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Illicit Deeds, Los Angeles, CA (2026)

09/25/2026

She Was Strangled In 2011. Her Former Boyfriend Was Charged 15 Years Later.

On March 6, 2011, officers responded to an apartment on Dunvale Street in Houston, Texas, after a woman was found unresponsive inside. Upon arrival, officers found the woman deceased after her father went to check on her when she failed to show up for work that morning.

The victim was identified as 38-year-old Bridget Caldwell.

An autopsy determined Caldwell had been strangled, and her death was ruled a homicide. Investigators learned she had been involved in an on-and-off relationship with Earnest Harold Smith for approximately five to six years.

According to court documents, Caldwell had previously told others about domestic violence and stalking involving Smith. Investigators said she told three people that Smith had once held a gun to her head and threatened to kill her, and she had reportedly expressed fear that he would kill her if she ended the relationship. Smith denied the domestic violence allegations.

Prosecutors said Smith invited Caldwell to dinner on March 6, 2011, but she declined. When questioned after her death, investigators said Smith denied that conversation and told detectives that although he and Caldwell had been in a relationship, they had broken up about two years earlier.

Smith was identified as a person of interest during the original investigation, but no charges were filed and the case eventually went cold.

Years later, the case was assigned to cold case detectives, who said additional evidence was developed linking Smith to Caldwell’s death. Authorities have not publicly disclosed exactly what that new evidence was.

On September 18, 2026, now-54-year-old Smith was arrested and charged with murder. Prosecutors accuse him of applying pressure to Caldwell’s neck, causing her death.

On September 21, Smith appeared in court and was granted a $100,000 bond. He later posted bond and was released with GPS monitoring.

— Illicit Deeds | Criminal Case Coverage

09/25/2026

Her Husband Was Critically Injured. She Used A Box Cutter And Coffee Mug.

On September 23, 2026, around 11:20 a.m., troopers responded to a home on Rowe Hill Road in Hartford, New York, for a reported domestic incident. Upon arrival, troopers found a man unconscious and suffering from life-threatening injuries.

The victim was identified as 43-year-old James M. Clark.

James was transported to Glens Falls Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

According to court documents, investigators determined James had been attacked by his wife, 43-year-old Christine S. Clark. Prosecutors allege Christine intentionally cut James with a box cutter and struck him in the head with a coffee mug during the incident.

Investigators said Christine then used towels and water in an attempt to clean James’ blood and conceal evidence inside the home.

Christine was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon with intent to use it.

On September 24, Christine was arraigned and ordered held without bail.

Authorities have not publicly disclosed what led up to the attack or announced a motive. An autopsy was scheduled to determine additional details surrounding James’ death.

— Illicit Deeds | Criminal Case Coverage

09/24/2026

Six People Were Killed. A Jury Convicted Him In Four Of Their Deaths.

On August 19, 2016, officers responded to an area near Bannister Road and Lydia Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, after a man was found dead near the Indian Creek Trail. Upon arrival, officers found the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

The victim was identified as 54-year-old John Palmer.

Investigators determined Palmer had been shot multiple times and dragged into a wooded area.

On February 27, 2017, 67-year-old David Lenox, a Vietnam veteran, was shot and killed while walking his dog near the Willow Creek Apartments.

On April 4, 2017, 57-year-old Timothy Rice was found shot multiple times beneath a shelter near the Indian Creek Trail.

On May 18, 2017, 61-year-old Michael “Mike” Darby, co-owner of Coach’s Bar & Grill, was shot in the back of the head while walking his dogs along the trail.

Surveillance footage later placed 31-year-old Fredrick Demond Scott on the trail around the time Darby was killed.

In July 2017, 64-year-old Karen Harmeyer was found shot to death in a wooded area in Grandview, Missouri, where she had been living in a tent.

On August 13, 2017, 57-year-old Steven Gibbons was shot in the back of the head after getting off a city bus.

Gibbons’ killing ultimately gave investigators the break that led them to Scott.

Surveillance footage showed Gibbons boarding a bus before Scott boarded shortly afterward and sat behind him.

Additional footage showed Scott following Gibbons after they got off the bus and later running from the area where Gibbons was found.

Investigators recovered a 32-ounce Brisk iced tea bottle near the shooting scene.

Surveillance footage showed Scott purchasing the same type of drink earlier that morning.

DNA recovered from the bottle matched Scott and also helped connect him to evidence from Palmer’s killing.

Police later obtained a cigarette butt discarded by Scott and used it for additional DNA comparison.

Investigators also recovered a 9mm handgun from Scott’s home.

A fi****ms examiner later testified that evidence from the Gibbons and Harmeyer crime scenes was consistent with that weapon.

During questioning, Scott admitted killing Palmer and Gibbons.

He claimed Gibbons’ shooting was accidental.

Scott was eventually charged in all six deaths.

The case remained pending for years while courts repeatedly addressed whether Scott was mentally competent to stand trial.

Scott, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, was found competent and incompetent at different points before a judge ruled him competent to proceed in July 2025.

His trial began in September 2026.

Prosecutors presented more than 70 witnesses and hundreds of pieces of evidence.

The defense did not dispute that Scott killed Palmer and Gibbons but argued prosecutors had not proven the deliberation required for first-degree murder and challenged the evidence connecting him to the other deaths.

On September 22, 2026, a jury found now-31-year-old Scott guilty of four counts of first-degree murder and four counts of armed criminal action in the deaths of Palmer, Darby, Harmeyer and Gibbons.

He was acquitted in the deaths of Lenox and Rice.

Jurors recommended life in prison without the possibility of probation or parole for each murder conviction, along with the maximum 15 years for each armed criminal action conviction.

Scott has not yet been formally sentenced.

His sentencing is scheduled for November 23, 2026.

— Illicit Deeds | Criminal Case Coverage

09/24/2026

She Offered To Count His $3,000. Then, She Drove Off With It.

On September 3, 2026, a man withdrew $3,000 in cash from a bank on Madison Road in Cincinnati, Ohio, while being driven by 22-year-old Alyvia Frederick. According to court records, Frederick offered to count the money for him after he completed the withdrawal.

Court records describe the man as having a cognitive delay caused by a traumatic brain injury.

After leaving the bank, Frederick allegedly told the man that she had dropped the cash somewhere inside the vehicle.

Police said Frederick then asked him to get out and come around to her side of the vehicle to help search for the money.

Once the man got out, Frederick allegedly drove away and left him on the side of the road.

Investigators said the man’s $3,000, Chromebook, Social Security card and birth certificate were still inside the vehicle when Frederick left.

Authorities have not publicly said how Frederick knew the man or whether his money and belongings were recovered.

On September 21, 2026, Frederick was arrested and charged with theft.

She appeared in court on September 22, and her bond was set at $10,000.

— Illicit Deeds | Criminal Case Coverage

09/24/2026

She Said She Didn’t Want To “Babysit” Him. Police Say She Tied Him To A Workstation.

On August 30, 2026, 19-year-old Michiko Burton, a manager at a Wendy’s in the 3300 block of South Church Street in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, allegedly restrained a neurodivergent employee at a grill workstation using garbage bags while another employee recorded portions of the incident.

According to coworker Nicholus Murphy, Burton said she needed the employee to “stay put” while she handled other work in the back of the restaurant. Murphy said Burton also complained that she “didn’t want to babysit him.”

Video recorded inside the restaurant later showed portions of the employee being restrained at the workstation.

On September 6, 2026, police interviewed Burton about the incident. Investigators said she admitted tying the employee to the workstation but claimed it was part of a TikTok trend and was intended as a joke.

Murphy disputed that explanation and questioned where the supposed TikTok trend was if that was actually what had motivated the incident.

When officers initially spoke with the employee, he reportedly said he was not upset and had not been physically injured. Police did not file charges at that time.

After video of the incident became public, the employee’s family pushed authorities to reopen the investigation.

The case was referred to Adult Protective Services and assigned to detectives with the police department’s Special Victims Unit.

Wendy’s also took action after learning about the incident. An area manager described the conduct as unacceptable, and Burton was fired from her management position. The franchisee operating the restaurant said the conduct did not reflect its standards and that appropriate action had been taken.

On September 17, 2026, detectives arrested Burton on charges of misdemeanor simple assault and false imprisonment.

Burton was booked into the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on a $2,000 bond.

She is scheduled to appear in General Sessions Court on October 22, 2026.

The employee’s family said the incident and subsequent circulation of the video had been traumatic. Their attorney said he was not doing well after the footage spread online and that the family was considering civil action.

— Illicit Deeds | Criminal Case Coverage

09/24/2026

They Wore Wendy’s Uniforms While Breaking Into A McDonald’s Employee’s Car.

On September 12, 2026, deputies responded to the McDonald’s at Thomas Crossroads on Highway 34 in Newnan, Georgia, after an employee reported that two men had broken into his vehicle. Upon arrival, deputies learned the employee had looked outside, saw the men inside his car and watched them run away with his backpack.

According to investigators, both men were wearing Wendy’s uniforms.

The employee recognized one of them because he had applied for a job at the same McDonald’s several weeks earlier.

The victim chased the men toward a nearby Kroger while calling 911.

Surveillance footage later showed one of the suspects entering the Kroger while carrying the stolen backpack.

Deputies searched the store and found 33-year-old Johnathon Terrell Glass hiding behind shelves in a backroom.

He was taken into custody.

Investigators said the second suspect, 18-year-old Joshua Raquez Hayes, ran back toward the nearby Wendy’s.

Deputies went to the restaurant and found Hayes back behind the counter working.

After comparing him to surveillance footage from the break-in, deputies arrested him.

Authorities said both Glass and Hayes were employed by Wendy’s.

Both men were booked into the Coweta County Jail and charged with entering an automobile or other motor vehicle with intent to commit a crime.

They were later released on bond.

— Illicit Deeds | Criminal Case Coverage.

09/24/2026

He Disappeared In 2016. Four Years Later, 106 Of His Bones Were Found.

On June 15, 2016, the family of 30-year-old Miguel Martinez III reported him missing in Deptford, New Jersey. Investigators searched hospitals, reviewed phone and social media records and interviewed multiple people, but Martinez could not be located.

Investigators later determined that Martinez’s cellphone had been in the area of A&J Auto Body on Delsea Drive around the time he disappeared.

Several months into the investigation, detectives interviewed an inmate who said he had overheard a conversation about a homicide near the auto body shop involving someone named “Miguel.”

The case remained unresolved until January 2020, when a witness came forward with information about how Martinez had been killed and where his body had been disposed of.

In February 2020, investigators executed search warrants at multiple properties and wooded areas near Fox Run Road in Deptford.

During those searches, investigators recovered 106 human bones.

DNA and genetic testing later confirmed the remains belonged to Martinez.

Investigators identified Michael A. Zappley, who had been managing A&J Auto Body at the time Martinez disappeared, as a suspect.

In a recorded statement, Zappley admitted that he and Martinez got into an altercation.

Zappley said he grabbed Martinez from behind and restricted his airway until Martinez could no longer breathe.

When Martinez attempted to get back up, Zappley said he struck him in the head with a steel door.

Zappley admitted leaving Martinez’s body outside overnight.

He said he returned the following day, wrapped Martinez’s body in a tarp and transported it to a wooded area off Fox Run Road.

Investigators said Zappley poured a flammable liquid over Martinez’s body and set it on fire.

According to court records, some of Martinez’s remains were left in the wooded area while others were placed in a bag and discarded in a trash can on a township street.

On March 12, 2020, Zappley was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, desecration of human remains and tampering with evidence.

A motive for Martinez’s killing has not been publicly disclosed.

In August 2026, Zappley pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter.

On September 18, 2026, now 69-year-old Zappley was sentenced to 12 years in New Jersey state prison.

He must serve 85% of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

— Illicit Deeds | Criminal Case Coverage

09/24/2026

She Was Found Hanging From A Tree. Now Two Men Are Charged With Murder.

On August 3, 2026, around 9:05 p.m., officers responded to the 500 block of Road of Remembrance in Jackson, Mississippi, where a woman was found hanging from a tree behind a vacant home. Upon arrival, officers found the woman deceased.

The victim was identified as 29-year-old Tasia Fortune.

Fortune was a mother of four who had lived in Mississippi for more than a decade. Her mother, Chrisly Spivey, said she last saw her daughter on July 25, 2026, when Fortune traveled to Kentucky for a family reunion. Spivey said her daughter appeared to be doing better and seemed at peace during what would become their final visit.

After Fortune’s body was discovered, officials said it appeared she may have been at the location for three to four days. That assessment was an estimate and did not establish an exact date or time of death. Her body was sent to the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office to determine how she died and whether her death resulted from su***de, an accident or foul play.

The manner in which Fortune was found immediately generated national attention and questions about whether her death could have been racially motivated, particularly because she was a Black woman found hanging from a tree in Mississippi. Spivey, however, said she did not believe her daughter’s death was a hate crime and instead believed someone had killed her for personal reasons. She also repeatedly rejected the possibility that Fortune had taken her own life.

As detectives began interviewing people connected to Fortune, their investigation turned to 65-year-old Terence Anderson, who lived on the same block where her body was discovered. Detectives later said Anderson acknowledged having an argument with Fortune before her death but denied having anything to do with what happened to her.

Investigators said Fortune and Anderson had been in a relationship, although Anderson disputed that characterization when questioned by police. Anderson was subsequently arrested on an unrelated charge of being a felon in possession of a fi***rm, and a judge set his bond at $250,000. He has not been charged in connection with Fortune’s death.

For weeks, authorities released few details while waiting for the state medical examiner’s findings. Fortune’s family and members of the Jackson community continued demanding answers, and concerns about the investigation eventually reached the Jackson City Council.

By early September, the autopsy had been completed for several weeks, but police said they were still waiting for the medical examiner’s official findings. Police Chief RaShall Brackney said investigators had nevertheless treated Fortune’s death as a homicide from the beginning unless evidence ultimately showed otherwise.

On September 10, 2026, the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office formally classified Fortune’s death as a homicide. Authorities have not publicly released her precise cause of death or explained exactly how investigators believe she was killed.

Following the homicide determination, investigators moved forward with two search warrants and an arrest warrant for 51-year-old Jarques “Jock” Ratliff. Police executed both search warrants, but Ratliff was not at either location when officers arrived.

On September 11, officers spotted Ratliff walking along Capitol Street in Jackson and took him into custody without incident. He was charged with murder in connection with Fortune’s death.

Authorities confirmed Ratliff and Fortune knew one another but have not publicly disclosed the nature of their relationship. Police also have not announced a motive or revealed what evidence specifically connected him to Fortune’s killing.

Fortune’s mother said she did not recognize Ratliff’s name and was attempting to determine whether any of her daughter’s friends knew him.

On September 14, Ratliff pleaded not guilty to murder and was denied bond.

The investigation continued.

On September 22, police arrested 25-year-old Earnest Lloyd Jr. and charged him with murder for his alleged role in Fortune’s death.

Authorities have not publicly disclosed Lloyd’s relationship to Fortune, what role they believe he played in her death or what evidence led investigators to him.

Police also announced that an arrest warrant had been obtained for a third suspect in connection with Fortune’s killing. That person’s identity is being withheld while authorities work to locate them, and the warrant has been turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Brackney said investigators have spent hundreds of hours working the case, interviewed approximately 15 people and collected forensic evidence while following numerous leads.

Police said the arrests of Ratliff and Lloyd do not mark the end of the investigation.

Authorities expect additional arrests.

— Illicit Deeds | Criminal Case Coverage

09/24/2026

She Passed Out While Her 3-Year-Old Was In The Pool. He Drowned.

On September 19, 2026, around 4:44 p.m., officers responded to a home in the 1200 block of North Second Avenue in Evansville, Indiana, after a child was found unresponsive in a backyard swimming pool. Upon arrival, officers found the homeowner performing CPR on the child. The boy was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The victim was identified as a 3-year-old boy whose name has not been publicly released.

Investigators said the boy’s mother, 41-year-old Amie Jo Farber, arrived at the home around 2:30 p.m. and asked the homeowner if her son could swim in the pool.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the homeowner agreed but specifically told Farber that she needed to watch the child.

The homeowner told investigators Farber appeared intoxicated when she arrived and that he was aware she had a drinking problem.

Farber and the homeowner initially sat outside while the 3-year-old played in the pool on a float.

Investigators said the homeowner eventually went inside the house for approximately 10 minutes.

When he returned, he found Farber passed out in a patio chair. He could no longer see the child and noticed the float had overturned.

The homeowner then spotted the boy floating face-down in the pool, pulled him from the water and began CPR.

During the 911 call, witnesses could reportedly be heard repeatedly yelling Farber’s name in an attempt to wake her. One woman told the dispatcher, “She’s passed out drunk!”

The homeowner told police Farber consumed approximately five 25-ounce cans of Bud Ice during the roughly two hours she had been at the residence.

When police arrived, Farber was reportedly near trash cans appearing to discard empty b**r containers. Additional empty cans were found nearby.

At the hospital, Farber told investigators she had gotten into the pool briefly before getting out and lying down in the patio chair.

She reportedly told officers she “must have fallen asleep” and did not know how long she had been unconscious.

According to the affidavit, Farber also told investigators, “This is all my fault.”

Police obtained a warrant for a blood draw to test Farber for alcohol and controlled substances. The results have not been publicly released.

Farber was arrested and charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, a Level 1 felony.

Her bond was set at $25,000 cash, and her initial court appearance was scheduled for September 23, 2026.

Court records also show Farber was arrested in October 2023 after a relative reported that she was intoxicated while caring for an infant. She faced charges including neglect of a dependent, domestic battery, intimidation and battery against a public safety officer. The final disposition of that case has not been publicly confirmed.

— Illicit Deeds | Criminal Case Coverage

09/24/2026

He Beat An Elderly Couple, Fled, Then Shot An Officer At The Hospital.

On September 20, 2026, officers responded to Daytona College at 425 S. Nova Road in Ormond Beach, Florida, after a 79-year-old man and his 74-year-old wife reported suspicious activity at the building. Upon arrival, officers learned the couple had gone to the college after receiving a burglary-alarm notification and encountered a man outside.

Police said the couple noticed a suspicious vehicle and items inside the college that did not belong there, including alcohol, a wallet and identification.

Authorities later determined that 40-year-old Michael Lavar Hightower worked for a janitorial company contracted to clean the college and had been assigned to that location.

Police said Hightower came out of the building, got into a vehicle and struck the 74-year-old woman.

He then allegedly got out of the vehicle and repeatedly punched and kicked both her and her husband.

Both victims suffered critical injuries and were transported to a hospital.

Police said Hightower crashed the vehicle during the incident before running from the area.

Around 7:37 p.m., officers located Hightower in the 300 block of Clyde Morris Boulevard.

Authorities said he attempted to flee again before officers used a Taser and took him into custody.

Because Hightower had been involved in a crash and had been tased, he was taken to AdventHealth Daytona Beach for medical clearance.

Around 3:20 a.m. on September 21, Hightower was being prepared for an MRI while Ormond Beach Officer Austin Long guarded him.

Police said Hightower began struggling with officers after some of his restraints were temporarily removed for the medical procedure.

During the struggle, Hightower allegedly grabbed Long’s service weapon while it was still partially inside its holster.

One round discharged and struck Long in the leg.

Other officers subdued Hightower.

Long, an eight-year veteran and K-9 officer, suffered a non-life-threatening injury and is expected to recover.

Hightower was charged with two counts of attempted felony murder in connection with the attack on the elderly couple.

He also faces charges related to the hospital confrontation, including aggravated battery on a law-enforcement officer, two counts of battery on specified personnel and assault on a law-enforcement officer.

On September 22, Hightower appeared in court and was ordered held without bond.

At the time of the attack, Hightower was already out on bond in a separate case stemming from an April 2026 hit-and-run that left a pedestrian injured.

Prosecutors have moved to revoke that bond following his latest arrest.

— Illicit Deeds | Criminal Case Coverage

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