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Mum's tribute to "kind" teenager after unidentified remains found

Isla Bell's mum, Justine Spokes, has paid tribute to the "kind" and "gentle" teenager, after remains believed to be the 19-year-old's were found at a waste management facility in Melbourne's south-east. Bell was last seen leaving her Brunswick home about 6pm on October 4 and made final contact with her friends on October 7. At the time, her mother made a heartfelt plea for her return, saying: "We just can't wait to hold you bub, we love you so much and we just want to know you're safe, my darling." On Tuesday afternoon, police arrived at a facility in Bentleigh East, after receiving a tip-off that a white van was seen dumping a fridge believed to be connected to the investigation. The found the yet-to-be-formally identified remains at the facility. <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/men-charged-after-remains-found-following-teen-s-disappearance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Two men have been charged</a> over the death of the 19-year-old, and documents released by the court on Wednesday revealed that she was allegedly murdered in St Kilda East, the same day she was last in contact with her loved ones. Police allege a 53-year-old man, who she was believed to be staying with a few days prior to her death, attacked her inside his apartment, and a 57-year-old man helped him hide her body in the fridge. They also allege the 53-year-old man initially denied knowledge of the fridge, but eventually admitted to transporting Bell's remains after she died at his house, but claims he did not know how she died and denied any involvement. In a statement to The Age, Bell's mother said her daughter is "cherished forever and suffering no more". "I am so sorry I could not protect you, that your experience of the world was cruel and unsafe," Spokes said. "Despite your challenges, you lived bravely, stood up for what was right and remained the kindest human, the gentlest soul. "May your (alleged) murderer murder no more. With the deepest love and respect, your Mumma." Image: Nine News

Family & Pets

Man charged after allegedly killing neighbour in front of children

A man has been charged with murder after allegedly stabbing a Melbourne mum to death in front of three young children. There was an apparent dispute between the two neighbours, and it has been reported that the 47-year-old man knocked on the home of a 51-year-old woman and attacked her multiple times with a knife. Emergency services were called to the home on Cousin Drive, Bayswater, in east Melbourne on Saturday morning, where the woman was found dead. Police said the woman's children, aged 16 and 11, and the alleged attacker's son, 17 witnessed the incident, with one of them sustaining a minor injury. "It's not a family violence incident, it is a tragic set of circumstances," Victoria Police detective senior sergeant Chris Ellway said on Saturday. "They're being looked after at the police station at the moment, statements are being taken and their welfare is being taken care of there," he added. The man was arrested a short time later and appeared at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Sunday while he was withdrawing from drugs and alcohol, the court heard. He has since been charged with one count of murder and remanded in custody and will appear at a committal on February 14. "Another woman lost at the hands of a man is just horrible," Ellway said. Images: Nine News/ Facebook

Legal

Neighbours star under investigation after alleged Nazi salute

Former Neighbours star Damien Richardson is under investigation by police after allegedly performing a Nazi salute at an event in September. Richardson, who played Gary Canning in seven seasons of Neighbours, was recorded performing the gesture during a speech at an event run by the National Workers Alliance (NWA), who bills itself as a nationalist organisation dedicated to the "preservation of Western Culture and Identity". <div> </div> In an excerpt of his speech, which was aired as part of an ABC 7.30 investigation into the rise of the far-right movement in Australia, the actor is heard stating, "There is a war on men". "I thought it was a war on Western tradition, Western values… and actually it's an anti-white-male-agenda," the actor said at the event. He is then seen appearing to perform a Nazi salute and mockingly asking if he would be locked up for it, saying, “Am I allowed to do that? Am I allowed to do that, or am I going to be fined now? Am I going to go to jail for five years?” “Oh, Richardson did the salute. I mean, really. I mean this is absurd. This is insane. It’s crazy. It’s so crazy you can’t believe it’s even happening.” In October 2023, laws came into effect making it an offence to perform a Nazi salute in public or in public view. A person who commits an <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/fact-sheet-nazi-symbol-prohibition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offence</a> could face fines of $23,000, 12 months in prison, or both. Victoria Police has confirmed it is investigating the incident, saying in a statement, “Police are investigating vision which shows a person performing a Nazi salute, believed to be in Victoria." “The circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be established and an investigation is ongoing.” While Richardson's actions were applauded by neo-Nazi organisation National Socialist Network (NSN), both Richardson and the organiser of the NWA said they are not neo-Nazis. "There has been a lot of misinformation spoken about the event, Damien, the National Workers Alliance and myself," Matt Trihey told the ABC. "Neither Damien or I have ever been members of Nazi organisations and we have no connection with the NSN. I am a free speech advocate and have no control over who purchases online tickets to my events." Image credits: ABC

Legal

"Rot in hell": Family of murdered paramedic speak out over ruling

The man charged with murdering New South Wales paramedic Steven Tougher has been found not criminally responsible due to a mental health impairment, with Tougher's family "appalled" by the decision. In April 2023, Tougher, 29, was stabbed in a McDonald’s carpark by Jordan Fineanganofo, 23, in a frenzied attack at 5am in the Sydney suburb of Campbelltown. The father-to-be had been eating with a colleague when he was approached by Fineanganofo, who stabbed him 55 times and leaving 24 incised wounds. “I am going to f**king kill you,” Fineanganofo said to Mr Tougher, according to the agreed facts and court documents. Mr Tougher was rushed to hospital after the attack, but suffered a cardiac arrest and died at the hospital shortly after he arrived. Both the defence and the Crown prosecutor agreed the court could find Fineanganofo was not responsible because of his mental health issues, with Justice David Davies stating on Friday that he cannot be held criminal responsible. “I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused committed the psychical acts,” he said. “(I) find the accused was suffering from a mental impairment at the time he committed the acts”. Justice Davies found Fineanganofo had been suffering from a mental health impairment at the time of the attack and did not know the wrongness of his actions because of his illness. The court was told Fineanganofo experienced auditory hallucinations, increasing paranoia, and suicidal ideation before the deadly attack, as the 23-year-old told psychiatrists that he heard voices telling him to harm himself and others in the weeks leading up to the offences, and believed he was surrounded by malignant demons. As Justice Davies handed down his decision, Tougher's friends and family broke down in court. “You chose not to take your medication, you’re the demon,” one person shouted at Fineanganofo as he was taken into custody, while another person yelled, “Rot in hell, you dog.” Outside court, Mr Tougher’s father Jeff said the family were “appalled” with the outcome. “It is neither what we wanted nor what we expected,” he said. “Stephen has been lost in this deeply flawed and broken process.” The heartbroken father said the family “strongly oppose” the court's decision to agree to a finding of not criminally responsible, and they were “deeply offended” they were not consulted before the decision was made. Mr Tougher’s father said the family would be pushing for an inquest into the “deplorable” circumstances surrounding his son’s death. “We are damaged today, but we’re not broken. The system is broken, and as a family, we will be fighting for change,” he said. “My son will not be forgotten, nor will his death be dismissed.” Image credits: Facebook

Legal

"This is revolting": Senator calls for investigation over Kyle and Jackie O comments

A senator has called for an investigation over the constant "vulgar" comments made by Kyle and Jackie O on their morning radio show, claiming the show is "misogynistic" and "racist". Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has questioned the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) during a senate hearing, asking why an investigation hasn't been launched into their on-air conduct. She said jokes about “being gay” and “divisive and violent language about women and sex” had been aired on the popular program, which is broadcast on the KIIS FM network on weekdays between 6am and 10am. Handing around printed copies of just some of their remarks, Senator Hanson-Young asked the ACMA whether these comments were appropriate for air during the early morning slot. During the hearing, Senator Hanson-Young asked ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin whether she would be able to read them out, to which Ms O'Loughlin replied she would “prefer not to”, noting she “wouldn’t think they were appropriate for parliamentary language”. “These comments, this content, just a snapshot since September. Jokes about people being gay, jokes about one of the producers’ Asian housemates, jokes about dating men who are not quote ‘white’,” Senator Hanson-Young said. “Jokes about the sexual and racial profiles of other journalists from other stations, divisive and violent language about women and sex, and goes into vulgar detail about sex acts. Comments on air that refer to fellow hosts as being annoying ‘b****’, jokes about overweight women and mental health." Senator Hanson-Young said the content was “not just vulgar” but “disgusting”. “It’s belittling, belittling of women, it’s misogynistic, it’s racist, it’s sexist – it’s off,” she said. Senator Hanson-Young went not on to reference 59 complaints about the show made between July and October, but Ms O'Loughlin but noted under the co-regulatory framework that complaints needed to be “dealt with by the broadcaster first and come to us for investigation after that”. Senator Hanson-Young pointed out the ACMA doesn’t have to wait for “specific complaints” to undertake motion investigations, asking why the ACMA hasn’t launched an investigation, claiming the comments breach decency standards. “Why haven’t you? This is revolting, sexist, racist, misogynistic, divisive stuff on free to air radio from 6am in the morning … to 10am in the morning, and you haven’t investigated it?” Ms Hanson-Young said. Ms O’Loughlin said, “We have not turned our mind to undertaking such a review, but I’m happy to take your concerns on notice and discuss that with the authority. We will take those (comments) seriously, and we’ll have an internal conversation.” Image credits: Facebook

Legal

Teen found not guilty of murdering Brisbane mum

A teenager has been found not guilty of murdering Brisbane mother Emma Lovell, with her heart-broken widow shedding tears at the verdict. The now 18-year-old faced trial on the allegation that he had seen a knife in his co-offender's hand and knew he was armed when the pair broke into the Lovell home on Boxing Day in 2022. The main offender fatally stabbed Emma and hurt her husband Lee in the struggle that followed. With the case largely dependant on crucial split-second CCTV, Justice Michael Copley ruled he could not "be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the accused knew the other teen was in possession of the knife". The teenager was found not guilty of Ms Lovell's murder or manslaughter and also acquitted of unlawful wounding, but was found guilty of burglary and assault in company. Outside the court, Lee Lovell became emotional as he told reporters, "I'm not feeling too great at the moment - the verdict was a joke. I don't feel justified for Emma one bit." "You try and do the best you can for her and I don't feel I've been able to do that." Mr Lovell said legislation needed to be changed in order for victims and their families to have justice. "You are a part of killing someone and you get a burglary charge. What does that say for anyone going forward," he said. "We are the ones with a life sentence now." Image credits: Facebook

Legal

Investigation launched into deaths of two police dogs

Detectives are investigating the deaths of two police dogs after they were found dead in a police vehicle in Sydney's south. Police dog Xtra and development dog Soldier had attended a development day with their handler in Lucas Heights. Authorities said the two German shepherds had been kept in air-conditioned pods in the police vehicle purpose-built for them. Their handler made the tragic discovery when they went to check on the dogs about 12.30pm on Thursday. “They were taken to a specialist veterinary clinic but were unable to be revived,” NSW Police said in a statement. An investigation overseen by detectives from the Sutherland Police Area Command and Fleet Services is now underway. Authorities did not reveal any information about how they died or whether there were problems with the vehicle. Commissioner Karen Webb paid tribute to the highly trained German shepherds, who were vital for officers serving the community. “Today is a very sad day for the Dog Unit and the thoughts of the whole police family are with them,” Webb said. “We owe it to PD Xtra and DD Soldier to conduct a thorough investigation.” Assistant Commissioner Stephen Hegarty said the loss would be felt deeply by the police officers. "Our focus is on the welfare of all staff involved with ongoing support services made available to them," he said. Xtra gained accreditation as a general-purpose dog in 2018 while Soldier only began service with the Dog Unit in February this year for training and development. Image: NSW Police Force

Family & Pets

New $1m reward for cold case murder of three children

A new $1 million reward is being offered for information about each of the murders of three First Nations children around 34 years ago. Four-year-old Evelyn Greenup, Clinton Speedy-Duroux, 16, and Colleen Walker-Craig, 16, disappeared from Bowraville, a town in northern NSW over a five-month period from September 1990. Evelyn and Clinton's remains were found in nearby bushland, but Colleen's have never been found. The murders were initially investigated separately before being linked by the homicide squad. Now, after various appeals over the decades, NSW Police have issued a re-appeal for information into the murders, with a particular focus on locating the remains of Colleen. “A $1 million reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for each of the children’s murder remains in place, as well as for information leading to the location and recovery of Colleen’s remains,” NSW Police said on Monday. Detectives are also going to be spending the week in Bowraville to speak to locals who may have information about the children's deaths. A man, who can't be named for legal reasons, was acquitted of Clinton's murder in 1994, and Evelyn's murder in 2006. The case was the subject of two police investigations, multiple trials, a coronial inquest, and a parliamentary inquiry. In 2018, the government tried to convince the NSW court of criminal appeal that there was fresh and compelling evidence – related to the disappearance of Colleen – in attempt to overturn the two acquittals and instead have a new single trial on three murder charges. However, the court refused to grant special leave to the NSW government to appeal against the decision. In 2019, hundreds protested in front of the gates of the Court of Appeal when a retrial was denied. Images: 7pm TV News NSW/ ABC News

Legal

Woman sentenced to life for murdering parents and living with their bodies

A British woman, who murdered her parents and lived with their bodies for four years, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday and is not eligible for parole for 36 years. When Essex Police raided Virginia McCullough's house in Great Baddow last September, the 36-year-old confessed that her parents' bodies were in the house and that she had killed them. She admitted to poisoning her father, John McCullough, 70, with prescription medication that she put into his drink, and then a few days later, beat her 71-year-old mother Lois McCullough with a hammer and fatally stabbed her. “I did know that this would kind of come eventually,” she said while handcuffed in body cam footage released by police on Friday. “It’s proper that I serve my punishment.” After McCullough was arrested, she told an officer: “Cheer up, at least you’ve caught the bad guy,” adding that “I know I don’t seem 100 per cent evil.” Further body cam footage showed her at the police station telling officers where to find the tools she used to kill her mother. She had pleaded guilty to murdering her parents at a previous hearing in June 2019. In the words of the prosecution, McCullough kept her father in a “homemade mausoleum” in his bedroom and study, in a structure that was “composed with masonry blocks stacked together.” She wrapped her mother's body in a sleeping bag and put it in a wardrobe on the top floor of the property. In the four years after the murder, she ran up £149,697 ($AU289,792) on credit cards in her parents’ names and continued to spend their pensions. The court heard she cancelled family arrangements and told doctors and relatives that her parents were unwell or away on a trip. Statements from her three unnamed siblings were also read in court, and one said: “our parents were completely blameless victims”. “Virginia always said Mum and Dad were fine and made up lie after lie about their daily activities," another said. Judge Jeremy Johnson said at the sentencing hearing on Friday that McCullough’s actions represented a “gross violation of the trust that should exist between parents and their children.” Judge Johnson said that she had maintained an “elaborate, extensive and enduring web of deceit” over months and years and that he was sure there was a “substantial degree of both pre-meditation and planning," that went into the murder. Essex Police said documents found in the home showed that McCullough was trying desperately” to keep her parents from discovering the poor state of her finances, and gave “false assurances” about her employment and future prospects. “She is an intelligent manipulator who chose to kill her parents callously, without a thought for them or those who continue to suffer as a result of their loss,” said Detective Superintendent Rob Kirby. "The details of this case shock and horrify even the most experienced of murder detectives, let alone any right-thinking member of the public.” Image: Essex Police/ 7NEWS

Legal

Arrest made for the alleged murder of Queensland psychologist

Police have arrested a 47-year-old man in connection with the death of Queensland mother and psychologist Frances Crawford. The 49-year-old woman was found dead on an Upper Lockyer property in Queensland shortly before 4am on July 30th, with paramedics initially reporting the incident as a "mower rollover". Despite initial reports, police shared an update on their investigation on Friday to say they were treating her death as suspicious, alleging the woman was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-share-major-update-on-woman-s-lawnmower-death">murdered</a>. Superintendent Marchesini said several lines of inquiry were being pursued by homicide detectives, and shared a plea to the public for information. One of the lines of inquiry being pursued involved the alleged relationship Frances' husband Robert had with “multiple women”. “We believe there were women who were involved in relationships with Mr Crawford who may have information about Mrs Crawford that will assist with this investigation,” Superintendent Marchesini said at the time. “We are particularly interested in speaking with people who knew of Frances or Robert Crawford and their personal circumstances, including their marriage.” On Thursday, police released a statement to confirm that they had arrested Frances’ husband in connection to her death, while thanking the public for valuable information. “Investigations are continuing and there is no further information at this time,” they said. “Detectives can confirm a number of people have provided information since our last public appeal, and thank those people for their bravery in coming forward.” “Anyone with information that can assist with investigations is encouraged to come forward and contact police.” Image credits: 7News - Crawford Family

Legal

Charlise Mutten's mum breaks silence

Kallista Mutten, the mother of murdered schoolgirl Charlise Mutten, has broken her silence in her first ever television interview. Nine-year-old Charlise was brutally murdered by her mother's then fiancée Justin Stein at his family home in the Blue Mountains, Sydney in January 2022. In August, Stein was sentenced to life in jail without parole, after he was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/jury-decides-fate-of-accused-murderer-justin-stein" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found guilty</a> of Charlise's murder, having shot the little girl twice before dumping her body in a barrel. Since Charlise's murder, Kallista had been harassed in public and abused by people on public transport to the extent she could no longer go outside. In an upcoming interview for 60 Minutes that will air this Sunday night, Kallista broke her silence. "I'm not this monster, this unfit mother," she told reporter Dimity Clancey in a newly released preview. "Charlise deserved more." "I miss her so much, she believed in me," she continued through tears. Many have blamed her for the horrific murder that happened while Charlise was in her care. At the time, Charlise was visiting her mum and Stein in Sydney for Christmas from the Gold, where she lived with her grandparents. She spent the night of January 11 alone with Stein at his property in the Blue Mountains, while her mother stayed at a caravan about a 90-minute drive away. "I hate myself for it, I really do," Kallista said. The preview also showed footage of an agitated Stein pacing around the police interview room, while blaming Charlise's mum for the murder. "It was all her. I can't sit here and cover for her," he said. Kallista denied having any involvement in her daughter's death and broke down in tears during a hearing, where she read a victim's impact statement via audio video link. "(Charlise) just longed for you to be her dad. I just hate myself for being so wrong about you," she said at the time. "I am forced to live with fact I trusted someone and because of my trust I put my daughter in harm's way." In the 60 Minutes preview, a police detective said that Stein "weaved a web of wicked lies and deception", with Kallista describing her former partner as "pure evil". Images: Nine

Family & Pets

Controversial suicide capsule applications suspended amid investigation

Advocacy groups behind the suicide capsule have suspended the process of taking applications amid a criminal investigation into its first use in Switzerland. In a statement on Sunday, they said that 371 people were “in the process of applying” to use the device, known as the Sarco, as of September 23 and applications were suspended after its first use. The Sarco capsule is designed to allow the person inside to push a button that injects nitrogen gas from a tank underneath into the sealed chamber, allowing the person to fall asleep and then die of suffocation in a few minutes. On September 23, an unidentified 64-year-old woman from the US Midwest, became the first person to use the device in a forest in the northern Schaffhausen region. The president of Switzerland-based The Last Resort, Florian Willet, said at the time that the woman's death was "peaceful, fast, and dignified", although those claims could not be independently verified. On the same day as the woman's death, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider told parliament that use of the Sarco would not be legal. Willet and several others were taken into custody following her death and prosecutors opened an investigation on suspicion of incitement and accessory to suicide. Willet is currently being held in pretrial detention, according to The Last Resort and Exit International, an affiliate founded in Australia over a quarter-century ago. The others who were detained were released from custody. Exit International also clarified that their lawyers in Switzerland believed the use of the device is legal. “Only after the Sarco was used was it learned that Ms Baume-Schneider had addressed the issue,” the advocacy groups said in the statement Sunday. “The timing was a pure coincidence and not our intention.” Switzerland has some of the most permissive laws when it comes to assisted suicide, but the first use of the Sarco has prompted debate among lawmakers. Laws in the country permit assisted suicide, as long as the person takes their own life with no “external assistance” and those who help the person die do not do so for “any self-serving motive”. Image: Exit International

Legal

Disturbing details emerge about former suspect in William Tyrrell's disappearance

An investigation into the disappearance of William Tyrrell has raised questions about why a man who was once considered a person of interest was not called by police to give evidence on the case. The man, who has not been named, allegedly had a shrine of the missing boy at the end of his bed, containing a collage of pictures and news reports, as well as handwritten poetry quoting Gary Jubelin, the former lead detective on the case. Mr Jubelin, who was taken off the investigation in 2019, has previously written to NSW’s director of inquests saying the man’s behaviour was “concerning” and he should be called as a witness. However, the man shared with <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/former-william-tyrrell-suspect-had-shrine-to-missing-boy/news-story/1fbf310d22250c00a8cc2de081d9e77b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>'s investigative podcast into Tyrrell's disappearance revealed that he was never called to give evidence. When questioned by the outlet's podcast - which clarified that they were not suggesting any wrongdoing by the man who has never been charged with any offences - he said he was “different from the mainstream” and denied any involvement in the case, despite not having an alibi for the day the then three-year-old disappeared. The man, whose property is a few hundred metres through the bush from Benaroon Dr where William went missing, said he was home alone at the time the toddler was reported missing. The man's property was searched two days after William was last seen, and was placed under police surveillance years later. During this time, police uncovered barrels of small animal bones at his property. When asked about them, the man first denied they were there, then claimed they were planted on his property by police. “What I don’t like is the way people who are slightly different are singled out here,” he said. “They get harassed, they get persecuted because they’re odd.” Asked about the police investigation, he said, “I don’t like the way people are presumed guilty until proven innocent." “It could have been someone who was driving past (who was responsible for William’s disappearance). That’s as likely as anything else isn’t it?" Mr Jubelin, who left the police in 2019 and was subsequently convicted of illicitly recording conversations with another person of interest, said he did not question the man in detail at the time as he expected him to be called at the inquest. “(The man) should at the very least be called as a witness,” Mr Jubelin wrote to coronial officials in 2020 after leaving the police force. “There were a number of things about (the man) that I consider concerning.” “What was not put to him and is most concerning is he had what could best be described as a shrine to William Tyrrell at the end of his bed. This included a picture of William and quotes from myself regarding the investigation." “I had an expectation this would be done at the inquest.” Image credits: NSW Police

Legal

Thief gambles away $64k raised for alleged murder victim's family

A gambling addict has been sentenced to 400 hours unpaid community service after admitting to stealing $64,000 from a GoFundMe page intended for a grieving family. Lachlan Morganti, 26, was sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty to a single charge of theft, as magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz sentenced him to a two-year community corrections order and 400 hours of unpaid work. The court was told that Morganti set up the fundraising page on behalf of the family of allegedly murdered woman Hannah McGuire, who <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/you-were-our-whole-damn-sky-tributes-flow-after-alleged-murder-of-young-teacher" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died</a> on April 5th this year. He had become acquainted with the family, who managed The National Hotel in Clunes, through their support of the Clunes Cricket Club where he played. “Hannah was known by many as a bright young woman and had a heart of gold,” the fundraiser read. “All proceeds will go towards funeral costs and other expenses the family may need during this tough time.” In just a few days, the GoFundMe page raised more than $64,000 in generous donations from the community. The funds dropped in Morganti’s bank account on April 24th, but he almost immediately began to gamble with it, losing the full amount in four to five days. After his arrest, Morganti told police he had an “uncontrollable” gambling addiction and internally justified it by believing he would only use a small portion to fix his mounting gambling debts. “I accept the act of creating the GoFundMe was meant as an altruistic act, that it was intended as a selfless act to benefit the grieving McGuire family,” Ms Mykytowycz said. “However, the temptation to use this money to recover previous debts became overwhelming and self-indulgent.” In a statement to the court, Hannah's mother Debbie McGuire said it was important to note no one from their family had asked for support or for Morganti to start the GoFundMe, adding that Morganti had the “audacity” to attend Hannah’s funeral among many of those whose contributions he had stolen. “Not only did the accused violate our trust, but he had a complete disregard of the trust and generosity of an entire community,” she said. Image credits: GoFundMe / news.com.au

Legal

99-year-old woman declared accessory to over 10,000 murders

A court in Germany has upheld the conviction of a 99-year-old woman who, during the Second World War, was the secretary to the SS commander at a Nazi concentration camp. The Federal Justice Court on Tuesday rejected the appeal of Irmgard Furchner, who was convicted of being an accessory to more than 10,000 murders and was given a two-year suspended sentence in December 2022. Furchner was accused of being a key part of the apparatus that helped the camp near Danzig, now the Polish city of Gdansk, function, and was subsequently convicted of being an accessory to murder in 10,505 cases and an accessory to attempted murder in five cases. At a federal court hearing in Leipzig in July, Furchner's lawyers cast doubt on whether she really was an accessory to crimes committed by the commander and other senior camp officials between 1943 and 1945, and on whether she had truly been aware of what was going on at Stutthof. The court said that judges were convinced that Furchner “knew and, through her work as a stenographer in the commandant’s office of the Stutthof concentration camp from June 1st 1943, to April 1st 1945, deliberately supported the fact that 10,505 prisoners were cruelly killed by gassings, by hostile conditions in the camp,” by transportation to the Auschwitz death camp and by being sent on death marches at the end of the war. Germany's main Jewish leader welcomed the ruling. “For Holocaust survivors, it is enormously important for a late form of justice to be attempted,” Josef Schuster, the head of the Central Council of Jews, said in statement. “The legal system sent an important message today: even nearly 80 years after the Holocaust, no line can be drawn under Nazi crimes,” he added. During the original court proceedings, prosecutors said that Furchner’s trial may be the last of its kind, however, a special federal prosecutors’ office in Ludwigsburg tasked with investigating Nazi-era war crimes says three more cases are pending with prosecutors or courts in various parts of Germany. With any suspects now at a very advanced age, questions increasingly arise over suspects’ fitness to stand trial. Image credits: Sky News

Legal

Shocking theory behind grandma's broad daylight murder-suicide

Warning: This article contains distressing content that some readers may find upsetting. Court papers have revealed the sinister reason behind why a grandmother allegedly killed her daughter-in-law before killing herself. Terminally ill ex-probation officer Kathleen Leigh, 65, fatally shot 45-year-old Marisa Galloway, who shares a child with Leigh’s son, Zachariah Reed, on a New York street before taking her own life. Now Ms Galloway’s grieving parents, Nancy and John, have filed an emergency court petition claiming Mr Reed has run off to his “multimillion-dollar home” in Chicago with their grandchild Lili under the pretext of “mourning” his mother’s death. He has also barred the Galloways from any contact, either in person or via technology, with the child. “Clearly, [Mr Reed’s] mother had a deliberate plan to kill Marisa in order to provide custody for her son,” the court papers charge, according to an exclusive report by the <a title="nypost.com" href="https://nypost.com/2024/08/18/us-news/killer-nyc-granny-carried-out-slay-suicide-to-give-son-full-custody-of-child-heartbreaking-suit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>. “Unfortunately, [Mr Reed] has demonstrated an absolute intention to further those same goals of his mother as he has refused to provide us with any access to Lili at all in almost 3 weeks.” According to legal papers filed on Friday, the grandparents, who live a 12 hour drive away in New Jersey, are asking a Manhattan Supreme Court judge to pass on Marisa’s parenting time, hashed out in a 2022 custody agreement with Mr Reed. They are also asking that Mr Reed be forced to live in the New York until Lili is 18 so that she can keep a close relationship with her grandparents and with her half-sister, Mariel, the 1-year-old daughter Marisa had with a sperm donor who currently lives with the grandparents. “While Marisa was always the best mother, we would love to be involved with all aspects of taking care of an infant, toddler, and ultimately the little girl that Lili currently is,” Nancy wrote. Nancy said she is “extremely uncomfortable” being forced to file the petition but worried Lili would become estranged from her mum’s side of the family if they didn’t intervene. The grandmother laid out the history of Marisa and Mr Reed’s “tumultuous relationship” since the pair split and their “contentious” custody battle while she also claimed the pair dated before Marisa became pregnant but said their relationship ended “driven by the interference of [Mr Reed’s] mother.” On the day of the heinous crime on July 26th 2024, Marisa was loading her car and had put Mariel in her seat with plans to visit her parents for a few days. She was approached by Leigh while she was putting something in the boot, and shot her once in the back of the head and again in the back before taking her own life. Before her heinous crime, Leigh scrawled a seven-page letter “For Police” describing how she felt Marisa was trying to alienate Lili from her dad and saying she suspected Marisa of abusing Lili, despite child services clearing Marisa in two probes launched by Mr Reed. “She took away the child’s mother in order to make her son happy … it’s shocking,” a law-enforcement source had told the New York Post of Leigh right after the alleged murder-suicide. Image credits: Manhattan Supreme Court

Legal

Chilling videos emerge from mum accused of murdering schoolgirl

Warning: This article contains distressing content that some readers may find upsetting. Chilling videos have emerged from the mother accused of killing her 10-year-old daughter, Sophie Wang. Yingying Xu, who was named in court on Wednesday, posted a series of videos to TikTok before she allegedly murdered her daughter. “I want to let everyone know that the situation you see is fake. Fake god, the antichrist is a fake god,” Xu, 46, said while speaking in Mandarin. “I have felt the devil Satan saying to me how he has been influencing me, disturbing my soul. “Eventually possessing me 100 per cent. Possessing my soul to do evil things.” The videos were posted earlier in the day on Tuesday, and the little girl's body was found by her father, Yun Wang, later that evening. Sophie is alleged to have suffered several<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/schoolgirl-identified-after-allegedly-being-murdered-by-mother" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> injuries</a>, and was allegedly killed by having her throat slashed in her Carrara home. Her father, who is an associate professor at Griffith University, could reportedly be heard screaming by neighbours after discovering her body. Paramedics attempted to revive the girl, but she was declared dead at the “incredibly confronting” scene. Xu was arrested in a nearby street hours later and charged with murder. “This is absolutely sickening, gut-wrenching, awful,” Queensland Premier Steven Miles said. “I just can’t imagine how that father felt and hearing the reports of him screaming - nobody would ever wish that on him.” Her mother was formally remanded in custody until she appears in court again on November 29. The family's home remains a crime scene, but flowers have been left outside the home, as the local community try to come to terms with the horrific news. Police are continuing to investigate the motive of the alleged murder, and are taking into account Xu's social media activity. “Police are continuing to investigate the motive of the alleged homicide, including social media activity of the accused,” police told 7News. Sophie has been remembered as a caring, kind and high-achieving Year 5 student, with the local community honouring her memory in an hour-long vigil on Friday at The Boulevard in Emerald Lakes. Sophie’s school, Emmanuel College, is also offering counselling to students, staff and parents. “Our prayers are with the family, friends, first responders and all affected by the loss of this beloved child in her home,” the school said in a statement. Images: Emmanuel College /TikTok

Legal

Schoolgirl identified after allegedly being murdered by mother

Warning: This article contains distressing content that some readers may find upsetting. The 10-year-old girl who was allegedly murdered by her mother has been identified as Sophie Wang, a young schoolgirl from the Gold Coast. Wang's mother, 46-year-old Yingying Xu, has been arrested and charged with the violent murder of her daughter. Detective Acting Inspector Kent Ellis described the crime scene as "incredibly confronting", after Sophie was allegedly killed by having her throat slashed in her Carrara home. “In my 15-year career as a detective, it’s one of the most confronting things I have seen.” According to Ellis, it was Sophie's father who found his daughter dead at the scene after he arrived home and called police. “It was an extremely distressing scene for not only the ... father there, but attending police, and I can understand the significant distress amongst the community,” the detective said. The woman was arrested on a “nearby street” some four hours after Sophie’s body was found, according to Ellis. Sophie's death was made public by her school Emmanuel College, who is offering counselling to the school community over the tragic incident. “The Emmanuel College community is devastated by the tragic passing of one of our students at a home within Emerald Lakes last night,” the school principal Dan Brown said in a statement. “Our prayers are with the family, friends, first responders and all affected by the loss of this beloved child in her home. Our priority is supporting our community at this difficult time." “We have mobilised our counselling and pastoral care teams to provide comprehensive support to students, staff and parents as our community comes to terms with this distressing news." “We ask for understanding and respect for the privacy of our families and students at this time. While words cannot ease the shock and pain of such a tragic loss, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you all." Image credits: Emmanuel College

Legal

Samantha Murphy's accused murderer faces court

The man accused of murdering Samantha Murphy has faced court to an "unprecedented" amount of evidence. Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22, has been charged with the murder of mother-of-three Murphy, 51, at Mount Clear, after she went missing on February 4th. Stephenson was arrested in March, as the police investigation into the location of Murphy's body continued to no avail. Appearing before the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court via video link from prison, Stephenson was told he will wait behind bars for another three months before his case returns due to the "unprecedented" brief of evidence against him. Prosecutors asked the court to adjourn the committal mention for 12 weeks in order to allow them to go through a brief of evidence which contains "extensive" CCTV footage. <div>"We appreciate that is a significant period of time," prosecutor Daniel White told the court. "The brief is extensive and involves an extensive amount of CCTV footage." Stephenson's barrister Moya O'Brien agreed to the three-month delay as she said the evidence brief had only recently been served on defence and was "described as unprecedented in terms of size". Magistrate Mark Stratmann said three months was "a long time" for Stephenson and the community to wait, although agreed to allow the adjournment. Stephenson was remanded back into custody until the case returns to the Ballarat court on November 14. Stephenson's court appearance comes just days after Samantha Murphy’s loved ones marked six months since she vanished. Image credits: Nine / Facebook </div>

Legal

Teenager charged with murdering school girls at dance class identified

A court in the UK has identified the 17-year-old boy accused of going on a stabbing rampage at a <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/taylor-swift-in-shock-after-three-young-girls-killed-at-dance-class" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dance class </a>and killing three young girls. The court released the information on Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, a 17-year-old born in Cardiff, in order to stem the flow of misinformation about the suspect that ignited riots around the UK. The court said that while Rudakubana would not normally have been publicly named due to the fact that he is still a minor, they made an exception to quash the riots, while also taking into account that he is just days away from his 18th birthday. Unrest has been seen outside mosques as protesters target Muslims in the wake of the tragedy, causing police to again confirm that the teen was born in the UK. Police said his family are of Rwandan descent where 92 per cent of people identify as Christian, while only 2 per cent of Rwandans are Muslim. The horror began at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on Monday in Southport, just north of Liverpool in England’s north west, when Rudakubana targeted the young girls and their families. Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar died after the knife rampage, while eight other children suffered stab wounds and five were in fighting for their life, alongside two adults who were critically injured. Following the tragedy, large crowds fought with police in the town close to where the tragedy had happened including outside a mosque after false reports emerged that the attacker was Muslim. Rudakubana, who was born in Cardiff in Wales but lived in the town of Banks in Lancashire, close to Southport, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder and a knife possession charged. Image credits: Merseyside Police

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Shocking theory behind grandma's broad daylight murder-suicide

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Samantha Murphy's accused murderer faces court

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