Paradise News

Category: Metro

  • Teen identified 31 years after her decomposed remains were found in Arizona desert

    APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. (TCD) — Officials have positively identified human remains found in the desert as a 15-year-old who went missing over 30 years ago.

    According to the Apache Junction Police Department, Melody Harrison’s family reported her missing to the Phoenix Police Department in June 1992. Then, about a month and a half later on Aug. 6, 1992, officials discovered decomposed human remains near Idaho and Baseline roads in the remote desert of Apache Junction. The victim became known as Apache Junction Jane Doe.

    KTVK-TV reports Apache Junction Police Chief Mike Pooley said in a news conference that a dog walker discovered the human remains in an area that was extremely remote and desolate.

    “There was nothing out here,” he said. “These were dirt roads where we are right now. Baseline was a dirt road, Idaho was dirt, it was very, very infrequent that people would come out here.”

    The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said Apache Junction Jane Doe was 5-foot-1 and between 16 and 18 years old. She had most likely been deceased for three to five weeks by the time her body was discovered. According to the center, officials could not immediately identify her race, but her hair was “microscopically similar to head hairs from known Admixed AmerIndian.”

    She was wearing long Levi’s shorts and a white shirt with soccer designs. She also reportedly had a Phoenix Transit System card on her, as well as a small drawing of a penny. The statement said the victim had “no obvious dental care and her teeth were described as ‘protruding.’”

    Apache Junction Police said in the news release Harrison was removed from the missing persons list in August 1996 because people told the family they had seen her in different locations. This consequently made her family believe she “started a new life and did not want to go home,” but that she was still alive.

    In 2008, Apache Police investigator Stephanie Bourgeois took over the case, but it eventually went cold. Ten years later, the police department partnered with the DNA Doe Project to help use genetic genealogical technology to create a DNA profile of Apache Junction Jane Doe. The next year, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children put up billboards around Phoenix asking for help identifying the victim.

    According to KTVK, the DNA Doe Project used a family tree to locate a very distant relative, which then helped investigators home in on a closer cousin. Eventually, they identified Apache Junction Jane Doe as Harrison. She reportedly lived in Phoenix and was in her freshman year at Stone Mountain High School.

    Apache Junction Police said in the statement investigators were trying to determine how she ended up in the desert 40 miles from where she lived.

    Bourgeois said, “There is peace of mind having found Melody’s identity and sharing with her family, but there isn’t closure surrounding the circumstances of her death. We are still searching to find out how she might have passed away.”

    MORE:

    • Three Decades Later: Jane Doe Finally Identified – Apache Junction Police
    • Jane Apache Junction Doe 1992 – National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
    • Jane Doe identified in 30-year-old Apache Junction cold case – KTVK

    TRUE CRIME DAILY: THE PODCAST covers high-profile and under-the-radar cases every week. Subscribe to our YouTube page and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. You can also subscribe to our True Crime Daily newsletter.



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  • Va. man sentenced for hiring hit man from jail to kill victims so they wouldn't testify against him

    PORTSMOUTH, Va. (TCD) — A man who was already serving jail time on robbery and abduction charges was recently sentenced for trying to hire someone to kill two witnesses who were planning to testify against him.

    According to the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the city of Portsmouth, on Aug. 30, a jury found Nicholas Ortiz guilty of two counts of solicitation to commit murder for hire and two counts of felony obstruction of justice. He was sentenced to 25 years with 13 years suspended on each count of solicitation to commit murder for hire and five years with five years suspended for each count of felony obstruction of Justice on Nov. 20.

    On Oct. 18, 2022, while Ortiz was in jail, he contacted an undercover Portsmouth Police detective posing as a hit man via a jail call. According to the attorney’s office, Ortiz wanted to have “two victims killed due to them willing to testify against him in upcoming cases.”

    Ortiz reportedly provided “intimate details” about the victims to help the hit man carry out the killing.

    According to the Portsmouth Police Department, he was charged with the solicitation to commit murder for hire and obstruction of justice charges on Oct. 24, 2022.

    According to court documents obtained by WAVY-TV, on July 12, 2021, Ortiz wanted to reconcile his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, but she didn’t want to. Ortiz allegedly got angry and threatened to take his own life in front of her with a .45 caliber handgun.

    Ortiz reportedly ordered his ex-girlfriend to call a co-worker, and he threatened them over the phone. He then forced his ex-girlfriend to enter his car, and they drove around for hours, WAVY reports.

    Ortiz’s ex-girlfriend reportedly convinced him to bring her home, and she was able to escape in her own vehicle.

    According to WAVY, the woman told police she was fearful of what Ortiz might do, and he once told her “he owns a lot of firearms,” and “has nothing else to lose after she left.”

    Ortiz’s ex-girlfriend reportedly filed a protective order against him.

    MORE:

    • Nicholas Ortiz Sentenced to Serve 12 Years in Solicitation to Commit Murder for Hire Convictions – Virginia Commonwealth Attorney’s Office for Portsmouth
    • Portsmouth Police Charge Suspect in Connection to Murder for Hire Plot, 10/25/2022 – Portsmouth Police Department
    • Portsmouth man arrested, accused of hiring to kill witnesses involved in his case, 11/07/2022 – WAVY

    TRUE CRIME DAILY: THE PODCAST covers high-profile and under-the-radar cases every week. Subscribe to our YouTube page and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. You can also subscribe to our True Crime Daily newsletter.



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  • What the FBI sent us

    From Catholic Vote:

    The FBI finally sent us files. 

    Only after a court forced them… 

    At long last, the FBI handed over the documents to our legal team.  

    That’s because time ran out (again) for the FBI in our months-long legal battle to get their records surrounding the “radical traditionalist Catholic” memo – also known as the “Richmond memo.” 

    NOT BACKING DOWN: CatholicVote and our partners at Judicial Watch are prepared to litigate this matter to the end. We’re willing to play the long game, too. We believe Americans – and especially Catholics – have every right to know what led to the decision to authorize spying on Catholics in church! 

    Nevertheless, as of today, they are still prevaricating around the central questions: what led to this memo, who was behind it, and has anyone been reprimanded or fired? Most importantly, we still don’t know whether the FBI is still spying on Catholics. 

    Read more…

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  • Orange County 'manny' gets over 700 years in prison for molesting boys in his care

    LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. (TCD) — A nanny was ordered to spend over seven centuries behind bars for sexually assaulting at least 16 underage boys in his care, including some toddlers, over the course of five years.

    According to a Nov. 17 news release from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, a judge sentenced Matthew Zakrzewski to 705 years to life in prison with an additional two years and eight months for sexually assaulting 16 boys and showing a 17th victim child pornography with “the intent to also sexually assault him.”

    He committed the crimes between Jan. 1, 2014, and May 17, 2019, and the victims ranged in age from 2 to 12 years old at the time of the assaults.

    Prosecutors said Zakrzewski recorded many of his crimes against the children.

    Laguna Beach Police initially arrested Zakrzewski on May 17, 2019, at a local Orange County airport before he was scheduled to take off on an international flight.

    A couple reported to police that Zakrzewski had “inappropriately” touched their 8-year-old son while he was babysitting. The Laguna Beach Police Department’s Major Crimes launched an investigation and uncovered another victim from Los Angeles who was 7 years old, as well as 10 other victims around Southern California.

    Zakrzewski was initially charged with lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 14, oral copulation of a child under the age of 10, and possession of child pornography.

    According to the district attorney’s office, investigators identified additional victims through video evidence and tips.

    Zakrzewski, a self-proclaimed “manny,” reportedly called himself “the original Sitter Buddy” on his website. The district attorney’s office said he provided babysitting services, as well as mentorships, big brother relationships, and overnight and vacation babysitting.

    On his website, Zakrzewski reportedly wrote, “In the eighth grade I discovered what a joy it was to work with children and be a positive impact in their lives through my school’s Buddy Program. Now, I am a full-service TrustLine Certified provider of regular and on-demand childcare, as well as mentoring services for children.”

    In total, prosecutors ended up charging Zakrzewski with 27 felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 14, two felony counts of oral copulation of a child under 10, one felony count of possession of child pornography, and one felony count of using a minor for sex acts. Additionally, Zakrzewski was charged with two felony counts of distributing pornography to a minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct and one felony count of an attempted lewd or lascivious act with a minor under 14.

    A jury convicted Zakrzewski on all 34 counts last month.

    Some of the victims’ parents reportedly made impact statements in court. According to the district attorney’s office, one parent compared Zakrzewski “to an animal they blamed themselves for letting into their homes.”

    Zakrzewski did not apologize for his actions and reportedly stated, “I prided myself on bringing smiles to your children and all the good times we shared were 100 percent genuine.”

    Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement, “This is a case of shattered innocence and precious childhoods that were robbed from 17 little boys. These children will never know the people they were truly intended to be — because their childhoods were suddenly and inexplicably interrupted not by a wolf at the door, but by a predator masquerading as godsend.”

    Spitzer added, “We cannot undo the trauma inflicted so unnecessarily on these children, but we can do everything we can to help support these families as they try to put back together the broken pieces of their children.”

    MORE:

    • Male Nanny Sentenced to 705 Years to Life Plus 2 Years, Eight Months for Molesting 16 Young Boys Under His Care and Showing Pornography to a 17th Boy; Victims Ranged from 2 to 12 Years Old – Orange County District Attorney’s Office
    • Male Nanny Convicted of Molesting 16 Young Boys Under His Care and Showing Pornography to a 17th Boy; Victims Ranged from 2 to 12 Years Old, 10/03/2023 – Orange County District Attorney’s Office

    TRUE CRIME DAILY: THE PODCAST covers high-profile and under-the-radar cases every week. Subscribe to our YouTube page and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. You can also subscribe to our True Crime Daily newsletter.



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  • After-School Satan Club Targets Rural Connecticut School With Christian ‘Good News’ Club

    From Catholic Vote:

    Parents and faith leaders in Lebanon, Connecticut, are outraged that satanists are planning an after-school club for elementary school children in their town beginning December 1. 

    A representative of The Satanic Temple’s (TST) After School Satan Club says Connecticut’s first such club was requested by a parent whose child attends Lebanon Elementary School as an alternative to the Bible-based Good News Club. 

    In 2017, the government watchdog group Judicial Watch obtained documents that showed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had fast-tracked tax-exempt status for an “After School Satan Club” in Tacoma, Washington, at the same time it was found to have either denied or considerably delayed the applications of conservative and Christian groups. Treasury Department records showed the cult received its tax-exempt status only 10 days after filing its application. 

    According to Judicial Watch, the documents revealed Lilith X. Starr, director of the TST’s Seattle branch, launched the after-school club after indicating on the application that its purpose is “character development.” She also reportedly told the Tacoma school superintendent the clubs are led by “caring Satanists.” 

    Read more…

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  • Man allegedly beat restaurant worker to death with fire extinguisher, covered her head with sandbag

    LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. (TCD) — Prosecutors have revealed additional details about 27-year-old Tatum Goodwin’s death, alleging that a local bartender fatally struck her with a fire extinguisher and covered her head with a sandbag.

    According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, on Sunday, Nov. 12, shortly after 8 a.m., a construction worker discovered Goodwin’s remains underneath a chain link fence at a construction site in the 100 block of South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach.

    Prosecutors allege that 26-year-old Dino Rojas-Moreno of Laguna Hills assaulted Goodwin in a parking lot near her car at approximately 1 a.m. Investigators believe he then “forcefully dragged her” to an alley behind a movie theater and allegedly beat her to death with a fire extinguisher. She was reportedly discovered near the restaurant where she worked as an assistant manager for several years.

    The district attorney’s office said investigators do not know if Goodwin had a prior relationship with Rojas-Moreno. On the day of Goodwin’s death, he reportedly called off work, stating that he “had been jumped by several men in Santa Ana.”

    Laguna Beach Police Department detectives arrested Rojas-Moreno Nov. 15 on a murder charge.

    Prosecutors charged Rojas-Moreno with one felony count of murder, one felony enhancement of special circumstances of committing the murder in the commission of a kidnapping, and one felony enhancement for the personal use of a weapon.

    He remains held without bail and is scheduled for his arraignment on Nov. 20. If convicted, Rojas-Moreno is eligible for the death penalty.

    Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement, “It is heartbreaking that a young woman with her entire future ahead of her had her life ended in such a brutal way and then discarded like her life never matter. She mattered, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring justice is served.”

    MORE:

    • Man Charged with Special Circumstances Murder in Beating Death of 27-Year-Old Woman with Fire Extinguisher in Laguna Beach – Orange County District Attorney’s Office
    • Restaurant worker found dead in alley in upscale Laguna Beach, 11/14/2023 – TCD

    TRUE CRIME DAILY: THE PODCAST covers high-profile and under-the-radar cases every week. Subscribe to our YouTube page and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. You can also subscribe to our True Crime Daily newsletter.



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  • NEW White House Cocaine Scandal Details

    Top Headlines of the Week

    Press Releases

    Judicial Watch: Secret Service Photos of Cocaine Found inside the White House – Documents Suggest the Cocaine Evidence Was Set for ‘Destruction’

    Judicial Watch announced recently it received 112 pages of Secret Service records in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that show photos and communications regarding cocaine found inside the Biden White House in July. The DHS withheld 34 pages in their entirety under the “foreseeable harm” standard, which states “the agency reasonably foresees that disclosure would harm an interest protected by an exemption …” and/or the Privacy Act.

    Judicial Watch: FBI Records Show Top Officials Rushing to Craft a Response to Leaked Memo Revealing its Targeting of Catholics

    “The FBI launched a vicious spy effort against Catholics and sought to spy on parishioners as they sat in church pews,” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “These records show top FBI officials were panicked in response about their domestic spying abuse leaking out.”

    Cost of Illegal Immigration Greater Than Annual Gross Domestic Product of 15 States

    Mass illegal immigration resulting from the Biden administration’s open border policies is costing American taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars to provide an unprecedented number of migrants with medical treatment, housing, education, and other welfare services, not to mention law enforcement. A new congressional report that includes federal and state figures reveals the shocking price of supporting an estimated 16.8 to 29 million illegal aliens currently living in the United States.

    Judicial Watch: Emails Show Communications Between Biden Surgeon General and Facebook on Covid Censorship

    Judicial Watch announced recently that it received 14 pages of emails between U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and top Facebook executives in 2021 regarding the censorship of user posts about Covid controversies. The emails show Facebook leadership seeking to “better understand the scope of what the White House expects from us on misinformation going forward.”

     

    In The News

    After-School Satan Club Targets Rural Connecticut School With Christian ‘Good News’ Club

    Catholic Vote

    Parents and faith leaders in Lebanon, Connecticut, are outraged that satanists are planning an after-school club for elementary school children in their town beginning December 1.

    A representative of The Satanic Temple’s (TST) After School Satan Club says Connecticut’s first such club was requested by a parent whose child attends Lebanon Elementary School as an alternative to the Bible-based Good News Club.

     

    What the FBI sent us

    Catholic Vote

    CatholicVote and our partners at Judicial Watch are prepared to litigate this matter to the end. We’re willing to play the long game, too. We believe Americans – and especially Catholics – have every right to know what led to the decision to authorize spying on Catholics in church!

    ‘Urban Combat in a Densely Populated Area is Hell on Earth’ — An Interview with Chris Farrell

    Hungarian Conservative

    This is a very schizophrenic situation: the Biden administration says all the right words and they even dispatched an aircraft carrier battle group, a huge navy force. But that’s largely a publicity stunt. That is not a real military threat to anyone. It’s just sort of a demonstration. But while they say things about protecting Israel, they’re frantically engaged in an effort to support Iran, who we know is trying to build a nuclear weapon.

     

    Video Highlights

        • Mainstream Media is Corrupt–Trust Judicial Watch!

        • FITTON: Judicial Watch Lawsuit for Tennessee Covenant School Murderer Manifesto Continues

        • Dr. Naomi Wolf: “Facing the Beast: Courage, Faith and Resistance in a New Dark Age”

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  • Security operatives raid Yahoo Boys’ hideout, arrest 30

    Security operatives raid Yahoo Boys’ hideout, arrest 30

    By Ovat Abeng

    The operatives of the Nnewi Vigilance Service in Anambra State have arrested no fewer than 30 suspected Yahoo boys and kidnappers during a raid in the area.

    The raid took place in two buildings at Obiofia, Nnewichi-Nnewi tagged, “Operation sweep” in line with the Vigilante policy of keeping Nnewi free from kidnappers, armed robbery, cyber crime (Yahoo Yahoo), exploitation of young girls and other forms of crimes.

    The Paradise News gathered that the raid also led to arrest of some young girls allegedly being exploited, while charms, mobile phones and dozens of SIM cards were recovered from the suspects.

    A commander of the group who preferred anonymity said the suspects had been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.

    Read Also: NAFDAC seeks security agencies’ partnership to rid South-East of sub-standard drugs

    He said the facilities housing the suspects had been sealed by the Vigilante Group for further investigation .

    The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident.

    Stating that investigation had commenced, he added, “The Command has received the suspects and interrogation has commenced.”

  • U.S. Spends $30 Mil to Counter Corruption in Foreign Programs that Get Billions

    Fraud and waste are so rampant in foreign programs that receive enormous amounts of money from American taxpayers that the U.S. government is spending $30 million to counter corruption in the projects it already funds. The new anti-corruption initiative will operate within the scandal-plagued United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which has a massive budget to provide humanitarian assistance worldwide and annually doles out billions to causes like reducing global poverty and under nutrition, providing bicycles for rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa, racial equality, and a national condom strategy in Eswatini.

    Programs funded by USAID have long been plagued with wrongdoing as has the agency, which has an imposing annual budget of nearly $30 billion and operates loosely under the State Department. Citing the “critical importance of development and humanitarian assistance in advancing US interests around the world,” the Biden administration increased USAID’s budget substantially last year by nearly $2 billion. Among the administration’s priorities for USAID are reinforcing global health leadership and addressing the root causes of “irregular migration,” an experiment led by Vice President Kamala Harris that is failing miserably despite receiving around $300 million. The goal, according to USAID, is that the money will improve conditions in impoverished countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras enough to deter its citizens from coming to the U.S. illegally. Instead, the U.S. has been slammed with record-breaking illegal immigration since Joe Biden moved into the White House.

    Another fraud-infested USAID program that deserves scrutiny from its new anti-corruption division involves tens of millions of dollars in malaria drugs provided to Africa that are stolen annually and sold on the black market. The U.S. has spent billions of dollars in the last few years to treat malaria in Africa, where the disease is rampant and kills more than half a million annually. Years ago, a mainstream newspaper published a scandalous exposé documenting how organized networks steal large quantities of donated malaria drugs that end up for sale at street markets. More than 20% of the mostly American-funded malaria drugs are diverted annually with a street value of about $60 million, according to inside government sources cited in the news story. Uncle Sam provides the medication via a program called President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), which is led by USAID.

    The agency’s new multi-million-dollar anti-corruption project aims to systemically address pervasive governance weaknesses that corrupt actors commonly exploit, according to the press release announcing the initiative this month. “This funding will strengthen the systems and actors needed to close loopholes, detect illicit finance and dirty money, follow its movement across borders, and ultimately hold corrupt actors accountable,” the press release states, adding that the investment will boost high priority reforms such as countering pervasive money laundering and enhancing asset recovery. “At the regional and global levels, this award will fund multi-country efforts to enhance international cooperation in tracking and blocking transnational corruption; and test tools and approaches that move anti-corruption practice forward,” the agency writes in its announcement.

    USAID launched the new initiative to meet the criteria set by an overdue anti-corruption policy created about a year ago to address a crisis of fraud and waste in the agency’s programs. Embedded in the 45-page document is a section that indicates what inspired the Biden administration to craft the new policy. “While corruption inflicts grave damage on political systems and societies, it is also a profound personal injustice,” USAID’s anti-corruption policy states. “Women, marginalized communities, and the extreme poor bear the brunt of these harms, as corruption exacerbates unequal power relations and reinforces political, social, and cultural exclusion, which in turn makes it harder for these populations to hold corrupt officials accountable. Corruption often accompanies discrimination against women, LGBTQI+ individuals, indigenous persons, and other marginalized populations. These groups are regularly targeted for extortion – including sexual exploitation (“sextortion”) – and other egregious forms of abuse due to their perceived status in society. Understanding the linkages among corruption, discrimination, and exclusion is essential for ensuring that no one is left behind in our efforts to counter corruption.”

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  • Law Society publishes guidance to support disabled aspiring lawyers

    Online materials, reasonable adjustments, flexible working and more


    The Law Society has issued new guidance to support disabled students through their studies and the workplace to coincide with UK Disability History Month.

    The Chancery Lane guidance reminds law schools to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled students under the Equality Act.

    This, it says, may include providing materials in a range of formats, with particular emphasis on the value of using the web; timetabling and room provision to suit students’ requirements; and special arrangements for exams and assignments such as extra time, a scribe or specialist equipment.

    Legal Cheek’s final UK Virtual Law Fair of the autumn takes place TOMORROW on Tuesday 21 November

    It also reminds employers, including law firms, to adapt their recruitment processes where necessary, permit flexible and part-time working, and relocate part of job role to another employers.

    Law Society president Nick Emmerson said:

    “The journey to a legal career can be a daunting experience for many aspiring solicitors. A disabled student faces the additional stress of having to overcome barriers based on assumptions and lack of knowledge. Employers are increasingly committed to recruiting candidates than can help shape a dynamic and diverse workforce and are tapping into a massive and often excluded talent pool.”

    Stats from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) show that only 5% of lawyers and 5% of other staff in law firms declared they had a disability, compared to 14% of the UK workforce.

    The post Law Society publishes guidance to support disabled aspiring lawyers appeared first on Legal Cheek.

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