Homicide Archives

Healthcare execs ‘wanted’ posters pop up in NYC after Thompson’s murder

December 12, 2024

Following the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week, “wanted” posters for health care and financial executives are now reportedly popping up around New York City. The New York Police Department (NYPD) announced Tuesday, Dec. 10, that it is investigating these threatening images.

The posters include pictures of insurance leaders and Thompson with a red “x” crossing his image out. It’s the latest in a series of incidents sparking fear among business leaders in the wake of Thompson’s fatal shooting on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

The NYPD says it knows of a wave of online threats against executives.

Luigi Mangione, 26, is charged with Thompson’s murder in New York City. Police said they found him with a manifesto condemning what he saw as insurance companies choosing profits over people. Mangione reportedly wrote, “These parasites simply had it coming.”

New York authorities say they’re on the lookout for extremists who may see “Mangione as a martyr” and person to imitate.

Following the shooting of Thompson, social media praise for Mangione has skyrocketed. Many online have called him a “hero,” and others suggested the incident could spark a discussion about healthcare policy in the United States.

In a bulletin on Tuesday, Dec. 10, New York police warned against social media posts in support of Thompson’s killing and said support for Mangione may represent a heightened threat level for high-profile executives.

Gang leader in Haiti orders killings of at least 110 over alleged witchcraft

December 9, 2024

Gang violence wracked Haiti over the weekend, leading to the deaths of reportedly nearly 200, including more than 100 elderly people, after a gang leader accused them of causing his child’s sickness through witchcraft. According to the National Human Rights Defense Network, gang members rounded people up who they suspected of practicing voodoo and executed them with machetes and knives in an impoverished western area of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital.

The killings took place on Friday, Dec. 6, and continued on Saturday, Dec. 7, after the gang leader’s son reportedly died from his illness.

The United Nations says in total at least 184 people died in gang-related violence in Port-au-Prince over the weekend and the latest numbers bring the death toll to 5,000 people this year.

This is the largest mass killing in the country since October, when at least 115 people were reportedly murdered in a farming community by gang members. Authorities say the victims were targeted for forming a vigilante group to fight off gangs in the region.

Officials estimate gangs now control 85% of the Haitian capital. A U.N.-backed security force has been working to quell gang violence since 2022 but is vastly undermanned and underfunded.

The U.N. is attempting to turn the mission into a peacekeeping effort. However, its efforts reportedly face opposition from China and Russia.

City of Las Cruces pays out $20M to family of woman killed by police officer

November 26, 2024

A city in New Mexico is paying out millions of dollars to the family of a woman who was shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop in October of last year. More than a year after the shooting, the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico, announced that it has reached a $20 million settlement with the family of 45-year-old Teresa Gomez.

In a statement on Monday, Nov. 25, the city said that the settlement does not admit “criminal guilt” on the officer involved in the shooting and the city maintains it will respect the criminal justice process. The city added, “This settlement should be understood as a statement of the city’s profound feeling of loss for the death of Gomez and of the city’s condolences to her family.”

An attorney for Gomez’ family said they are thankful that the city has recognized the “injustice of Teresa’s death” and hope Las Cruces will make sure no other family has to suffer losing a family member to police violence.

The officer’s legal team did not have a response at the time of this report.

Bodycam footage of the shooting shows now former Las Cruces police Officer Felipe Hernandez fatally shooting Gomez during a traffic stop.

Hernandez can be heard questioning Gomez and her passenger as he accused them of trespassing. Hernandez said Gomez’ passenger had multiple warrants for trespassing as the pair sat in Gomez vehicle.

Gomez told Hernandez she could not find her keys. As the incident of around nine minutes unfolded, Hernandez can be heard telling Gomez, “I will make your life a living hell. I will tow your car.”

The confrontation ends with Gomez starting her car and attempting to drive away as the Hernandez yells, “stop,” several times. Hernandez then opens fire on the vehicle and calls in “shots fired” to his radio.

Gomez later died from the gunshot wounds at a hospital. The passenger in the incident was not injured.

Hernandez was fired following the shooting, and awaits a trial scheduled for June of 2025 on second degree murder charges in Gomez’ death.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Police official arrested in beheading of Mexican mayor a week into office

November 13, 2024

An arrest has been made in connection to the murder of a Mexican mayor on Oct. 6. Authorities announced the arrest of former special prosecutor and local police official German Reyes on Tuesday, Nov. 12, in connection with the beheading of a mayor in the southern Guerrero state.

Reyes is now facing charges in the homicide of the late-Mayor Alejandro Arcos. As Straight Arrow News previously reported, the killing took place just a week after Arcos had taken office.

Law enforcement believe Reyes worked in collusion with the gang initially implicated in the murder.

The arrest is sparking concerns that cartel control of the government may be more widespread than previously known. A human rights activist told reporters the Ardillos gang controls large parts of the state and government officials are working for them.

Reyes is a former member of the Mexican military and if he is convicted, it would reportedly be a blow to policy reliant on hiring retired military officer for top local police positions. The hiring model was based on the belief that members of the military were less likely to be corrupted by gang pressure.

Detectives reportedly had to use soldiers and the Mexican National Guard to arrest Reyes, appearing to show a distrust of local law enforcement to do the job.

It’s reportedly unclear if Reyes worked in the city’s security force or if he served under Arcos or the current mayor.

Strangulation marks allegedly found on woman who died in ‘suicide pod’

October 30, 2024

New revelations are raising questions about the death of a 64-year-old American woman who reportedly used a suicide pod to end her life in Switzerland. The woman was the first person believed to die inside the Sarco device. It was reported on Wednesday, Oct. 30, that prosecutors claimed strangulations marks were found around the woman’s neck during a forensic investigation.

Although official autopsy results have yet to be released, the alleged injuries are now prompting questions about how the woman actually died.

Last Resort, the company behind the pod, claims she died peacefully after she used the device as designed, pressing a button that released nitrogen gas into the chamber.

However, the chief prosecutor in the criminal case is now calling it a possible “international homicide” and pushing for those arrested in connection with the pod’s use to remain in custody.

After the 64-year-old woman’s body was found in the Sarco pod in a Swiss forest, several people with the company involved in manufacturing the device were detained.

The American woman who died reportedly suffered from a serious disease. A person close to Last Resort told a U.K. publication that the disease causes similar marks to those found around her neck.

FBI-led initiative helps curb violent crime against tribal women and children

October 23, 2024

An initiative led by the FBI is working to curb violent crime against women and children in tribal communities. Operation Not Forgotten recently wrapped up its second mission that ran from June through September 2024 in native communities across the United States.

The FBI joined forces with the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Office of Justice Services (BIA) to dedicate resources toward cases involving the most vulnerable victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence.

The FBI relies on partners like the BIA to help navigate Indian Country, since the organization has closer ties to the communities they serve.

In four months, the groups’ combined efforts led to over 40 arrests.

In addition, 11 violent offenders were indicted and nine children were saved from situations of abuse or neglect.

During the operation, FBI agents also focused on solving homicide cases.

“I think what a lot of these cold cases need are fresh eyes, another mind to think of different things,” BIA program analyst Rikki Himel said.

As part of the initiative, the FBI also provided support, including crisis intervention and transportation, to over 400 victims.

Former Olympian is accused of running ‘ruthless’ drug smuggling operation

October 18, 2024

The U.S Department of Justice announced a federal indictment of former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding on Thursday, Oct. 17, which accuses him of running a billion-dollar cocaine trafficking operation and ordering the murders of several people.

“Instead of using his privileges that come with being an Olympic athlete to do good for people, he did the opposite,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada of the Central District of California, said. “He chose to become a major drug trafficker, and he chose to become a killer.”

Federal authorities said the 43-year-old Wedding’s transnational drug trafficking organization, backed by Mexican cartels, smuggled tons of cocaine across the U.S. and Canadian borders for more than a decade, using hitmen to kill people who got in their way.

“These individuals ran what we call the Wedding criminal enterprise,” Estrada said. “This criminal enterprise was extremely prolific and ruthless. By prolific, they moved massive amounts of cocaine. They were one of the largest suppliers of cocaine to Canada and the United States. They move an average of 60 tons of cocaine per year. By ruthless, they were killers. Anyone who got in their way, they would target with violence, including murder.”

Prosecutors said all victims of the assassins were shot execution-style in Canada, so their family members could see them murdered, including two parents in Canada, who were mistakenly thought to have stolen a drug shipment. The mother and father were shot in front of their daughter, who was also shot several times but survived.

Authorities seized cocaine, guns, ammunition, cash and more than $3 million in cryptocurrency.

Wedding is among four of the named 16 defendants in the indictment who are still on the loose and considered to be fugitives.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Wedding’s arrest and extradition. FBI agents believe that Wedding is still living in Mexico.

If convicted of murder and attempted murder charges, Wedding reportedly faces a mandatory minimum of life behind bars.

Charges against the alleged criminals range from drug counts, running a criminal enterprise and murders connected to the drug operation.

Mexican mayor’s murder prompts 4 mayors to demand more security

October 9, 2024

Four mayors in Mexico are demanding more security detail. The politicians’ requests come due to safety concerns stemming from the death of newly elected Mayor Alejandro Arcos, who was reportedly murdered just days into the job.

Mexican federal authorities announced on Tuesday, Oct. 8, that the request for federal protection came just a day after Arcos’ remains were found on Monday, Oct. 7. The requests for added security came from the Guerrero state and another state, Guanajuato, which has also been rocked by gang violence.

Meanwhile, few details have been released on Arcos’ homicide, but he did tell local reporters before his death that he needed more protection.

Mexico has recently been gripped by violence against public officials. In the lead up to the June election, at least 24 politicians were reportedly murdered, including a mayor in western Mexico, who was gunned down along with her bodyguard while leaving a gym, just hours after Claudia Sheinbaum won the Mexican presidency.

Sheinbaum laid out a plan on Tuesday to quell drug cartel violence. However, experts argue it’s the same approach as her predecessor who dubbed his tactics the “Hugs, Not Bullets” policy. Sheinbaum blames the violence largely on low wages and her solution is to rely on armed forces and appeals to criminal organizations to keep the peace.

A Mexican security analyst doesn’t agree with Sheinbaum, and instead said that the more likely cause of violence is cartels fighting over territory to smuggle drugs across the U.S. border.

Mexican mayor in state plagued with violence killed days after taking office

October 7, 2024

An investigation is underway into the murder of a mayor in Mexico just six days after he was inaugurated. Mexican police say that Mayor Alejandro Arcos was killed on Sunday, Oct. 6, in Chilpancingo, the capital city of the Guerrero state, which has been plagued with gang violence.

Authorities confirmed the killing after pictures on WhatsApp appeared to show Arcos’ severed head on top of a pickup truck. The photos have not been verified and state prosecutors did not release specific details about the mayor’s death.

The mayor’s death comes a few days after the city’s newly elected government secretary died in a shooting.

National leaders and the governor of the Guerrero state condemned the killings, with Sen. Alejandro Moreno, the national leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, saying, “They were young and honest officials who sought progress for their community.”

Guerrero is one of the deadliest states in Mexico for government officials and journalists. At least six candidates for elected office were reportedly killed in the state in the lead up to Mexico’s June 2 national elections.

The capital city has also seen bloody turf wars between two drug gangs and a previous mayor of the city was caught on camera holding a meeting with the leader of one of the gangs at a restaurant. Following the release of the video, she was ousted from her political party.

Additionally, federal authorities say in 2023 that gangsters kidnapped 10 members of the state police and the national guard during a protest over the arrest of two gang members. The gang held the group hostage until the inmates were released.

Former Houston officer convicted of murder in 2019 deadly drug raid

September 30, 2024

Former Houston police officer Gerald Goines has been convicted of murder for his role in a deadly 2019 no-knock drug raid that resulted in the deaths of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas. Goines falsified an affidavit to justify the raid, falsely claiming he had purchased heroin from the couple’s home.

Tuttle, a Navy veteran, fired at officers, believing he was defending his home from criminals. The resulting shootout killed both Tuttle and Nicholas. Prosecutors argued that Goines’ lies directly caused their deaths, with no significant drugs found at the scene. Goines faces life in prison and federal civil rights charges for his role in falsifying the search warrant.

Initially praised by the Houston Police Department, Goines’ role in the raid has since sparked outrage. The trial highlighted the dangers of no-knock raids and prompted widespread scrutiny of law enforcement practices in Houston. This case has reignited debate over the use of aggressive police tactics and the reliability of search warrant affidavits.

In addition to the murder conviction, Goines now faces federal charges for civil rights violations due to the falsified search warrant. The sentencing phase has begun, and he could face life in prison.