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Several new photos in Kiely Rodni disappearance released by sheriff’s office

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A surveillance image captured the day Kiely Rodni disappeared in Tahoe has been released by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.

Kiely, who is 16, was last seen between 12:30 a.m. and 1 a.m. on August 6, near the Prosser Family Campground, about 10 minutes north of Truckee. According to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, she was attending a party “of more than 100 juveniles and young adults.” Her vehicle, a silver 2013 Honda CRV, is also missing, and her phone has been out of service since she disappeared. The sheriff’s office and FBI are treating the case as a possible abduction because Kiely’s vehicle is still missing.

Several new photos have been shared by the sheriff’s office over the last day. On Tuesday evening, the sheriff’s office released a still caught by surveillance cameras at an unnamed local Truckee business. Detectives found the footage after contacting businesses in the area.

Kiely is seen wearing a black bodysuit and dark green Dickies pants. The image was captured at 6:08 p.m. on August 5, a few hours before she headed to the campground party.

Kiely Rodni was caught on surveillance footage at a Truckee business on Aug. 5, 2022, shortly before she attended the party from which she went missing.

Placer County Sheriff’s Office/Handout

In a Wednesday afternoon press conference, the sheriff’s office disseminated two new images: one of a hoodie Kiely is believed to have borrowed at the party and another of her missing vehicle. In a strange coincidence, the front of the black hoodie has a few lines of poetry from singer Lana del Rey. It reads: “You don’t want to be forgotten. You want to disappear.”

“We don’t know whether Kiely was wearing that hoodie when she disappeared, but we believe it was still in her possession,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Kiely Rodni was loaned this hoodie by someone at the Prosser campground party, sheriff’s deputies say.

Placer County Sheriff’s Office/Handout

The photo of Kiely’s Honda CRV was taken over the winter when it was snowy:

A photo of Kiely Rodni’s 2013 silver Honda CRV with the California license plate 8YUR127.

Placer County Sheriff’s Office/Handout

There are conflicting accounts of Kiely’s plans for the evening. According to one friend who attended the Prosser party, Kiely intended to spend the night at the campground, along with many other attendees. But Kiely’s mother Lindsey Rodni-Nieman said she received a text from Kiely saying she would be “straight home” in about 45 minutes.

“I told her to be safe and that I loved her. And she said, ‘OK, mom, I love you, too,'” Rodni-Nieman told ABC News. “She never came home.”

Search-and-rescue teams fanned out across the region looking for any sign of Kiely, with volunteers meeting each morning at the Truckee community rec center to coordinate efforts. A helicopter has been deployed for aerial sweeps along the I-80 corridor between Donner Summit and the Nevada border, and on Tuesday and Wednesday, marine units from three local sheriff’s offices conducted water searches at Prosser Creek Reservoir.

“The only lead they have is Kiely’s last known location before she went missing,” the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Wednesday morning.

Kiely Rodni, 16, was last seen in Truckee on Aug. 6, 2022. 

Placer County Sheriff’s Office/Handout

Kiely is 5-foot-7 and 115 pounds and has blonde hair, hazel eyes and a nose ring. She has multiple piercings and a tattoo of the number 17 on her ribs. Her silver Honda CRV has the California license plate 8YUR127. Kiely’s family runs the Lost Trail Lodge in Truckee, about a 12-mile drive from the Prosser campground.

Anyone with information regarding Kiely’s disappearance is asked to immediately contact the Placer County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 530-581-6320, option 7. Callers may remain anonymous. Tips can also be sent to sheriff_tahoeinvesttips@placer.ca.gov. The sheriff’s office says it’s received about 300 tips so far. 



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71-year-old man mauled to death by dogs; owner arrested, sheriff’s office says

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Freddy Garcia was walking to a neighborhood store in Fresno on July 18 when he was fatally attacked by the pack of dogs, the sheriff’s office said Friday.

Samuel Cartwright, 47, who owned all seven dogs, was arrested and charged in connection with the mauling, the sheriff’s office said. It is unclear if Cartwright has an attorney at this time. CNN has reached out to the district attorney’s office for more information.

“All seven dogs — who are a pit bull mixes — were captured by sheriff’s deputies and Animal Control,” the sheriff’s office added.

Cartwright was booked into the county jail on Thursday and charged with “attack by dog resulting in death,” a second-degree felony, according to jail records. His bail is set at $100,000.
Prior to his arrest, CNN affiliate KTRK spoke with Cartwright, who said the dogs do not belong to him and that he called animal control as soon as he spotted them on his property.

“There’s 20 dogs around here right now. If you drive down this back street, there will be 20 loose dogs running around,” he said. “People just dump them around here. The dogs go wherever they can find food.”

Garcia’s granddaughter, Ivon Fajardo, mourned her grandfather in the interview with KTRK.

“He was youthful. He was full of life. He liked to dance. He liked to sing. He was really joyful,” Fajardo said in Spanish. “We would get together on the weekend and enjoy each other’s company. Now, that he’s not here. It’s not going to be the same.”

Sheriff Eric Fagan said in a news conference Tuesday that Garcia had done nothing to provoke the animals.

“He was walking down the street. He was not in anyone’s yard, he was walking to the store when he was attacked,” he said. “He had nothing in his hands. The dogs just attacked him for no reason and no provocation whatsoever.”

CNN’s Eric Levenson contributed to this report.

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Sheriff’s deputy hospitalized after being shot in Rancho Cucamonga; suspect in custody

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RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (KABC) — A sheriff’s deputy was hospitalized after being shot in the Rancho Cucamonga area overnight and a suspect was taken into custody.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said the shooting occurred after deputies responded to a call of a suspicious vehicle in the 5700 block of Sycamore Court around 12 a.m. Sunday.

During a Sunday morning press conference, Sheriff Shannon Dicus said the deputy attempted to make contact with someone inside the vehicle. That’s when the suspect shot the deputy twice.

Despite being shot, officials said the deputy managed to return fire and then radio in a description of the suspect, who fled the vehicle and ran from the scene.

The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Nicholas Campbell, was not injured and was taken into custody a short time later. Campbell was on parole for carjacking, according to investigators.

The deputy was airlifted to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center for treatment and was listed in stable condition.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.



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Manhunt underway after 2 sheriff’s deputies shot in Alabama

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A manhunt is underway in Alabama for a suspect who allegedly shot two Bibb County Sheriff’s deputies, officials said.

The shooting occurred Wednesday afternoon on Highway 25 in the Cahaba River Wildlife Management Area during the pursuit of a stolen vehicle, according to Bibb County District Attorney Michael Jackson.

Authorities identified the suspect as 26-year-old Austin Patrick. He’s considered to be armed and extremely dangerous, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said.

A manhunt is underway for 26-year-old Austin Patrick Hall who is considered to be armed and extremely dangerous after County Sheriff’s Office deputies were shot on Highway 25 in Bibb County, Ala., June 29, 2022.

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency

Hall has a criminal record with 72 different charges since 2012, including assault, attempting to elude police and resisting arrest, authorities said. He tried to choke a corrections officer in Calhoun County in 2020, according to the ALEA. Hall was released from Calhoun County Jail in April.

The condition of the deputies has not been released at this time.

ABC News’ William Gretsky contributed to this report.

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Humble shooting: 16-year-old shot and killed, mother’s boyfriend Van Brisbon charged with murder, sheriff’s office says

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HUMBLE, Texas (KTRK) — A 16-year-old was shot and killed inside a home early Friday morning in Humble, and her mother’s boyfriend has been with charged in her murder.

Lauren Juma had her whole life in front of her. The 16-year-old had just made her high school cheerleading team and had dreams of joining her older sister in the U.S. Air Force after graduation.

But now, her family is devastated. The tragic series of events began early Friday morning, when Juma Facetimed with her mother as well as one of her older sisters.

“It was 1 o’clock in the morning, and she just said he was being really weird and she wanted me to come pick her up,” said Keryca Harmon, Lauren’s 19-year-old sister. “That’s what I did.”

But Harmon would never get to see her sister alive again.

“By the time I got there, the police were already out there searching around the house,” Harmon said, tears welling up. “I was there about three minutes before I heard two gunshots go off, and I ran toward the house.”

Meanwhile, Laurie Young, who was at a work training program in Austin, rushed back to the home she shared with her boyfriend Van Brisbon and daughter for three years.

“She was 16. She just joined cheerleading team,” recalled the devastated mother. “She had a bright future ahead of her, and she was going to go to the U.S. Air Force when she graduated.”

Family members who had met Brisbon over the past few years said outwardly that he seemed friendly.

“He just seemed like a real good person when we met him,” recalled cousin Antoinette Buckley. “Nobody thought this was going to happen.”

“He can rot in jail,” said Young, her voice breaking with emotion. “He had no reason for taking my baby’s life. Sixteen years old.”

Copyright © 2022 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Family of victim in ‘Rust’ shooting demands Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office remove graphic video of her dying after being fatally injured, attorney letter says

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Hutchins, the film’s cinematographer, was killed and director Joel Souza was injured when a gun being handled by actor Alec Baldwin went off while they were rehearsing a scene at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico in October.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office released several files Monday from its ongoing investigation into the shooting, including photos, recordings and reports, officials said. Video of Hutchins dying is included in the data released.

In the letter to the sheriff’s office, Brian Panish, an attorney for the Hutchins family, said the release of the evidence has caused “irreparable” damage to her husband, Matthew Hutchins, and their son.

“Your office trampled on the constitutional rights of the Hutchins,” the letter, dated April 27, reads. “Without any discussion, your office unilaterally determined that Mr. Hutchins would be given access to the materials to review early in the morning on Monday, April 25 before being released to the public later in the afternoon giving him less than a business day to review the materials.”

Due to the “sheer volume of material,” that was “a wholly inadequate amount of time,” and the family wasn’t given the opportunity “to request that discretion be exercised, and sensitive material be redacted,” Panish wrote.

On top of that, the letter said, the sheriff’s office did not redact Hutchins’ private and personal information. Panish wrote his client fears video of his wife’s final moments could be used by bullies to emotionally abuse their son.

The letter demands the sheriff’s office respect the Hutchins family’s “constitutional rights of dignity, privacy, respect, and fairness going forward,” and the office take down footage of Hutchins “dying on the church floor.”

“While the damage of publishing the video is irreparable, taking down the video will end your office’s complicity in causing further harm,” the letter reads.

CNN has reached out to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office to confirm receipt of the letter and additional comment.

During an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Wednesday, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza defended releasing the material. “We’re in response to a public records request, where we’re required to release the information, and it was also an effort to be transparent in the investigation,” Mendoza said.

The investigation is “nearing completion” he told ABC, adding his office is waiting on FBI analysis of munitions, latent prints, DNA, a report from the medical examiner, and some cell phone data analysis. His office is hoping this will wrap up in “weeks and not months,” he told GMA.

Released evidence includes ‘concerning texts,’ sheriff says

The evidence files released by the sheriff’s office also contained text messages “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed shared with an ammunition supplier for a previous film in 2021 — not “Rust” — where she stated she planned on shooting live ammunition while on set.

Mendoza called the text messages “concerning” during an interview with NBC’s “Today” on Tuesday and said investigators are looking into who brought live ammunition to the “Rust” set.

“Right now, no one has come forward and admitted to bringing the live rounds onto the movie set. There was information from text messages that was concerning based on the fact that live ammo was spoken about and was possibly used on a prior movie set and that was just a few months before the ‘Rust’ movie set production began, so that is concerning,” Mendoza said.

A law enforcement official told CNN they consider the text exchange important as they try to determine whether the armorer made a practice of conducting live fire exercises at the same time she was responsible for safety on sets.

Gutierrez Reed’s attorney Jason Bowles told CNN his client wanted to fire the gun to understand how the historical weapon worked and maintains she didn’t fire live rounds on set.

CNN’s Cheri Mossburg, Josh Campbell and Stella Chan contributed to this report.

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Off-duty Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Almendarez dies after shooting outside Joe V’s Smart Shop

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HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Two men have been charged with capital murder in the death of off-duty Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputy Darren Almendarez, who was shot in a grocery store parking lot.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said Almendarez was shot while confronting suspected car burglars outside the Joe V’s Smart Shop in the 2900 block of FM 1960 at Aldine Westfield at about 8:35 p.m. Thursday.

“We got one male shot in the chest,” first responders could be heard reporting on radio traffic.

Deputies said Almendarez and his wife were walking back to their truck when he saw a black, four-door Nissan Altima backed up to his vehicle. Two men were under his truck, and it appeared that they were trying to steal the catalytic converter, officials said.

Gonzalez said Almendarez told his wife to stay back as he approached the suspects’ car, which had three men inside. That’s when one of the three men started shooting.

The deputy was hit several times but was able to shoot back, hitting at least two of the suspects.

The suspects then sped off.

Almendarez was transported to Houston Northwest Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Two of the suspects, 23-year-old Joshua Stewart and 19-year-old Fredarias Henry Clark, arrived at the same hospital in Altima from the parking lot. Both men had gunshot wounds.

Stewart is in jail and is expected to appear in probable cause court early Saturday morning, officials say.

In 2019, Stewart had a charge in Harris County for unlawful carrying of a dismissed weapon, records show.

In November 2020, Clark was convicted of criminal trespassing and later unlawful carrying of a dismissed weapon.

Police are looking for a third man, believed to be a 17- to 19-year-old Black man with a medium complexion and braided hair, for questioning.

Video from the scene shows just how much gunfire there was. The windshield of the suspects’ car was covered in bullet holes.

Gonzalez said Almendarez protected his wife in his final moments alive.

“At a personal level and as sheriff, that’s evil. We’ve got evil individuals that are out there,” Gonzalez said of the shooting.

Almendarez was a 23-year veteran with the sheriff’s office. He was assigned to the auto theft division.

“Because I know him personally, professionally, I can say he would have done the same thing,” Chief Deputy Edison Toquica said. “Ironically, it just happened to have been his truck.”

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner released a statement Friday morning about Almendarez’s death.

“I am deeply saddened by the death of Deputy Darren Almendarez. We mourn with our brothers and sisters at Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and we extend our support to them as they grieve the loss of the 23-year veteran. Law enforcement is an inherently dangerous job, but what happened is unacceptable. It is a terrible day when a family trip to a grocery store ends in violence and loss of life. Deputy Almendarez will be remembered as a loyal public servant who died while protecting his wife. I ask everyone to join me in praying for the deputy’s family, his coworkers, and for the senseless violence to end.”

Gov. Greg Abbott also released a statement, saying that the state would be ready to provide all resources necessary to bring justice to the family and loved ones of Deputy Almendarez.

“Deputy Darren Almendarez lost his life while answering the call to serve and protect his fellow Texans. This tragedy is a heartbreaking reminder of our law enforcement officers’ sacrifices both on and off duty. The State of Texas is ready to provide all resources necessary to bring justice to the family and loved ones of Deputy Almendarez. I ask that Texans join Cecilia and me in prayer for Deputy Almendarez’s family and the continued safety of all of our law enforcement officers across the Lone Star State.”

Deputies investigated a second crime scene less than a mile down the road at a Circle K, where investigators taped off the parking lot and towed away an SUV.

At that scene, authorities collected a gun they thought was related. However, ABC13 has learned that the weapon is not connected to this shooting based on surveillance video.

WATCH ORIGINAL REPORT:

Copyright © 2022 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Bob Saget death investigation: Orange County Sheriff’s Office’s final report reaffirms no foul play

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“Yesterday, a court order was entered prohibiting the release of certain materials gathered during the course of OCSO’s investigation into the death of Bob Saget. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office will comply with the order, while remaining committed to transparency and following the law regarding access to public records,” OCSO said in an email.

Saget’s family filed a lawsuit last month against Orange County’s sheriff and the medical examiner’s office, requesting that some investigation records related to his death be exempt from being revealed publicly. A Florida judge granted a permanent injunction Monday blocking the release of additional records related to the death investigation, CNN previously reported.
According to the OCSO’s final incident report on Saget’s death, also released Tuesday, Saget’s family requested security at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando conduct a wellness check on Saget on his checkout date of January 9 after they were unable to reach him. Hotel security contacted local authorities after finding Saget “unresponsive and cold to the touch.”

Responding authorities found the room in order with “no evidence of a struggle, any type of foul play, or that anyone else was in the room at any time during his stay,” the report says.

“Mr. Saget was lying on his back on the right side of the bed, partially covered by the sheet and bedspread, with his left arm lying loosely across his torso and his right arm by his side. The sheets, bedspread, and pillowcases on the bed were white and there were no signs of blood or bodily fluids on them or anywhere else in the suite,” the report says, adding Saget appeared to have slight swelling and a bruise over his left eye.

The report notes that while the door between the room adjoining Saget’s was unlocked, the occupying guests checked out two days before and there was no evidence of entry afterward. The report says Saget’s room was opened shortly after 2 a.m. local time on January 9, a time consistent with his departure from his show in Jacksonville that night, and not opened again until around 4 p.m. by hotel security staff coming to check on him.

“No one entered or left his room, until security entered that afternoon at the request of his family,” the report says.

Four legally prescribed medications were found in Saget’s luggage, the report says.

An autopsy conducted the following day by Chief Medical Examiner Joshua Stephany found “a fracture at the base of Mr. Saget’s skull, the evidence of bleeding around the brain, and demonstrated the transfer of force that broke the orbital bones at the front of the skull.”

Stephany “explained that the amount of force necessary to cause the fracture, coupled with the fact that the skin on the back of the head was still intact, led him to believe that the injury was most likely caused by ‘something hard, covered by something soft,’ and he gave, as an example, a fall onto a carpeted floor,” the report says.

Stephany concluded such a blow would have “stunned” Saget and caused symptoms such as dizziness, confusion and slurred speech. Stephany told investigators Saget would not have been able to drive the two hours back from Jacksonville he reportedly did in his rental car after sustaining such a traumatic brain injury, the report says.

Following the autopsy, investigators returned to the hotel to reexamine the scene “to locate specific places or items in the room that could have caused the trauma.” Nothing definitive was identified, the report said.

Stephany noted Saget’s head injury likely occurred within a few hours of his death but could have occurred in the days prior, the report says. A number of interviews conducted by authorities with people who interacted with Saget in his final days produced no evidence of drug or alcohol use or any behavior out of the ordinary, the report says.

A photo taken at the request of the valet at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando in the early morning hours on January 9 shows no visual evidence of injury or trauma to Saget’s face, the report says.

The cause of death was determined to be blunt head trauma. The manner of death was determined to be an accident, the report says.

CNN’s Joe Sutton contributed to this report.

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Mecklenburg Sheriff’s deputy shot in northeast Charlotte, MCSO says – WSOC TV

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CHARLOTTE — A Mecklenburg County sheriff’s deputy was shot in northeast Charlotte on Saturday afternoon, officials said.

Officals said the shooting occurred at approximately 4:15 p.m. on North Tryon Street and Salome Church Road near Interstate 485.

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry L. McFadden said Deputy Dijon Whyms was conducting a traffic stop on Salome Church Road when the suspect fired multiple shots, striking him.

McFadden said Whyms then returned fire, striking the suspect, later identified as Aidan Bryant.

[ ALSO READ: Man accused in fatal 2020 shooting of Mount Holly police officer facing new charges ]

McFadden said both Whyms and Bryant were transported to Atrium Health Main.

McFadden said Bryant is in custody and Whyms is in stable condition.

“Having been in this situation many times in my past career, it is more difficult to process as a leader. I am grateful for MEDIC, Charlotte Fire Department, CMPD, North Carolina Highway Patrol, Atrium Security and especially grateful for Officer Topper, who administered a tourniquet to Deputy Whyms. It gave me great comfort seeing my brothers uniting to support the sheriff’s office during this difficult time. I have spoken to Deputy Whyms and his family, and he is in good spirits,” McFadden said.

Residents in the area expressed their concerns regarding the incident.

“It’s disturbing because I have children, and they play outside, or not even play but come outside. They go to the swimming pool. It’s just disheartening that it’s unsafe for your children to be outside,” resident Eushika Love said.

At 7 p.m. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry L. McFadden will give a live update about the shooting on the WSOC breaking news stream.

(WATCH BELOW: Man accused in fatal 2020 shooting of Mount Holly police officer facing new charges)

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Georgia ‘body’ discovery in forest turns out to be life-sized doll, sheriff’s department says

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Sheriff’s deputies in Georgia were surprised to learn last week that what was reported to be a woman’s body found along a hiking trail was actually a “life-sized doll, complete with accessories.”

The doll, dubbed Selena, was seen in the Hitchiti National Forest and was reported to authorities last Thursday but responding deputies quickly realized it was just a case of littering, not homicide, the Jones County Sheriff’s Office. 

“The victim, now named Selena, is a little under the weather, but she has been having a nice day and is expected a make a full recovery,” the department joked on its Facebook page. 

A life-sized doll dubbed “Selena” was mistakenly reported as a body, the sheriff’s department said. 
(Jones County Sheriff’s Office )

MARYLAND FIREFIGHTERS RESCUE SUSPECTED HOME INTRUDER STUCK IN CHIMNEY

The doll as it looked when deputies found it. 

“In all seriousness, thank God for small blessings in that this just turned out to be a case of littering. If you know Selena or are responsible for her whereabouts, rest assured no DNA was collected and you are safe. But in the future, please make sure to dispose of your items in a responsible way.” 

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The post racked up more than 37,000 likes and 7,500 comments by early Wednesday.

“Now that is funny don’t care who you are,” one person wrote.

“not if you’re Selena,” another replied.

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