Police Blotter

Shooting incident leaves Greenwood home damaged but occupants unharmed

Greenwood, DE

A shooting occurred in Greenwood on November 19 at about 8:10 a.m. An unknown suspect fired shots at a residence in the 14000 block of Staytonville Road overnight.

Three individuals, including two adults and a child, were inside the home during the incident. No injuries have been reported.

Delaware State Police Troop 4 Criminal Investigations Unit is handling the ongoing investigation. Detectives are urging anyone with information to reach out to Detective L. Coleman at (302) 752-3813.

Information can also be shared through private messages to the Delaware State Police’s Facebook page or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.

The Victim Services Unit of the Delaware State Police is available 24/7 for support through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 and can be reached via email at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.

Couple charged with murder days after divorce in Arkansas shooting

Rogers, AR A woman and her boyfriend face first-degree murder charges for the fatal shooting of her ex-husband. Amanda Penny, 40, and Michael Hogue, 51, were taken into custody this week, according to a statement from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident occurred on July 11, when deputies responded to reports of a shooting along Highway 12. They found Kevin Nikel, a former WWE wrestler, with a gunshot wound to the stomach.

U.S. Marshal Service agents arrested Hogue in Fort Smith and Penny in Rogers. Nikel was the primary caregiver of the couple’s son, a situation that allegedly led to conflict following recent custody disputes.

Court documents revealed a prior court order limited Hogue’s contact with Nikel’s child. Additionally, Nikel was to maintain primary custody until Penny passed a required drug test, which she had not yet completed as of the day of the shooting.

Nikel’s mother was awarded custody of her grandson earlier this year. She expressed confusion over the circumstances surrounding her son’s death, stating she has many unanswered questions.

Reports indicate an argument occurred between Hogue and Nikel, possibly initiated through text messages. The nature of the confrontation remains under investigation as both defendants remain in the Benton County Jail without bond. Their initial court appearances have not yet been scheduled.

Two teenagers arrested for shoplifting in Boston

Boston, MA Officers arrested two 14-year-old male juveniles on shoplifting charges Wednesday morning. At approximately 11:37 AM, police responded to a report of a larceny in progress at the Lululemon store located at 776 Boylston Street.

Officers were provided a description of the suspects and their flight path. They observed the suspects attempting to wear the stolen coats at the intersection of Boylston Street and Exeter Street.

One suspect fled on foot toward Fairfield Street as officers approached. Following a brief foot pursuit, he was taken into custody while the second juvenile was handcuffed without incident.

Both juveniles will face charges of shoplifting by asportation over $250 and receiving stolen property in Boston Juvenile Court.

Man with gun arrested at Boston bus terminal

Boston, MA

Officers assigned to District B-2 responded to 25 Warren Street for a report of a person with a gun. Transit Police provided a description of the suspect, leading officers to locate an individual matching that description at the Bus Terminal platform.

Officers stopped the suspect and conducted a pat frisk, recovering a firearm from his waistband. A folding knife and brass knuckles were also retrieved during the stop.

District Detectives were called to process the evidence discovered at the scene. The firearm, a Bersa .380, contained one round in the chamber and six rounds in the magazine.

Freddie Bates, 48, of Boston, was arrested and is expected to face charges in Roxbury District Court. His charges include carrying a loaded firearm without a license, possession of a firearm without an FID card, and carrying a dangerous weapon.

Reno man sentenced to life for murder of ex-girlfriend over lease dispute

Reno, NV A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Janaya Baker, who was 18 years old. Malik Coleman received the sentence on Monday and will be eligible for parole after serving 28 years.

The shooting occurred on November 16, 2023, at an apartment on North Virginia Street. Baker was found with a gunshot wound to her head and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Coleman had been in a relationship with Baker but was removed from her lease shortly before the shooting. Surveillance footage captured him entering her apartment while she was at work, where he waited for her return.

Audio evidence of their encounter recorded Baker questioning Coleman before a gunshot was heard. After the shooting, Coleman left the apartment and later sent a text message to Baker’s mother saying that she had been shot.

Washoe County District Attorney’s Office indicated that Chief Deputy District Attorney Nicole Hicks had urged the judge to impose a life sentence without parole, emphasizing the seriousness of the crime.

Baker’s family had expressed deep sorrow following her death, highlighting the loss of a young life.

Miami mom accused of dragging woman with car following argument

Miami, FL – Crystal Collins, 43, has been arrested for allegedly dragging a woman with her vehicle after a verbal altercation. The incident reportedly occurred on September 13.

Collins was taken into custody on Wednesday and charged with two counts of battery. She was later released on pretrial conditions from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

According to an arrest affidavit, the victim accused Collins of dragging her “several yards” after her daughter allegedly instructed Collins to do so. The confrontation began outside a residence on NW 37th Avenue in the early hours.

At the time of the incident, Collins was driving a Nissan Altima with her daughter when the argument escalated. The daughter reportedly pulled the victim’s shirt from inside the car before Collins allegedly accelerated the vehicle.

The victim was treated for road rash injuries at a local hospital following the incident. She informed police that this was not the first altercation involving Collins and her daughter.

Collins was located by police on Wednesday, where she admitted to speaking with detectives about the altercation. She claimed that the victim approached her at a wake and attempted to fight her daughter, resulting in physical contact through the car window.

The affidavit noted that Collins recorded cellphone videos of the incident. Police reviewed the footage, finding it corroborated the victim’s account rather than Collins’.

Following the arrest, Collins was booked on battery charges and ordered to stay away from the victim. A court date has been scheduled for January 20, 2026.

Juvenile girls arrested after attempted carjacking in Dorchester

Dorchester, MA Officers assigned to District C-11 responded to a report of a carjacking on Thursday night. A victim reported a group of individuals attempted to steal his moped at around 9:51 PM on Westville Street.

Three female suspects were observed trying to steal the vehicle before fleeing when the victim resisted. Upon arrival, officers broadcast descriptions of the suspects to responding units.

Officers located the suspects attempting to jump a fence behind 192 Westville Street. After failing to jump over, the suspects forcefully pushed through the fence, causing damage.

The suspects, identified as juvenile females aged 13, 16, and 17, were taken into custody. They are expected to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court on charges of carjacking, malicious destruction of property over $1,200, and trespassing.

Mother pleads guilty after abandoning son on busy highway

Brookfield, WI A mother has pleaded guilty to abandoning her 12-year-old son after a dispute over his grades. Flor Escalante, 44, faced charges following the incident that occurred last year.

On Thursday, Escalante admitted to the charge of abandonment, while the judge dismissed the related child neglect charge. She received a sentence of two years probation.

The incident took place on November 8 when Escalante was driving her son to a Sylvan Learning Center. Following an argument, she pulled over on the I-94 highway and instructed him to exit the vehicle.

The boy was left to walk approximately two miles alone. Weather conditions were around 50 degrees, and he was not properly dressed for the temperature.

Multiple drivers alerted authorities about a child walking along the highway. They reported a “10- or 12-year-old on the shoulder crying.”

Police arrived and took the boy to the learning center where Escalante was waiting. She told officers that her son “didn’t appreciate everything [she] did for him.”

Escalante expressed she made him walk to teach him the value of hard work. She stated she intended to pick him up but could not locate him.

The case highlights concerns regarding parental responsibility and child safety on busy roads.

Minnesota woman sentenced to 40 years for ex-girlfriend’s murder

Minneapolis, MN A woman was sentenced this week to 40 years in prison for the murder of her ex-girlfriend, a case that drew significant attention. Margot Lewis, 33, was found guilty of second-degree murder with intent and second-degree murder without intent while using a dangerous weapon.

Lewis stabbed Liara Tsai, 35, in the neck on June 22, killing her in her studio apartment. After committing the crime, Lewis wrapped Tsai’s body in bedding and a tarp, then placed it in Tsai’s car.

The victim’s body was discovered after Lewis crashed the vehicle on Interstate 90 near Highway 42 in Eyota. Two good Samaritans who stopped to assist found Tsai’s remains in the back seat.

In court, prosecutors described the murder as a betrayal, highlighting that Tsai was writing love poems to Lewis while Lewis wrote about her desire to harm her.

Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Erin Lutz stated that Tsai’s death left a significant void for those who knew her.

Lewis exhibited a lack of remorse during the proceedings, claiming she loved Tsai and would not have killed her.

During sentencing, Judge Paul Scoggin cautioned Lewis against interrupting him as he explained the rationale behind her sentence.

The court permitted an upward sentencing departure, and Lewis received 517 days of credit for time spent in pretrial detention.

Lewis faces additional charges for concealing Tsai’s body.