Category: DEATH

West Virginia Man Accused of Arson, Murder in Wildfire Death

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va.—A West Virginia man has been charged with murder after a forestry worker was killed trying to extinguish a fire the man is accused of setting. The fire was reported on Tuesday night in the Tucker Hollow area of Fayette County. Overnight, the fire grew to consume several hundred acres. On Thursday, forester Cody…


Wisconsin Man Gets Life in Prison for Wife’s 1998 Slaying

KENOSHA, Wis.—A Wisconsin man convicted for a second time of killing his wife with antifreeze and by suffocation in 1998 was sentenced Friday to life in prison without parole. A Kenosha County judge sentenced Mark Jensen, 63, who was convicted by a jury in February of first-degree intentional homicide in the death of his wife,…


US Will Not Prosecute Suspect in US Tourist Death in Mexico

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—U.S. officials in North Carolina will not federally prosecute the person suspected of killing a Charlotte-area woman vacationing in Mexico last year, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday. Federal prosecutors say they have presented the findings of their investigation to the family of Shanquella Robinson, who was seen being beaten in a viral…


Sentencing Trial Begins for Ex-coach in Wife’s 1999 Death

HOUSTON—The sentencing trial began Monday for a former Houston-area high school football coach convicted twice of fatally shooting his pregnant wife during what authorities say was a staged burglary more than 24 years ago. David Mark Temple, 54, was convicted in August 2019 for a second time for killing of his wife, Belinda. But that…


Sentencing Trial Begins for Former Coach in Wife’s 1999 Death

HOUSTON—The sentencing trial began Monday for a former Houston-area high school football coach convicted twice of fatally shooting his pregnant wife during what authorities say was a staged burglary more than 24 years ago. David Mark Temple, 54, was convicted in August 2019 for a second time for killing of his wife, Belinda. But that…


Dealer Pleads Guilty in Death of Actor Michael K. Williams

NEW YORK—A Brooklyn drug dealer pleaded guilty Wednesday to providing “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams with fentanyl-laced heroin, causing his death. Irvin Cartagena’s plea to a charge of conspiring to distribute drugs was entered in Manhattan federal court. Sentencing was set by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams for Aug. 18, when Cartagena will face…


Fentanyl Caused ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Rapper Coolio’s Death

LOS ANGELES—“Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper Coolio suffered an accidental death from the effects of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine last year, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office reported Thursday. The county agency also cited cardiomyopathy, a disease that makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood to the body, as a “significant condition.” Investigators also…


Japan’s Ryuichi Sakamoto, Composer of ‘The Last Emperor’ Score, Dies Aged 71

TOKYO—Ryuichi Sakamoto, the Oscar-winning Japanese composer famed for his scores for “The Last Emperor,” “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” and other epic films, has died aged 71. Sakamoto was also known for his acting, and for his work with the pioneering electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) which he co-founded. “He lived with music until…


Pandemics Are Not the Real Health Threat

Commentary The Western world has been caught in a spiral of self-harm and debasement for the past three years. Aspects of the underlying psychology have been discussed in abstract terms, regarding mass anxiety and the actions of crowds. Little has been said about the possibility that we are simply terrified of death. This is a…


Newborn Found Dead in Iowa Ditch; Mom, Granddad Charged

The mother and grandfather of a newborn found dead in a ditch in Iowa have been charged with first-degree murder, and court documents say they told investigators the baby was still alive when they put him in a trash bag and abandoned him. Megan K. Staude, 25, of Norfolk, told police the child was born…