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Jehovah's Witness Sexually Abused Family Member Under 7 Years Old: PA AG (Update)
A former Jehovah’s Witness from Butler County has been convicted of sexually assaulting a young family member over several years, beginning when the victim was just seven, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced Friday, Jan. 17.
Shaun Sheffer, 45, was found guilty this week of multiple charges, including rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, and corruption of minors, according to the AG's Office.
The assaults took place between 1995 and 2000, during which Sheffer had a close relationship with the victim. Authorities said the abuse began wh…
Infamous 'So I Raped You' Pennsylvania Fugitive Caught In France, Denied Bail
A Gettysburg man extradited from France to face sexual assault charges was denied bail on Friday, Jan. 17, according to court documents.
Ian Thomas Cleary, 31, was charged with Felony Sexual Assault stemming from an incident that allegedly occurred on Dec. 15, 2013, according to a criminal docket filed by the Gettysburg Borough Police Department.
Cleary was extradited from France and considered a significant flight risk, leading to the denial of bail by Magisterial District Judge Tony J. Little, as noted in the court records. According to the docket, "Defendant extradited from France. Consi…
Emaciated Son Found Dead In PA, Parents, Sister Charged
Montgomery County authorities are searching for Vernon Hatchett, who is accused of neglecting and abusing his 21-year-old son, Tylim Hatchett, to death, officials announced Friday, Jan. 17.
Vernon Hatchett also known as Khaliyl Ward, 39, of Glenside, is wanted on multiple charges, including neglect of a care-dependent person and involuntary manslaughter, in the death of his son, Tylim, who was found emaciated and deceased in a Dresher apartment on Sept. 18, 2024, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said.
Tylim, who had cerebral palsy and was entirely dependent on caregivers, …
Homicide: PA Woman Found Buried In Makeshift Grave Was Beaten To Death
A Ligonier woman whose body was found in a makeshift grave in Westmoreland County died from multiple blunt force trauma injuries, authorities said on Friday, Jan. 17.
Amy Shipley, 45, was discovered on Helens Lane in Cook Township on Sept. 18, 2024, five days after she was reported missing, according to the Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office. Her body had been buried on a property belonging to her boyfriend, Roger Angelo, 48, officials said.
Shipley’s autopsy revealed that she suffered extensive injuries, including multiple broken bones in various stages of healing, Coroner Tim Carson rep…
Husband Seriously Injured In Carjacking Attempt Outside Bethlehem Restaurant; Suspect Convicted
A Bethlehem man who brutally attacked a married couple during a carjacking attempt outside a West Broad Street restaurant has been convicted on all charges, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced on Friday, Jan. 17.
Elon James, 40, was found guilty on Thursday, Jan. 16, after a two-day jury trial. He was convicted of felony aggravated assault, criminal attempt – robbery of a motor vehicle, criminal attempt – theft by unlawful taking, as well as misdemeanor resisting arrest and simple assault, authorities said.
The violent attack happened around 8 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2023, w…
Officer Accused Of Road Rage Shooting Fired After 4 Days: PA State Police
A newly sworn-in Collingdale Police officer was terminated after just four days on the job following allegations that he pointed a gun and fired at another driver during a 2023 road rage incident, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Friday, Jan. 17.
Kevon Darden, 25, of Ambler, was sworn in on Sunday, Jan. 12 to address staffing shortages in the Collingdale Police Department, borough officials said. By Thursday, Jan. 16, he was terminated after charges including simple assault, harassment, and terroristic threats were filed against him in connection to the April 2023 incident, police said…
Virus Outbreak In China Sparking Concerns: Here's What To Know About Hmpv
A surge in cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China is sparking concerns five years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, drawing attention to another respiratory virus circulating in the population.
HMPV, a known virus, usually causes cold-like symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, a runny nose, and a sore throat.
The new rise in cases, particularly among children under 14 in northern China, has officials urging caution as the Lunar New Year holiday approaches, a time when travel and gatherings often lead to spikes in illness.
Data from China’s state news agency, Xinhua, shows …
Dramatic Videos Capture SpaceX Starship Flight 7 Explosion
Videos are circulating of SpaceX's Starship Flight 7 meeting an explosive end over the Atlantic Ocean during its Thursday, Jan. 16 test launch.
The flight, conducted at 4:37 p.m. CT from Starbase, TX, aimed to achieve major milestones but faced setbacks in its journey to space.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, commented on the test, saying, “Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed! ✨”
Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed! ✨ pic.twitter.com/nn3PiP8XwG — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2025
The launch was streamed live by SpaceX on X in a video that had …
Suspect, Victim ID'd After PA Hotel Homicide, NJ Standoff
The community is reeling after the tragic loss of Maisha Koon, who was fatally shot at the Sleep Inn in Bensalem on Jan. 15. Her death has left her family, friends, and neighbors heartbroken, especially as she leaves behind her beloved child, whom she fiercely protected and cherished. Tributes have poured in, remembering her as a devoted mother, a supportive friend, and a vibrant soul who always radiated love.
A Mother’s Love
One friend recalled Maisha’s unwavering dedication to her children, saying, “She didn’t play about her kids. She always put what’s best for them ahead of herself, …
Nursing Student Admits To Faking Attempted Rape, Kidnapping: Bucks County DA
A 20-year-old nursing student has admitted to fabricating an attempted rape and kidnapping that falsely accused an innocent man, the Bucks County District Attorney's Office announced on Thursday, Jan. 16.
Anjela Borisova Urumova, of Bristol Township, pleaded to seven misdemeanor charges, including false alarm to an agency of public safety, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, false reports, and unsworn falsifications to authorities, the DA's office said.
The case stems from an April 16, 2024, report in which Urumova claimed she was attacked in the parking lot of a Redner’s in Mi…
FBI, Police Debunk Social Media Claims In Investigation Of Noose Found On Allentown Worker’s De
The Allentown Police Department has refuted social media claims regarding the discovery of a noose on a city worker's desk, emphasizing that the investigation remains a high priority, according to statements on Thursday, Jan. 16.
The department addressed rumors circulating on social media, clarifying that allegations of the employee’s office being ransacked, their computer being damaged, and their removal from the building are “false.”
The noose, discovered at Allentown City Hall on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, has sparked a joint investigation by the FBI and local authorities. Interviews are o…
Suspect, Victim ID'd After PA Hotel Homicide, NJ Standoff
A woman was fatally shot at the Sleep Inn on Street Road in Bensalem, PA, and the suspect was apprehended following a barricade situation in Trenton, police and prosecutors said during a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 16.
The victim, identified as 49-year-old Maisha Coon of Trenton, NJ, was killed in the hotel room late Tuesday night. The suspect, her boyfriend, 51-year-old Orenthia Upshur, also from Trenton, fled the scene to a home in New Jersey, where he admitted to killing Koon and attempted to kill her family, authorities said.
Details about Coon's life have been shared by her comm…
Two Men Plead Guilty In Deadly Shooting Of Philadelphia Police Sgt. James O’Connor
Two men pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder and racketeering charges in the March 2020 shooting death of Philadelphia Police Sgt. James O’Connor IV in Frankford, federal authorities announced.
Hassan Elliott, 26, and Khalif Sears, 23, admitted their roles in the death of Sgt. O’Connor during a federal court hearing on Jan. 15, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said.
O’Connor, a 23-year police veteran and SWAT officer, was fatally shot on Friday, March 13, 2020, as police served a warrant at Elliott’s apartment on Bridge Street near Duffield Street, authoriti…
FDA Bans Red No. 3 Due To Cancer Concerns About Artificial Coloring In Many Foods
The Food and Drug Administration has officially banned Red No. 3, a synthetic dye that gives certain foods their vivid cherry-red hue, due to cancer concerns in lab animals.
The FDA revoked the authorization for the coloring's use in food products, oral drugs, and dietary supplements, the agency said in a news release on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
Manufacturers have until Friday, Jan. 15, 2027, to remove Red Dye 3 from food products and Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2028, for drugs. Products made before these deadlines may still appear on shelves if they were manufactured before …
Murder-suicide: PA Teen Kills Parents, Younger Brother Then Turns Gun On Himself, DA Says
A family of four has died in a quiet Pennsylvania town in what the Beaver County District Attorney Nate Bible believes is a murder-suicide.
Clifford Hunt Junior, 19, supposedly shot his father Clifford, 51, mother Michelle, 48, and his 16-year-old brother Cody before turning the gun on himself in their home in the 200 block of Schaffer Road in Beaver Falls, North Sewickley Township on Sunday, Jan. 12 around 8:30 p.m., according to the DA and North Sewickley Township Police Chief Jeff Becze.
The call about the shooting to 911 came from inside the home, authorities said, but who m…
