FBI: Man says he killed wife on cruise over her laughing

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A Utah man killed his wife aboard an Alaska cruise and told an acquaintance who later walked into the blood-splattered cabin that he did it because she would not stop laughing at him, the FBI said in documents released Thursday.

Kenneth Manzanares was found in the couple's room on the Princess Cruises ship Tuesday night with blood on his hands and clothes and blood spread throughout the cabin, according to a criminal complaint by FBI Special Agent Michael L. Watson.

The agency said the 39-year-old woman, identified only as K.M., had a severe head wound but didn't reveal any other details about her death. Manzanares was arrested aboard the 3,400-passenger Emerald Princess that had left Sunday from Seattle.

Before medical workers and security officers responded, a man and others went into the cabin and saw the woman on the floor covered in blood, according to court documents. Manzanares grabbed his wife's body and dragged her to the balcony before the man stopped him, Watson wrote.

A ship security officer handcuffed Manzanares in a nearby cabin, and he was taken into custody late Wednesday.

The ship was diverted to Alaska's capital city because of the investigation, which the FBI is leading because the death occurred in U.S. waters. The ship docked in Juneau on Wednesday morning, and passengers were kept on board for hours before the cruise departed late that night for the southeast Alaska town of Skagway.

Princess Cruises said in a statement Thursday that passengers will receive $150 onboard credit because of the effect on their vacations.

"You feel sorry for the family but a lot of people had to wait," said Lloyd Barrows, a passenger from Alberta, Canada.

The U.S. attorney's office announced it would hold a news conference with representatives of the FBI and Coast Guard on Thursday in Anchorage to announce federal charges against Manzanares.

Article Source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/fbi-man-says-he-killed-wife-on-cruise-over-her-laughing/ar-AAoTJGA

Sheriff's deputy, 7 others killed in Mississippi shootings

(CNN) A sheriff's deputy and seven other people were shot dead overnight in southern Mississippi, authorities said Sunday.

Authorities identified Lincoln County Sheriff's deputy William Durr, 36, as the slain officer according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

The MBI said the shootings started around 11:30 p.m. at an address in Bogue Chitto, where the deputy and three females were found dead. 

Another crime scene was found in Brookhaven, where the bodies of two boys were found. There also was a third crime scene, where a man and a woman were found dead. The identities of the other victims are pending notification of next of kin.

A man identified as Willie Godbolt, 35, of Bogue Chitto, was taken into custody and was being treated at a Jackson, Mississippi, hospital, for a gunshot wound, the MBI said. 

Bogue Chitto is an unincoporated part of Lincoln County and Brookhaven is the Lincoln County seat, about 60 miles south of Jackson.

The MBI said its agents and Lincoln County Sheriff's deputies and the district attorney were investigating.

'He was just there'

News photos showed authorities apprehending and cuffing Godbolt. 

While he was in custody and awaiting treatment, the suspect spoke to a reporter at The Clarion-Ledger, the daily newspaper based in Jackson.

In the video and recounted in a story on the paper's website, Godbolt said he had gone to a residence to talk with his wife, her mother, and her stepfather about taking his children home.

"Somebody called the officer. People that didn't even live at the house. That's what they do. They intervene. It cost him his life. I'm sorry."

"My pain wasn't designed for him. He was just there," Godbolt said, referring to the lawman.

When he was asked what the future holds for him, Godbolt said, "Death."

"Suicide by cop was my intention. I ain't fit to live. Not after what I've done."

In addition to the sheriff's deputy, family members told affiliate WAPT that the victims at the first location included the mother, aunt and sister of Godbolt's estranged wife. Godbolt's wife escaped with their two children. At the the third location, they said, the victims were another of Godbolt's wife's sisters, as well as her husband.

A statement from the MBI said Godbolt's charges include one count of capital murder and seven counts of first degree murder.

Godbolt has a history with the law. In 2005, he was arrested for armed robbery and aggravated assault after allegedly striking a man over the head with a pistol before stealing his jewelry and cash. In 2013 he was charged with simple assault. In April 2015 he was arrested for driving with a suspended license and and later that year for disorderly conduct. Most recently he was was arrested in 2016 for contempt of justice court and an additional assault charge.

'A senseless tragedy'

Durr served in the sheriff's department for two years and the Brookhaven Police Department for four years, the MBI said.

In a Facebook post, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant mourned the victims, including the sheriff's deputy who died, in what he called a "senseless tragedy."

"Every day, the men and women who wear the badge make some measure of sacrifice to protect and serve their communities. Too often, we lose one of our finest. I thank the law enforcement agencies involved for their hard work," he said.

According to the MBI, other agencies involved in the case include the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Narcotics, Pike, Walthall, Franklin, Copiah, Lawrence, Amite counties sheriff's departments, the Brookhaven Police Department and the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

Article Source: http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/28/us/mississippi-mass-shooting/index.html

Human Remains Found on Pennsylvania Farm in Search for Missing Men

The body of a missing man has been uncovered on a sprawling multi-million dollar Pennsylvania farm along with unidentified human remains, authorities announced Thursday morning. 

Dean Finocchiaro, 19, was found deceased on the property of Antonio and Sandra DiNardo, whose son Cosmo, 20, is being held by police as a person of interest in the disappearance of the teen and three others. 

After a painstaking search in the dark and muggy heat just outside New Hope, Pennsylvania, cadaver dogs led police to a section of the $5.4 million property, where the remains were found buried 12 ½ feet beneath the earth. 

Finocchairo was reported missing on July 7 along with Thomas Meo, 21, and Mark Sturgis, 22. Another 19-year-old, Jimi Patrick, was reported missing on July 5. It is unclear how the four men may have known Cosmo DiNardo.

"We're going to see this investigation through to the end," Bucks County District Attorney Matthew D. Weintraub said at news conference shortly after midnight. "We're going to bring each of these lost boys home to their families, one way or another." 

Although Cosmo DiNardo has not been charged with the murder of Finocchairo, he is being held on a $5 million bond. 

"This is a homicide; make no mistake about it. We just don't know how many homicides," Weintraub said. 

DiNardo was first arrested on Monday for an unrelated gun charge, stemming back to February when he was accused of owning a firearm despite a history of mental illness. Because of an involuntary commitment to a mental institution, DiNardo was not allowed to possess a firearm. 

The 20-year-old is schizophrenic, according to his lawyers, who say their client’s mental illness is being exploited by prosecutors, Philly.com reported. 

He was held on a $1 million bond in relation to that case and released after his parents posted $100,000 for his bail. He was then taken back into custody on Wednesday for allegedly attempting to sell one of the missing men’s car for $500. 

DiNardo tried to sell Meo’s Nissan Maxima to a friend, court records show. Inside the car, police found Meo’s diabetic kit, which Meo’s parents said their son could not survive without. 

The back-to-back arrests bought investigators time as they scoured 90 acres of property and other spots across the county for clues to the men's disappearance, Weintraub said.

On Thursday morning, Weintraub thanked the tireless efforts of the officers working on the farm in an attempt to uncover any additional evidence relating to the men’s disappearance. 

Although he has not been charged in relation to the missing men, prosecutors described DiNardo as a flight risk and a “dangerous person.” 

Officers haven’t disclosed why DiNardo is considered a person of interest, or what led them to begin the search on the family’s farm. 

With DiNardo in custody, the punishing search continued on the family farm, where veteran officers and brand new cadets worked side-by-side to sift through the dirt with backhoes, hands, metal detectors and buckets. 

The Pennsylvania FBI and U.S. Marshal as well as local and state police are all working to investigate the case. Officials have suggested the search is the largest in the history of Bucks County. 

Before human remains were discovered on the property, a family attorney for the DiNardos released a statement saying they are fully cooperating with law enforcement. 

"As parents, Mr. and Mrs. DiNardo sympathize with the parents and families of the missing young men and they are cooperating in every way possible with the investigation being conducted by law enforcement," the statement said. 

The DiNardo family earned a fortune off of trucking and concrete, according to NBC News affiliate NBC 10. After buying the farm outside New Hope for $5.4 million in 2005, they purchased a nearby property for $500,000 in late 2008. 

DiNardo's grandfather, also named Cosmo DiNardo, owned numerous properties and eventually shared a real estate deal with his son Antonio before handing over the business entirely to him. 

Article Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/human-remains-found-pennsylvania-farm-search-missing-men-n782461

Woman Charged With Killing Family Smiles In Court

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — A woman charged with killing four of her young children and their father smiled and flashed a double thumbs up to news cameras during her first court appearance Friday before telling a judge she doesn't want an attorney.

Isabel Martinez, 33, appeared before Gwinnett County Magistrate Court Judge Michael Thorpe a day after police said she stabbed the five to death and seriously injured another child at her home outside Atlanta. The injured child, a 9-year-old girl, survived but remained hospitalized with injuries police described as serious.

Before the hearing began, Martinez sat with other inmates and struck poses for cameras — smiling, giving the thumbs up, putting her hands in a prayer position and spreading her arms out wide.

As Judge Thorpe listed the charges against her — five counts of malice murder, five counts of murder and six counts of aggravated assault — Martinez smiled, shook her head "no" and wagged her finger at him. The judge advised her sharply not to perform for the cameras.

When Thorpe informed her of her right to have an attorney, she said through a Spanish-language interpreter, that she doesn't want one. She later added that her attorney will always be the people and her faith.

Thorpe advised Martinez to hire a lawyer or to allow one to be appointed for her.

"What prompts a person to take the life of such innocent children and her spouse is something we may never understand," Gwinnett County police said in a statement. "This is a horrendous crime not only for the victims but for the extended family, neighborhood and community."

Psychologists and others who study cases of mothers accused of killing their children say it's not as uncommon as people might believe. But media coverage often focuses on dramatic cases, such as Andrea Yates who was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the 2001 drowning deaths of her five children in her suburban Houston home.

Other cases get less attention, as when a woman kills a newborn or in children's deaths blamed on neglect, said Cheryl Meyer, co-author of two books on mothers who have killed children based on about 1,000 cases during the 1990s.

That amounts to roughly one death every three days. If anything, the total based on media reports at the time underestimates the reality, said Meyer, a psychology professor at Wright State University in Ohio.

In cases when mothers kill intentionally, Meyer said there is often another influence, such as mental health issues, postpartum depression or the loss of a close loved one.

"We like to classify these women as pariahs, that they aren't at all like us," Meyer said. "I found that was not the case."

Some neighbors in the small, largely Hispanic neighborhood in Loganville, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of Atlanta, said they had no clue anything was amiss in the home until police mobbed the scene Thursday morning. The neighbors said the Spanish-speaking family had moved to the community recently, and their children seemed happy playing with other neighborhood kids.

Victoria Nievs said Martinez had recently suffered the death of her father.

Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Michele Pihera confirmed that the 911 call came from a woman who was inside the home at 4:47 a.m. Thursday to report a stabbing. Police believe Martinez made that call.

Pihera said the caller was speaking Spanish, which initially made it difficult for 911 operators to communicate with her. The county sheriff's office said Martinez is on a hold for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement but didn't provide further details.

The hospitalized girl, Diana Romero, was in serious but stable condition Thursday evening, police said.

The four children killed were identified as Isabela Martinez, 10; Dacota Romero, 7; Dillan Romero, 4; and Axel Romero, 2. Their slain father was Martin Romero, 33, Pihera said.

Early indications are that a knife was used to attack the five, though a medical examiner will make the final determination about the cause of death, she said.

Article Source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/woman-charged-with-killing-family-smiles-in-court/ar-BBDWug6

One Of Worst Killing Sprees In State History

Nearly four years after a summer killing rampage, a three judge panel sentenced Nikko Jenkins to death four times for four murders. Additionally, he received up to 500 years in prison for his remaining counts.

Jenkins, 30, was convicted of killing three men and a young mother -- Juan Uribe-Pena, Jorge C. Cajiga-Ruiz, Curtis Bradford and Andrea Kruger -- in 2013.

The families of two of the four victims sat quietly in the courtroom and listened intently as Judge Peter Battalion explained the process and how the three-judge panel reached its decision. 

The murders, which occurred over a 10-day span, were planned and deliberate, Battalion said. "This is one of the worst killing sprees in the history of this state," he added.

Six aggravating factors were weighed, Battalion said, such as Jenkins' previous history of violent crimes, against mitigating factors, such as his mental health diagnosis. 

Surrounded by six deputies, Jenkins sat quietly Tuesday, which surprised prosecutors, who noted his tendency for outbursts in the courtroom. In total, he was convicted of 12 counts: four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, and four counts of possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person.

The parents of Andrea Kruger said they feel a sense of relief.

"We're just glad it's over with. It's been a long time. Too long," Kent Roberts, Andrea's father said. "It's ridiculous (the length of the process) but that's the way the court system works."

Bradford's mother, said Jenkins has had control over her life for four years and now she can be free.

"I don't want to hear his name. I don't have to anymore. He don't (sic) get the glory today. I get the glory. My family gets the glory and God gets the glory," Velita Glasgow said.

She wore a t-shirt with the last picture taken of her son wrapped in angel's wings on it.

"I'll never forget him and I'll love him forever but it's time for me to heal and I'm ready. I'm ready for peace," Glasgow said.

Following the sentencing, Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said he thought the judges followed the law appropriately.

"I think the court looked at all the evidence and there wasn't any question as to what the appropriate sentence would be in these circumstances," Kleine said.

Jenkins will be Nebraska's 11th man on death row, but Kleine said it could be years before he's executed. 

In Nebraska, a death penalty sentence is automatically appealed.

Man pleads guilty to killing 7 in South Carolina

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — A South Carolina man who admitted killing seven people over nearly 13 years while running a successful real estate business pleaded guilty Friday to seven counts of murder and a number of other charges.

Todd Kohlhepp admitted his role in the deaths of seven people less than seven months after he was arrested when investigators checking on a missing couple rescued a woman chained inside a shipping container on Kohlhepp's Spartanburg County property.

The woman had been raped and locked inside the container for more than two months after Kohlhepp shot and killed her boyfriend, authorities said. Charles David Carter, 32, was the last of the seven murder victims.

According to the plea agreement signed by the 44-year-old Kohlhepp, he will serve seven consecutive life terms plus 60 years on kidnapping, sexual assault and other charges. He will not be eligible for parole, and he also agreed not to appeal the sentence.

Kohlhepp admitted Friday that he killed four workers at Superbike Motorsports motorcycle store in Chesnee in 2003 after the manager made him angry. The victims were the owner, Scott Ponder, 30; Beverly Guy, 52; Brian Lucas, 30; and Chris Sherbert, 26. Guy was Ponder's mother and worked as a bookkeeper. Lucas was a service manager, and Sherbert was a mechanic at the shop.

Kohlhepp also admitted guilt in the deaths of a husband and wife who disappeared in December 2015. The bodies of 29-year-old Johnny Joe Coxie and 26-year-old Meagan Leigh McCraw-Coxie were found on Kohlhepp's land after his arrest. The couple had been hired to do work on Kohlhepp's property.

Kohlhepp was eligible for the death penalty, but the plea deal took that off the table.

No one has been executed in South Carolina in more than six years because the state lacks the drugs needed for lethal injections.

Kohlhepp moved to South Carolina in 2001 shortly after 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping in Arizona. Authorities there said the then 15-year-old forced a 14-year-old neighbor back to his home at gunpoint, tied her up and raped her.

Kohlhepp had to register on South Carolina's sex offender registry, but told people it was a trumped up charge after a girl's father was angry about a joyride. Kohlhepp also lied about the felony conviction so he could get his real estate license in the state.

Friends and co-workers at Kohlhepp's real estate business said he was a hard worker with some strange habits. He would watch pornographic videos during work and joked on his firm's website that he motivated workers by not feeding them.

Article Source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/man-pleads-guilty-to-killing-7-in-south-carolina/ar-BBByhwb

Police: Man Stabs Wife to Death, Drives Self to Jail

An 81-year-old Dayton man is in the Montgomery County jail charged with murder for allegedly stabbing his 70-year-old wife to death following an argument in their home on Delmar Ave.

Donald Cleaver was booked in to jail early Friday morning after he showed up at the police department to turn himself in for allegedly killing his wife, Mary Cleaver.

It was a neighbor that called 911 to alert police to the crime.  “He says he just killed his wife,” the 911 caller said.  “He’s getting ready to head to the jail he says.”

According to Dayton homicide detectives, the investigation shows the Cleaver’s apparently argued last night and after Mary Cleaver went to bed, Donald Cleaver fatally stabbed her. 

The case will be presented to the Montgomery Count Prosecutor’s office for formal charges.

According to a Dayton police report, officers responded to Cleaver’s home in the 200 block of North Delmar Avenue around 1 a.m. Friday.

The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office said Mary Cleaver, 70, was killed at the same address officers responded to.

“He did not say how he did it,” the 911 caller said.

A knife is listed in the police report as a possible weapon used.

Cleaver is not yet officially charged.

Article Source: http://www.whio.com/news/crime--law/police-man-stabs-wife-death-drives-self-jail/LifJN2ZFW94wQo45Ns6nDP/