Explore

Rapid ReadRapid Read
U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng Secures Federal Funding for Cold Case Investigations in Queens

U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng Secures Federal Funding for Cold Case Investigations in Queens

U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng has secured $500,000 in federal grant funding for the Queens District Attorney's Cold Case Unit. This funding, received in 2024, is designated to expand advanced DNA testing and forensic investigative resources for unsolved cases in Queens County. The unit, established in March 2020 by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, aims to re-examine approximately 2,200 unsolved homicides. These cases largely stem from a period of elevated violent crime in Queens between 1970 and the late 1990s. The funding will specifically support forensic genealogy and database comparisons, utilizing modern forensic tools that were not available when many of these older cases occurred.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Senators Budd and Blunt Rochester Introduce SCALE Biology Act to Establish Biometrology Laboratory Program

Senators Budd and Blunt Rochester Introduce SCALE Biology Act to Establish Biometrology Laboratory Program

U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) have introduced the Standards and Collaboration for American Leadership in Engineering (SCALE) Biology Act. This legislation aims to establish a Biometrology Laboratory Program under the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The program will focus on research into engineering biology, biomanufacturing, and biotechnology, with the goal of advancing the measurement of key units and inputs in these fields. The bill seeks to promote U.S. competitiveness in biotech development. Representatives April McClain Delaney (D-Md.-06) and Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.-08) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives in May. The SCALE Biology Act has garnered endorsements from major technology companies, including OpenAI and Google.
AP NewsAP News
Tennessee is set to execute a woman for the first time in 200 years

Tennessee is set to execute a woman for the first time in 200 years

One of the youngest women sent to death row is set to be executed in Tennessee
ReutersReuters
South African police probe mining feud, business rivalry after shootings kill 27

South African police probe mining feud, business rivalry after shootings kill 27

By Xolani Nhlapo and Esa Alexander JOHANNESBURG/CAPE TOWN, Sept 27 (Reuters) - South African police were on Sunday hunting the perpetrators of two separate shootings that killed 27 people within hours of each other, in stark reminders of the country's problem with gun violence.
Rochester Democrat and ChronicleRochester Democrat and Chronicle
New York mom charged with murder in death of 10-year-old daughter

New York mom charged with murder in death of 10-year-old daughter

Angelica Sullivan, 30, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of her 10-year-old daughter, Kathleen E. Pulido.
Nashville TennesseanNashville Tennessean
Remembering Colleen Slemmer, the teenager killed by Christa Pike

Remembering Colleen Slemmer, the teenager killed by Christa Pike

Colleen Slemmer was studying computer technology when she was lured into a wooded area by Christa Pike. Now Pike faces death penalty.
AP NewsAP News
Judge sets $5M bond for third man charged in death of Black woman whose body was later hung in tree

Judge sets $5M bond for third man charged in death of Black woman whose body was later hung in tree

A Mississippi judge set a $5 million bond for a third man charged in the death of a Black woman whose body was found hanging from a tree in August
USA TodayUSA Today
Lindsay Clancy case headed back to court. Could she go free?

Lindsay Clancy case headed back to court. Could she go free?

A high-stakes court hearing could bring a sudden and dramatic end to the case — or another step toward a new trial.
USA TodayUSA Today
Tasia Fortune's hanging was staged, Mississippi investigators say

Tasia Fortune's hanging was staged, Mississippi investigators say

After a Black woman was found hanging in a tree in Mississippi, authorities say they now believe Tasia Fortune was killed at different location.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Modus Operandi: Understanding Criminal Behavior and its Evolution

Modus Operandi: Understanding Criminal Behavior and its Evolution

Modus Operandi (MO) refers to the learned, dynamic behavior an offender uses to commit a crime. This can include specific methods like using a particular type of ligature or entering a property in a distinct way. In the field of criminal profiling, MO is a crucial concept for describing the consistent patterns in how crimes are executed. These methods are not static; they can evolve over time as offenders gain experience or adapt to new circumstances. The concept extends beyond traditional criminal profiling, with the term 'Modus Operandi' also being used in other contexts, such as describing a company's approach to managing its social media channels, as seen with the fashion company Moda Operandi. This highlights the broad applicability of the term to describe a characteristic way of operating or performing a task.
Palm Beach PostPalm Beach Post
Two face murder charges in 2018 Riviera cold case fatal shooting

Two face murder charges in 2018 Riviera cold case fatal shooting

Police found Kevin Ulysse dead in the street on Oct. 16, 2019. DNA and other evidence tied two West Palm Beach men to the crime, police said.
El Paso TimesEl Paso Times
COVID fraud, harassment, bus crash: El Paso's week in crime

COVID fraud, harassment, bus crash: El Paso's week in crime

A $2 million COVID fraud guilty plea, harassment and bus crash arrests highlight El Paso-area crime cases.