Tag: murder

Zodiac Killer may be tied to Black Dahlia case after ‘code cracked,’ new suspect emerges

The Zodiac Killer’s cryptic messages weren’t just taunts to police — they were a twisted throwback to his first victim, according to an independent investigator who says he’s cracked the code and uncovered new evidence suggesting the infamous serial killer began his career 23 years earlier with the California murder of Elizabeth Short, also known as the Black Dahlia.

Alex Baber, co-founder of Cold Case Consultants of America, said that after nine months of work, he cracked a double-layered encryption that involved transposition and substitution in a 2 by 7 grid.

“Currently, for the first time in history, LAPD detectives approached the family of a suspect to obtain DNA,” he told Fox News Digital in an interview on the sidelines of the Hamptons Whodunit event in East Hampton over the weekend. “That’s never happened for the Black Dahlia case… we got a pretty good feeling that we’re sitting in the right seat.”

The Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An FBI spokesperson declined to weigh in.

Baber’s finding, that the Zodiac’s “Z13” cipher depicts the name of a prime suspect in the 1947 Black Dahlia murder, was first revealed in the Daily Mail, and he presented them publicly Saturday at the East Hampton Library.

With help from a proprietary artificial intelligence software and self-taught knowledge of cryptography, he said the 13-character message is decoded to read “Marvin Merrill.” After further digging into social security records, he said he discovered that’s an alias for Marvin Margolis, who he said dated Short in the 1940s and had been on the LAPD’s suspect list after her murder and dismemberment. His AI software flagged the connection between the two cases, he added.

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ICE Arrests MS-13 Gang Member Wanted for Murder — One of the Media’s “Non-Criminal” Illegals

On April 22, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) announced the arrest of Idalia Isabel Morales-Mejia — a criminal illegal alien wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide and a documented associate of the violent MS-13 gang.

In October 2013, authorities in El Salvador charged Morales-Mejia with aggravated homicide and illicit associations.

On an unknown date, she illegally entered the United States without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

According to ICE, in February, the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement Task Force in El Salvador provided updated information regarding Morales-Mejia’s possible presence in Northern Virginia.

After receiving the information, Officers with ICE Washington, D.C., worked to locate her and, on March 12, she was arrested in Woodbridge, Virginia.

ICE Washington, D.C. Field Office Director Robert Guadian shared, “Idalia Isabel Morales-Mejia is not only a known associate of the notorious MS-13 transnational criminal organization, but she apparently attempted to flee justice in her native country by illegally residing in Virginia.“

“The media would consider her to be a ‘non-criminal’ because she has no known criminal history in the United States — despite the fact that she is facing charges for aggravated homicide in El Salvador.”

“ICE Washington, D.C. will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders from our Washington, D.C. and Virginia communities.”

In January, four suspected MS-13 gang members were arrested and are facing murder charges in Maryland after killing a 14-year-old boy from Washington, DC.

The corpse of Jefferson Amaya-Ayala was discovered with multiple injuries in what the medical examiner ruled as a homicide on November 3, 2025, at Indian Creek Stream Valley Park in College Park, Maryland, months after he was last seen in Washington, DC, on August 2, 2025.

In February 2025, the Department of State (DoS) announced the designation of Tren de Aragua (TdA), Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Cártel de Sinaloa, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Cártel del Noreste (CDN), La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM), Cártel de Golfo (CDG), and Cárteles Unidos (CU) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs).

According to DoS, ” MS-13 is a transnational organization that originated in Los Angeles but shifted to Central America as individuals were deported there from the United States. MS-13 actively recruits, organizes, and spreads violence in several countries, primarily in Central America and North America, including El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States.”

“MS-13 has conducted numerous violent attacks, including assassinations and the use of IEDs and drones, against El Salvador government officials and facilities. Additionally, MS-13 uses public displays of violence to intimidate civilian populations to obtain and control territory and manipulate the electoral process in El Salvador.”

“Terrorist designations expose and isolate entities and individuals, denying them access to the U.S. financial system and the resources they need to carry out attacks.”

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HORROR: Activist Who Worked With Democrat Heavyweights Including Joe Biden and Oprah Winfrey Stabbed, Mother Butchered to Death Inside Their California Home

A nationally known activist who has worked with some of the biggest names in Democrat politics has experienced a horror no human being should have to endure and is now merely fighting to survive.

As KABC reported, a mother was killed and her daughter was injured following a stabbing attack inside a Burbank, California home. Police say that the incident happened at roughly 6 a.m. in the 2800 block of North Brighton Street.

A neighbor, Victor Goli, confirmed that the victims were Arti Varma and her daughter, Meera Varma. As KABC notes, Goli explained Arti died from her wounds and Meera was severely injured.

Meera is in the hospital right now, fighting for her life.

“It was kind of a shock to hear just a few minutes ago that their house was broken into,” Goli told KABC.

Goli said Arti’s husband and Meera’s father were not home at the time because he is currently visiting India.

Per her website, Meera Varma described herself as a “nationally recognized Mental Health Activist and TEDx speaker with 10+ years of experience working with federal, private, and nonprofit entities.”

Meera adds that she “strives to be a voice of hope for those navigating their struggles in silence.”

KABC reveals that Meera Varma has worked with several key national Democratic figures including: Oprah Winfrey, Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Kamala Harris, and former US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy.

The New York Post also notes Meera Varma is an advocate for suicide prevention.

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Texas Judge Imposes Media Blackout on Karmelo Anthony Murder Trial: Only 9 Reporters Allowed, No Cameras, No Livestreams — Family Spokesperson Previously Called Case a ‘Fight Against White Supremacy’

Collin County District Judge John Roach Jr. has issued sweeping new restrictions on media coverage for the upcoming murder trial of Karmelo Anthony, the teenager charged with fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet last year.

The order, signed Friday in the 296th District Court, severely limits press access and bans all recording devices.

Citing the intense public interest and the precedent set by the U.S. Supreme Court in Sheppard v. Maxwell, Judge Roach claimed that excessive media coverage could prejudice the trial.

Under the new rules, which go into effect for the trial scheduled to begin June 1:

  • The courtroom opens at 8:30 a.m. with staggered entry: credentialed media at 8:30 a.m., victims’ and defendant’s families at 8:40 a.m., and the general public at 8:50 a.m. Doors close at 9:00 a.m. with no re-entry until recess.
  • Only nine credentialed media members are permitted inside the courtroom at any time. The Collin County Public Information Office will manage all credentials and seating.
  • No photography, video, audio recording, livestreaming, or any visual/audio capture is allowed by media or the public.
  • No images or recordings of witnesses, prospective jurors, or jurors may be published.
  • Media interviews with trial participants are prohibited inside the courtroom and can only occur after the trial ends.
  • Strict decorum is required — no reactions, outbursts, talking, signs, or gestures.
  • All attendees must clear security screening.
  • Trial exhibits will not be released until after the verdict.

The Collin County Sheriff’s Office will enforce the order, with violations potentially resulting in removal, loss of credentials, or contempt charges.

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Singer d4vd Finally Arrested in Gruesome Killing of 14-Year-Old Girl — Seven Months After Her Body Was Found Decomposing Inside His Tesla

Rising alt-pop singer d4vd, real name David Anthony Burke, has finally been arrested for the horrific murder of a 14-year-old girl whose dismembered, decomposing body was discovered rotting inside the front trunk of his Tesla.

Los Angeles Police Department officials confirmed Thursday that the 20-year-old Houston-born singer was taken into custody without bail in connection with the September 2025 slaying of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

The teen’s remains, wrapped in cadaver bags, partially frozen, decapitated, and hacked into pieces, were found by horrified first responders responding to reports of a foul odor emanating from an abandoned, dented Tesla towed from the Hollywood Hills.

NBC Los Angeles reported:

According to the filing in LA Superior Court to compel the appearance of an out-of-state witness, prosecutors wrote that Rivas Hernandez’s remains were discovered on Sept. 8 after a tow yard manager reported the smell of decay coming from the Tesla, which was registered to Burke.

[…]

The Texas judge rejected the efforts to block the enforcement of the demands for testimony Feb. 2, according to a transcript of a hearing.

The Burke witnesses were ordered to appear for testimony the week of Feb. 9, but because grand jury proceedings are secret until an indictment is produced, it’s not known if they ever appeared.

Citing the ongoing investigation the LA County Department of Medical Examiner removed public information about the case last November, which indicated at the time that the cause of Rivas Hernandez’s death was still undetermined.

Law enforcement sources told NBC4 Investigates last year that they believe Rivas Hernandez died in the spring of 2025, and that more than one person may have been involved in her death and the attempted disposal of her body.

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Arraignment set for transgender woman in decade-old murder of 13-year-old

An arraignment hearing for a person accused of killing a 13-year-old boy nearly a decade ago will be held later this month.

That’s the result of a very brief hearing in Tazewell County Circuit Court where Keith A. Brackett made an initial appearance on the murder allegations.

Brackett, 48, wasn’t in the courtroom, rather appearing via video conference from the county jail. Brackett was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with strangling and then hiding the body of Robert “Bonzai” Bee in a wooded area off Illinois Route 29.

During the initial appearance, Brackett requested the court address her as a woman.

The charges — murder and concealment of a homicidal death — allege that Brackett asphyxiated the boy and then hid his remains in a wooded area of property he was maintaining.

Brackett, who was recently paroled from the Illinois Department of Corrections, was arrested Wednesday morning and served with the warrants.

The first-degree murder charges carry a possible 20 to 60-year prison term. The concealment of a homicide carries a possible 10-year prison term.

Prosecutors have asked Presiding Judge Chris Doscotch to order Brackett held pending the outcome of the allegations. However, Public Defender Luke Taylor said his office wasn’t ready to proceed on that hearing on Thursday.

Taylor said there were around 4,000 pages of discovery—evidence—that would be delivered to his office after the hearing.

As such, Taylor said his office would allow Brackett to concede detention without prejudice, meaning she could come back at another time and ask to be released. That’s an important legal distinction. Once a detention is ordered, a person can only contest it if new evidence is presented.

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Police Dispatch Audio Reveals Moments After Former Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax Kills His Wife and Himself

Horrifying dispatch audio of the 911 call that came in after Justin Fairfax and his wife died in a murder-suicide was released Thursday afternoon.

Former Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife, Cerina and then shot himself dead early Thursday morning.

According to NBC4 Washington, Justin Fairfax had just lost custody of his teenage children and was ordered to move out of the marital home before he murdered his wife and turned the gun on himself.

“The wife testified that heavy daily alcohol consumption by the father has become the norm,” a judge wrote in the custody opinion, the outlet reported.

“The court documents say Justin spiraled into alcoholism and isolated himself from family involvement following the 2019 sexual assault allegations against him while he was in office. They’re allegations he denied but that weighed on him tremendously, the judge wrote,” according to NBC 4 Washington.

Justin and Cerina’s two teenage children, a son and a daughter were home at the time of the bloody murder-suicide.

Fairfax’s 16-year-old son, Cameron dialed 911 and reported his mother had been shot.

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SPAIN: Prolific Serial Killer Transitions While Serving 127-Year Sentence, Is Now Being Held In A Women’s Unit

One of Spain’s most prolific serial killers is now being held in a women’s correctional unit after beginning to identify as transgender while behind bars. Joan Vila Dilmé, also known as the Olot nursing home killer, is reportedly now going by the name “Aida.”

Vila, 60, was sentenced to 127 years in prison in 2013 for the murders of 11 elderly residents at the care home he worked at.

Dubbed “the angel of death” by Spanish media, Vila was arrested following the death of an 85-year-old resident at the La Caritat nursing home in the northeastern Catalan town of Olot. Medical staff determined that the woman had died after ingesting a corrosive substance, prompting authorities to classify the case as suspicious.

Police soon identified Vila, a caregiver at the facility, as a person of interest after establishing that he had been present at the time of the woman’s death. During questioning, he confessed to the killing, admitting that he had forced her to drink a corrosive substance.

Although Vila initially confessed to just three murders, a subsequent investigation revealed a far more extensive pattern of abuse. Authorities ultimately linked him to at least 11 deaths at the nursing home—nine women and two men. The victims, all of whom were between 80 and 90 years of age, were identified as:

  • Rosa Barbures Pujol
  • Francisca Matilde Fiol
  • Teresa Puig Boixadera
  • Isidra García Aseijas
  • Carme Vilanova Viñolas
  • Lluís Salleras Claret
  • Joan Canal Julià
  • Montserrat Canalias Muntada
  • Sabina Masllorens i Sala
  • Montserrat Guillamet Bartolich
  • Paquita Gironès i Quintana

The murders were carried out between August of 2009 and October of 2010.

Investigators determined that Vila had evaded detection for an extended period by initially employing methods that were difficult to trace. In early cases, he administered cocktails of barbiturates and other drugs mixed with water, or delivered high doses of insulin intravenously to diabetic patients. These methods often led to the deaths being mistakenly classified as natural or medical.

By September of 2010, colleagues began noticing a marked shift in Vila behavior. He reportedly became increasingly aggressive and expressed frustration with caring for elderly residents, stating that he wanted to leave his job. Following one of his later killings, he allegedly compelled a co-worker to remain in the victim’s room and watch over the body.

The final series of murders occurred within a five-day span between October 12 and 17, 2010. During this period, Vila killed Sabina Masllorens i Sala, Montserrat Guillamet Bartolich and Paquita Gironès i Quintana. In these cases, he abandoned earlier methods and instead forced victims to ingest bleach or injected corrosive substances directly into their mouths.

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Kurt Cobain death mystery reignites as ex-detective points to three clues challenging suicide ruling

Kurt Cobain was found with a lethal gunshot wound to the head on April 8, 1994 at his Seattle, Washington home.

The Seattle Police Department (SPD) took over the investigation, finding a suicide note, a gun in his hands and a nearby heroin kit, which they used to determine the Nirvana frontman, 27, had taken his own life.

Now, in a newly released update tied to his controversial book Case Closed: The Cobain Murder: The Killing and Cover-Up of Kurt Cobain, author Ian Halperin, a journalist known for several bestselling investigative books, claims that an unnamed former Seattle police detective privately told him the investigation into Cobain’s death was mishandled. 

Halperin wrote that he spoke to the former police officer about 18 months ago and quoted the source as saying: ‘I have felt a sense of righteous indignation for years. Finally, I decided to speak out to address a serious wrongdoing.’

Halperin said the unnamed former detective claimed Cobain’s heroin levels were so high that it would have been impossible for him to fire the gun himself. 

‘There were no fingerprints on the gun, and the last five lines of his alleged suicide did not match his own handwriting,’ the source said, according to the book.

‘Just on that, the case should not have been labeled a suicide. A proper investigation should have been conducted, a thorough investigation to find out how, in fact, Cobain died. It was never done.’

When asked about a potential mishandling of Cobain’s death, a SPD spokesperson told the Daily Mail: ‘Kurt Cobain died by suicide in 1994. This continues to be the position of the Seattle Police Department.’

The former SPD office also claimed there was ‘poor management,’ with Halperin writing that the source said they were among several people within the department who believed the entire investigation was ‘one big cover-up.’

Halperin wrote that the source worked under Norm Stamper, the Seattle Chief of Police from 1994 to 2000, who has expressed regret over how Cobain’s case was handled, stating in 2015 that he ‘would reopen this investigation’ if given the opportunity.

While not directly accusing anyone, Stamper previously suggested that investigators should not have immediately discounted the possibility of murder.

Halperin’s source echoed Stamper’s concerns, saying: ‘Too much politics was involved. Not enough facts. Many people were able to advance themselves at others’ expense. As a result, many cases were treated unfairly.’ 

Halperin wrote that when asked why the unnamed former detective questioned the suicide ruling, the source cited several concerns about the investigation. 

Similar concerns have been raised in previous years by other law enforcement figures who later reviewed the case.

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Transgender baby murderer freed from prison 30 years EARLY amid speculation Indiana state officials did not want to pay for cosmetic surgeries killer demanded

A transgender baby killer was released from prison 30 years early after attempting to force authorities to use taxpayer money for gender-affirming surgeries. 

Jonathan Richardson, who now uses the name Autumn Cordellione, was convicted in 2002 of murdering his 11-month-old stepdaughter by strangulation in a brutal killing. 

The murder shocked the nation over two decades ago, as Richardson heartlessly described his victim as ‘the little f***ing b***h’ to a corrections officer. 

Despite the grisly murder, the heavily tattooed killer served less than half of his 55-year sentence, and was quietly released in late December 2025 without the Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC) notifying local officials. 

The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement that it was unaware of Richardson’s release, and said they only discovered the killer was let back out into the community when a citizen recognized him. 

The IDOC has not provided an official explanation for why Richardson was granted parole so early into his sentence for the infant’s murder. 

However, it comes after Richardson tried for years to have the state of Indiana pay for his transgender surgeries, including demanding breast implants and a ‘penile inversion’ operation. 

In September 2024, a court issued a preliminary injunction requiring the IDOC to provide the surgeries to Richardson, finding that denying the inmate constituted cruel and unusual punishment. 

While prison officials have not yet commented on Richardson’s release, the injunction led to speculation that the IDOC released the prisoner to avoid having to pay out for the expensive surgeries. 

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