Child killed by martial arts instructor, human-caused Diamond Fire, deadly dog attack: this week's top stories
Crime Files: Grappler stops street racer, Cobra Arcade shooting
Our top crime stories for the week of June 26: Counterfeit money at Phoenix businesses; a teenage girl shot by her boyfriend; a shooting at a downtown Phoenix bar; a deadly barricade situation in Pinal County; and DPS uses a grappler to stop a street racing suspect.
From a child being beaten to death by his martial arts instructor, a fire ripping through a neighborhood near north Scottsdale, to a witness describing the rescue of a woman who fell overboard from a cruise ship – here are the top stories from June 24-30.
1. 8-year-old child in martial arts class beaten to death by instructor
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8-year-old child in martial arts class beaten to death by instructor
An 8-year-old Chinese boy was beaten to death by a martial arts instructor a day after enrolling in the class.
2. Parents of woman found 'melted' into couch re-indicted on second degree-murder charges
Clay Fletcher and Sheila Fletcher
A Louisiana couple has been re-indicted on second-degree murder charges for the death of their 36-year-old daughter who was found "melted" into a feces-covered couch and weighing less than 100 pounds, records show.
According to court records, a new indictment for second-degree murder was filed on June 19 against Sheila and Clay Fletcher for the death of their daughter, Lacey, in January 2022.
3. Crews making gains on Diamond Fire as residents return to their homes
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Crews making gains on Diamond Fire as residents return to their homes
Firefighters and authorities have been battling a brush fire, nicknamed the Diamond Fire, since it broke out in Scottsdale Tuesday night.
4. Sierra Vista dog attack leaves woman dead, man critically injured
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Sierra Vista dog attack leaves woman dead, man critically injured
Three dogs are now dead after an attack in Sierra Vista that killed a woman and severely wounded a man.
5. Kentucky woman who fatally shot Uber driver thought he was taking her to Mexico, police say
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Kentucky woman who fatally shot Uber driver thought he was taking her to Mexico, police say
The woman reportedly took a photo of the Uber driver after shooting him, then sent it to her boyfriend before she called 911.
6. Tourist films something massive swimming below plane: It was a world-famous creature
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Tourist films something massive swimming below plane: It was a world-famous creature
A tourist flying over the Great Barrier Reef unknowingly captured the video of a lifetime.
7. ‘They found her!’: Witness describes rescue of woman who fell overboard on Royal Caribbean ship
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‘They found her!’: Witness describes rescue of woman who fell overboard on Royal Caribbean ship
A passenger who went overboard while on a cruise ship was safely rescued. It happened on Sunday aboard Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas, and people on board say the entire rescue took about 45 minutes.
8. UC Berkeley PhD student suffers violent death in Mexico
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UC Berkeley PhD student suffers violent death in Mexico
Gabriel Trujillo's research was tragically cut short last week in Mexico, where his father said he was shot seven times. Authorities discovered his body on June 22 in the state of Sonora, in northwest Mexico, days after his fiancée reported him missing.
9. Costco's sleeper sofa goes viral, igniting debate among shoppers: 'Such a bummer'
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Costco's sleeper sofa goes viral, igniting debate among shoppers: 'Such a bummer'
A Costco Wholesale sleeper couch has gone viral on TikTok and Instagram as shoppers share their opinions on the new sleeper sofa — both positive and negative.
10. Six people died at Lake Mead this Father's Day weekend
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Six people died at Lake Mead this Father's Day weekend
Three people died in a multi-vehicle accident, two drowned, and one died by suicide, officials said.