A 21-count federal indictment charges Aurora Phelps with luring older men through dating apps, drugging them, and stealing their money and assets. The scheme, spanning from 2019 to 2022, allegedly involved at least 11 victims, four of whom form the basis of the indictment, resulting in three deaths and one victim left comatose. Phelps, who holds dual U.S. and Mexican citizenship, is currently in custody in Mexico, facing potential life imprisonment if convicted. The FBI believes there may be more victims and is urging anyone with information to come forward.
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Cal Fire Captain Rebecca Marodi, 49, was found murdered in her Ramona home on February 17th, succumbing to multiple stab wounds. Authorities have identified her wife, Yolanda Marodi (Olejniczak), 53, as the suspect in her death. Yolanda Marodi has a prior conviction for voluntary manslaughter from 2003, stemming from the stabbing death of her previous husband. The investigation into Captain Marodi’s death is ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact authorities.
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The Zizians, a radical group allegedly led by Jack Amadeus “Ziz” LaSota, are suspected in six homicides across multiple states. Four members are in custody, facing murder charges stemming from incidents including a Vermont shootout that killed one member and the double homicide of a Pennsylvania couple. Three members, including LaSota, remain at large. The group’s ideology, gleaned from online postings, suggests a descent into violence, potentially linked to their expressed interest in societal collapse through targeted killings.
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Nicole Johnson received a 50-year prison sentence for the deaths of her 7-year-old niece, Joshlyn Johnson, and 5-year-old nephew, Larry O’Neal. Their decomposing remains were discovered in Johnson’s car trunk during a 2021 traffic stop, prompting an investigation. Johnson confessed to causing Joshlyn’s death in 2020 and neglecting Larry until his death two months before the traffic stop, storing both bodies in her vehicle. The case highlights a tragic instance of child abuse and neglect within Baltimore County, where homicide rates fluctuated between 2021 and 2022.
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Nineteen-year-old Isaac Balckhorse Garcia was arrested for murder, sexual assault of a minor, and hit and run after fatally striking a pregnant teenage girl with his car. Garcia, who was involved in a sexual relationship with both the victim and her sister, fled the scene after dropping the sister off at home. The victim’s baby survived but remains in critical condition. Police are concerned there may be additional victims and urge anyone with information to come forward.
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U.S. Army Private First Class Katia Dueñas Aguilar, a 23-year-old soldier stationed at Fort Campbell, was found dead in her Clarksville, Tennessee home in May 2023 with 68 stab wounds. Sofia Rodas has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence, while her husband, Reynaldo Salinas Cruz, faces a charge of tampering with evidence. Both were extradited to Clarksville from federal custody on unrelated charges. Aguilar’s family is seeking answers following the tragic death of the young mother who had recently expressed unhappiness with her Army service.
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Artem Bugorskiy, a 45-year-old Russian national, has been charged with the intentional homicide of his 13-year-old son, Lucas, following an incident on a speedboat near Koh Ra. Bugorskiy allegedly threw his son overboard, then jumped in himself, refusing rescue attempts. Lucas suffered fatal propeller injuries. Bugorskiy denies the allegations.
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Sebastian Zapeta, a 33-year-old Guatemalan citizen, pleaded not guilty to murder and arson charges stemming from the Dec. 22 death of Debrina Kawam. Prosecutors allege Zapeta set Kawam on fire on a stopped F train in Brooklyn, then watched as she burned. Zapeta reportedly admitted to being in surveillance footage but claimed he doesn’t remember the incident due to alcohol consumption. The top charge carries a life sentence without parole.
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The horrific attack on a woman on a New York City subway, resulting in her death after being set on fire, has understandably sparked outrage and grief. Police have since identified the victim as Debrina Kawam. The sheer brutality of the act is hard to comprehend; to imagine the intense, unimaginable pain she must have endured is truly heartbreaking. Many are struggling to grasp the horrifying reality of a person being engulfed in flames while seemingly unable to react, a point brought up repeatedly in online discussions. The image of someone standing still while their body burns is chilling, raising questions about the immediate effects of such trauma and the body’s response to extreme pain and shock.… Continue reading
On Tuesday, Madison Heights police arrested a suspect in connection with the death of 60-year-old Robert Cavanaugh, who was found unresponsive with blunt force trauma. Witnesses report Cavanaugh intervened in a neighbor’s assault on a dog, leading to the fatal attack. Police have stated there is no ongoing threat to the public. The Oakland County Medical Examiner will determine the official cause of death and forward findings to the prosecutor’s office for potential charges.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood