December 8th, 2013
04:01 AM ET

Couple lure man for thrill killing

It isn't that the 42-year-old man had done anything wrong to infuriate Elytte Barbour and his wife.
The couple – married three weeks - just wanted to kill someone together, police said.
And Troy LaFerrara happened to be the unlucky one.
The Barbours are accused of luring LaFerrara through a sex ad on Craigslist, and stabbing and strangling him to death.
Barbour told police he and his wife had tried to kill others. But the plans didn't work out.
"So," police said, "they continued to try to find someone."

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Filed under: Crime • U.S.
Singer Eydie Gorme dies at 84
August 11th, 2013
03:52 AM ET

Singer Eydie Gorme dies at 84

Singer Eydie Gorme, who enjoyed decades-long success as half of the duo Steve & Eydie and as a solo artist in her own right, has died. She was 84.

She is best known in the English-speaking world for her 1963 Grammy-nominated "Blame it on the Bossa Nova." In the Spanish-speaking market, Gorme's major hit was 1964's "Amor."

Gorme died Saturday in Las Vegas after a brief illness, her publicist said - without disclosing what had ailed her.

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August 1st, 2013
05:24 AM ET

Bangladesh court: Islamist party illegal

Bangladesh's high court has declared the country's largest Islamist party, the Jamaat-e-Islami, illegal.

Jamaat is one of two main opposition parties and a constant thorn in the side of the ruling Awami League.

With the declaration, Jamaat will not be able to take part in the country's upcoming general election - certainly welcome news to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

But such a ruling can also reignite a fresh round of political unrest in the South Asian nation.

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April 20th, 2013
10:12 PM ET

Boston manhunt: The day after

[Update 10:12 p.m.] Dzhokar Tsarnaev is currently intubated and sedated, a source who receives regular intelligence briefings on the Boston bombings said Saturday, according to CNN's Deborah Feyerick.

Earlier, a federal official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told CNN on Saturday that Tsarnaev has injuries to his throat and may not be able to talk.

Tsarnaev is being treated for wounds at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Authorities have not publicly detailed the injuries sustained by the teen, whom authorities captured on Friday night in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick told reporters on Saturday that Tsarnaev was in "serious but stable condition" and "not yet able to communicate yet."

[Update 9:22 p.m.] Two key Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee - Rep. Mike McCaul of Texas, the panel's chairman; and Rep. Peter King of New York - will press the Obama administration for details about the FBI's questioning of Tamerlan Tsarnaev in 2011, according to a GOP congressional source.

FBI agents interviewed Tamerlan two years ago and also looked at his travel history, checked databases for derogatory information and searched for Web postings. The agency found no connection with terror groups, an FBI official told CNN.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was not a U.S. citizen, traveled to Sheremetyevo, Russia, in January 2012, according to travel records provided by a U.S. official. He returned six months later.

[Update 9:03 p.m.] After the charges are filed, the Federal Public Defender Office in Boston will be appointed to represent Dzhokar Tsarnaev, according to Miriam Conrad, the federal public defender for the Massachusetts district. Conrad stressed that the office has not yet been appointed to defend him.

[Update 7:32 p.m.] Dzhokar Tsarnaev has injuries to his throat and may not be able to talk, a federal official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told CNN on Saturday.

[Update 6:17 p.m.] Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, rejected calls for Dzhokar Tsarnaev to be held as an enemy combatant under the law of war. "I am not aware of any evidence so far that the Boston suspect is part of any organized group, let alone al Qaeda, the Taliban, or one of their affiliates - the only organizations whose members are subject to detention under the Authorization for Use of Military Force, as it has been consistently interpreted by all three branches of our government.

"In the absence of such evidence I know of no legal basis for his detention as an enemy combatant. To hold the suspect as an enemy combatant under these circumstances would be contrary to our laws and may even jeopardize our efforts to prosecute him for his crimes."

[Update 5:21 p.m.] A senior U.S. official tells CNN it was Russia in 2011 that asked the FBI to look at Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s activities.

[Update 2:24 p.m.] Watertown Police Chief Edward Devaeu provided the most detailed version yet of the violent events that unfolded Thursday night and the subsequent manhunt for  Dzhokar Tsarnaev in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer. You can read the full story here. Some of new details:

- Once police located Tsarnaev Friday evening, they used flash bang grenades before beginning to negotiate with him.

–An FBI negotiator on the second floor of the house spoke with the suspect while a helicopter above with a heat sensor recorded his movements even though he was underneath a tarp. After about 30 minutes, police got him to lift up his shirt and show his chest to prove he didn't have explosives on his body. Only then did they feel comfortable sending people in.

- Handguns, a rifle, and at least six bombs - three which had exploded - were found at the scene of Thursday night's violence in Watertown.

–During a shootout with police on Thursday night, the older brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, exited the vehicle he was in and started walking down the street, shooting at officers. He ran out of ammunition when he was only five or ten feet away from police. One officer then tackles him, and he and two or three others try to handcuff him.

–As they try to handcuff the older brother, the younger brother comes barreling at them in the vehicle. The officers dive out of the way, and Dzhokar runs over his brother, dragging him for a short distance. Police think this is what killed him.

[Update 1:19 p.m.] The Boston Red Sox are moments away from playing their first game in the city since Monday's bombings. The team will wear special jerseys with the word "Boston" across the front, instead or "Red Sox." The jerseys will be signed and auctioned off with proceeds going to The One Fund Boston. The team shared this picture on its Instagram page:

bostonredsox

[Update 1:05 p.m.] President Obama will continue to receive updates on the investigation from his team throughout the day, a White House official told CNN.

[Update 12:59 p.m. ET] The campus of the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth will remain closed Saturday, a school spokesman said, so law enforcement can complete its investigation stemming from the Boston Marathon terror attack. The university, where Dzhokar Tsarnaev was a student, is preparing to reopen Sunday, spokesman John Hoey said.

[Update 11:34 a.m. ET] Early indications are that Dzhokar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev acted alone, Chief Edward Deveau of the Watertown Police Department told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

[Update 11:33 a.m. ET] Dzhokar Tsarnaev was on the campus of University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth every day after the attack until until late Thursday, a university official told CNN. Tsarnaev attended classes as well as parties in the dorms during that period.

[Update 11:18 a.m. ET] Fifty-seven people remain hospitalized Saturday as a result of the Boston Marathon terror attack, including three in critical condition, according to the latest CNN count.

[Update 11:15 a.m. ET] Ruslan Tsarni tells CNN more about the changing religious outlook of Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Tsarni noticed changes as far back as 2009. The uncle recalls a phone conversation in which Tsarnaev called him an "infidel." The young man also told his uncle he was not concerned about work or studies because God had a plan for him. The possible radicalization of Tsarnaev began around that time under the influence of an Armenian man who was a recent convert to Islam, Ruslan Tsarni said he learned from a family acquaintance. Tsarni said his radicalization happened "right there, in the streets of Cambridge."

[Update 10:07 a.m. ET] Federal terrorism charges against Boston Marathon bombings suspect Dzhokar Tsarnaev could be filed soon, even as he remains hospitalized, a Justice Department official told CNN. The 19-year-old could also face murder charges at the state level, the source said. There is no death penalty in Massachusetts, but Tsarnaev could face that punishment at the federal level.

[Update 9:37 a.m. ET] Anzor Tsarnaev, father of the bombing suspects, reiterated that he believes his sons are not responsible for the attack. He told CNN's Nick Paton Walsh in Dagestan that his sons "never, ever" could have done something like this, and that he will travel soon to the United States.

[Update 7:34 a.m. ET] Russia wants to receive official information about the bombing suspects from the United States, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said on state television. Russia expects there will contact between investigators of both countries.

[Update 7:16 a.m. ET] Investigators in Dagestan, where the Boston bombing suspects' parents live, will not engage with the family, unless an order comes from Moscow to do so, Russia state news reported today.

[Update 7:15 a.m. ET] The White House has published a photo of President Obama receiving the news of the capture of the suspect hiding in the boat.

P041913PS-1184

[Update 6:28 a.m. ET] Want to help people injured in the Boston Marathon bombings Monday?  Go to CNN's Impact Your World to find out how.

[Update 6:21 a.m. ET]  Though the suspects are no longer on the loose, the work on this case is not over.  There will be questions, and so far only one person can answer most of them - the 19-year-old suspect  in serious condition in a Boston hospital.  Even the president has said he wants answers.  Read the full story by CNN's Lateef Mungin.

[Update 6:14 a.m. ET] Life on the ice skates a step back towards normal Saturday in Boston, when the Pittsburgh Penguins will face the Boston Bruins in an NHL game at noon.

[Update 6:10 a.m. ET] Security officers still stand guard Saturday morning at the hospital, where "suspect number 2" is being treated.

[Update 5:05 a.m. ET] After a five-day nightmare, Boston can finally rest. One suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings is in custody. The other, his older brother, is dead. And residents across Massachusetts are cheering the officers who ended a week of hell.  Read the story by CNN's Holly Yan.

[Update 3:48 a. m. ET] The government of Kazakhstan distanced itself from the Boston bombing suspects saying there is no evidence the brothers lived in the country before coming to the United States. The Kazakhs condemned the Boston attacks.  The statement.

[Update 3:35 a.m.] BloombergBusinessweek reports: Shutting down Boston for a day cost $333 million.

[Update 3:33 a.m.] A flapping tarp ended a manhunt for the younger bombing suspect.  When authorities lifted an order for residents to stay locked indoors, a man went for a stroll in his backyard and saw that something didn't look right about the tarp on his boat.  Here's how it gave the suspect away.

[Update 3:31 a.m.] A photo tweeted by CNN affiliate WMUR reporter Jean Mackin shows "suspect number 2" through the window of an ambulance, as he is taken away from the scene in Watertown. His face can be seen on the lower left of the window.

Sus2 in ambulance

[Update 2:55 a.m.]  The family of  the wife of one suspected bomber issued a typed statement that was published on a local news website in Rhode Island, The North Kingstown Patch.  It read: "Our daughter has lost her husband today, the father of her child. We cannot begin to comprehend how this horrible tragedy occurred. In the aftermath of the Patriot's Day horror, we know that we never really knew Tamerlane Tsarnaev. Our hearts are sickened by the knowledge of the horror he has inflicted. Please respect our family's privacy in this difficult time."
See type written note here.

[Update 1:41 a.m.] The San Francisco Giants honored Boston victims by posting the message "#TogetherWereBoston" on the Jumbotron at AT&T Park during the team's game against the San Diego Padres.

[Update 1:10 a.m.] A powerful picture sent in by the Kafranbel Coordination Committee in the town of Kafranbel in northwest Syria.

[Update 12:45 a.m.] Montana Fredrick filmed students at Northeastern University celebrating in Hemenway Street on Friday night while first responders passed through. "Every time a police car passed by, the cheering became louder and a sense of respect and admiration was felt through the crowd," Fredrick said. "Many students donned American themed apparel with ample American flags dangling from windows and draped across students backs."

[Update 12:36 a.m.] Bassel Nasri, a friend of Dzokhar Tsarnaev, said the suspect never gave him a sense of being anti-American. The last time the two met was on April 8, the Monday before the Boston Marathon, when Tsarnaev gave him a ride to a soccer game.  "He seemed very fine. It was just like regular conversation, talking about soccer," Nasri said.

[Update 12:16 a.m. ET] Tsarnaev is being evaluated and treated at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center where he remains in serious condition. There is a heavy police presence. The FBI is expected to offer an update on his condition sometime this morning.

[Updated at 12:12 a.m.] The family of 8-year-old Martin Richard, one of three killed in the Boston Marathon bombing, thanked law enforcement for the arrest but added: "None of this will bring our beloved Martin back, or reverse the injuries these men inflicted on our family and nearly two hundred others. We continue to pray for healing and for comfort on the long road that lies ahead for every victim and their loved ones."

[Posted at 12:02 a.m.] College students and Bostonians alike took to the Boston common to celebrate the arrest of the alleged Boston Marathon bombing suspect.

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April 4th, 2013
01:13 AM ET

Men sought in connection with Colorado killing

Colorado authorities are looking for two members of the white supremacist prison gang known as the 211 Crew in connection with the killing of state prisons chief Tom Clements.

El Paso County Sheriff's Office identified the two men as James Lohr, 47, and Thomas Guolee, 31. One or both could be headed toward Nevada, the office said.

"They are both known associates of the 211 Crew," said Sheriff's Lt. Jeff Kramer. "They are believed to be armed and dangerous."

Clements was widely recognized for cracking down on prison gangs, including the 211 Crew. He was shot at his home by former gang member Evan Ebel, who was out of prison on parole.

FULL STORY
Pregnant? Lindsay Lohan? Internet scoffs
April 2nd, 2013
03:26 AM ET

Pregnant? Lindsay Lohan? Internet scoffs

It didn't take long for the tweet to ping around the world.

"Its official. Pregnant..." said the three simple words.

But coming from the verified Twitter account of a troubled actress whose every move elicits intense scrutiny, they were enough to send the Internet into a tizzy.

Shortly after the tweet appeared on @lindsaylohan, it became a worldwide trending topic. Within an hour, it had been retweeted more than 9,000 times.

Was it an April Fool's joke?

Very likely.

FULL POST

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Filed under: Celebrity • Lindsay Lohan • Movies • Showbiz
April 1st, 2013
12:00 AM ET

Police: New York abduction likely a hoax

An abduction in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York that was captured on a surveillance camera may have been a hoax, the city police said late Sunday.

According to Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne, the Friday incident "may have been a hoax staged amongst friends to celebrate one of their birthdays."

The New York Police Department did not provide additional details.

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March 24th, 2013
06:15 AM ET

Mikati steps down, upends Lebanese politics

The news of Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati's resignation spurred fierce weekend clashes in his hometown, the coastal city of Tripoli.

Residents lobbed rockets and fired bullets at one another Saturday, leaving at least three people wounded, state news agency NNA reported.

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March 13th, 2013
02:15 AM ET

Death toll from SARS-like virus rises to 9

There has been another confirmed case of a mysterious new SARS-like virus.

The Saudi health ministry informed the World Health Organization that a 39-year-old man was hospitalized with the novel coronavirus on February 28 and died two days later.

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February 27th, 2013
04:05 AM ET

Egypt balloon inquiry could take 2 weeks

It could take a while to learn the cause of a hot air balloon explosion that killed 19 people in Egypt this week.

An official investigation into Tuesday's accident - the world's deadliest hot air balloon accident in at least 20 years - could take two weeks, the governor of Luxor province said Wednesday.

Preliminary investigations confirmed no foul play was involved when gas canisters aboard the balloon exploded, causing it to plummet about 1,000 feet (300 meters) to the ground, Gov. Ezzat Saad said.

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Oscar Pistorius Court Proceedings: Day 3
South African Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius appears at Magistrate Court in Pretoria, South Africa, on Tuesday, February 19.
February 21st, 2013
09:06 AM ET

Oscar Pistorius Court Proceedings: Day 3

Final arguments began today in the bail hearing of Oscar Pistorius, who is charged with premeditated murder in the killing of his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, in the early hours of Valentine's Day.  

Today saw the case's lead investigator, Hilton Botha, removed from the case after prosecutors reinstated attempted murder charges against him in connection with a 2011 incident. Read details about today's hearing below, or check out our FULL STORY.

Also, follow @RobynCurnow who was tweeting from inside the Pretoria courtroom.

[Updated at 9:04 a.m. ET] The court has adjourned proceedings for the day.

[Updated at 8:41 a.m. ET] The state makes the argument that Pistorius shows no realization of what he has done.

[Updated at 8:38 a.m. ET]

[Updated at 8:28 a.m. ET] The state begins its closing arguments. CNN's Robyn Curnow tweets from the court that there will be no decision on bail today.

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February 20th, 2013
07:51 AM ET

Prosecutors lay out case against Pistorius

Olympian Oscar Pistorius returned to court on Wednesday to find out if he can be freed on bail after he was charged with premeditated murder in the shooting death of his girlfriend. This is the second day of the bail hearing. Read full story.

[Updated at 7:51 a.m. ET] Final arguments will start Thursday at 11 a.m. local time.

[Updated at 7:49 a.m. ET] The hearing has adjourned until Thursday with no decision on bail for Oscar Pistorius.

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Pistorius: 'No intention' to kill girlfriend
February 19th, 2013
07:55 AM ET

Pistorius: 'No intention' to kill girlfriend

Famed Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius appears in a South African court today seeking bail after being accused of murdering his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day. We are live blogging the appearance.  Read the full story

[Updated at 7:55 a.m. ET] The Pistorius hearing has adjourned. The prosecutor said he needs time to process the affidavits filed today. Court will reconvene at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. Pistorius will spend the night in a local jail.

[Updated at 7:40 a.m. ET] The defense is reading a statement from Steenkamp's friend Samantha Grevenstein that describes Pistorius as humble and the epitome of a true gentleman. Grevenstein said Steenkamp told her that she loved Pistorius and would have likely married him if he'd have asked.

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Superstorm Sandy's toll: Mounting deaths, historic destruction, stranded residents
Taxis sit in a flooded lot in Hoboken, New Jersey, on Tuesday.
October 30th, 2012
11:02 PM ET

Superstorm Sandy's toll: Mounting deaths, historic destruction, stranded residents

Editor's Note: Superstorm Sandy smashed ashore last night, triggering floods, fires and devastation. At least 33 people are known to have died in the United States and one in Canada, adding to the storm’s earlier toll of 67. Millions are without power. Floods have hit homes and the New York subway system. Here is the full story and below is the latest news as we learn it.

Are you there? Send your stories and photos to CNN iReport but stay safe.

[Update 11:02 p.m.]  Superstorm Sandy continues to weaken over Pennsylvania. It is some 50 miles east-northeast of Pittsburgh, according to an 11 p.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center. The storm is expected to move northward into Canada on Wednesday.

FULL POST

October 29th, 2012
10:02 PM ET

Superstorm Sandy blamed for at least 11 U.S. deaths as it slams East Coast

Editor's Note: Sandy unleashed powerful winds and torrential rains Monday in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast as it sped toward shore. Subways and bridges were shut down and streets were quiet as gusts howled over a huge region encompassing hundreds of miles. At 7 p.m., the National Hurricane Center stopped classifying Sandy as a hurricane, though it still continued to pack a wallop. Here is the full story.

Are you there? Send your stories and photos to CNN iReport but stay safe.

Here are the latest developments:

[Updated at 11:55 p.m.] Lisa Greiner, spokeswoman with New York York University's Langone Medical Center, offers some more details about why the facility is evacuating about 200 patients:

"Due to the severity of Hurricane Sandy and the higher than expected storm surge, we are in the process of transferring approximately 200 patients within the medical center to nearby facilities. We are having]

FULL POST

It's watch and wait as Hurricane Sandy approaches
October 28th, 2012
10:55 PM ET

It's watch and wait as Hurricane Sandy approaches

Editor's Note:  The danger cannot be overstated. Hurricane Sandy has already claimed at least 67 lives - including 51 in Haiti. In the United States, schools are closed, businesses shuttered and mass transit suspended. Residents are being told to hunker down - and wait .  Here is the full story.

Here are the latest developments:

[Update 4:49 a.m. ET] Anna Kate Twitty, a spokeswoman for the Red Cross, was just on CNN and said the organization has multiple shelters across seven states where evacuees can find "a safe place, a warm meal and emotional support." To find a shelter, go to redcross.org, call 1-800-Red-Cross or download the free Red Cross hurricane app for iphone and android users. FULL POST

Hawaii seemingly spared the worst from tsunami triggered by 7.7-magnitude quake
October 27th, 2012
11:40 PM ET

Hawaii seemingly spared the worst from tsunami triggered by 7.7-magnitude quake

Editor's Note: A sizable 7.7-magnitude earthquake in western Canada triggered a tsunami that headed toward Hawaii, prompting evacuations of thousands from coastal areas. Geophysicists had feared waves between 3 and 7 feet to lash the Hawaii islands, beginning about 10:28 p.m. local time Saturday (4:28 a.m. Sunday ET). But Hawaii seems to have been spared the worst. There have been no apparent damage from the quake in Canada, nor from the tsunami in Hawaii. Here is the full story.

Here are the latest developments:  

[Update 7:19 a.m.] Evacuations for coastal residents have been lifted, CNN affiliate Hawaii News Now reports.

[Update 7:06 a.m.] The tsunami warning for Hawaii has been canceled.  A tsunami advisory is now in effect.

A tsunami advisory indicates that strong currents or waves that are dangerous to those in or very near the water are expected, but significant inundation is not expected.

[Update 6:35 a.m.] Exercise patience. That is the message from Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle. "We are not in a position now where we believe it's safe for you to return," he told reporters. "I understand it's an unpleasant thing to stay away from your homes, your loved ones, your pets."

He said that until the island is out of the entire cycle of waves, it will be difficult to predict what will happen. "Sometimes the last ones are the dangerous ones," he said referring to the waves.

One reason why authorities are hesitant to issue the all-clear are reports of 4-foot waves

[Update 6:26 a.m.] There have been 23 aftershocks measuring 4.1 or greater since a 7.7-magnitude quake struck off the coast of Queen Charlotte Islands in Canada late Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

[Update 5:50 a.m.] So when can Hawaiians return home? "We believe we’ll have enough information in the next 2 to 3 hours to be able to determine when and if we’ll be able to issue an all clear," said Peter Carlisle, Honolulu mayor. "As of now we do not want people returning to their homes. We want them to stay in a location where they are safe."

FULL POST

October 22nd, 2012
03:27 AM ET

Relative shoots costumed girl after mistaking her for a skunk

A little girl was fighting for her life early Monday after she was shot outside a Halloween party by a relative who mistook her costume for a skunk.

Police in western Pennsylvania's New Sewickley Township said the 9-year-old girl was dressed in black with a black hat for the Saturday evening party.

As the two to three dozen guests milled about, the girl went to hide on the edge of a hill.

FULL POST

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October 21st, 2012
04:13 AM ET

Cops find body in burned house of Inglewood shooting suspect

The tragic Inglewood shooting took another awful turn early Sunday morning when police said they found a body in the burned house of the suspect Desmond Moses.

Moses is wanted for opening fire on a family in Inglewood, California, before dawn Saturday.

The shooting spree killed a father who acted as a shield to protect his kids.

It also killed one of the children the man was trying to protect: a 4-year-old boy shot in the head.

Two other kids were wounded: a 6-year-old boy in the pelvis and a 7-year-old girl in the chest. Their mother was also wounded, shot in the legs.

Police are on the hunt for the gunman who lived in a house in the back of the property.

That house had been set afire, allegedly by the gunman. And it was in that residence that police found the body, which has not been identified.

Police did not release additional details of the latest find beyond this tweet

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Filed under: California • Crime • Justice • Los Angeles • U.S. • Uncategorized