February 2022 | Page 10 of 28

Catherine McKinney And Dakota Hill Charged With Murder

Catherine McKinney, Serenity Ann McKinney and Dakota Hill

Catherine McKinney and her boyfriend Dakota Hill have been charged with murder in the death of missing four year old Serenity McKinney. According to police reports Serenity McKinney was reported missing on Christmas Eve 2020 by her Grandfather. Since her disappearance Catherine McKinney has not been helpful to law enforcement in finding her four year old daughter Serenity Ann. Now police have arrested both Catherine McKinney and Dakota Hill after Serenity Ann body was found on February 18, 2022 in a wooded area near Jefferson County-Bullitt County line in Kentucky. Catherine McKinney and Dakota Hill have been charged with murder and abuse of corpse charges.

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Two people have been arrested for murder in connection with the disappearance of 4-year-old Serenity McKinney, according to the Kentucky State Police.

Dakota Hill, 26, and Katherine McKinney, 21, both of Shepherdsville, have been arrested and charged with murder and abuse of a corpse. McKinney is Serenity’s mother.

According to the KSP, around 2 p.m. on Friday afternoon, Serenity’s body was found in a wooded area near the 1300 block of Skyview Road near the Jefferson County-Bullitt County line

Her body was taken by the Bullitt County Coroner’s Office to the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Louisville with an autopsy scheduled for sometime on Saturday.

KSP, along with the Kentucky Attorney General’s office, charged Catherine McKinney and Hill, her boyfriend with murder and corpse abuse charges.

They were both in custody at the Shelby County Detention Center after being charged for custodial interference by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

They had been arrested last week in Kansas on those charges before being extradited back to Kentucky.

Serenity was last seen around Christmastime in 2020. Relatives said they had not talked to the girl in over a year.

https://www.wlky.com/article/serenity-mckinney-mother-arrest-murder-missing-girl/39147384#

Serenity Ann McKinney Videos

https://youtu.be/dpWs7C-ZXQg

Cassandra Escobar Now Faces Murder Charges

Cassandra Escobar has now been indicted in the murder of her boyfriend Caleb James who died in May 2021. According to police documents Cassandra Escobar would tell police that Caleb James had shot himself in the head while he was playing with the gun. South Carolina police would initially buy her story however further investigations uncovered a different story. The coroner report would come back in June 2021 and the cause of death was listed as homicide as it was impossible for Caleb James to have shot himself due to where the bullet entered his head. Cassandra Escobar now faces one count of murder however more charges are pending.

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A woman was arrested and charged in connection to a shooting that happened on May 13, 2021, on White Sand Circle in Hartsville, according to a release from Darlington County Sheriff James Judson Jr.

Cassandra Escobar was charged with involuntary manslaughter and then indicted Thursday for murder by the Darlington County Grand Jury, Hudson said.

Caleb James, 18, died after he was shot in the May incident, according to Darlington County Coroner Todd Hardee.

The incident report said that when deputies responded to the scene, Escobar said that James was playing with his gun and accidentally shot himself.

Hardee said that the death is being investigated as a homicide and after an almost month-long investigation it was determined by the coroner that he was shot by another person.

Investigators with the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office arrested Escobar without incident.

She is currently being held at the W. Glenn Campbell Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.

The investigation is ongoing and there is no further information at this time.

https://wpde.com/news/local/woman-now-charged-with-murder-for-shooting-that-killed-hartsville-teenager-sheriff-says

Douglas Hawkins Beats Daisha Dawn Fry To Death

Douglas Hawkins was arrested and charged with murder in Colorado for beating to death Daisha Dawn Fry with a metal baseball bat. According to police reports officers were called to the scene at the Colorado Springs home after someone called 911 and reported that Douglas Hawkins had hit her mother in the head and that blood was gushing from her head. Colorado Springs police would find Daisha Dawn Fry lying on the ground, the woman would be pronounced dead at the scene. Douglas Hawkins would turn himself into police a week after the brutal homicide and now faces charges of murder among others.

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A 41-year-old Colorado Springs mother of three might have died last week after her boyfriend allegedly “slammed” a metal baseball bat to her head, according to an affidavit.

The document states Daisha Dawn Fry was living with some of her children at her sister’s house when she was found bleeding from her head in her basement bedroom. In a 911 call, her sister said, “Oh, my god! He killed my sister! Her skull is on the ground,” the affidavit says.

Douglas Elton Hawkins Jr., 32, turned himself in almost a week after the Feb. 8 killing on the 6600 block of Bulge Drive near Cottonwood Creek Park on the city’s northeast side, police said. He was booked into the El Paso County jail without bond, court records show.

Fry’s death was the ninth homicide in Colorado Springs in 2022, compared to two homicides in the city at this time last year, police said.

The affidavit paints Fry’s and Hawkins’ relationship as tumultuous with a history of abuse and secretive to those close to them, with one in-law saying it was “weird” that Fry “would have a man in the house and not introduce him.” It also suggested Hawkins might have been homeless, and he was referred to by another name, Kyle, likely because, in part, Fry’s sister did not approve of their relationship and would not have Hawkins in the house.

Sometimes relatives and visitors would find a man, believed to have been Hawkins, sitting alone in Fry’s room without any notice, the affidavit says. The document also states he might have entered in and out of her bedroom for months through a ground-level window.

Though no one saw Hawkins strike Fry with the bat, those inside the home at the time heard some sort of commotion — one described it as a “banging noise,” and another compared it to “clanking sounds, almost as if somebody was hitting a pot or pan” — before Fry was found alone in her room.

The El Paso County Coroner’s Office ruled the death as a homicide and said the cause of death was “blunt force injuries to the head.”

On the night of Feb. 8, one of Fry’s children told police that her mother was arguing with Hawkins “because he was not supposed to be there,” the affidavit states. But shortly after, the affidavit says, the couple began “to kiss and touch one another.” The daughter was told to leave but later found her mother alone on the bed with blood “gushing” from her head, blood splattered on all four walls of the room and a bat with blood on it, the document alleges.

Hawkins was not in the room at this time, the affidavit says.

The document states Fry was introduced to Hawkins through her brother a few years ago, as both Hawkins and the brother met while they were in prison. It also hinted that Fry’s sister did not approve of the relationship with Hawkins, who is a registered sex offender after he was convicted in 2015 of kidnapping and raping a 14-year-old girl, online records show.

The couple appeared to have traveled from one state to another, including Washington, Michigan, Florida and Colorado, in the past, though their time together was marred with domestic violence, the affidavit states. Hawkins was arrested for domestic violence against Fry while in Detroit and Spokane, Wash., the document says.

https://gazette.com/news/crime/boyfriend-suspected-of-killing-colorado-springs-mother-of-3-with-metal-baseball-bat-affidavit-says/article_6f83e55a-90e4-11ec-914e-0b791c06c45d.html

Actress Lindsey Pearlman Found Dead In Hollywood

Actress Lindsey Pearlman has been found dead in Hollywood days after she was reporting missing. According to police reports Lindsey Pearlman was reported missing on February 13 2022 after she failed to return home. On February 18 2022 LAPD would find the remains of Lindsey Pearlman in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles

“Today around 8:30 a.m., Hollywood Area officers responded to a radio call for a death investigation at Franklin Avenue and North Sierra Bonita Avenue,” the LAPD said in a statement Friday. “The L.A. County Coroner’s Office has since confirmed the individual to be Lindsey Erin Pearlman.”

Lindsey Pearlman was a working actress whose credits include General Hospital and Chicago Justice. She was 43 years old. The investigation is ongoing

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Lindsey Pearlman, an actress known for her work in television series like “Chicago Justice” and “Empire,” was found dead in Los Angeles on Friday, days after she was reported missing, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).She was 43.”Today around 8:30 a.m., Hollywood Area officers responded to a radio call for a death investigation at Franklin Avenue and North Sierra Bonita Avenue,” the LAPD said in a statement Friday. “The L.A. County Coroner’s Office has since confirmed the individual to be Lindsey Erin Pearlman.”

No additional details were provided.

Pearlman’s friends and family had previously reported her missing and requested the public’s help in finding her when she failed to return home on Feb. 13. She was last seen in Hollywood, several miles from where her body was discovered, according to police.

A graduate of The Second City Conservatory, her personal website states, Pearlman was active in the Chicago theater community prior to relocating to California to pursue additional on-camera work.

Pearlman’s other television credits include roles in “Selena: The Series,” “The Ms. Pat Show,” “Sneaky Pete,” “American Housewife,” “Vicious” and “General Hospital.”

The cause of her death is pending determination by the coroner

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/18/entertainment/lindsey-pearlman-death/index.html

Lindsey Pearlman Suicide

A suicide note was reportedly left by “Empire” actress Lindsey Pearlman before she was found dead in a car in Hollywood last week.

The note was found at Pearlman’s home, according to TMZ, which reported the actress also left a note in her car that urged its finder to call 911

Pearlman’s body was discovered near Los Angeles’ Runyon Canyon Park last Friday. She went missing five days earlier.

A medical examiner has completed an autopsy but didn’t release a cause of death for Pearlman as an investigation into her death continues.

Before her death, Pearlman, who was 43, allegedly called her husband and said she planned to end her life, TMZ reported, citing unnamed official sources. She reportedly battled depression, but authorities haven’t addressed those details publicly.

In an Instagram post last week, Pearlman’s husband said he is “broken” by his wife’s death.

“I will share more later, but I wanted to (say) thank you to everyone for their love and efforts and ask you to respect the privacy of her family at this time,” Vance Smith wrote.

Savannah Pearlman, who was a cousin of the actress, tweeted last Saturday, “Please know that you are never truly alone. Lindsey’s sister has asked that we share the National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255.”

Lindsey Pearlman appeared on a 2015 episode of “Empire,” and had recurring roles on “General Hospital,” “The Ms. Pat Show” and “Vicious” as well.

https://www.nydailynews.com/snyde/ny-lindsey-pearlman-suicide-note-20220223-bdir3hecsndfjczodeixp42jwu-story.html

Calvin Crew Charged In Christi Spicuzza Murder

Calvin Crew has been charged in the murder of Uber driver Christi Spicuzza murder. According to police reports Christi Spicuzza had picked up Calvin Crew and within twenty minutes he had pulled a gun and forced her to drive to a remote location. Calvin Crew would fatally shoot Christi Spicuzza. Police would find a dash dam that showed the violent murder. Calvin Crew would be charged with criminal homicide, robbery and tampering with evidence.

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A Penn Hills man is in custody after an Uber driver was found shot dead in Monroeville on Saturday, Allegheny County police said.

Police found the body of 38-year-old Christina Spicuzza of Turtle Creek along Rosecrest Drive on Saturday, hours after locating the woman’s car a short distance away.

Allegheny County police said 22-year-old Calvin Crew of Penn Hills has been charged with homicide.

Police said detectives obtained a warrant for Crew’s arrest and he was taken into custody in Penn Hills around 7 p.m. Thursday.

Police said Crew was also being charged with robbery, tampering with evidence and a firearms violation.

At a news conference Thursday, investigators said they believe robbery was a motivator for the crime and are working to learn if Crew got away with any money.

Police called this case unusual, as they said Crew and Spicuzza did not know each other.

“In Allegheny County, the city of Pittsburgh, it is unusual. Thankfully it doesn’t happen that often,” Assistant Police Superintendent Victor Joseph said. “More times than not, there is a relationship between the actor and the victim. In this situation, we do not know of any.”

Uber also said it banned the accounts for the person who ordered the trip and the suspect.

Uber told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that it is the account holder who is responsible for the behavior of the entire party. If a ride or delivery is requested for another adult, the person who ordered it is held responsible for their behavior during the trip.

A criminal complaint said Crew’s girlfriend told detectives that she got a call from Crew asking her to order an Uber for him. She said Crew gave her an address to enter into the ride request.

An online docket showed that Crew was being held in the county jail without bail as he awaits a preliminary hearing scheduled for Feb. 25.

Christi Spicuzza suffered a single gunshot wound, Allegheny County police said Monday.

Homicide detectives said the official cause and manner of death would be released by the county medical examiner.

“We are investigating this as a homicide, but the authority to make an official cause and manner determination rests with the medical examiner’s office,” county police said in a statement.

The body of a woman found in Monroeville Saturday afternoon is that of a woman missing since Thursday.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office tells Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that the body of Christina (Christi) Spicuzza, 38, of Turtle Creek, was found and identified Saturday, confirming a social media post shared by members of Spicuzza’s family.

Members of Spicuzza’s family took to social media Friday, saying she was last heard from Thursday night as she was on her way to pick up fares as an Uber driver. Pitcairn police confirmed that subsequent information the family shared which stated Spicuzza’s car had been located on Fourth Street in Pitcairn Saturday morning.

A short time later, Allegheny County Police reported they were called to the scene of a body that was found along the 500 block of Rosecrest Drive at around 12:00 p.m. Saturday.

“We never thought that we would ever hear anything about a body being dumped in the (woods) there,” said Ruth Rather, who works at a group home across from where police discovered Spicuzza’s body. “We were flabbergasted, we were shocked.”

An Uber spokesperson sent a statement to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 early Sunday morning.

“Our thoughts are with Christi’s family and friends during this difficult time. Uber’s 24/7 public safety team has been assisting police in the investigation,” the statement said.

Allegheny County Police are leading the investigation, and there has been no official announcement from the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office on the cause or manner of death.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help support Christi’s husband and their four kids as well as funeral costs.

https://www.wtae.com/article/body-found-in-monroeville-is-that-of-missing-woman/39060553#