Albert Cronkite, Author at DR News - News, Retirement, Finance

2-year-old Colorado girl beaten to death by her mom’s boyfriend who says she hurt herself jumping on the bed

DENVER, CO – The early hours of a quiet Sunday were shattered in a west Denver neighborhood last week, when a frantic 911 call alerted authorities to the death of a 2-year-old girl inside a residence on South Vrain Street. The child, identified as Valkyrie Erickson, was later pronounced dead at the scene, launching an investigation that would lead police to arrest two adults on serious charges. Nicholas Stout, 38, is now facing accusations of …

Kentucky man lured into shooting ambush by 15-year-old girl in plot orchestrated by 19-year-old

LOUISVILLE, KY – Milton Ritchie’s life was cut short just days before Christmas, leaving his family searching for answers after a deadly shooting in Louisville’s Pleasure Ridge Park neighborhood. The 20-year-old had reportedly spent the day grocery shopping and visiting his father in the hospital. Not long after those familiar routines, he became the target of a deadly plan that would end with his death. Police responded to the 3000 block of Fordhaven Road on …

Autopsy shows wife of firefighter was strangled after he claimed she had a seizure then police discover he has a mistress

VANCOUVER, WA – A community that once looked to a long-serving fire chief for help has been rocked after a Clark County jury found Kevin West guilty of murdering his wife, unveiling a dark, tangled story behind the familiar face. The verdict came Tuesday, capping a gripping two-week trial where prosecutors detailed the unsettling final moments of Marcelle “Marcy” West’s life. The 48-year-old was found dead in January at the couple’s home, a tragedy that …

Wisconsin man tries to stage murder scene to look like suicide after he shot his roommate to death

WAUSAU, WI – The peace of a residential street on Wausau’s south side was shattered after an afternoon that began with a simple meal and ended with a shooting that has left a neighborhood searching for answers. Police allege that 35-year-old Dustin Stinson shot and killed his housemate, Jacob Socha, following an emotionally charged argument inside their Lazy Creek Way home on September 14. What started as sandwiches shared between two longtime friends—both connected through …

Daughter neglects 74-year-old diabetic man who is bedbound by withholding insulin and leaving him with spinal bones exposed

KNOXVILLE, TN – The troubling condition of a 74-year-old man led authorities to a Knoxville home this January, uncovering what investigators describe as profound and prolonged neglect at the hands of his daughter. Police say the elderly man, once a stroke survivor left bed-bound for nearly a decade, had descended into a dire state. Medical staff at a local hospital discovered he was suffering from severe, untreated bed sores—so extreme that parts of his vertebrae …

Milwaukee man says his 29-year-old girlfriend asked him to shoot her in the head

MILWAUKEE, WI – A chilling tragedy unfolded in a Milwaukee motel room, where a young woman’s life was cut short under harrowing circumstances, and a man now stands accused of murder in what police describe as an execution-style shooting. Authorities allege that Lance Devon White, 29, shot Alicia Machnik, also 29, in the head at the Port Motel on Appleton Avenue. The pair, familiar to each other, reportedly shared a turbulent relationship that spiraled into …

Iowa research scientist stabbed to death with kitchen knife after husband plotted to murder her

CORALVILLE, IA – A Coralville neighborhood woke to sirens and flashing lights Friday morning, as police responded to a distress call that would uncover a shocking crime inside an apartment complex just west of Iowa City. Authorities arrived at the address on Spring Rose Circle shortly before 7 a.m., where they discovered Amber Martin, 41, suffering from critical stab wounds. Despite paramedics’ efforts, Martin was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators quickly identified the victim’s …

Former Marine shot and killed by teen thieves who use Facebook marketplace to steal iPhones from sellers

COLUMBIA, MO – A beloved Marine veteran and missionary known for his devotion to helping others was tragically killed in what authorities describe as a deadly Facebook Marketplace scam orchestrated by four teenagers seeking to steal his iPhone. Ryan Burke, 42, was found shot inside his Columbia home Sunday night after arranging to sell his iPhone 15 Pro online. Authorities say Burke had agreed to meet buyers at his residence on the 1400 block of …

Security footage shows flames in the windows as Syracuse man leaves burning house with his girlfriend inside

SYRACUSE, NY – The courtroom sat in near silence as the fate of Anthony Green was sealed, ending one of the city’s most unsettling arson cases in years. The 60-year-old man, whose actions ignited a deadly inferno on South Avenue last summer, was handed a life sentence Tuesday—no chance of ever leaving prison behind. The June 2024 night that forever altered the landscape of this quiet Syracuse neighborhood began with muffled arguments and searing resentment …

Arizona man calls 911 after shooting his girlfriend in the face during drunken stupor and tells them she’s his ex now

GILBERT, AZ – Police say a 26-year-old man fatally shot his girlfriend during the early hours of Monday, later calling for help in a state of confusion and distress. According to investigators, Judah Chesley called 911 after the incident, expressing bewilderment over his actions and immediately acknowledging the tragedy that had unfolded. Officers responded to the residence just before 1 a.m., where Chesley was waiting for authorities. The suspect’s hands and clothing bore blood stains, …