Category: CNN Regional

By WTMJ Web Staff

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    MILWAUKEE (WTMJ) — Six children ranging in age from 2 months to 9 years were found locked inside a storage unit on Milwaukee’s north side early Tuesday morning, leading to the arrest of two adults.

Milwaukee police responded to the storage facility at 27th Street and Silver Spring Drive at 1:36 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept 16, after receiving a report of children being locked in a unit.

There, officers discovered the children — ages 2 months, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9 — inside the unit, according to police.

A 26-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man were taken into custody in connection with the incident. Police said all of the children were unharmed.

A neighbor who did not want to appear on camera told TMJ4’s Jenna Rae that she had seen what appeared to be a family with children walking in and around the storage unit since the summer. The neighbor said she observed the group leaving every morning and returning at night.

“I’m confused, like, you don’t see kids in here ever, so how is that possible?” said Donnie Earl, who keeps his RV at the storage facility.

Earl questioned how the situation could have occurred given the presence of security cameras at the facility.

“I’m confused. How is that possible with the cameras here? Wouldn’t they have noticed that?” Earl said.

Rae has reached out to Stor Safe to ask who monitors the site and its cameras, and how this happened, as the investigation into the incident continues.

Charges will be reviewed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.

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By Hannah Hilyard

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    PORT WASHINGTON, Wisconsin (WISN) — It’s a freeway murder mystery.

Ozaukee County investigators said someone shot and killed Joshua Terry, of Cedarburg, on Interstate 43 five years ago. Now, for the first time, his widow is speaking publicly in hopes of garnering more leads in the unsolved case.

“Josh worked from home, so the way he relaxed at night was to take rides,” Renee Terry said.

That’s what he was doing the evening of Oct. 30, 2020, but as time ticked away, Renee knew something was wrong.

“He’d usually be gone for an hour, hour and a half, and it was, you know, two and a half hours,” she said. “I just felt like it was taking way too long.”

While on his nightly ride, investigators believe Joshua Terry and another driver may have gotten in a minor crash. As Terry pulled over in the northbound lanes and got out of his car, someone shot and killed him around 6:40 p.m. Investigators said the other driver took off from the scene.

“The first couple of weeks, I, honestly, think I was in shock. And it was going through the movements because all of a sudden, you’re planning a funeral for someone who is 41,” Renee Terry said.

Five years later, the shooter remains at large. Renee Terry expressed her determination to find justice, stating, “I don’t feel like I have hate in my heart. I want this person caught. I will not stop, and as hard as it is to talk about, I will keep having my husband’s back.”

On Monday, Renee Terry sat with investigators as they brought the case back into the public eye. They said the interstate was dark and heavily traveled at the time of Joshua Terry’s death, making it tough to find eyewitnesses. It’s a case they return to often, as investigators look for a connection with any firearms case that comes across their desks.

The sheriff emphasized the need for information, saying, “This could have happened to anyone, and it happened to Renee Terry sitting beside me, and we just need answers.”

With a $15,000 reward for answers, Renee Terry wants justice for her beloved husband.

“I believe in heaven and hell, and even if you’re not caught in this lifetime, you know, you will have to answer for this,” she responded when asked what message she had for the shooter.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office. To do that, call 262-284-7172, email ozaukeecountysheriff@co.ozaukee.wi.us, or text “OZSO” to 847411. The sheriff’s office says tips can remain anonymous.

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By Nick Bohr

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    HARTLAND, Wisconsin (WISN) — A Milwaukee man is accused of stealing a comic book collection worth more than $10,000 from a Hartland storage unit, including a rare X-Men issue valued at $9,000.

Even in the age of e-readers and digital books, paper comic books haven’t lost their allure. Mitchell George at The Turning Page comic book store in Milwaukee said Monday he can only imagine the shock a Hartland man is feeling after his comic book collection was stolen from his storage unit in Hartland, including the first issue of X-Men, No. 1, from 1963, valued at $9,000.

“Yeah, that’s a big one,” George said, noting the special place X-Men hold in the hearts of many comic book collectors.

“The X-Men was one of the first comics to touch on, like, social issues a little bit, all the X-Men, they get their powers being born different,” George said. “A lot of the older stuff like the original X-Men and stuff, that was the first appearance of those characters, people really didn’t take care of them because they didn’t know they were going to be valuable or anything in the ’60s and ’70s, so a lot of them were destroyed, lost to time, so now all those books end up being a hundred to a thousand, to many thousands of dollars.”

The victim in the Hartland case called police when he realized 20 of his valuable X-Men comics and the first five issues of Firestorm were missing after he retrieved his collection from FreeUp Storage on Highway 83.

According to the criminal complaint, he was able to identify them in listings on Facebook and eBay, which led to the storage unit manager, 32-year-old Justin Hefter Wieloch.

According to the criminal complaint filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court, when confronted by police, Wieloch said, “Burglary? Burglary? I didn’t burglar anything!”

The complaint maintains he went on to say, “Don’t you have to break in for it to be a burglary? Like, that unit was open!”

He’s now facing felony burglary and theft charges.

According to the complaint, detectives found many of the missing comics at Wieloch’s Milwaukee home — but not the crown jewel, X-Men No. 1, which had already been sold.

Due to the high value of the stolen comic books, he could face more than 20 years in prison if convicted.

When reached by WISN 12 News Monday, FreeUp Storage’s director of operations, Randy Trapanick, released a statement reading in part, “When we were alerted to the accusations against and arrest of Mr. Weiloch over a year ago, he was terminated as a FreeUp Storage employee effective immediately. Our team cooperated with local law enforcement. We cannot provide further comment on this ongoing investigation.”

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By Sarah Klinger

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — Logan Pedrosa, a 15-year-old charged as an adult, faced a judge Monday in the shooting death of an Army recruit.

The incident occurred on July 26 near 120th and Military Road, where prosecutors say Sirr Bonner, 22, was shot and killed during a confrontation.

Omaha police homicide Det. Cortes Clark testified that Pedrosa fled the scene and attempted to hide evidence by dismantling his weapon, allegedly discarding parts but keeping the slide to make a replacement.

Clark said police have gathered evidence, including witness descriptions of Pedrosa’s clothing and video footage from two security cameras showing someone in those clothes committing the crime.

“They get very, very close to each other, and then you see a party lift his hand, lift his arm, and then you see a muzzle flash as he lifts his arm. And then you see Sirr Bonner drop,” Clark said.

Clark also testified that Pedrosa admitted to pulling the gun and raising his hand, but claimed he doesn’t remember anything after that.

For now, Pedrosa will be held without bond until his next hearing in district court.

Two others are charged with accessory to a felony: 20-year-old Mio Miguel Raul Miranda, who is set to stand trial, and Mercy Mendoza-Gutierrez, who is accused of serving as a getaway driver.

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By Daisy Kershaw

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    CINCINNATI (WLWT) — New footage has been released in the aftermath of three students being shot and killed in Mt. Washington.

Body camera footage shows the interaction between Hamilton County sheriff’s deputies and the suspected shooter, Samuel Ericksen, weeks before the deadly shooting.

Deputies paid him a visit after one of those victims, Eden Adugna, called 911, describing troubling text messages Ericksen sent to her, wanting to get him professional help.

Police believe Ericksen had a romantic interest in one of the victims.

He died after police say he shot all three victims and then himself.

That 911 call prompted Hamilton County deputies to respond to Ericksen’s home for a wellness check in Anderson Township.

The interaction took place on Aug. 8 and on Aug. 31, 23 days later, police say Ericksen killed sisters Eden and Feven Adugna and their friend Bemnet Deresse.

The interaction deputies had with him was calm but also chilling, with what happened weeks later.

Deputies asked Ericksen’s mom about his mental health, talking to her about the content of the messages.

Ericksen eventually arrived home, where he was met with deputies who had a roughly hour-long conversation with him while waiting for the Mobile Crisis Team to come assess him.

In that time, he admitted to having a gun in his bedroom that he bought. His parents were seen in the footage taking the gun away from him.

We also reviewed the footage of the Mobile Crisis team counselor who runs Ericksen through questions. He told them he was not suicidal or homicidal.

We’re told deputies did not take any guns.

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By Laura Terrell

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    INDIANOLA, Iowa (KCCI) — For more than a decade, Daniel Defenbaugh spent his days protecting others as an Indianola police officer. What people did not know was that he could hardly protect himself.

“I was addicted to hydrocodone pills. I am addicted to alcohol. I don’t feel worthy to be a dad. I don’t feel worthy to be a husband. I don’t feel worthy to be a first responder,” said Defenbaugh.

Defenbaugh says he developed post-traumatic stress disorder from the things he saw and experienced as an officer.

“I would feel my emotions, and one of the first things I would try to do is numb them,” said Defenbaugh. “I got to a point in 2020, my life had gotten so much a mess that I decided it was time to end my life.”

Defenbaugh says he went to Lake Ahquabi with a plan to end his life, but an emotional prayer pleading to God changed everything.

“I wanted to end it. It was because of Jesus I am still here today. So when I get up out of bed every day, I get to hop out of bed with hope and joy. I didn’t used to do that,” said Defenbaugh.

Now medically retired from his law enforcement career, Defenbaugh has created a faith-based nonprofit called 10-42 Project. The term 10-42 in law enforcement means off duty or the end of a shift.

“When I get on the radio and say 10-42, that’s the time all the emotions would come flooding back,” said Defenbaugh.

The 10-42 Project is a confidential peer support group for first responders and their families. So far, the organization has helped 75 first responders across the state. Many have called Defenbaugh while they are in crisis.

“My story is not unique. I am just talking about it. I went through all that. We have first responders all throughout central Iowa that are going through that every day,” said Defenbaugh.

Jake Belay is a former police officer who worked for the Iowa City Police Department and then the West Des Moines Police Department. He credits the 10-42 Project for saving his life.

“By the time I met Dan, I had been really struggling about what to do about PTSD for a period of about a year and a half to two years,” said Belay. “I was very adamantly opposed to entertaining any type of faith-based remedy or giving anything to God for help. What I found is that’s not the only piece, but it’s a very large, big piece — a very important piece.”

Belay says the 10-42 Project, in addition to therapy, has helped him heal so he can be the husband and father he wants to be.

“If you’re a first responder and you’re not OK, you’re not alone. A lot of first responders are not OK. You cannot figure it out alone. You need a team of people around you. You need people who understand because they’ve been through it,” said Belay.

Defenbaugh says the 10-42 Project works because it’s a relational support group. Praying together, going fishing and getting out in nature are activities Defenbaugh uses to bring people together. He says the power of just showing up can save lives.

“I think the organization works the way it does because we are all equals. There is no rank, there is no file, and there is no stigma of ‘I am walking into a therapist’s office, who is going to see me?'” said former EMT Sam Hoper.

Defenbaugh wants first responders in Iowa to know there is help available. He and his wife, Christina, record a podcast to share the organization’s message.

“Our organization is come as you are. I don’t care if you’re broken. If you’re an alcoholic, I don’t care. Come as you are. There is no guilt and no shame in our organization because we understand that things can get messy. We are all humans. These uniforms mean nothing from protecting us from trauma,” said Defenbaugh.

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By Michaela Springer

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    MERRILLVILLE, Indiana (WISH) — A Merrillville woman faces battery charges after police say she stabbed a hair stylist twice after learning her daughter’s hair appointment had been canceled.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Merrillville Police Department officers just before 5 p.m. Thursday responded to a battery incident at a hair salon in the 5400 block of Broadway.

There, they spoke with three stylists, one of which said she had been stabbed by a client, 36-year-old Takary Sims, during an argument over a canceled appointment and $20 deposit.

Stylist canceled after Sims ran late In conversations with detectives, the victim said Sims had reached out to her over Facebook to schedule an appointment to get her daughter’s hair braided. She said she had never met Sims before the booking.

On the day of the appointment, Sims reached out through text asking for the address to the salon, and the stylist said she instructed Sims to look at the booking email. Sims reportedly replied with a threat, telling the stylist “(expletive) don’t play with me.”

The victim says Sims was late to the appointment, prompting her to cancel. After messaging about the cancellation, the victim said Sims responded with additional threats.

Then, Sims showed up at the salon with her daughter in tow. A verbal argument broke out between Sims and stylist, which then turned into a fight. Other employees quickly intervened.

At some point, Sims reached into her purse and pulled out a knife, stabbing the stylist in the left forearm twice.

Sims and her daughter then fled the scene. Another stylist later mentioned to police she feared Sims had a gun, and called out for her to stop when she reached into her bag.

The victim later told detectives Sims threatened to come back and shoot up the salon.

Sims claims stabbing was in self-defense Almost twenty minutes after the hair salon stabbing, Sims actually called 911, reporting that she “stabbed a girl up” in self-defense after the stylist “ran up on her” and started punching her in the back of the head.

Police say when speaking with investigators, Sims confirmed that she scheduled an appointment with the stylist who get her daughter’s hair braided. When she reached out trying to get more information, Sims says her attempts garnered “negative results.”

Sims added that she had already paid a $20 deposit for the appointment, but couldn’t get the stylist to confirm where her salon was.

She eventually found the shop online, but when she and her daughter arrived, she learned the stylist actually worked at a different location a few blocks away. Only then did the hair stylist text Sims the address, advising Sims that she was late.

Sims told police she became angry knowing she was going to lose her deposit, so she went to the second location to try and get her money back. After learning the deposit was nonrefundable, the women began to fight.

Sims claimed as she was walking away, it was the hair stylist who threw the first punch. Not wanting to fight in front of her daughter, Sims told detectives she pulled a knife from her bag to defend her and her daughter. After stabbing the stylist, she says she “picked up her child and left the scene.”

When asked about the other threats, the affidavit says Sims did threaten to shoot her, but she doesn’t own a firearm. “She was just angry,” Sims said.

Brawl caught on CCTV cameras During the investigation, detectives reviewed the salon’s CCTV footage, which caught Sims and her daughter entering the salon. Sims and stylist’s argument can be heard, but not seen.

Eventually, Sims exits the stylist’s private booth and enters the hallway, dragging her daughter behind. The cameras hear Sims threaten to hurt the stylist.

The stylist follows behind Sims, saying, “Do it right now, (expletive).”

Sims turns, and the women are seen hitting each other in the face. Another stylist appears, pulling Sims’ daughter out of the way of danger and trying to intervene. The second stylist then restrains the first to stop her, and Sims is seen reaching into her bag for her knife.

The second stylist is heard yelling, “No, no, no!” Sims then slashes at the stylist, striking her twice.

When she stops swinging the knife, she gathers the things that fell out of her bag, then calmly tells her daughter, “Come on, baby.” The pair then walk out of the salon.

—

It was unclear if Sims sustained any injuries; police wrote in the affidavit that the hair stylist received stitches for the two cuts on her arm.

Sims was booked into the Lake County jail Thursday evening and released Saturday after posting bond.

Court records show she faces charges of battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery resulting in serious bodily injury, and two counts of intimidation.

She’s due in court for a hearing Sept. 24.

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