Ethan Orton was a seventeen year old teen killer from Cedar Rapids Iowa who would murder his parents. According to court documents Ethan Orton thought the best way to be able to take charge of his life was to murder his parents so he would stab Misty Scott-Slade and Casey Orton . When he though his mother was still alive he would take an axe and finish the job.
Ethan Orton would call 911 and told the operator what he had done and officers would soon arrive on the scene. Ethan Orton would be arrested and eventually plead guilty to two counts of first degree murder. Ethan Orton will be sentenced later this month
Ethan Orton More News
A Cedar Rapids teenager accused of stabbing his parents at their home in October 2021 has pled guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.
Court documents say Ethan Alexander Orton killed Misty Scott-Slade and Casey Orton at their home in the 300 block of Carnaby Drive NE. When police arrived at the home, they say they found Orton sitting outside the home covered in blood.
An Iowa teenager pleaded guilty Monday to murder in the deaths of his parents in 2021, using a knife and ax to kill them in an effort to “take charge of his life.”
Ethan Alexander Orton pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents Casey Arthur Orton, 42, and Misty Scott-Slade, 41, of Cedar Rapids.
Cedar Rapids police were called about 2 a.m. on Oct. 14, 2021, to check out suspicious noises coming from a home and found the then-17-year-old Orton covered in blood. He told police he used a knife to stab his parents and then used an ax on his mother when she appeared to be alive, according to a criminal complaint.
The case was delayed as defense lawyers argued Orton suffered from a mental disorder and wasn’t competent to stand trial. A judge ultimately ruled he was competent.
Police say Orton admitted to killing his parents as part of a desire to “”take charge of his life,” according to the complaint.
The judge will set a sentencing date for Orton later
Former NFL running back Zac Stacy was sentenced to six months in jail for a brutal assault that was caught on video. According to court documents Zac Stacy was observed on video throwing the mother of his child around her home. The woman who was assaulted on two occasions would tell police that Zac Stacy would beat her on her legs, punched her in the head and threw her into a television set all while there young child was in the room.
Zac Stacy would plead guilty to to one count of misdemeanor domestic violence battery and two counts of misdemeanor criminal mischief. No word on when the six month jail sentence is to begin
Zac Stacy More News
Former NFL running back Zac Stacy was sentenced to six months in prison for domestic violence, stemming from an attack on an ex-girlfriend.
Stacy, 31, was arrested in November 2021 at an Orlando airport after an aggravated battery and criminal mischief warrant was issued.
The ex-girlfriend and Stacy share an infant child.
As part of a plea agreement, Stacy pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal mischief and the battery charges were dropped. He was also sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to have no contact with the victim.
Stacy was arrested after Oakland (Florida) police responded to an emergency at the victim’s home Nov. 13, where officers found that she “appeared to be emotionally distraught with tears in her eyes.”
TMZ published a video of the alleged incident, which was captured on the victim’s home surveillance system.
A subsequent affidavit stated that an Oakland police detective watched the video and observed Stacy “strike the victim twice to the back of her head with the first strike with an unknown object in his hand.”
The victim suffered suffered “a contusion to her face, bruises to her torso, contusion to her left leg, and abrasions to her right leg,” according to the officer.
Stacy played in the NFL for three seasons, with the St. Louis Rams and the New York Jets.
Brendan Depa is a seventeen year old from Florida who attended Mantanzas High School who attacked a teachers aide for taking away his Nintendo Switch. According to police reports Brendan Depa who stands six feet six and pushes nearly three hundred pounds would attack Joan Naydich, 57, because she took away his video game. Brendan Depa would come flying out of the classroom and bowled the fifty seven year old woman before striking her several times knocking her unconscious.
Now Brendan Depa has been charged with aggravated assault and will be prosecuted as an adult so is facing thirty years in the Florida Prison System. Brendan Depa who had been arrested three times before on assault charges is being held on a one million dollar bond.
Brendan Depa More News
Brendan Depa, the 17-year-old Matanzas High School special education student captured in surveillance video brutally attacking Joan Naydich, a paraprofessional at the school, was charged as an adult Friday by the State Attorney’s Office.
Brendan Depa had originally been charged with aggravated battery causing bodily harm after the Feb. 21 incident, but as a juvenile. He was booked at Flagler County jail then transferred to a Department of juvenile Justice jail in Daytona Beach. Such charges typically result in limited time in detention, and probationary terms. (See: “Matanzas High School Special Education Student Arrested in Attack of Teacher Aide.”)
A sheriff’s spokesperson said Sunday evening he was now held at the county jail, on $1 million bond.
The adult charge is a first degree felony, exposing Brendan Depa to up to 30 years in prison. But his competency to stand trial will likely be an issue.
The State Attorney’s decision follows on the heels of cascading reactions in Flagler and across the country to the assault. On one hand the assault provoked outrage and revulsion at the violence of the act as depicted in the video, in a school hallway: the attack left Naydich unconscious as Depa continued to pummel her with close-fisted punches to the head and back. The mother of two was hospitalized, drawing outpourings of sympathy, and a GoFundMe account set up on her behalf had raised over $43,000 as of today.
“Please be comforted knowing she is home and recovering,” her daughter posted on the public page of the account a day after the incident. “This incident has reached areas of the world I never thought possible, with love and support pouring in from all. As her daughter, it’s heartwarming to see the community rally behind her recovery, near and far.”
On the other hand, because Brendan Depa is a student with special needs, whose emotional and behavioral self-control are in question, mental health and special education advocates have appealed for more measured reactions against the student. Because of federal privacy laws, the school district is barred from releasing any information about the student’s status, including whether he is in special education, though only special education students work with paraprofessionals at school.
Reportedly, the student is on the autism spectrum. He is also–in his own words, quoted in his arrest report–a resident at a group home, making him a ward of the state, possibly as a result of a parent losing parental rights.
Sue Urban, a mental health advocate in Flagler whose son Nicholas took his own life in 2018, soon after graduating from Matanzas High School, has spoken on behalf of Depa before the Flagler County School Board and in a video she posted on social media that has since been picked up by media outlets abroad, in tandem with accounts of the attack.
“By no means do I condone violence towards teachers in any way, shape or form, and I want to make that very, very clear,” Urban says in the brief video she took in her car, sending her best wishes to the teacher and stressing her support for law enforcement. With equal force, she said she was very upset “that this is being portrayed that this child is a threat, and that this is all on him. This is not this child’s fault. He is not a threat.”
She had implored the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office to remove a release it had posted on its Facebook page about the incident–by then the release had led to news reports about the incident in all local media–and called it not an issue with law enforcement, but “a mental health issue. This is a problem with our system. It is broken.”
Stephen Furnari, a Flagler Beach attorney who chairs the district’s Exceptional Student Education Parent Advisory Committee on Sunday described the State Attorney’s decision as “a very harsh stance.”
Qualifying his statement by noting the limited amount of information at this point, Furnari said: “If in fact the student had known behavioral issues, and if some portion of this was a situation at the school where the school district has some negligence because of some failure in their own system, then it would seem to me an overly harsh approach in terms of how to deal with this situation, from a legal perspective.”
The incident was the subject of discussion both at the end of a Flagler County School Board workshop on Tuesday and again at that evening’s business meeting of the board. The board has agreed, at the instigation of Board member Christy Chong, to discuss the possibility of opening–or rather re-opening–an alternative school for disruptive students. The district had just such a school for many years, but closed it a few years ago.
Charging Brendan Depa as an adult may placate a large segment of the public reaction demanding action against the student. But it comes with its own risks: an individual must be deemed competent to stand trial before proceeding. It is likely that his defense attorneys will immediately ask for a mental evaluation. Still: Absent a clear inability of the defendant to weigh the severity of the charges and understand court proceedings, Florida sets a very high bar for incompetency.
A Florida judge sentenced a teenager with autism to five years in prison for beating a teacher’s aide unconscious, rejecting calls from the teen’s family and special needs advocates for alternatives to incarceration given Brendan Depa‘s age and disabilities.
Depa, now 18, pleaded no contest to aggravated battery on a school employee for the February 2023 attack on Matanzas High School paraprofessional Joan Naydich. The brutal attack was caught on school security cameras, generating national headlines and sparking debate over the appropriate punishment for a student with special needs.
The video showed Depa chasing Naydich down a hall, shoving her to the ground, then kicking and punching her in rapid succession. Naydich testified that a teacher’s talk of taking away Depa’s Nintendo Switch appeared to trigger his fury.
Flagler County prosecutors charged Depa as an adult, which meant he faced anywhere from probation to 30 years in prison. Because Depa was 17 during the attack, Judge Terence Perkins had the option of sentencing him as a juvenile to less time in a community-based setting, such as a group home or his parents’ home, or a juvenile facility, where he would have been released at age 21.
Depa’s adoptive mother, Leanne Depa, urged the judge to “let him come home with me,” pledging to keep watch over him and follow his treatment plan. The judge also heard from two men with backgrounds in working with children with special needs who reached out to Depa to offer support after learning of the attack. One of them, retired special education teacher Eugene Lopes, said he had seen significant progress and maturation in Depa since he started tutoring him in jail. Lopes and pledged to continue supporting Depa “for the long haul,” especially if he is sentenced to community-based options.
Paraprofessional and school community officer Jerome Powell, who has an adult son with autism, said he would be willing to adopt Depa and take him into his home if the terms of his release called for a residence in Flagler County since Depa’s parents live in Hillsborough County.
Expert witnesses for the state and the defense testified Depa’s attack was a manifestation of his autism spectrum disorder. They differed on the “intentionality” of Depa’s conduct and what type of setting would best serve Depa in helping him mature and manage triggers for his violent outbursts.
Dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit with his wrists cuffed, Depa sunk his head into his hands as the judge explained his reasoning before issuing his sentence: 60 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised probation.
Perkins said he considered Depa’s age and disorder but was ultimately swayed into sentencing him as an adult by the “senseless, extreme violence” of the attack and other incidents in Depa’s past. Perkins also said he had “no confidence” that the juvenile system could provide Depa with “sufficient treatment” before his release in two years at age 21.
“He must be considered dangerous for the purpose of sentencing,” Perkins said. “This violence is related to issues outside his autism spectrum disorder.”
Flagler County prosecutors asked the judge to sentence Depa as an adult to seven years in prison with at least 10 years of probation, citing his history of violent behavior and the attack on Naydich. Naydich — who worked as a lunch lady for 17 years in Flagler County schools who became a paraprofessional in 2022 — testified in the hearing’s first day in May to the lasting affects of the attack, including five broken ribs, hearing, vision and memory loss, and the loss of a job she loved due to post-traumatic stress.
Despite years of close monitoring in group homes and in a class for students with special needs, Depa “has shown he is incapable of abiding by societal rules,” Assistant State Attorney Melissa Clark said Tuesday in her closing argument.
“Everyone wants to see Mr. Depa succeed but first we need to deal with what he did and there are consequences for what he did,” Clark said. “He almost killed a woman. He should be punished for that.”
Depa’s lawyer, Kurt Teifke, argued Depa’s age, disability and progress since his arrest suggested a community-based setting would best serve his needs.
Teifke called two expert witnesses to support his position. Autism disorders specialist Kimberly Spence said she believed Depa was “neurologically compromised” and a prison setting would not offer him the intensive, specialized treatment he needs on a consistent basis to grow and thrive.
“Incarcerating him will not change the factors that precipitated his behavior,” Spence said.
Spence said Depa’s school records indicated staff failed to recognize his triggers or employ recommended strategies from his behavioral plans on the day of the attack and in other instances. Naydich herself testified that she had not seen Depa’s behavioral plan or been made aware of his triggers or intervention strategies.
Forensic psychologist Dr. Julie Harper, who specializes in in juvenile brain development, said the smaller staff to person ratio in a juvenile facility compared to prison would make it a better placement for Depa.
“There’s plenty of evidence that he’s not operating at the typical level of 17- or 18-year-old,” Harper said. “He’s early on in treatment… and because he’s early on he has a lot of growth and changes to come.”
Jared Smith-Bracy is a twenty one year old man from Alabama who has been charged with four counts of murder. According to police reports Jared Smith-Bracy was arrested earlier in the day after his Grandparents called police after he broke a door in their house.
After Jared Smith-Bracy was bonded out of jail he would head straight back to his Grandparents home after he grabbed a gun from a friend. Jared Smith-Bracy would fatally shoot his Grandmother, brother and friend. Jared Smith-Bracy would then beat to death his Grandfather with a pickaxe.
Jared Smith-Bracy would be arrested and has been charged with four counts of capital murder. Jared Smith-Bracy has plead not guilty by reason of mental defect.
Jared Smith-Bracy More News
Daphne Police have identified the suspect and victims in a quadruple homicide that happened Wednesday night on Melanie Loop.
The suspect, Jared Tarant Smith-Bracy, 21, admitted he killed the four victims and has been charged with four counts of capital murder.
The victims were Jeremy Smith, 27, Barbara Smith, 72, and Leonard Smith, 80 — the suspect’s brother and grandparents. A fourth victim, Sheila Glover, 70, was a family friend. Police said three victims found in the backyard were shot and bludgeoned with a pickax, and the grandfather was also bludgeoned inside the home.
Investigators said Smith-Bracy was arrested at the home earlier in the day for criminal mischief. After he bonded out, he was driven back to the house by another person. A witness said he got out of the car after taking a gun from the driver and immediately forced his way into the home. The witness then heard gunshots and called police. It is believed the three in the backyard were shot first, then Smith-Bracy went back into the house and bludgeoned his grandfather, then returned to the backyard and bludgeoned the three victims he had already shot.
Smith-Bracy is being held in the Baldwin County Jail without bond.
A judge has denied bond for a man accused of killing his grandparents, his brother and a family friend in south Alabama.
Jared Smith-Bracy, 21, is charged with four counts of capital murder in the deaths Wednesday night in Daphne. He met briefly with his two court-appointed attorneys before the Friday bond hearing, and they entered a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or mental defect on his behalf, WKRG-TV reported.
Baldwin County Chief Assistant District Attorney Teresa Heinz asked for no bond, and the judge granted that request. But the judge said that could change as the investigation continues, the television station reported.
Police have said Smith-Bracy fatally shot his 72-year-old grandmother, Barbara Smith; his 27-year-old brother, Jeremy Smith; and 71-year-old family friend, Sheila Glover, whose bodies were found in the backyard of his grandparents’ home. He then used a pickaxe to beat his 80-year-old grandfather, Lenard Smith, to death inside a bedroom in the house, police said, according to WPMI-TV.
Smith-Bracy lived with his grandparents, who called police Wednesday morning because he had broken a door, WPMI-TV reported. He was charged with criminal mischief and got a ride home from a friend around 5 p.m. that day after bonding out of jail, police said. He then grabbed the friend’s handgun and began firing after forcing his way into the home, Daphne police Sgt. Jason Vannoy said.
“The person who drove him there in the car, I’m not sure that he used the exact phrase, ‘out of the blue,’ but that’s how I would characterize it,” said Vannoy.
Pedro Quintana-Lujan is a man from Arizona who is facing serious charges after his pickup truck slammed into a group of cyclists killing two of them. According to police reports Pedro Quintana-Lujan would run into a large group of cyclists in Goodyear Arizona that would leave two people dead and another eleven more injured.
Pedro Quintana-Lujan would be arrested and has been charged with two counts of manslaughter, three counts of aggravated assault, 18 counts of endangerment and two counts of causing serious injury or death by a moving violation.
Pedro Quintana-Lujan More News
The man who hit a group of cyclists biking on a Goodyear highway on Saturday in the West Valley has been arrested.
Goodyear Police say 26-year-old Pedro Quintana-Lujan was arrested and booked on Saturday. He faces various charges, including two counts of manslaughter, three counts of aggravated assault, 18 counts of endangerment, and two counts of causing serious injury or death by a moving violation.
Two of the cyclists died, one at the scene and one later at a nearby hospital. One victim was visiting from out of state, and the other was from Goodyear. Another cyclist is still in critical condition after the incident. The investigation is still underway, and details regarding impairment being a factor have not been released. The crash was reported Saturday around 8 a.m. near Cotton Lane Bridge, next to the MC-85. Many individuals were treated at the scene and taken to hospitals.
The Goodyear Police Department released a statement saying that it is deeply saddened by this tragedy and extends condolences to the loved ones of the victims as well as to the cycling community and the community as a whole.
Members of the cycling community are feeling the loss. Arizona’s Family spoke to two bike shop owners, hoping their friends in the hospital will recover soon. The owner of Trek Bicycle West Phoenix, Brandon van Leuven, said he knows four cyclists in the hospital. One of them is his employee, 65-year-old Mike Smith. “He’s seriously injured. He’s not going to be back for a long time,” said van Leuven.
Paraic McGlynn, the owner of Cyclologic in Scottsdale, said one of the crash victims Clay Wells, became his friend after walking into his store 11 years ago. McGlynn said Wells recently retired and has undergone two surgeries since the crash. “He’s had surgeries to stabilize his cerebral spine, and there are more surgeries to make sure they triage his injuries to ensure for little, long term damage as possible,” said McGlynn.
Both McGlynn and van Leuven worry their friends will no longer ride after they recover due to their injuries or trauma. “These people’s lives will never be the same again, even the ones that are going to come back to us and keep riding with us,” said van Leuven. He hopes they will come out stronger and not let this tragedy keep them from their passion.
A suspect has been arrested and is facing multiple charges following a crash in Arizona that left two cyclists dead and 11 others injured, police announced.
Pedro Quintana-Lujan, 26, is facing multiple charges, including two counts of manslaughter. According to police, Quintana-Lujan was driving a pickup truck when he crashed into a large group of bicyclists on the Cotton Lane Bridge in Goodyear, Arizona, at around 8 a.m. local time Saturday. One female cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene and another died after being taken to a local hospital. Eleven others were injured and transported to three separate hospitals, police said. One still had life-threatening injuries as of Sunday evening, Goodyear police said.
Quintana-Lujan remained at the scene of the crash and was cooperating with law enforcement, police said Saturday.
The suspect is also facing three counts of aggravated assault, 18 counts of endangerment and two counts of causing serious injury or death by a moving violation, according to The Associated Press.
The victims in the crash had not yet been publicly identified. One of the cyclists who was killed was a resident of Goodyear and the other was visiting from out of state, police said.
The Cotton Lane Bridge was closed for several hours on Saturday while the crash was being investigated.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
