‘Shocking’: Family of murdered pharmacy student seeking answers

CNN Newsource on November 7, 2025

By Kendall Keys

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    MEQUON, Wis. (WISN) — A Concordia University School of Pharmacy student was murdered Tuesday.

According to Milwaukee police, someone shot and killed a 26-year-old woman near 39th Street and Lancaster Avenue just before 10 p.m. Tuesday. Family identified the woman killed as Ariel Spillner. Police said a 31-year-old woman was also shot. She survived, and is who police say is their suspect in Ariel’s death.

Ariel’s family, from the Madison area and Iowa County, came to Mequon on Thursday, meeting with her fellow students, professors and friends at the Concordia University School of Pharmacy.

Courtney Spillner, Ariel’s older sister, said she had one year of classes left in pharmacy school.

“She wanted to be a pharmacist so bad. She was so excited. When she graduated, she wanted to move to Florida and be a pharmacist there,” Spillner said.

“Why did she want to be a pharmacist?” WISN 12 News reporter Kendall Keys asked.

“She wants to help people. She loves helping others. She would give you the clothes off her back if you needed it,” Spillner said.

Spillner said she talked to Ariel on the phone Tuesday night.

“I had talked to her at 8 that evening and everything was fine. She was her goofy self, laughing, smiling, joking around. And just a few hours after that is when she had passed,” Spillner said. “It’s just shocking. It’s hard to wrap my head around not having my sister.”

“Do you remember the last thing you guys said to each other?” Keys asked.

“We told each other we loved each other when we hung up the phone. We always say it. This time, it’s just a little more special,” Spillner said.

Police said a 31-year-old woman was also shot. She survived and it’s who police arrested in connection to Ariel’s death. Spillner said the two were friends.

“She was friends with her,” Spillner said. “It was her birthday, I guess. And she probably just went over there to celebrate. She had a big exam on Friday, so I don’t anticipate that she would have stayed out too long. But yeah, just to be there for her friend, celebrate their birthday.”

Those closest to Ariel said they’re still trying to piece together what happened at the house on 39th Street.

“She’s an incredible person who was taken way too soon. She had so much more life left to live, so much more to give to her community, to the people she loved. It’s heartbreaking that we don’t get to see her life play out as it should have,” Spillner said.

“It’s heartbreaking. If there’s anyone that deserve to live out their dream, it’s Ariel,” Liz Bruchs said.

Bruchs said she and Ariel were close friends for years, even playing college basketball together at Lake Superior State and Clark University. Ariel also had her third-degree black belt in karate.

“She loved the beach, and she always wanted to go there. She went and visited one of our friends there quite a few times, and just absolutely fell in love with Florida and always talked about when she saved enough money up, she would go there,” Bruchs said. “She really deserved to get to that point.”

Bruchs organized a Gofundme to help the family pay for funeral expenses.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office said they are reviewing the case and expects a charging decision in the coming days. Milwaukee police did not have an update on the 31-year-old woman’s condition. Police said they are not seeking additional suspects.

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Fort Smith neurosurgeon arrested, facing aggravated assault charges involving a firearm

CNN Newsource on November 7, 2025

By Brett Rains

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    FORT SMITH, Ark. (KHBS, KHOG) — Dr. Timothy Maryanov, a Fort Smith neurosurgeon who, according to his independent practice website, specializes in pain management, was arrested Monday night on two felony counts of aggravated assault on a family or household member involving a firearm, according to police and court records.

During a preliminary court hearing Thursday, Maryanov pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released from the Sebastian County Detention Center that afternoon on a $5,000 bond. He is scheduled to return to court in January.

According to police reports, two people inside a residence told officers that after a physical and verbal altercation, Maryanov pointed a gun at himself and then at them. One person told police that Maryanov was on new medication and woke up angry, and an officer reported that he smelled of alcohol. Police recovered a loaded 9mm handgun from inside the home, the report stated.

Online state records indicate Maryanov’s medical license remains valid. 40/29 News has reached out to the Arkansas Medical Board and the Department of Health to ask whether they are aware of the arrest; as of Thursday night, neither agency had responded. Maryanov has not responded to calls or text messages seeking comment.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

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Independence third graders praised for spotting house fire, helping save dog

CNN Newsource on November 7, 2025

By Brian Johnson

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    INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KMBC) — Third graders at Thomas Hart Benton Elementary School are being recognized for quick thinking that helped save a dog trapped inside a burning home near their school.

Last Thursday, during reading class, students noticed something unusual outside their window.

“I look out the window and I see the house is on fire,” said third grader Shaelynn.

Her classmate Emmett quickly alerted their teacher. “And I decided to report it to Mrs. Hudson,” he said.

Their teacher, Addison Hudson, immediately called 911.

“There was smoke coming out everywhere,” she said. “Actually, as they were showing me, the front window blew. So, I picked up my phone. I called 911.”

Firefighters from Independence Fire Department Station Four rushed to the scene and rescued a dog from inside the home, giving the pet oxygen to revive it.

“The dog was kind of lethargic at first,” Hudson said. “And then towards the end he was wagging his tail and super happy. So it was a really cool moment for my kiddos.”

Thankfully, no one was home at the time of the fire. The students watched from their classroom as firefighters worked to control the blaze and save the pet.

“Happy. And after that they feed it peanut butter,” Emmett said with a smile.

Independence firefighters later visited the school to thank the students and teach them about fire safety, showing off their gear and encouraging kids not to fear approaching firefighters in an emergency.

“This is truly about humanity, right?” said Principal Montel Evans. “What it means to step up and do something to help out your fellow neighbor.”

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New Orleans family awarded $50,000 after coroner’s office failed to identify loved one in timely manner

CNN Newsource on November 7, 2025

By Erin Lowrey

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    NEW ORLEANS (WDSU) — An appellate court has quintupled damages awarded to a New Orleans family who accused the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office of not identifying their loved one in a timely manner.

WDSU Investigates reported on the death of Benjamin Pfantz back in May.

Pfantz’s parents alleged in a lawsuit that although his body was sent to the morgue, staff denied that his body was there.

For eight months, his parents searched. After a call from his mother, it was revealed by an employee that they did have his body.

WDSU learned Pfantz had been cremated without the family’s knowledge.

In the Pfantz case, Judge Kern Reese noted that NOPD “obtained fingerprints and provided the coroner with Benjamin’s date of birth, state ID number, but misspelled his last name, Pfantz, as Peantz.”

He found the coroner’s failure to conduct a further investigation to identify Benjamin as “reckless and outrageous misconduct.”

The appellate court upheld this ruling following an appeal, and quintupled the damages awarded to the family to $50,000, according to court records.

In May, Orleans Parish Coroner Dwight McKenna said his office was provided the wrong name by police, resulting in the delay of Pfantz being identified.

“When you look at the facts of this case, that we started with a bad name, the police department gave us incorrect information,” McKenna said. “He disparaged me personally and the people in my office. We are appealing his decision. I disagree with everything he said. I don’t know what his motives were, what we were provided in that case, with a bad name to start with. He’s not God, he’s not the pope, he’s not infallible. That opinion was a disgrace.”

The judgment said despite McKenna’s office blaming the New Orleans Police Department, his office “acted with callous indifferences” to the Pfantzes, denying them closure.

“The Coroner’s Office failed to take reasonable measures to correctly identify him and notify his next of kin. For these reasons, we amend the general damage award to each of the Pfantzes to $25,000.00, for a total award of $50,000.00,” the court records read.

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Oklahoma family seeks help to recover stolen sign from ‘Rain Man’ film location

CNN Newsource on November 7, 2025

By Jason Burger

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    COGAR, Okla. (KOCO) — A family in Cogar is asking for help to find a stolen vintage sign from a historic service station that was featured in the 1988 movie “Rain Man.”

Cheryl Lockstone, the niece of the property owner, shared memories of the filming.

“They stopped the traffic going down the highway. And my grandparents sat across the street and watched the filming from the movie there,” Lockstone said.

Cheryl’s grandparents bought the gas station and general store in 1958, and several family members worked there for decades. She even grew up in the house behind the building for a few years.

The station closed in the late 1980s, but it remains a significant landmark due to its appearance in “Rain Man.” Dustin Hoffman once described the local people as “the loveliest people you could ever hope for.”

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Cheryl is now asking for help after the iconic “APCO” sign that stood tall on the property was stolen.

“It’s a big gaping hole where that sign is missing right now, and that is the first thing people noticed, is what happened to the sign, and why is it gone,” she said.

Cheryl believes the theft was deliberate, noting that the sign was removed from its frame and the bolts were undone.

“They have reached out and said, there’s no way the wind could have blown that out, you needed a lift, or ladder, some bolt cutters — you had to know what you were doing, and it’s very heavy,” she said.

The sign, considered a collector’s item, went missing around Oct. 26 or 27. Cheryl hopes someone might have seen or recorded something that could help recover it.

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“If they have dash cameras or if anyone around here has security cameras that might see the sign in the back or a truck, or a travel trailer,” she said.

Cheryl spoke of the importance of the sign to her family and the community.

“I don’t want them to collect our property thinking it’s abandoned or derelict, or unloved or unused, because it does mean something to our family and the community here in Cogar,” Lockstone said.

As of Thursday night, the sign has not been found.

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Families say tax bills should reflect their neighborhood’s ‘terrible’ condition

CNN Newsource on November 7, 2025

By Chad Mills

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    CITRUS COUNTY, Florida (WFTS) — Inverness Village 4 in Citrus County was supposed to be a fresh start for families. But years after buying homes in the relatively new subdivision, residents say they are still dealing with crumbling, unpaved roads and no drainage system. Now, some are asking the county to adjust their property taxes until the problems are fixed.

Thursday, seven homeowners appeared before a special magistrate at Citrus County’s Value Adjustment Board to challenge their property tax bills.

Some argued their assessments should be reduced by $109,000, the amount county officials once estimated it would take each homeowner to pay to fix the neighborhood’s failing roads.

Others asked for a full exemption until the roads are repaired.

“If not tax exemption, then reduce the property tax by $109,000,” said homeowner Josie Rivera. “We don’t feel we should pay taxes until this is resolved.”

The Citrus County Property Appraiser’s Office acknowledged the poor conditions but pushed back and noted that homes in the subdivision are still selling. Six properties in 2025 alone have sold for an average of nearly $248,000.

Nevertheless, reps from the Property Appraiser’s Office said they applied a 15% downward “external obsolescence” adjustment to account for the neighborhood’s challenges.

“We’re not arguing the fact that the roads are terrible. And the developer and the county has probably dropped the ball on those folks, and we’re as sorry for that as we can possibly be,” said Herb Mack of the Property Appraiser’s Office.

“We’re just doing the job that the state demands of us,” he continued.

For homeowners like Rick and Jessica Biddlecom, the adjustment does not go far enough.

“It hurts so much, you know,” Jessica said. “Our dream turned into a nightmare.”

The special magistrate will review testimony and evidence before issuing a recommendation at a later date.

Until then, residents were encouraged to pay their taxes during November, during the discount period, with any potential relief applied as a credit or refund later.

The hearings are the latest chapter in a years-long struggle over who is responsible for fixing the neighborhood and who should pay for the repairs. Homeowners have been stuck in a stalemate between the Citrus County Government and those who constructed the subdivision.

Over the years, portions of the subdivision’s sandy streets have become nearly impassable.

There have been multiple instances during which delivery trucks, work vehicles and even emergency vehicles became stuck on the sandy roads.

In one case last February, a Citrus County Fire Rescue truck got stuck while leaving a medical call in the neighborhood. While the fire department has four-wheel drive vehicles, the incident highlighted the safety risks for residents who lack similar vehicles.

Homeowners have said they were misled when they purchased property in the subdivision. They believed paved roads and drainage would be installed as part of the development.

In July, the Southwest Florida Water Management District filed a lawsuit against Citrus County and parties connected to the development. The agency claims homes were built without required environmental permits designed to prevent flooding, erosion and other hazards. The lawsuit seeks compliance rather than punishment, emphasizing that the neighborhood must have a functioning drainage system for the health and safety of the public.

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Meet Splash, the otter helping deputies find human remains and solve underwater mysteries

CNN on November 7, 2025


WFOR

By Sergio Candido

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    MARTIN COUNTY, Florida (WFOR) — A Florida sheriff’s office is diving into a new kind of innovation — literally. Meet Splash, a 2-year-old otter trained to assist the Martin County Sheriff’s Office in search and rescue missions by detecting human remains underwater.

Traditionally, K-9 units lead investigators to the water’s edge in missing persons cases. But now, the sheriff’s office is taking that next step into the water with Splash, believed to be the first otter in the U.S. trained for recovery missions.

Authorities said Splash uses a unique technique to locate human scent underwater: he releases air bubbles that capture and carry scents to the surface, allowing him to pinpoint areas of interest for divers and investigators.

Law enforcement officers from across Florida watched Splash in action during a recent demonstration, where the otter showed off its remarkable skills. Officials said Splash has already been deployed on more than 20 missions, helping locate four bodies so far.

“We see a lot of innovative technology, but this is really going back to basics: using an animal to do what it does best,” Sheriff John Budensiek said. “He works in his natural environment and detects things that don’t belong there.”

The sheriff’s office said Splash represents a new kind of partnership between humans and animals in public safety, one that blends instinct, training, and trust. And while artificial intelligence continues to expand in policing, Splash proves that sometimes, nature still has the upper hand.

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Meet Splash, the otter helping deputies find human remains and solve underwater mysteries

CNN Newsource on November 7, 2025

By Sergio Candido

Click here for updates on this story

    MARTIN COUNTY, Florida (WFOR) — A Florida sheriff’s office is diving into a new kind of innovation — literally. Meet Splash, a 2-year-old otter trained to assist the Martin County Sheriff’s Office in search and rescue missions by detecting human remains underwater.

Traditionally, K-9 units lead investigators to the water’s edge in missing persons cases. But now, the sheriff’s office is taking that next step into the water with Splash, believed to be the first otter in the U.S. trained for recovery missions.

Authorities said Splash uses a unique technique to locate human scent underwater: he releases air bubbles that capture and carry scents to the surface, allowing him to pinpoint areas of interest for divers and investigators.

Law enforcement officers from across Florida watched Splash in action during a recent demonstration, where the otter showed off its remarkable skills. Officials said Splash has already been deployed on more than 20 missions, helping locate four bodies so far.

“We see a lot of innovative technology, but this is really going back to basics: using an animal to do what it does best,” Sheriff John Budensiek said. “He works in his natural environment and detects things that don’t belong there.”

The sheriff’s office said Splash represents a new kind of partnership between humans and animals in public safety, one that blends instinct, training, and trust. And while artificial intelligence continues to expand in policing, Splash proves that sometimes, nature still has the upper hand.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.

Uber passenger accused of choking female driver with wire and stealing her car

CNN Newsource on November 7, 2025

By Penny Kmitt

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — A man accused of choking his female Uber driver with a wire and stealing her car in Boston was ordered held without bail Friday.

Christopher Dawkins, 24, of Dorchester, was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on several charges, including carjacking, strangulation, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and larceny of a motor vehicle. He hid behind a wall during the hearing as he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Boston Police said the Uber driver picked up Dawkins in Cambridge Thursday evening and, a short time later, just after 6:30 p.m., he attacked her when she stopped the car at the intersection of Massachusetts and Columbus avenues in the South End.

“She said that he pulled a wire around her neck and stole her car. She came out screaming and yelling and called the police,” said witness Stergios Sanxaridis, who was working at nearby New York Pizza at that moment. He told WBZ-TV that the woman ran into the shop begging them to call 911 for her.

The driver was taken to the hospital, but she did not appear to be seriously hurt.

“It seemed like she had a mark on her neck,” Sanxaridis said. “It’s very traumatizing.”

Police said the driver’s phone was still in her car, so they were able to track it to Stanwood Street and Blue Hill Avenue. Officers stopped the car and arrested Dawkins. He is due back in court November 13. The Uber driver was granted a restraining order against Dawkins.

Uber says it has banned Dawkins’s account.

“What this driver experienced is terrifying,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. “We’ve been in contact with the driver to check on their wellbeing and are thankful to law enforcement for their quick action. We are standing by to assist however we can in their investigation.”

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‘Such a need for it’: Moore mother sets up ‘little food pantry’ to aid neighbors

CNN Newsource on November 7, 2025

By Meghan Mosley

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    MOORE, Okla. (KOCO) — Amber Anderson, a mother in Moore, Oklahoma, has created a “little food pantry” in her front yard to support families during a time of uncertainty caused by frozen benefits and furloughed jobs.

“I see such a need for it, lots of moms online talking about how they can’t afford to feed their kids, and I don’t think any kid should have to go hungry or any family should have to stress about that,” Anderson said.

Anderson, who has experienced struggles herself, is determined to ensure no other families have to go without.

“We’ve struggled ourselves in the past,” she said. “It’s a very tight-knit community here in Moore, and we live right next to the Title 1 school, and a lot of families in the area who need the help. So sometimes we’ll have kids stop by after school and grab things off the table.”

She spoke of the importance of the pantry amid the SNAP freeze and furloughs due to the federal government shutdown.

“I think the need is a lot greater than people realize.”

Anderson’s message to anyone struggling right now is one of hope: “It’ll get better. It seems rough right now, but it’ll get better. We’ve been there; things always turn around.”

Anderson hopes to see this movement spread, encouraging more people to set up similar pantries in their neighborhoods.

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