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Police & Fire
Man Nabbed With Loaded Rifle, Drugs After Sending Threats In Hudson Valley: Police Man Nabbed With Loaded Rifle, Drugs After Sending Threats In Hudson Valley: Police
Man Nabbed With Loaded Rifle, Drugs After Sending Threats In Hudson Valley: Police A 56-year-old Hudson Valley man was caught with controlled narcotics and an illegally possessed weapon following an investigation into threatening messages, police said. Putnam County resident Kevin Willis of Southeast was arrested on Friday, Oct. 18 around 3:45 p.m. after he was found with narcotics and a firearm he was prohibited from having, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Wednesday, Oct. 23.  According to the Sheriff's Office, Willis's arrest followed a short investigation into threatening messages he had allegedly sent someone. While deputies questioned him, they l…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Orange County Drug Trafficker Admits Guilt, Faces 13 Years In Prison Orange County Drug Trafficker Admits Guilt, Faces 13 Years In Prison
Orange County Drug Trafficker Admits Guilt, Faces 13 Years In Prison A major Hudson Valley drug trafficker pleaded guilty to selling drugs and is expected to spend up to 13 years in prison. Orang County resident Andrew Mitchell, aka "Loc," age 49, of Chester, pleaded on Friday, Sept. 27. According to Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler, Mitchell was arrested as a result of an over four-month-long investigation designed to disrupt major narcotics trafficking in the City of Port Jervis and surrounding areas, including Pike County, Pennsylvania.  The investigation, dubbed “Operation Final Blow,” resulted in the seizure o…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Teacher Accused Of Kissing Student Returned To Hudson Valley HS After Retirement Announcement Teacher Accused Of Kissing Student Returned To Hudson Valley HS After Retirement Announcement
Teacher Accused Of Kissing Student Returned To Hudson Valley HS After Retirement Announcement A former teacher accused of taking a student behind a high school auditorium curtain in Westchester and kissing them returned to the district in a partial capacity for a year after announcing his retirement, officials said.  Hartsdale resident Michael Rubino, who taught music with Hastings Public Schools for over 20 years, was arrested on Wednesday, Sept. 11 on charges connected to his alleged unwanted touching and kissing of an underage student at Hastings High School, according to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.  Earlier Report - Former Teacher…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Woman Caught Years After Fleeing Crash That Killed Man Near Hudson Valley Trail: Police Woman Caught Years After Fleeing Crash That Killed Man Near Hudson Valley Trail: Police
Woman Caught Years After Fleeing Crash That Killed Man Near Hudson Valley Trail: Police Years after a crash that left a man dead near a Northern Westchester bicycle trail, a 41-year-old woman has been accused of fleeing the scene after hitting him, police announced.  Bronx resident Glenys Manana-Rodriguez surrendered herself to Yorktown Police on Monday, Sept. 16 on charges connected to a fatal crash that happened within the town in August 2020, the department announced on Thursday, Sept. 19.  On the day of the crash, Aug. 23, 2020, a man who had been riding a bicycle was struck by an unknown vehicle in the area of Birdsall Drive where it intersects the North County …

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by Ben Crnic
News
Hudson Valley's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Now Facing Sex Trafficking, Racketeering Charges: Feds Hudson Valley's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Now Facing Sex Trafficking, Racketeering Charges: Feds
Hudson Valley's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Now Facing Sex Trafficking, Racketeering Charges: Feds Following several lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and other abuses, successful hip-hop producer and New York native Sean "Diddy" Combs now faces federal sex trafficking charges, officials announced.  Combs, a 54-year-old New York City native who grew up in Westchester County in Mount Vernon, was arrested on Tuesday morning, Sept. 17 on a three-count indictment, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.  According to federal officials, beginning as far back as 2008, Combs ran a criminal enterprise that involved sex trafficking, forced…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Gilgo Beach Murders: New Images Of 'Asian Doe' Released In Effort To ID Male Victim Gilgo Beach Murders: New Images Of 'Asian Doe' Released In Effort To ID Male Victim
Gilgo Beach Murders: New Images Of 'Asian Doe' Released In Effort To ID Male Victim Investigators are hoping newly released images will lead to the identification of another victim in the Gilgo Beach serial murders. On Long Island, the Gilgo Beach Task Force distributed facial reconstructions of who they've long referred to as "Asian Doe" during a press conference in Brentwood on Monday morning, Sept. 16. Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said the man’s skeletal remains were found along Ocean Parkway in Gilgo Beach on April 4, 2011, though it’s believed he “suffered a violent death” sometime before 2006. Earlier Report: Heuermann Used 'Planning Doc' …

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
NJ Grandma Kills Ex-Daughter-In Law Who Was Teacher In Westchester In Murder-Suicide: Reports NJ Grandma Kills Ex-Daughter-In Law Who Was Teacher In Westchester In Murder-Suicide: Reports
NJ Grandma Kills Ex-Daughter-In Law Who Was Teacher In Westchester In Murder-Suicide: Reports A 45-year-old New Jersey native and Westchester County, NY middle school teacher was shot and killed by her ex-husband's 65-year-old mother, who then turned the gun on herself in New York City, multiple news outlets say. Marisa Galloway — who hails from Wildwood, NJ and worked as a special education teacher in Ardsley, NY — was shot and killed by Kathleen Leigh near Gracie Mansion on Friday morning, July 26, NYPD brass said at a news briefing later that day. The NYPD said it happened amid a custody battle between Galloway and her ex-husband, whose mother was identified as Leigh, over their …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Investigation Leads To Guns, Cash, Drugs, Hudson Valley Duo Charged, Police Say Investigation Leads To Guns, Cash, Drugs, Hudson Valley Duo Charged, Police Say
Investigation Leads To Guns, Cash, Drugs, Hudson Valley Duo Charged, Police Say A Hudson Valley man and woman were charged, and police seized drugs, guns, and cash following a two-year investigation into drug sales in the area.  The incident occurred in Orange County on Thursday, July 25, at three locations in the city of Middletown. According to Lt. Jeffry Thoelen of the Middletown Police, the  Department's Narcotics Unit executed three no-knock search warrants at two residences and a storage unit, concluding an extensive two-year investigation into the sale and trafficking of fentanyl and cocaine in and around the Middletown area.  …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Westchester's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Subject Of New Federal Criminal Investigation: Report Westchester's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Subject Of New Federal Criminal Investigation: Report
Westchester's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Subject Of New Federal Criminal Investigation: Report A federal criminal investigation is focusing on well-known hip-hop artist and longtime New Yorker Sean "Diddy" Combs, according to a report by NBC.  Combs, a 54-year-old New York City native who grew up in Westchester County in Mount Vernon, was told that he is a focus of an ongoing criminal investigation being conducted by federal authorities in the Southern District of New York, NBC reported.  The outlet added that as part of the probe, a federal grand jury is hearing evidence. There is nothing to suggest that charges are coming, though.  Combs has not received a lett…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Hudson Valley Smoke Shop Raids Net 4 Felony Arrests Hudson Valley Smoke Shop Raids Net 4 Felony Arrests
Hudson Valley Smoke Shop Raids Net 4 Felony Arrests Following a months-long investigation, four people and five corporations were busted for allegedly illegally selling marijuana and criminal tax fraud. Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced Friday, June 21, the busts after raids of seven smoke shops in Rockland County. According to Scott Waters, spokesman for the Rockland County District Attorney's Office, the investigations began in March with help from Homeland Security, local police, and other state agencies. The warrants were executed at two smoke shops in Clarkstown, two in Orangetown, and one in the …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Suspected Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Rex Heuermann To Be Charged With Fifth Murder, Report Says Suspected Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Rex Heuermann To Be Charged With Fifth Murder, Report Says
Suspected Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Rex Heuermann To Be Charged With Fifth Murder, Report Says The man accused in the Gilgo Beach serial killings will be charged with a fifth murder, CBS News reports. Long Island resident Rex Heuermann, of Massapequa Park, is expected to be indicted on the additional charge in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, June 6, sources told the outlet. Additional details about the charge, including the alleged victim’s identity, were not immediately available. Earlier Report: Gilgo Beach Murders: Pizza Crust Helped Nab Suspect Who Allegedly Taunted Victim's Family The news comes just weeks after a team of investigators – including officials from New Y…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Stalking, Forcible Touching At Department Stores: Hudson Valley 18-Year-Old Charged Stalking, Forcible Touching At Department Stores: Hudson Valley 18-Year-Old Charged
Stalking, Forcible Touching At Department Stores: Hudson Valley 18-Year-Old Charged A teenager has been charged in connection to multiple incidents allegedly involving stalking and inappropriate touching at department stores in the Hudson Valley. The New York State Police announce the arrest of Jayden Rivers, age 18, from Monroe, New York. Rivers was charged with Forcible Touching and Stalking 3rd degree. New York State Police say an investigation revealed that the 18-year-old victimized women at stores in the Orange County area. Authorities did not reveal the precise names of the stores.  Jayden Rivers, of the town of Monroe, was charged with: Forcible touching, S…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Criminal Investigation Opened In Helicopter Crash Killing NY National Guard Members: Report Criminal Investigation Opened In Helicopter Crash Killing NY National Guard Members: Report
Criminal Investigation Opened In Helicopter Crash Killing NY National Guard Members: Report Officials have launched a criminal investigation into a National Guard helicopter crash near the southern border that killed two members from New York and a third victim, ABC News reports. The incident – which saw a UH-72 Lakota helicopter go down near Rio Grande City, Texas, on Friday, March 8 – is now the focus of an investigation by the Starr County Sheriff’s Office into whether there was any criminal wrongdoing, officials told the outlet. That investigation is separate from a parallel probe being conducted by the Department of Defense. So far, authorities have not publicly said what cau…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Remains Of Westchester Couple Found Scattered At Sites On Long Island Remains Of Westchester Couple Found Scattered At Sites On Long Island
Remains Of Westchester Couple Found Scattered At Sites On Long Island This story has been updated. Detectives investigating the deaths of two people from Westchester County whose severed remains were found at a Long Island park have found additional body parts at two more locations. Suffolk County Police said human remains were located in West Babylon, in a wooded area along Lakeway Drive near Troy Avenue, and at Bethpage State Park on Tuesday, March 5. Both scenes were processed by homicide detectives and members of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office. The remains are believed to be those of the same victims whose severed limbs, including a woman’…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Around 20 Gunshots Fired After Funeral At Northern Westchester Cemetery: Police Around 20 Gunshots Fired After Funeral At Northern Westchester Cemetery: Police
Around 20 Gunshots Fired After Funeral At Northern Westchester Cemetery: Police Police are searching for those involved in a shooting incident that happened at a Northern Westchester cemetery following an internment ceremony.  The incident happened on Saturday, Feb. 10 around 3 p.m., when shots were fired at the Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla at 273 Lakeview Ave., according to Mount Pleasant Police Chief Paul Oliva. After receiving several 911 calls reporting the shooting, officers rushed to an area in the cemetery near the Tower Gate off Grasslands Road (Route 100) and determined that around 20 gunshots had been fired shortly after the conclusion of an internment c…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Accused 'Serial' Drug Dealer From Westchester Nabbed After Yearlong Investigation Accused 'Serial' Drug Dealer From Westchester Nabbed After Yearlong Investigation
Accused 'Serial' Drug Dealer From Westchester Nabbed After Yearlong Investigation A yearlong investigation in the region has led to a new arrest of an accused "serial" drug dealer with police saying a significant connection of cocaine, fentanyl and heroin discovered in connection to the case. The probe into cocaine and crack cocaine being sold in Ulster County was launched in November 2022 by the City of Kingston Police Department and Town of Ulster Police Department Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in response to a growing number of both fatal and non-fatal overdoses of a suspected substance sold in glassine envelopes marked with a “Moet stamp.” "These stamp…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
George Santos Dodges Expulsion From House: 'Victory For Due Process' George Santos Dodges Expulsion From House: 'Victory For Due Process'
George Santos Dodges Expulsion From House: 'Victory For Due Process' New York Rep. George Santos, who admitted to lying about his background and is facing nearly two dozen federal criminal charges, is claiming victory after an effort to expel him from Congress failed. The freshman Republican lawmaker from Long Island, whose 3rd District represents parts of Nassau County and Queens, easily survived a resolution brought by his fellow New York Republicans to oust Santos from the House on Wednesday, Nov. 1. The resolution failed with 179 members voting in favor and 213 voting against. Nineteen members voted “present.” Earlier Report: George Santos Pleads Not…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Hudson Valley Man Charged In 2022 Murder-For-Hire Case Hudson Valley Man Charged In 2022 Murder-For-Hire Case
Hudson Valley Man Charged In 2022 Murder-For-Hire Case A Hudson Valley man has been charged with allegedly paying another person to kill a 52-year-old man. Orange County resident Enoch Lowe, age 25, was charged on Tuesday, Oct. 10 with paying to have Jeffrey Harris, age 52, killed in October 2022. Both men live in the town of Wallkill. According to Wallkill Police Chief Robert Hertman, on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, officers responded to a report of an unconscious man on Brookline Avenue. When officers arrived, they found Harris in a detached garage from his home suffering from stab wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene by the town of Wallkil…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Former Hudson Valley Finance Director Pleads Guilty To Theft Of $95K From Recreation Center Former Hudson Valley Finance Director Pleads Guilty To Theft Of $95K From Recreation Center
Former Hudson Valley Finance Director Pleads Guilty To Theft Of $95K From Recreation Center A former Hudson Valley finance director has pleaded guilty to the theft of tens of thousands of dollars from a local non-profit for his private use. Former Ulster County Finance Director Burton Gulnick, Jr., entered the plea on Tuesday, Oct. 10, said Ulster County District Attorney David Clegg. Following a lengthy investigation by the New York State Police, Gulnick was arrested in June and charged with felonies in connection with theft from the Hurley Recreation Center, a not-for-profit organization that provides summer activities and programs for families, including a children’s summer cam…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Update - Murder-Suicide In Northern Westchester: Doctor Shoots Baby, Then Herself, Police Say Update - Murder-Suicide In Northern Westchester: Doctor Shoots Baby, Then Herself, Police Say
Then Herself, Police Say An investigation by New York State Police is ongoing after detectives say a renowned doctor killed her infant child and then herself in Northern Westchester County.The incident happened around 7 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5 in the Granite Springs section of the town of Somers. New update: Murder-Suicide Involving 40-Year-Old Doctor, Baby Stuns Northern Westchester Community A preliminary state police investigation revealed that Dr. Krystal Cascetta "entered her child’s room and shot her baby and then turned the gun on herself," state police said in a statement, adding that the "scene is con…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Alleged Drug Dealer Nabbed By Task Force In Hudson Valley Alleged Drug Dealer Nabbed By Task Force In Hudson Valley
Alleged Drug Dealer Nabbed By Task Force In Hudson Valley An alleged Hudson Valley drug dealer was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell following an investigation by a local drug task force. Dutchess County resident Jerry Dixon, age 65, of the town of Poughkeepsie, was charged on Wednesday, July 26 by the Dutchess County Drug Task Force. According to Det. Sgt. Adam Harris of the task force, agents served a search warrant at Dixon's home at the Lakeview Arms Apartments, with the assistance of the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Detective Division and the City of Poughkeepsie Neighborhood Recovery Unit…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
3 Stabbed Outside Restaurant In Region: 38-Year-Old Suspect Nabbed 3 Stabbed Outside Restaurant In Region: 38-Year-Old Suspect Nabbed
3 Stabbed Outside Restaurant In Region: 38-Year-Old Suspect Nabbed A local man was charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing three men and attempting to stab a fourth outside a restaurant in the region. The incident took place in Sullivan County around 1 a.m., on Sunday, July 23 in the village of Liberty. Liberty Police Department officers responded to a report of a man with a knife on School Street.  When they arrived on the scene, they found two men, ages 42, and 20, suffering from lacerations and puncture wounds to the neck and abdomen areas, said the Village of Liberty Police Chief Steven D'Agata. Due to a lack of available ambul…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Explosive Device Causes Large Hole In Yard Of Home In Hudson Valley, 1 Charged Explosive Device Causes Large Hole In Yard Of Home In Hudson Valley, 1 Charged
Explosive Device Causes Large Hole In Yard Of Home In Hudson Valley, 1 Charged A man from the region has been charged with throwing an explosive device into the yard of a home, causing a large hole. Ulster County resident Tyler J. Brinkhuis, age 26, of Saugerties, was arrested on Wednesday, June 7, for the incident which took place in October 2022 in Mount Marion Park. Brinkhuis’s arrest stems from an investigation conducted by members of the Saugerties Police Department Detective Division, regarding an explosion in Mount Marion Park that occurred in October of 2022, said Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra. The investigation established that Brinkhuis was respon…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Trio Nabbed For String Of Commercial Burglaries Throughout Region Trio Nabbed For String Of Commercial Burglaries Throughout Region
Trio Nabbed For String Of Commercial Burglaries Throughout Region Three Connecticut men have been charged with a string of commercial burglaries throughout the Hudson Valley. The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Town of Ulster Police and several other police agencies from nearby counties, arrested the three Connecticut men on Sunday, June 4, for the burglaries that took place over a three-week time period, said Capt. John Watterson of the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office. During the early morning hours of June 4, Dutchess County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a burglar alarm at a business in the Village of Rhinebeck, wh…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Shooting Leaves Victim Hospitalized In Northern Westchester: 'Not Random Act,' Police Say Shooting Leaves Victim Hospitalized In Northern Westchester: 'Not Random Act,' Police Say
Shooting Leaves Victim Hospitalized In Northern Westchester: 'Not Random Act,' Police Say New, updated report: New Update: Fatal Shooting Victim ID'd, Suspect Caught In Peekskill Authorities are searching for the suspect in a shooting that left one victim hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds in Northern Westchester.  The incident happened on Sunday, May 21 just after 7:30 p.m., when officers responded to the area of Sherman Avenue and McKinley Street in Peekskill for a report of shots fired, according to Peekskill Police.  Once they arrived at the scene, police found a 53-year-old victim with numerous gunshot wounds in the area of Welcher Avenue an…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Bullet Found On Hudson Valley School Bus Bullet Found On Hudson Valley School Bus
Bullet Found On Hudson Valley School Bus A bullet was found on a Hudson Valley school bus after students exited the vehicle. The incident occurred in Orange County in Washingtonville, a village in Blooming Grove, on Tuesday, May 16. According to Washingtonville Police Chief Brian Zaccaro, both the Washingtonville School District and the police department worked together to identify the student that was responsible for bringing the bullet onto the bus. No other bullets were found and no weapons were found on school property, Zaccaro said. A criminal investigation was conducted with the assistance of the state police and any poten…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Not Off Hook Yet: Alec Baldwin Charges Dropped; 'Further Investigation' Needed, DA Says Not Off Hook Yet: Alec Baldwin Charges Dropped; 'Further Investigation' Needed, DA Says
Not Off Hook Yet: Alec Baldwin Charges Dropped; 'Further Investigation' Needed, DA Says Actor Alec Baldwin is off the hook after accidentally shooting and killing a cinematographer on a movie set, at least for now. This story has been updated. On Friday, April 21, prosecutors in New Mexico, where the 65-year-old had been shooting scenes for the film “Rust” at the time of the shooting, announced they had formally dropped the manslaughter charges against Baldwin in the death of Halyna Hutchins pending further investigation. Earlier Report: Alec Baldwin From Massapequa Charged With Manslaughter After Accidentally Shooting Crew Member "Over the last few days and in preparation …

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Home Invasion Arrests: 3 Hudson Valley Men Nabbed For Violent Incident Home Invasion Arrests: 3 Hudson Valley Men Nabbed For Violent Incident
Home Invasion Arrests: 3 Hudson Valley Men Nabbed For Violent Incident Three Hudson Valley men have now been charged in connection with an alleged home invasion-style robbery that happened last year. The latest arrest was made on Wednesday, April 12 after an ongoing investigation that began following the incident in Dutchess County on Saturday, July 2, 2022, in the town of Pleasant Valley. The three men, all from the city of Poughkeepsie, are accused of participating in an armed robbery at a Pleasant Valley residence during which cash was stolen and two victims suffered minor injuries, said Capt. John Watterson, of the Dutchess County Sheriff's …

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Police Investigating After Man Shot Twice In Region Police Investigating After Man Shot Twice In Region
Police Investigating After Man Shot Twice In Region Police in the Hudson Valley are investigating after a man was found shot twice inside an apartment. The incident took place in Sullivan County in the village of Monticello around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 2 at the Sleepy Hollow Apartment Complex. According to Lt, Mark Johnstone, of the Monticello Police, officers responded to a 911 call reporting a gunshot victim in Building 14 at the complex located on Terry Lane. Sullivan County 911 also reported that dispatchers could hear active gunfire while taking the call, Johnstone said. Responding Monticello officers located a 20-year-old …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Duo Charged With Murder After Man Found Dead On Street In Hudson Valley Duo Charged With Murder After Man Found Dead On Street In Hudson Valley
Duo Charged With Murder After Man Found Dead On Street In Hudson Valley Two suspects have been charged with murder hours after a man was found dead on a street in the Hudson Valley. The incident happened in Rockland County at around 1:10 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 29 in the area of 55 N. Myrtle Avenue in Spring Valley. Spring Valley Police responded to a report of CPR being conducted on a subject because of an unknown medical emergency.  Upon arrival, officers quickly located the caller and an apparently deceased man on Johnson Street, adjacent to North Myrtle Avenue, Spring Valley Police said. The victim was identified as Luis Pinduisaca-Villa, age 52, o…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Fentanyl Poisoning Death Of 26-Year-Old Fairfield County Man At Bachelor Party Leads To Arrest Fentanyl Poisoning Death Of 26-Year-Old Fairfield County Man At Bachelor Party Leads To Arrest
Fentanyl Poisoning Death Of 26-Year-Old Fairfield County Man At Bachelor Party Leads To Arrest The death of a 26-year-old Connecticut resident from fentanyl poisoning at a bachelor party in the state of Florida has led to the arrest of an Alabama man on murder charges. John Nabors, 26, of Mountain Brook, Alabama, was arrested on Wednesday, Nov. 30 for the incident that killed Fairfield County resident Thomas "Tom" Gleason of Ridgefield. Gleason, who grew up in Newtown where he attended the Hawley School, was found in distress when deputies responded to a medical assist call on Sand Dunes Road in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, on Saturday, May 14, said the Walton County Sheriff's Departm…

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by Kathy Reakes