who lead their classes and the hands-on experiences provided to them.

Teaching all grade levels at Kulia Academy, Luka said the skills will prepare students for high school and college.

“A lot of what I focus on is trying to help them understand not just the practice of data collection, but how you interpret that data, right? What does it mean for data to look the way it does? How do you communicate that to a general audience who may not be as well versed in concepts as you are?” said AI data science teacher Luka Fatuesi.

The school believes AI will lead students to a better future.

Kulia Academy is the first school in the Unites Stated to offer a comprehensive seven-year artificial intelligence and data science program.

Since opening its doors in 2024, the academy has challenged students every step of the way.

“I am excited about this, and I’m expecting to get better and much better while the year progresses,” said sixth grade student Fox Nickel.

With the charter school relying on private and individual donations, Executive Director Andy Gokce said the academy hopes next year’s federal funds will help its AI program grow.

“We have a lot of promising students. We think they are going to make it into top colleges, but they need help with their education here,” said Kulia Academy Executive Director Andy Gokce. “When they see the value that our school brings to our community, they would like to support our youth getting top-notch education,” said Kulia Academy Executive Director Andy Gokce.

Some students are already coding.

“I like coding too. Coding, I’ve been trying. I’ve been like going on ahead and doing Pygame, and the graphics system is hard, but I’m but I’m getting there,” said seventh grade student Hazelyn Cranford.

Many of them hope to become AI engineers, data scientists and cybersecurity experts.

Last year, Kulia Academy saw an enrollment increase of 153 last year to 271 this school year.

“This school year, there’s a total of 161,002 students enrolled for our public schools and charter schools, marking a 1.6% decrease from last year’s count. If we look and exclude our charter school students and look only at DOE students, we see 147,656 students,” said Elizabeth Higashi Assistant Superintendent, Office of Strategy.

Kulia is already teaching students six to eighth grade and plans to expand it to ninth graders.

“You can use your abilities from your own perspective to use in all the classrooms. Use your own mind and thinking for all the worksheets or like all the assignments. And there’s teachers also there to help you and guide you throughout each unit,” said eigth grade student Nicki Lerok.

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.