JP

James Porter

Contributing Editor

Provides expert analysis on crime.

Published Articles

65 articles

Homicide

New Images Released in 1993 Bristol Murder Inquiry Into Carol Clark

Police release fresh photographs as part of ongoing investigation into the killing of Carol Clark in Bristol nearly three decades ago.

Missing Persons

Doorbell Camera Helps San Antonio Police Foil Kidnapping-Ransom Scheme Targeting Senior

Authorities say suspicious activity captured on a home doorbell camera led to the rescue of an elderly resident and the arrest of two suspects in an alleged ransom plot.

Homicide

Former New Jersey Middle School Teacher Charged With Sexual Assault of Minor Using Classroom, Vehicle

Ashley Fisler, who won 'Most Caring Award,' allegedly had sexual relationship with student beginning in 2021

Trials

Massachusetts Police Officer and Husband Arrested on Child Rape Charges After Becoming Legal Guardians

Plymouth officer Samantha Pelrine and Daniel Forand accused of sexually abusing a boy they took in at age 12; victim, now an adult, filed restraining order last week.

Trials

Gerhardt Konig Trial: Graphic Video Shows Doctor's Wife Bleeding Profusely Following Rock Attack on Oahu Cliff

Former anesthesiologist faces attempted murder charges in Honolulu County after allegedly beating wife with rock on Pali Puka hiking trail.

Trials

Guilty: Savanah Soto, Matthew Guerra Murder Trial Ends With Convictions

San Antonio jury convicts defendant in connection with deaths of Savanah Soto and Matthew Guerra.

Homicide

Oklahoma Man Arrested in Georgia After Allegedly Shooting Twin Sister, Her Toddler Daughter to Death

Grant Wilson faces two counts of first-degree murder in slayings of Gabrielle Wilson and her 17-month-old daughter in Poteau.

Homicide

$5,000 Reward Offered in Decades-Old Luzerne County Homicide Investigation

Authorities hope new monetary incentive will generate tips in cold case dating back multiple decades.

Homicide

Alabama Student Missing in Barcelona Found Drowned, Investigation Ongoing

Jimmy Gracey, 20, disappeared after leaving a nightclub in Barcelona. His body was discovered days later in the same waters where his wallet had been found.

Missing Persons

Authorities Search for Armed, Dangerous Man After Monterey Child Abduction

Monterey County law enforcement agencies launch manhunt for suspect following reported child abduction.

Homicide

North Dakota Attorney General's Office Appeals Ruling That Overturned Decades-Old Murder Conviction

Prosecutors seek to reinstate conviction in case dating back more than 20 years.

Homicide

Gypsy Rose Blanchard Apologizes After TikTok Video Joking About Mother's Murder Goes Viral

Convicted of orchestrating mother's killing in 2015, Blanchard says she intended video to show accountability, not make light of murder.

Homicide

Teen College Girl Sheridan Gorman Shot Dead Near Chicago Campus; Venezuelan Man Charged

18-year-old Loyola University freshman was walking with friends to see the Northern Lights when a masked gunman opened fire, police say.

Missing Persons

Deputies: Kidnapping Call Leads to Arrest in Greenville County

Greenville County Sheriff's Office responds to kidnapping-related call, resulting in one arrest.

Homicide

Murder Conviction Upheld for 'Truck Stop Serial Killer'

Appellate court affirms conviction in case linked to multiple deaths at truck stops across the Midwest.

Homicide

Autistic Florida Boy, 13, Found Dead in Lake After Vanishing From Maitland Home

Na'Sean Kirkland's body recovered from Lake Sybelia eight hours after he disappeared with his brother, authorities say.

Missing Persons

Washington State Patrol Followed Protocol on Decker Amber Alert, Federal Report Says

Federal investigation concludes state troopers acted within established guidelines during high-profile missing child case in Washington.

Homicide

Police Probe Suspected Antisemitic Hate Crime After 4 Jewish Ambulances Set Ablaze in London

Hatzola Northwest ambulances torched in Golders Green; gas canisters exploded, shattering windows in nearby apartment building.

Cold Cases

Family Seeks Closure After Man Shot, Killed in East Mount Airy Cold Case

Philadelphia investigators continue pursuing justice decades after homicide that left community searching for answers.

Homicide

Illegal Immigrant Accused of Killing Loyola Student Released During Biden Administration, DHS Says

Department of Homeland Security confirms release of man accused in fatal stabbing of university student.

Homicide

Alabama Mother Charged With Murder After Leaving Autistic Teen Sons Home Alone; One Dies

Amanda Morgan, 39, faces murder and child abuse charges following October incident that left 14-year-old dead, 16-year-old hospitalized for malnutrition.

Homicide

Oklahoma Couple Arrested in Nevada After Being Charged With Using 14-Year-Old Girl as Surrogate

Nathan Potier, 36, and Erica Ramirez face child sexual abuse charges; investigation began when CPS learned girl was pregnant with twins.

Trials

Star Trial Witness in Alex Murdaugh Case Now Probing Death of Buster Murdaugh's Former Classmate

Forensic investigator Kenny Kinsey, who testified in the 2023 double murder trial, says key opportunities were missed in the 2015 death of Stephen Smith.

Homicide

2 Florida Teen Girls Arrested in Plot to Kill Classmate They Thought Resembled Sandy Hook Shooter

Isabelle Valdez, 15, and Lois Lippert, 14, charged as adults with attempted premeditated murder after authorities say they plotted to kill classmate to 'bring Adam Lanza back to life.'

Homicide

Tennessee Man Found With Missing Ohio Teen Linked to Another Case Involving Texas Girl

FBI confirms Negron in custody as authorities review digital evidence; charges pending in Florida case.

Missing Persons

Man Arrested in San Antonio Indicted, Accused of Kidnapping and Harboring Immigrants

Federal prosecutors have filed charges against a San Antonio man for allegedly kidnapping and harboring undocumented immigrants, according to the Department of Justice.

Homicide

Masked Gunman Kills Loyola Chicago College Student in Shooting Near Campus; Police Hunt for Suspect

One person dead and another hospitalized after gunfire erupted in the Hyde Park neighborhood just off the Loyola University Chicago campus.

Missing Persons

Truck Driver Accused of Kidnapping Zachary Teen

I-TEAM investigation reveals details of alleged abduction involving commercial truck driver in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Missing Persons

Man Enters Alford Plea in Attempted Kentucky Child Kidnapping Case

Defendant pleads guilty to attempted kidnapping while maintaining innocence in Kentucky court proceeding.

Trials

Westmoreland Judge Rules Trial Error Didn't Impact Verdict in Loyalhanna Murders

Judge denies new trial motion, finding that evidentiary issue did not affect jury's decision in homicide case.

Homicide

Woman, Child Dead in Suburban Minneapolis Shooting; Suspect in Custody

Anoka County Sheriff's Office investigates double homicide at Lexington home; suspect apprehended after K-9 search

Missing Persons

Woman Escapes From Men Accused of Kidnapping and Battering Her in Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to reports of a violent abduction, leading to the victim's escape and suspect apprehension.

Homicide

Alleged Latin American Drug Lord Sebastian Marset Arrives in US After Years on the Run

Uruguayan narco trafficker facing money laundering conspiracy charges makes first appearance in federal court in Virginia.

Homicide

Idaho Couple Caught on Security Cameras Abusing 7-Year-Old Daughter During Aquarium Trip

Megan and Zachary Olpin face felony charges after surveillance footage shows parents striking, dragging, and slamming child's head at Idaho Falls aquarium.

Trials

Kouri Richins, Utah Mother Who Wrote Children's Grief Book, Found Guilty of Murdering Husband

A Utah jury convicts the 35-year-old woman on all charges in the fentanyl poisoning death of her husband Eric Richins, with sentencing scheduled for May 13.

Cold Cases

D4vd Associate Calls for Justice in Celeste Rivas Case as Grand Jury Probes Teen’s Death

Neo Langston, questioned before Los Angeles grand jury, says focus should remain on ‘justice for the victim’ as investigation into 14-year-old’s death continues.

Missing Persons

Family Reveals Traumatic Home Life Before Arizona Girl's Disappearance, Murder

Relatives say 14-year-old Emily Pike lived with neglect before her remains were found dismembered near Globe in February.

Trials

Jury Finds Man Guilty of All 26 Charges in 2024 Knoxville Revenge Killing

Knoxville jury convicts defendant on murder and related charges in fatal shooting authorities described as revenge-motivated.

Trials

Texas Teacher Indicted After Allegedly Filming Herself Sexually Abusing 5-Year-Old Girl at Boyfriend's Direction

Midlothian couple faces multiple charges including aggravated sexual assault of a child and possession of child pornography; bond set at $3.84 million for woman, $5 million for man.

Missing Persons

Search Continues for 9-Year-Old Autistic Girl Who Vanished in Kentucky

Boone County police ask public for help locating non-verbal girl last seen without shoes in Florence.

Missing Persons

Woman Charged With Wade Child Kidnapping; Soldier Jailed on Unrelated Charges

Cumberland County case involves alleged child abduction as military justice proceeds separately.

Homicide

Family of Victim in Deadly Jacksonville Shooting Expresses Disappointment Over Plea Deal

Relatives speak out after court accepts plea agreement in homicide case that left one dead.

Homicide

Old Dominion University ROTC Cadets Disarm ISIS Supporter Shouting 'Allahu Akbar' During Shooting

Campus emergency responders credit ROTC training for swift intervention that prevented what could have been a mass casualty event.

Trials

Gionni Sellers Convicted in Toddler's Death Case in Orange County

A jury finds Gionni Sellers guilty in the tragic death of a toddler in Orange County, bringing closure to a case that shocked the community.

Homicide

Roommate Charged After 19-Year-Old Ohio Man Found Dead on Roadside Ruled Homicide

Joshua Lavoy faces evidence tampering charges as Hamilton County Coroner determines death was killing, not hit-and-run.

Homicide

Paranoid Man Fatally Shoots Nurse as She Drives Down Street, 2 Hours After Police Interaction

Steve Jahn allegedly killed Children's Hospital of Philadelphia nurse Megan Nieberle in random Tredyffrin Township shooting, hours after police let him go following mental health crisis.

Missing Persons

Five Years Since FBI Reported Possible Kidnapping of Bentonville Man

Arkansas man reported missing in 2021 remains unaccounted for as case enters fifth year.

Missing Persons

Man With $1 Million Warrant for Kidnapping Arrested in Colorado

Fugitive facing kidnapping charges taken into custody in Colorado, authorities confirm.

Homicide

3 Missouri Men Charged With Murder of Man Whose Death Had Been Ruled Accidental

Three suspects now face second-degree murder charges in 2018 drowning case reopened after new evidence emerged.

Missing Persons

Livingston County Court Halts Parole for Man Convicted of Kidnapping, Assaulting Woman

Livingston County Circuit Court revokes parole eligibility for defendant previously convicted of kidnapping and assault charges in case dating back to 2019.

Homicide

Family Pleads for Help as Search Continues for Ohio Teen Madison Fields Missing Nearly a Month

Investigators have linked a 43-year-old New York man to the missing 15-year-old, though he has not been charged in her disappearance.

Homicide

Murdered Professor, Fugitive Yoga Instructor Case Ends With Judge's Sentence

A high-profile homicide case involving a slain academic and a yoga instructor who fled prosecution reaches its conclusion in court.

Organized Crime

New York Court Sentences Yakuza Leader To 20 Years For Nuclear Trafficking Plot

Takeshi Ebisawa convicted of attempting to sell weapons-grade plutonium to Iran alongside narcotics and weapons charges.

Missing Persons

Missing Man Last Seen at O'Hare Airport, Chicago Police Say

Chicago authorities are seeking information regarding a man reported missing after his last known sighting at the airport.

Homicide

Actor Shia LaBeouf Arrested Again on Battery Charge Following Mardi Gras Brawl in New Orleans

Court records show the actor faces an additional count linked to the Feb. 17 incident outside a Royal Street bar.

Homicide

Federal Manhunt for Anderson Tate After Wife Patricia Tate Found Dead in Buffalo

U.S. Marshals join Buffalo police in search for 77-year-old Anderson Tate following suspicious death of 70-year-old Patricia Tate.

Homicide

Iowa Graduate’s Family Killed by Illegal Immigrant Allegedly Seeking Trump State of the Union Ticket

Authorities say a 27‑year‑old undocumented man entered a Des Moines home and fatally shot a family of four while trying to secure a ticket to the State of the Union address.

Missing Persons

Man Found Dead After Kidnapping From Sikh Temple in Tracy, Not Intended Target, Sheriff Says

Authorities say the victim discovered in a remote field was abducted from a local Sikh temple but was not the original target of the crime.

Cold Cases

DNA Breakthrough Solves 35-Year-Old Los Angeles Murder of Emily Ramirez, John Doe Charged

A newly refined DNA analysis technique linked a suspect to the 1989 killing, ending a decades‑long search for answers.

Homicide

25 Mexican National Guard Troops Killed After Jalisco Cartel Leader El Mencho’s Death

A gunbattle in western Jalisco left 25 guards dead hours after authorities announced the alleged killing of CJNG boss Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes.

Homicide

Out‑of‑Control Killer Walked 28 Miles to Murder Mother and Child

Prosecutors say the suspect traveled nearly 30 miles on foot before opening fire on a mother and her 3‑year‑old son in a suburban Illinois home.

Cold Cases

Investigators Question, Then Clear Two Officers in North Andover Cold‑Case Murder

After more than two decades of unanswered questions, the Massachusetts State Police said forensic testing and new witness statements exonerated the two former officers.

Missing Persons

Body Believed to Be Missing Fisherman Michael R. Harper Discovered in Marsh South of Wanchese

Authorities say the remains recovered Saturday likely belong to a 45‑year‑old man who vanished in early February.

Missing Persons

Police Seek Public Help Locating Missing Manistique Man

Authorities say a 48‑year‑old man vanished near Manistique after a late‑night fishing trip and are urging anyone with information to contact law enforcement.

Homicide

Former American Idol Contestant Charged with Killing Wife After Claiming Burglar

The former singing hopeful says a burglar broke in, but police say evidence points to a staged crime scene.