1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Crime a Lord hourly update Breaking Crime News Now, I'm 2 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: Dave Mack. Amy Beth Taylor loses more than just her 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: cool after her ex blew her off and a little 4 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: waging concert they planned to attend, so she set his 5 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,279 Speaker 1: heart sol Alabama house on fire. Taylor, forty six, made 6 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: even more irate by the fact that the ex avoided 7 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,319 Speaker 1: her calls. According to an affidavit, Taylor walked into a 8 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: shed on the property and quote threatened to burn down 9 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: the man's home or the shed. Not long after Taylor 10 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: was seen leaving the shed, a witness tells police a 11 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: woman living on the property called her, saying her room 12 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 1: is filled with smoke. When the woman, who also lives 13 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: in the home, opens the door of her room, the 14 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 1: rest of the house was filled with smoke. Police arrests 15 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: Taylor and book her into the Morgan County Jail, bail 16 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: set at twenty thousand dollars with orders to not contact 17 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:51,560 Speaker 1: the property owner, her ex, or any of the witnesses. 18 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: Amy Beth Taylor, forty six, now charged with first degree arson. 19 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: More crime Injustice News. After this, I'm Jennifer Gould. 20 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 2: The suburban streets of Cranford, New Jersey were instantly transformed 21 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 2: into the scene of a calculated execution, a whrror. The 22 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 2: victim's families insist was no accident. A seventeen year old 23 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 2: driver allegedly ended months of harassment by deliberately striking two 24 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 2: teenagers riding an e bike, leaving the two girls, Maria 25 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 2: and Niotis and Isabella Solis, both seventeen, to die in 26 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,960 Speaker 2: the roadway. The perpetrator I did as, seventeen year old 27 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 2: Vincent Battaloro from neighboring Garwood, was taken into custody shortly 28 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 2: after the incident. He has been charged with two counts 29 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 2: of first degree murder. The grotesque details reveal a chilling 30 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 2: lack of remorse. Witnesses say the crash occurred around five 31 00:01:55,760 --> 00:02:00,080 Speaker 2: twenty six pm on the fortieth block of Burnside Avenue. 32 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 2: Lauo allegedly struck the girls while driving a black twenty 33 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 2: twenty one Jeep Compass with tinted windows. According to witnesses, 34 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 2: he then continued driving, dragging one of the bikes and 35 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:16,639 Speaker 2: victims beneath his jeep until the bike disabled the suv, 36 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 2: forcing it to stop. High school student Amandapota spoke to 37 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 2: the media. 38 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: It's just absolutely sickening, Like I literally wanted to puke. 39 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: It was so horrible. I just feel so awful for 40 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: the family and the mother that I saw. 41 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 3: It was just it was really bad. 42 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 2: Battlauo then fled the scene on foot. Niotis and Salas 43 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,639 Speaker 2: were rushed to area hospitals, but sadly died of their 44 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 2: catastrophic injuries. The families of the victims have since issued 45 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 2: an impassioned statement stating quote, this was not an ebych 46 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 2: accident and it was not a hit and run. This 47 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 2: was murder in the first degree end quote. They confirmed 48 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 2: that the suspect had been plotting this attack against Maria 49 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 2: for months, explicitly targeting her. Is a Billa was killed, 50 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 2: they say, only because she was in the wrong place 51 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 2: at the wrong time. Neighbors and friends corroborated the claims. 52 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 2: These two neighbors spoke to the media he's been. 53 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 4: Parked up front of her house's line online and swallowing 54 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 4: yeah it was. 55 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 3: The school was notified, the police were notified, like for 56 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 3: three months now, and nothing happened. No, he was never stopped. 57 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:34,079 Speaker 4: No. 58 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 2: Despite the escalating threat, which was allegedly reported to the 59 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 2: Cranford Public schools and led Maria to file police complaints. 60 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 2: The lethal assault was not averted. Battalora was identified and 61 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 2: issued fifteen municipal citations for the incident, including leaving the 62 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 2: scene of an accident, reckless driving, speeding, and driving without 63 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 2: a license or insurance. He is the nephew of Westfield 64 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 2: Police Chief Christopher Battaloro, who issued a statement condemning his 65 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 2: nephew's actions and demanding full legal consequences. Although the proceedings 66 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 2: are currently sealed as a juvenile matter and Union County 67 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 2: Family Court, the severity of the charges first degree murder 68 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 2: means prosecutors can seek to waive the case to adult court, 69 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 2: which is legally possible for juveniles fifteen or older. In 70 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 2: homicide cases. Anyone with any information is urged to contact 71 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 2: the Union County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Task Force at nine 72 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 2: zero eight three seven zero four three one eight or 73 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 2: Branford Police at nine zero eight two seven six zero 74 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 2: one seven to one. 75 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 4: I'm Nicole Parton. A man is accused of killing his 76 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:59,839 Speaker 4: wife just days after police had transported him back to 77 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 4: her home following an arrest related to a violent domestic altercation. 78 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 4: The Arlington Police Department reported that officers first responded to 79 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 4: a call about a domestic dispute at the residence of 80 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 4: fifty three year old Mary Spears on September seventeen. Upon arrival, 81 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:21,840 Speaker 4: authorities discovered that Mary's husband, fifty five year old Frederick Spears, 82 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 4: who had recently been permitted to stay with her, had 83 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,559 Speaker 4: engaged in a heated argument with a family member. During 84 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 4: this dispute, he allegedly brandished two kitchen knives and threatened 85 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 4: the other individual. Frederick was taken into custody and charged 86 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:41,359 Speaker 4: with aggravated assault related to family violence, subsequently posting bail 87 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 4: the next day. The police report details that shortly after 88 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 4: his release from the Arlington City Jail on September eighteen, 89 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 4: Frederick requested a ride to miss Spears' home from an 90 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 4: officer at the front desk from the Public Safety Center. 91 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,160 Speaker 4: An officer was assigned to accompany him, but once at 92 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 4: the residence, Frederick once again began an argument with a 93 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 4: family member. The officer ultimately told him to leave, and 94 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,159 Speaker 4: he did. On the morning of September twenty two, a 95 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 4: family member received a troubling message from Frederick that raised alarm, 96 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 4: prompting her to check on Mary. Upon searching for her, 97 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 4: the family member found Mary unresponsive in the backyard, suffering 98 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 4: from multiple stab wounds. Detectives later found that Frederick had 99 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 4: sent messages to both Mary and other family members suggesting 100 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 4: his involvement in her murder. Law enforcement eventually located Frederick 101 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 4: at another residence, where he allegedly brandished a knife and 102 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 4: began inflicting wounds on himself. He reportedly refused to comply 103 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,919 Speaker 4: with officers orders to drop the weapon, leading them to 104 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 4: use less lethal rounds, which allowed them to safely apprehend him. 105 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,720 Speaker 4: As part of his bond conditions, that emergency protective order 106 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 4: was issued, prohibiting Frederick from returning to Mary's home or 107 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 4: contacting her or in any family members. The department expressed 108 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 4: regret for arranging transportation back to the home and is 109 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 4: currently conducting a thorough administrative review to assess whether policy 110 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 4: or procedural changes are necessary to prevent similar situations in 111 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 4: the future. Frederick Spears now faces murder charges. 112 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 3: I'm Drew Nelson, a Detroit man whose kindness went viral 113 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 3: after helping a stranger, is now the victim of a 114 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 3: shocking family betrayal. Curtis Dixon, aged sixty, was kidnapped, beaten, 115 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 3: and left tied up beside his burning suv on September one. 116 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 3: Federal agents say his own nephew and four others conspired 117 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 3: to rob him after he received one hundred thousand dollars 118 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 3: from TikTok influencer Zachary Darryniowski. 119 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 4: I got one hundred thousand dollars for you. 120 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: Oh my god. 121 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 3: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives has charged 122 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 3: Roland Terrell Chapman, like A Lowez Martinez, Deniquia Stroman, Aisha Stroman, 123 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 3: and Kenneth Paul Anderson with conspiring to commit kidnapping. Investigators 124 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 3: say Dixon was lured by Lopez Martinez, who told him 125 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 3: her car had broken down. When he stopped to help, 126 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 3: armed suspects ambushed him, tied his hands and feet, and 127 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 3: demanded money. They forced him to withdraw cash from ATMs 128 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 3: and took him to his home, where two other suspects 129 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 3: tied up his wife and stole a safe. Police later 130 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 3: found Dixon near his burning gmc yukon Denali. Witnesses pulled 131 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 3: him from the fire just in time. Phone calls and 132 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 3: ATM footage led federal agents to the suspects. Chapman, who 133 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 3: is Dixon's nephew, was heard on a jail call before 134 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,839 Speaker 3: the crime saying, quote, I said that in word, better 135 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 3: not make me turn a hustle. In another call, he said, quote, 136 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:49,440 Speaker 3: I need some racks, real quick racks, meaning thousands of dollars. 137 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 3: Search warrants turned up stolen items, guns, and drugs at 138 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 3: the suspects homes. The case unfolded just weeks after Dixon 139 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 3: became known worldwide for his viral active kindness. In August, 140 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 3: he helped Doraniowski, who was pretending to be blind, outside 141 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 3: American Jewelry and loan. When Dorniowski revealed the truth, he 142 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 3: gave Dixon one thousand dollars and later surprised him with 143 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:13,199 Speaker 3: a new caller and one hundred thousand dollars raised through 144 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 3: a GoFundMe campaign. Dixon recalls the moment he tells me 145 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 3: not blind. 146 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 1: I'm like, WHOA, So I'm testing him? I say how 147 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: many fingers? He says too. 148 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,079 Speaker 3: After that, my life's just changed. Dixon said he planned 149 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 3: to use the money to rebuild his life after falling 150 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 3: behind on bills. He told Diurniowski he was going to 151 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 3: pawn his wedding ring to pay his electric bill the 152 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 3: day they met. All five suspects remain in custody. The 153 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 3: ATF says the investigation is ongoing. For the latest crime 154 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 3: and justice news, follow Crime Alert hourly update on your 155 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 3: favorite podcast app. But this Crime Alert, I'm Drew Nelson.