UPDATE: Charges filed in murder of Menard inmate
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Randolph County coroner has ruled another inmate death as a homicide at the Menard maximum-security prison in Chester in far southern Illinois.
Coroner Randy Dudenbostel says 35-year-old William Crowder died March 26 from "manual strangulation." The coroner classified the death as a homicide.
State's Attorney Jeremy Walker intends to file first-degree murder charges against a Menard inmate when he receives investigative reports.
He would not name the inmate but says the man is not due for release until 2013.
Crowder was found dead in his cell in the prison's segregation unit at 10:36 p.m. Crowder's was the third homicide since Jan. 31.
Walker previously filed murder charges against former Menard inmates for the deaths of 25-year-old Jason Hall and 64-year-old Yusuf Abuzir.
Baby dies inexplicably in Jennings
JENNINGS, Mo. (AP) - St. Louis County police are investigating the death of a 2-month-old boy in Jennings.
The child is identified as Adrian Robertson. Police were called to a home about 3 p.m. Monday. Adrian was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead about an hour later. His cause of death was not released.
Toxicology tests have been performed and the medical's examiner's office is awaiting results.
Motorist accused in Alton cyclists death
ALTON, Ill. (AP) - A southwestern Illinois motorist is accused of being impaired when he allegedly hit and killed a bicyclist in the Mississippi River city of Alton.
Prosecutors in Madison County on Monday charged 51-year-old Allen Cordes of Alton with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing death.
Authorities allege that Cordes was drunk and high on marijuana last Saturday night when the van he was driving hit 50-year-old Alton cyclist James Stewart. Stewart died at the scene.
Online court records don't show whether Cordes has an attorney. He does not have a listed home telephone number.
Cordes was jailed Tuesday on $75,000 bond.
Police investigate death of Normandy student
A day after a Normandy High School student died following an incident at the school, police are still trying to piece together what happened.
KMOV TV reports police say the 15-year-old student collapsed after another student, 14, reportedly struck him in the chest.
Officers say the interaction was believed to be friendly, and the students were simply horsing around. After the student collapsed, he was taken to St. Louis Children’s Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
The incident was believed to have happened shortly before 1 p.m. Thursday. It is unknown if the student suffered from a preexisting medical condition that may have led to the collapse. Police are currently collecting statements from other student witnesses.
Lineman dies while working in North County
Sad news as crews continue to cleanup efforts in North County.
An Ameren lineman died today while working to restore power in St. Ann. Reports are the worker, an 18 year veteran, came in contact with a live wire and was electrocuted.
Woman dies after being hit by suspect who was fleeing police
Police have identified the elderly woman who died after being hit by another driver who was fleeing police.
The incident began when officers saw two suspects driving a stolen vehicle in South St. Louis near Grand and Osage. During the traffic stop, the suspect--an 18 year-old man--threw his car into reverse and almost hit the police officer. He then sped off, but hit a car with three passengers, including 87-year-old Virginia Bedrosian. Bedrosian was taken to the hospital where she died later Tuesday night.
The suspect was caught after a short foot chase and his passenger was taken into custody as well.
Original Mousketeer dies
(CNN) — Annette Funicello, one of the best-known members of the original 1950s “Mickey Mouse Club” and a star of numerous 1960s “beach party” films, died Monday at a California hospital of complications from multiple sclerosis, the Walt Disney Co. said.
She was 70.
Funicello was just 12 when she was selected by Walt Disney himself to be one of the original Mouseketeers of the “Mickey Mouse Club,” the 1950s television variety show aimed at children.
Funicello, who had a background in dance, quickly became one of the most popular Mouseketeers.
She “was and always will be a cherished member of the Disney family, synonymous with the word Mouseketeer, and a true Disney Legend,” Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger said.
“She will forever hold a place in our hearts as one of Walt Disney’s brightest stars, delighting an entire generation of baby boomers with her jubilant personality and endless talent,” Iger said in a statement released Monday. “Annette was well known for being as beautiful inside as she was on the outside, and she faced her physical challenges with dignity, bravery and grace. All of us at Disney join with family, friends, and fans around the world in celebrating her extraordinary life.”
She had been living in Shafter, California where she and her husband ran the The Annette Funicello Research Fund for Neurological Diseases Inc. She had been living with Multiple Sclerosis for more than 25 years.Last October, the fund had launched a year-long “Penny Campaign” fund-raising program to highlight how every penny donated to her charity counts.Also in October, Canadian TV (CTV) aired a 30-minute special about her life with Multiple Sclerosis. You can watch that special online: www.ctvnews.ca/w5.
West Virginia Sheriff shot and killed outside courthouse
A West Virginia sheriff with a reputation cracking down on drug dealers was shot in the head at point blank range and killed outside a county courthouse today, officials and witnesses said.
Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum was shot and killed while sitting in his vehicle during his lunch break in the town of Williamson, state Delegate Harry Keith White told ABC News.
A witness told ABC News that he watched the suspect approach Crum's car, where he was known to eat lunch, and fire twice into the vehicle. The suspect then calmly walked to his truck, described as a tan Ford ranger, and drove away.
Another witness, Larry Dove, told the West Virginia Gazette he saw a man shoot Crum "right in the head."
The shooting suspect was wounded, captured and taken to a hospital, the Associated Press reported.
Crum was elected sheriff in January.
His death follows a string of high-profile assassinations of law enforcement officers and prosecutors in recent weeks, including two Texas prosecutors and the chief of Colorado's prison system.
Investigators from around the country are working to determine if there is any connection among the killings.
Since April 2, 2012, 28 police officers have been killed nationwide, according to preliminary data by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Of those deaths, 13 were caused by guns.
Police ID woman found dead on Sunday morning
Police have released a person of interest in the case of a woman found dead in south St. Louis Sunday morning.
Police found 47-year-old Aretha Robinson in the alley behind the 2200 block of South Jefferson. The coroner determined Robinson was strangled. Officers picked up a person of interest, but have released the person without filing charges.
Andy Gammon remembered with moment of silence
Crews working on the New Mississippi River Bridge honored a fallen co-worker with a moment of silence today.
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Andy Gammon was working on the bridge one year ago today when a crane tipped over and pulled him into the river. KSDK reports that at 9:55 Thursday morning, the workers took a moment of silence to remember Gammon.
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Some lawmakers have proposed naming a stretch of I-70 in his honor.
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