Category: CNN Regional

By Stephanie Ballesteros, Joe Holden, Joe Brandt, Sean Tallant

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    New Jersey (KYW) — More than 30 years later, a suspect has been linked through DNA evidence to the previously unsolved killings of two young women in Camden County, New Jersey, in the 1990s.

Francis Schooley is believed to have killed 24-year-old Marebeth Welsh and 16-year-old Jennifer Persia, Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay announced in a news conference.

The work to find a suspect in Welsh’s and Persia’s killings took years and was only possible thanks to investigative techniques that utilized the DNA evidence found at each crime scene and carefully maintained over the years.

Investigators believe Schooley killed Welsh on Nov. 14, 1993, at a home where she was living in Woodlynne, and later dumped her body on Jackson Street in the city of Camden. Almost five months later, on April 4, 1994, Persia was found stabbed to death in her home in Magnolia.

Schooley died by suicide in 2000. He was 39 years old at the time, according to MacAulay’s office. Investigators who spoke at the news conference say the evidence they have is strong enough that, were he alive today, Schooley would be charged in both murder cases.

“We recognize that identifying Schooley as responsible for the deaths of Jennifer and Marebeth cannot restore these young women to their families, who have endured the profound loss of their loved one for more than 30 years,” MacAulay said. “However, we hope this development offers a measure of justice as well as some comfort to their families.”

In January 2024, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office created a full-time Homicide Cold Case Unit, with investigators finding cases that can make use of recent advances in DNA testing and genetic genealogy.

Analysis by the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences in August 2025 found that spermatozoa and blood found on Welsh’s clothes, and blood found at the scene of Persia’s murder, matched the same DNA profile belonging to an unknown male, later discovered to be Schooley.

A parent and a sibling of Schooley submitted DNA samples that were then analyzed and found to closely resemble the DNA found at both crime scenes, an indicator that the unknown male was Schooley.

Schooley also had a connection to the suspects, detectives learned: he had performed construction work for Persia’s stepfather and at an autoshop the stepfather owned. He was also a part-owner of a race car sponsored by the auto shop.

Additionally, one of Schooley’s siblings was shown a photo of Welsh and said she had been seen with Schooley in the past, officials 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 Joshua Moton

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    IBERIA PARISH, Louisiana (KATC) — The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office held a news conference Wednesday to update the community on Todd Landry and the crash at the Louisiana Lao New Year Festival that injured nearly 20 people. Romero outlined the charges Landry is facing, the condition of the victims, and his bond, which was set at $247,500.

“He was booked into the Iberia Parish Jail on the following counts: DWI, 18 counts of first-degree negligent injury, careless operation, and an open container violation,” Romero said.

The sheriff also updated the community on the victims’ conditions, confirming that three remain in critical condition while others have been treated or transferred to additional facilities.

“This was a tragic event, in which an individual decided to operate his vehicle while intoxicated, drive in a reckless manner and strike multiple pedestrians,” Romero added.

Romero said investigators have found no evidence to suggest the crash was intentional.

“At this point in our investigation we have no evidence to support this as being a hate crime or a terrorist act,” he said.

Following the news conference, KATC reviewed court records for Landry and found no attorney listed for him. Efforts to speak with individuals connected to him at a listed property were unsuccessful, as we were asked reporters to leave.

The investigation is ongoing and records show that Landry remains behind bars as the investigation continues.

This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KATC verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Noel Brennan

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    MARENGO, Illinois (WBBM) — From flood victim to star of the show; one horse in McHenry County is having one heck of a week after dozens of rescuers saved his life over the weekend.

About 45 people were involved in the horse’s rescue on Friday, who was suffering from significant hypothermia after he was pulled out of the water.

On Wednesday, he was munching hay and enjoying life after being reunited with his owner, Ashley Beaulieu, who was beyond grateful to have Troy back home.

“He beat hypothermia, so that’s the most important part,” she said.

Troy has come a long way since this past weekend.

“I think that day he was so close to giving up so many times, but he pulled through,” Beaulieu said of the day she nearly lost Troy.

As storms passed through on Friday, Coon Creek overflowed its banks. Troy, a 20-year-old Appaloosa, was swept away in the floodwaters.

“With the storms, everything started to flood,” Beaulieu said. “The water was, like, very mucky. It was deep and it had a really strong current.”

Firefighters found him stranded in chest-deep cold water about 200 yards from the nearest shore.

“It’s just really hard to see something suffering and your instinct is to want to help it, and you can’t just jump in and help him,” Beaulieu said.

Beaulieu couldn’t jump in, but rescue teams did, along with a local veterinarian, using a boat to reach troy. The vet, worried about severe hypothermia, got to work right away.

“He’s a big horse. I didn’t know whether or not he swallowed water. I mean, he went down the river. He didn’t walk to the other side of there, right?” said Dr. Nicky Wessel, with Cutting Edge Equine Veterinary Services. “I took a bunch of hot water over, a bunch of medication, a bunch of hay in order to keep him quiet and calm and assess how he was doing.”

Rescuers built a raft system to safely move Troy across the flooded creek. From the water, it was straight to the animal hospital, where he stayed until he went back home on Wednesday.

“We had everybody here trying to help Troy,” Beaulieu said.

Wessel said Troy looks great and he certainly smells better than he did when she met him in mucky water over the weekend. She also said Troy is one tough horse.

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 Raquel Ciampi, Marcie Cipriani

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    PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — It is now official: The Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to a nine-year contract with 19-year-old rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin.

The deal announced Wednesday is worth $140 million, according to The Associated Press, which makes it the largest in Pirates history. It reportedly includes escalators that could raise the total value to $150 million.

“To be able to add Konnor into this team right now could not come at a more important and a better-timed sense of urgency, and I hope that comes across also as a commitment from this organization and from me, not only to the team but to the city of Pittsburgh, to the fans, to reflect how serious I am and we are about building and sustaining a winning team here in Pittsburgh. The fans deserve it,” Pirates owner Bob Nutting said.

A first-round draft pick in 2024, Griffin was called up Friday for his major league debut at PNC Park. He has a double, three RBIs and two runs scored in five games with the Pirates.

“You all took a chance on me two years ago, and I’ve felt nothing but support and love through this whole process, so I’m super excited to be here for nine years,” Griffin said. “This is where we’re going to call home.”

Griffin’s contract extension will take him through the 2034 season with the Pirates.

“I’m pumped to go compete. The goal is to win a World Series, and I think we’ve got a great clubhouse to go do that, and I’m pumped to be part of it,” he said. “Can’t wait to continue to get better as a player and just continue to grow as a person as well.”

Pirates fans headed into PNC Park hours after the announcement said the long-term deal brings them hope.

“I love Konnor Griffin. I think he’s awesome,” said Beth Cook, who traveled to the North Shore from Butler. “I think he has such great character. And he’s so grown up for his age. I think he’s really going to be awesome.”

Fans showed some rarely seen love for the Pirates’ ownership, too.

“I think it’s a good move by Bob Nutting. I’m glad he’s finally doing something to appease the Pirate fans,” said Dan Wolfe from Gibsonia.

His brother Bob Wolfe from Bloomfield agreed. “Maybe Nutting’s finally coming around,” 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 WCCO Staff

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    WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minnesota (WCCO) — A 22-year-old man faces several charges, including forgery, after he allegedly claimed he was 18 years old and enrolled at a Twin Cities area high school last fall.

Kelvin Luebke attended White Bear Lake Area High School for 19 days and participated in three football practices, according to the district superintendent.

Charging documents say White Bear Lake police were notified of Luebke after publicly available booking information at a local jail included his biographical details; a caller told officers said he had enrolled at the school under the name “Kelvin Ciatte Perry, Jr.” and claimed he was 17 years old.

The arrest was for violating the terms of his probation, related to a 2023 conviction in Washington County for sending a nude photo of himself to a 15-year-old girl.

Luebke’s father said he had been adopted from Liberia in 2009 and was primarily homeschooled before a stint at Forest Lake High School, where he was expelled for behavioral issues, charges say. He said Luebke moved out and lived with a couple, who were unaware that he had enrolled at White Bear Lake High School.

According to the complaint, Luebke in a post-Miranda interview said he had two birth certificates: one from the U.S. and one from Liberia. He said his U.S. date of birth was May 30, 2003, but family members in Africa told him he was actually 18 years old.

Luebke told officers that his biological father had recently helped him obtain a Liberian birth certificate under the name “Kelvin Ciatte Perry, Jr.” with the birth date of May 28, 2007. He said it is the name he “goes by in Africa,” the complaint says.

He said he used the Liberian birth certificate to enroll at White Bear Lake Area High School as an unaccompanied minor, charging documents say.

Federal law requires schools to immediately enroll youth who present as homeless, even if their eligibility is in dispute.

Luebke faces two counts of aggravated forgery and one count of forgery in Ramsey County.

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 Penny Kmitt

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    Massachusetts (WBZ) — A man convicted of killing a college student in Massachusetts nearly 40 years ago will spend the rest of his life in prison.

John Carey, 66, was sentenced Thursday in Essex County Superior Court for the murder of Claire Gravel.

Gravel, a 20-year-old from North Andover, was a sophomore at Salem State University, when Carey strangled her with her tank top on June 29, 1986, and left her body in the woods along Route 128 in Beverly.

The case was cracked open using a DNA sample that Carey submitted in 2008 after he was convicted of attempted murder in a separate case. That sample was then linked to DNA evidence found on Gravel’s tank top, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office.

On March 3, a jury found Carey guilty of first-degree murder. In Massachusetts, that sentence is automatically life in prison without parole.

Carey did not speak during the sentencing, but Gravel’s family did. Her 90-year-old father and five siblings were in court Thursday.

They described how the murder brought them pain and suffering for decades.

“I’ve been waiting 39 years, 9 months and 9 days for today,” said Gravel’s sister, Denise Foley. “I continued to have nightmares for months of my sister Claire screaming for one of us to come help her and none of us were there.”

The family said they’ve never stopped seeking answers in this case and they believe their sister would be proud.

“She’s Irish. She’s feisty. She’s tough. So, she is smiling right now along with my mother,” Gravel’s brother Jim told reporters outside court.

“Nothing’s changed for Claire but it’s a new day for us, to finally have this over,” Foley said.

“Today, justice was served,” said Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker.

Carey’s attorney said they are submitting an appeal of his conviction.

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 Lisa Rozner

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    New York (WCBS, WLNY) — Former NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran was sentenced Thursday to three to nine years in prison for throwing a cooler at a fleeing suspect who later died.

Duran, 38, was found guilty of manslaughter in February for the 2023 death of Eric Duprey. He’s the first member of the NYPD in a decade to be found guilty of causing the death of a civilian while on duty.

Duprey’s family was in tears during the sentencing. Duran apologized directly to them and asked the judge for a chance to be there for his wife and three children.

“It was unintended and tragic, but he should not spend years of his life, not even days of his life for a decision he made in 2.5 seconds. That is the very definition of excessive and disproportionate,” Duran’s lawyer said.

Prosecutors asked for him to be sentenced to three to nine years, saying he “recklessly caused the death of another human he did that while on duty there is no more serious gravity of offense than taking the life of another person.”

Duran’s lawyers are planning to file an appeal.

Black Lives Matter co-founder speaks out

Hawk Newsome, the co-founder of Black Lives Matter Greater New York, spoke outside the courtroom. Behind him were many people holding picket signs in support of Duprey.

“In New York’s history, it is a very seldom occurrence that justice prevails when a cop kills a Black and brown person, but today, in the Bronx, we got it right,” Newsome said.

SBA president issues statement

The president of the Sergeant Benevolent Association, Vincent Vallelong, called Thursday a dark day.

“It wasn’t only Sgt. Duran, a great cop who was on trial. Every law enforcement officer who makes a split-second decision in the performance of their duties to protect the public was also on trial,” he said. “And this sentencing, which has now sent a very chilling message to every cop in the nation- that the system that we have sworn to uphold can single-handedly destroy your career and your life for doing exactly what you are trained to do.”

Deadly NYPD encounter

On Aug. 23 2023, Duprey allegedly sold drugs to an undercover officer in the Bronx, then fled on a motorized scooter when officers tried to arrest him.

According to authorities, 30-year-old Duprey was traveling at 30 mph, driving on the sidewalk and not wearing a helmet.

Video from the incident shows Duran throwing a picnic cooler at Duprey’s head as he flees. Duprey then swerves and slides under a vehicle. He died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Duran was suspended after the incident and later charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

Manslaughter trial

During his testimony at trial, Duran said he was worried Duprey was going to crash into other officers and was trying to protect them by throwing the cooler.

Prosecutors argued Duran was trying to “save an arrest,” not lives, and called his actions “reckless, unreasonable [and] unnecessary.”

Duran was convicted of manslaughter after a bench trial, meaning there was no jury and the judge rendered the verdict.

The criminally negligent homicide charge was waived.

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.