Woman sexually assaulted by burglar who crawled in through window, police say

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2025

By Jesse Zanger, Zinnia Maldonado

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — A woman was sexually assaulted in her Brooklyn home by a stranger who climbed through an unlocked window, police said.

It happened just before 4 a.m. Monday near Pilling Street and Evergreen Avenue in Bushwick.

Police are describing the incident as a sexually motivated burglary.

The suspect entered the 43-year-old woman’s apartment through an unlocked kitchen window while she slept, police said. He then placed a pillow over her head, and the two struggled, according to police. He tied her up and performed a lewd act, police said. He then took off with her cellphone and watch, according to police.

The woman was hospitalized in stable condition.

Police described the suspect as a man wearing a white baseball cap, black sweatshirt, dark pants, black sneakers and said he was carrying a dark colored bookbag.

Neighbors who knew the victim say they woke up early Monday morning to find police at the door.

“She’s a real nice person, you know. A neighbor, and I couldn’t believe that. You know, it’s true, my wife and my daughter’s here. So I’m like, hey man, we’ve really got to look out, because this block is very quiet at night,” one neighbor said.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on X, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.

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Apartment fire started by explosive device set off intentionally

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2025

By Derek Strom

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    PULLMAN, Washington (KXLY) — Police arrested a 40-year-old man after he allegedly set fire to his apartment building in Pullman and led officers on a car chase that ended in a three-hour standoff.

According to Pullman Police Department, Elijah Regan intentionally started the fire by setting off an explosion in his apartment on Northwest Larry Street before leaving the scene.

Multiple units were damaged in the fire and several residents are now displaced.

A Whitman County Sheriff’s deputy spotted Regan driving on Highway 194 two hours after the fire started. Police knew Regan was armed with a shotgun.

“We were aware that he was armed with a shotgun. So, we took things very cautiously and we tried to de-escalate the situation to prevent him from being harmed or first responders from being harmed,” said Chief Aaron Breshears of the Pullman Police Department.

During the standoff, Regan fired one shot out of his car window, but police believe the shot was accidental. After three hours, officers successfully arrested Regan without injury.

Police plan to charge Regan with first-degree arson and attempting to elude pursuing police vehicles. He is currently being held in the Nez Perce County Jail because he was technically arrested in Idaho, just across the state border.

On Monday, fire marshals are still cleaning up debris outside the apartment building and helping residents retrieve some of their belongings. However, the building is expected to be a total loss due to extensive smoke and water damage from the fire.

The Red Cross has established a shelter at the Pullman Senior Center for residents displaced by the fire. The organization is providing temporary housing assistance while displaced residents search for permanent housing solutions.

The investigation into the fire remains ongoing as authorities work to finalize charges against Regan and complete the extradition process from Idaho back to Washington state.

No information about Regan’s possible motive has been released.

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‘I was just having fun’: Deputies warn of dangers after biker cited for speeding 120 mph

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2025

By Sadie Buggle

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    CUSTER COUNTY, Colorado (KRDO) — The Custer County Sheriff’s Office is reminding drivers about the dangers of speeding after deputies caught a motorcyclist speeding 120 miles an hour on Highway 96.

According to CCSO, on the afternoon of Oct. 5, deputies witnessed a sport motorcycle traveling at a “dangerously high rate of speed” – estimated at 120 miles per hour – on Highway 96 near Bear Basin.

The sheriff’s office said that as the motorcycle approached Silver Cliff, the radar recorded the biker going 98 miles per hour.

Deputies stopped the rider, identified as 20-year-old Ezra Trujillo, as he entered Silver Cliff, CCSO said.

During the stop, deputies determined that Trujillo didn’t possess the required motorcycle endorsement on his driver’s license to be riding the bike, nor did the motorcycle have the required registration.

CCSO said when deputies asked Trujillo why he was speeding, he said, “I was just having fun.”

The sheriff’s office said the incident is a good reminder to all motorcyclists that excessive speed and failing to comply with licensing and registration laws put everyone at risk.

“The safety of our community remains our top priority, and we appreciate the vigilance of our Deputies in protecting our roadways,” CCSO said.

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Southeast Michigan residents asked to be on the lookout for signs of spongy moths

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2025

By Paula Wethington

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    MICHIGAN (WWJ) — Southeast Michigan residents are asked to be on the lookout for spongy moth egg masses on tree trunks, fences and outdoor surfaces.

The Macomb County office of Michigan State University Extension gave that request on Tuesday, saying that detection and elimination of the egg masses in the fall can help protect trees, parks and neighborhoods from an outbreak of caterpillars and moths the following year. The spongy moth egg masses can survive through a Michigan winter and the eggs hatch in the spring. The caterpillars then feed on tree leaves.

An infestation can leave the affected trees vulnerable to drought and other diseases, the extension service said.

The egg masses will appear as fuzzy, yellow-brown clumps about an inch or two long. Once a sighting is reported to MSU Extension, trained surveyors will inspect the site to determine whether suppression treatments will be needed at that location.

Officials ask that anyone who spots signs of the moths in Macomb County call the local spongy moth hotline.

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Woman rescues ten malnourished alpacas, seeks community support

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2025

By Stella Girkins

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    ELBERT, Colorado (KRDO) — An Elbert woman is asking for the community’s help after rescuing a small herd of alpacas in need of urgent care.

Betzy VanTilborg, also known as Fidgety Farm Girl online, says she rescued ten alpacas after their previous owners decided to give them up due to personal health issues. When she arrived to pick them up, she saw they were all underweight – including two nursing mothers and their babies who needed immediate attention.

“The nursing mamas are very emaciated, and completely just skin and bones from having to nurse their babies, and their 3-4 month old babies are the size of most newborn alpacas,” says VanTilborg.

VanTilborg now has five new female alpacas at her farm, while a friend of hers stepped up and offered to take all of the males. She says the animals will need vet care, high-quality hay, supplements, and minerals to regain a healthy weight and prepare for the upcoming Colorado winter.

She’s now launched a fundraising campaign to help cover the costs of veterinary visits, food, and other supplies.

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Fort Worth Zoo names baby elephant after Texas flower: Meet Lady Bird

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2025

By Julia Falcon

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    TEXAS (KTVT) — The newest baby at the Fort Worth Zoo officially has a name.

After opening up voting to the public, the female Asian elephant calf was named Lady Bird.

The zoo said over 18,000 people voted between three possible names. The other two choices were Yellow Rose and Black-eyed Susan, each representing the Texas-flower theme.

The baby’s new name is an ode to Lady Bird Johnson, the former first lady from Texas who was known for her love of nature and wildflowers.

The zoo said Lady Bird now weighs 320 pounds and has been showing signs of confidence and curiosity. She will venture off on her own but never out of sight of her mom, the zoo said.

Lady Bird was born on Aug. 18. Her mother is 26-year-old Bluebonnet, who was the first elephant calf born in the zoo’s history. Her father is named Romeo, and she is a full sibling to brother Brazos, who is almost 4.

Lady Bird and her family are on-habitat in the zoo’s Elephant Springs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every day, weather permitting, according to the zoo.

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Woman charged with trying to kill partner with poison wine during bitter custody battle

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2025

By Tony Aiello

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    RIDGEFIELD, Connecticut (WCBS) — A Connecticut woman accused of trying to fatally poison her romantic partner is being held on $1 million bail.

State police arrested Kristen Hogan and charged her with attempted murder for allegedly mixing ethylene glycol, an ingredient found in antifreeze, into wine the victim drank and making him desperately ill at their home in Ridgefield.

Court records show Hogan, 33, and the victim, 34, were at the time in a bitter custody battle involving their 2-year-old child.

“I’d like to say in all my years as a prosecutor that I’ve seen everything. But this is one of those, it’s like, I thought I saw everything but I really didn’t,” said Richard Colangelo, a former prosecutor and current associate professor at the University of New Haven, who reviewed the arrest warrant.

Investigators believe Hogan applied for a court hearing in August and, when her ex was at the Danbury courthouse, she allegedly went to the home they own together and slipped the chemical into a bottle of wine in the refrigerator.

Two days later, the victim drank the wine and within hours was at Danbury hospital, where doctors eventually put him on dialysis for glycol poisoning.

Lab results confirmed the poisoning on Sept. 30 and police accessed records for Hogan’s smartphone.

“There were searches for different chemicals. How much of a certain type of chemical could kill you,” Colangelo said. “You could kind of see the mindset and the planning that was going on.”

Hogan eventually admitted to putting the poison in the wine bottle, claiming she “just wanted to make him sick,” according to police.

She is due back in court on October 9.

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$18.5 million settlement proposed for man who spent 34 years in prison for wrongful murder conviction

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2025

By Todd Feurer

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — Chicago aldermen will soon be asked to approve an $18.5 million settlement with a man who wrongfully spent 34 years in prison before he was cleared of murder charges, claiming he was framed by Chicago police detectives.

The City Council Finance Committee on Thursday will vote on the settlement that city attorneys have recommended for Francisco Benitez, who filed a federal lawsuit against the city in 2023, accusing former detectives Jerome Bogucki and Raymond Schalk of framing him for murder. Bogucki and Schalk are no longer on the force.

Benitez was 18 years old when he was arrested in 1989, and charged with the murders of two teenagers, Willaim Sanchez and Prudencio Cruz.

Benitez has accused Bogucki and Schalk of coercing witnesses into falsely implicating Benitez in the murders. The lawsuit claims those witnesses “got only a fleeting glimpse of a person running by their window after the shooting.”

“In fact, the person that ran by their window was not the perpetrator, but one of the victims stumbling back home after being shot,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit also claims Benitez was coerced into a false confession that was later used against him at trial.

Bogucki and Schalk obtained that confession “through a psychologically abusive interrogation in which they repeatedly rejected Plaintiff’s denials and his alibi, threatened him, and eventually promised him that if he signed a statement confessing to a version of events they provided to him, he could go home to his family,” according to the lawsuit.

“The confession statement was obviously false. It was a bizarre, rambling story that did not comport with the known facts of the crime,” the lawsuit states. “Defendants’ promise that Plaintiff would be released if he signed the statement was also false. Instead, they charged Plaintiff with murder.”

In August of 2023, Benitez was released from custody when a judge tossed his murder conviction, after he presented substantial evidence proving his innocence. Two eyewitnesses now say they saw who actually committed the murders, and it wasn’t Benitez.

Benitez’s attorney, Anand Swaminathan, said those witnesses were afraid to come forward until recently because of what could happen to them.

“Those boys came forward now, and told the story of who committed this crime, and no witness ever identified Frankie Benitez as the shooter,” he said. “There is no witness who at trial ever said they had seen the shooting, or even saw a gun, who identified Frankie Benitez. So those two boys gave very powerful evidence demonstrating that, in fact, the real shooters are two other individuals, and that the evidence used against Frankie Benitez was all fabricated. It was fake, it was made up, and it was used to put a case on a young man, because they couldn’t figure out who had actually done it.”

In September 2023, Cook County prosecutors formally dropped the charges against Benitez.

“It feels great,” Benitez said after the hearing. “The state dropped the charges, and I’m done, free.”

If the $18.5 million settlement is approved by the Finance Committee, it would go to the full City Council for final approval on Oct. 16.

Benitez and his attorneys said Bogucki and Schalk have been accused of framing others.

“I’m not bitter. I just … this system needs to be fixed. It’s very, very broken,” he said after his exoneration in 2023. “There’s more guys like me going through this.”

In 2012, a federal jury awarded Thaddeus “T.J.” Jimenez $25 million in damages in a wrongful conviction lawsuit against Bogucki and Schalk according to court records. Jimenez was later convicted of shooting another gang member in 2015, after prosecutors said he used the $25 million award on his gang, the Simon City Royals, and to recruit members of another gang, the Vice Lords.

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Dominoes bring students together at high school, thanks to one officer’s initiative

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2025

By Chelsea Jones

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — Lunch at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School looks a little different these days. Instead of phones and earbuds, students are reaching for dominoes thanks to one Miami-Dade school resource officer.

Officer McIntosh Francois started the lunchtime dominoes club with just one table and one set of tiles. Today, it has become a daily gathering spot where students of all backgrounds connect over the game.

“It started a bunch of interactions,” junior Jessie Knafo said. “There’s a lot of races in this school, Latinos, Haitians, French like me, American people—and having all of that combined and being able to talk to each other is amazing.”

That’s exactly what Francois hoped for when he introduced the game. “I saw a need for students to have a better peer-to-peer interaction,” he said.

For Francois, a first-generation Haitian American, dominoes is about more than fun; it’s culture.

“In the Haitian community, dominoes is a staple when you’re having a family get-together or a party,” he explained. “Sometimes even at a wake after a funeral.”

Students say Francois has become more than a resource officer.

“He’s very funny! He’s a person you can tell anything to, really,” said Knafo. “If you have any problems, you can always go to him.”

Francois joined law enforcement after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy, determined to protect students and change how young people see police.

“This has helped me bridge the gap between policing and our community,” he said.

What started as a fun diversion is also having an impact in the classroom. Communications and technology teacher Ben Rosenthal said the project has boosted engagement and taught students teamwork and problem-solving skills.

Francois now hopes to expand the dominoes initiative to other high schools and eventually host a tournament.

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16-year-old girl shot during fight over Uber ride outside Waffle House, police say

CNN Newsource on October 7, 2025

By Dan Raby

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    DUNWOODY, Georgia (WUPA) — A teenager is recovering in the hospital, and an Uber driver is in custody after a fight over a ride outside a Waffle House ended in a shooting, police say.

Authorities with the Chamblee Police Department say the shooting happened around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday on the 4500 block of Chamblee Dunwoody Road.

According to investigators, the situation began when five teenage girls ordered an Uber to take them home from the restaurant.

When the driver got to the Waffle House, he reportedly told the group he couldn’t transport all of them because he only had room and seatbelts for four.

Police say the argument over who should cancel the ride escalated to the point where one of the girls “threatened to kill the driver and struck him in the face.” The driver then fired a shot, hitting the girl who struck him, police say.

Medics rushed the 16-year-old shooting victim to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She remains in critical condition but is expected to survive her injuries.

The driver, identified as 38-year-old Meredith Grundy, was arrested and taken to the DeKalb County Jail on charges of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during a felony.

Officials have not said whether the teen will face charges in connection with the incident.

The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities are asking anyone who has information about the shooting to email Det. Darryl Moses at darryl.moses@dunwoodyga.gov.

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