WASHINGTON—A nationally recognized crime analyst says 2025 may see the lowest murder rate ever recorded, and the White House is touting the news as evidence of President Donald Trump&#8217;s tough-on-crime policies.
“Since President Trump took office, murder rates have plummeted across the entire United States,&#8221; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Tuesday morning.
&#8220;American families were promised their communities would be safer and President Trump swiftly delivered by vocally being tough on crime, unequivocally backing law enforcement, and standing firm on violent criminals being held to the fullest extent of the law,&#8221; she added.
Her remarks come after analyst Jeff Asher, <a href="https://www.ahdatalytics.com/about-us/">co-founder</a> of AH Datalytics, <a href="https://jasher.substack.com/p/how-2025-could-feature-the-lowest">found more than</a> a 20% decrease in murders from 2024, including murders down 31.6% in Baltimore, 34.5% in St. Louis, 36.8% in Cleveland, 63% in Denver, 30.6% in New Orleans, 26.8% in New York, and 23.7% in Chicago.
<div style="width: 1250px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35d1e759-47b9-44c2-aa2a-08a6b7a8a664_1240x1996.png" alt="Jeff Asher crime statistics, Substack. " width="1240" height="1996" />Jeff Asher, Substack.</div>
Asher hedges that the trend could &#8220;regress back towards a more normal rate of decline,&#8221; but he still argues that &#8220;it’s fairly clear that a decline in the direction we’re currently seeing would safely give 2025 the title of lowest US murder rate ever recorded.&#8221;
Rafael Mangual, a Manhattan Institute fellow and member of the Council on Criminal Justice, told The Daily Wire that there are a number of factors behind the drop in homicides, including &#8220;depopulation in urban America, more police activity across the country, an increase in the incarceration rate over the last couple of years, as well as the fact that, the homicide spikes and shooting spikes took a lot of would-be shooters off the street permanently.&#8221; 
Homicide rates in the United States rose in 2020, peaked in 2021, and have steadily fallen since.
Trump has made fighting crime a major goal of his second term, particularly in Washington, D.C. Violent crime rose 33% in the nation&#8217;s capital in 2023, making it Washington&#8217;s <a href="https://thespectator.com/topic/donald-trump-move-fast-break-things-tactic-washington-dc-safer/">deadliest year</a> in two decades. Violent crime <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/violent-crime-dc-hits-30-year-low">dropped</a> 35% between 2023 and 2024, likely the result of the appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia deciding to ramp up prosecutions towards the end of his term.
On the campaign trail, Trump said he would &#8220;take over our horribly run” capital, a promise he delivered on in March, when he signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/making-the-district-of-columbia-safe-and-beautiful/">executive order</a> creating the “D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force.&#8221; The task force is directed to combat crime and restore public order by clearing homeless encampments and cracking down on lower-level offenses like turnstile jumping and public urination.
But Trump&#8217;s efforts to restore public order have gone beyond Washington, as well. His administration&#8217;s crackdown on illegal crossings at the southern border has led to the largest <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-make-largest-fentanyl-bust-in-history-arrest-illegal-alien-with-ties-to-deadly-cartel?author=Spencer+Lindquist+and+Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Feds+Make+Largest+Fentanyl+Bust+In+History%2C+Arrest+Illegal+Alien+With+Ties+To+Deadly+Cartel">fentanyl bust</a> in history, and his Treasury Department has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-treasury-dept-launches-sanctions-targeting-sinaloa-cartel?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump%E2%80%99s+Treasury+Dept+Launches+Sanctions+Targeting+Sinaloa+Cartel">issued sanctions</a> against the notorious Sinaloa Cartel in an effort to disrupt their operations.
Late last month, The Washington Post reported on &#8220;The mysterious drop in fentanyl seizures on the U.S.-Mexico border,&#8221; quickly drawing criticism from Republicans. On X, Texas Rep. Troy Nehls wrote that there was &#8220;nothing &#8216;mysterious&#8217; about the drop in fentanyl seizures at the southern border,&#8221; noting that &#8220;President Trump’s America First border security policies are working.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Let me be clear:
There’s nothing “mysterious” about the drop in fentanyl seizures at the southern border.
President Trump’s America First border security policies are working. <a href="https://t.co/w8jkLfqQli">pic.twitter.com/w8jkLfqQli</a>
— Congressman Troy E. Nehls (@RepTroyNehls) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepTroyNehls/status/1929707387596034132?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Department of Homeland Security also weighed in on X, saying, &#8220;It’s no mystery. On day one, @POTUS Trump closed our borders to drug traffickers. From March 2024 to March 2025 fentanyl traffic at the southern border fell by 54%.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It’s no mystery. On day one, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> Trump closed our borders to drug traffickers. From March 2024 to March 2025 fentanyl traffic at the southern border fell by 54%.
The world has heard the message loud and clear. <a href="https://t.co/7RJVY8ISwS">pic.twitter.com/7RJVY8ISwS</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1929357886448091400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fentanyl killed over <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2025/20250514.htm">48,000 Americans</a> in 2024, according to the CDC.

Republican Nominee Donald Trump Campaigns For President Across Pennsylvania

White House Touts Plummeting Murder Rates Under President Trump

Border

Donald Trump

Fentanyl

Homicide

Karoline Leavitt

White House

Capitol Hill authorities issued an advisory to members of Congress and their staffers on Friday, warning them to stay alert as violent attacks against lawmakers have increased around Washington, D.C., in recent months.
The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms reportedly sent a bulletin to Senate chiefs of staff, administrative managers, chief clerks, and staff directors suggesting tips to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of carjackings, armed robberies, or other criminal activity around the nation&#8217;s capital.
&#8220;Local authorities note an increase in carjacking incidents in and around Capitol Hill and the District of Columbia,&#8221; the bulletin reportedly <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-warns-increased-crime-capitol-hill-lawmakers-staff-face-string-robberies-carjackings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, according to Fox News.
The advisory included basic cautionary tips, including securing car doors and windows, hiding valuable items, and parking in a well-lit location near walkways. Other suggestions include never stopping to help a stranger with a broken-down vehicle and reducing walking alone in public.
The executive officer of the Senate also advised Capitol Hill personnel on how to handle being &#8220;confronted by a carjacker with a weapon.&#8221;
&#8220;Your safety is paramount; surrender your car without argument and swiftly leave the area,&#8221; the bulletin reportedly read. &#8220;Attempt to recall the carjacker&#8217;s physical details (gender, race, age, hair/eye color, distinctive features, clothing).&#8221;
Criminal activity in the D.C. area has surged in recent years, according to Metropolitan Police Department data reported by the outlet. In 2021, homicides reached a nearly two-decade high in the nation&#8217;s capital after authorities recorded 226 murders. The rate of homicides dropped in 2022 but still crossed over the 200 mark.
Acting D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith reportedly said the city already recorded its 200th homicide in 2023, meaning murders could reach levels the area hasn&#8217;t seen since the 1990s.
Other crime statistics reported indicate violent crime is up nearly 40% from last year while property crime continues to surge, including motor vehicle thefts increasing 106% and robberies up 65%.
A number of congressional lawmakers and staffers have been victims of violent assaults around Capitol Hill in recent months, including armed robberies and carjackings.
The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/10/20/senator-staff-robbed-capitol-hill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> last week a male robbed Amanda Peper — a staffer for Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) — at gunpoint roughly a mile from the Capitol Building. Peper reportedly was walking to her building when the robbery occurred. Authorities said a man approached her, pointed a gun at her face, and demanded she hand over her belongings.
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) was carjacked by three armed assailants in D.C.&#8217;s upscale Navy Yard neighborhood earlier this month.
Cuellar later <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/carjacked-congressman-says-d-c-two-or-three-times-more-dangerous-than-texas-border" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Washington, D.C., is about &#8220;two to three&#8221; times more dangerous than his border district in south Texas.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
&#8220;I&#8217;ve always said when I talk about the border that there is an immigration crisis there. But I would say that when you look at the numbers of murders, rape, assaults at the border — let&#8217;s say in Laredo, Texas — I&#8217;ve always said that Washington is about two or three times more dangerous, and we certainly see it now,&#8221; Cuellar said during an interview with Fox News earlier this month.
Rep. Brad Finstad (R-MN) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-staffer-attacked-at-gunpoint-near-capitol-building-rep-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in June that a member of his staff was attacked by an armed assailant just blocks away from the Capitol Building. The staffer was assaulted near his home following the annual Congressional baseball game, according to a statement from the congressman. He sustained minor injuries.
Another Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, said in March that one of his staffers was &#8220;brutally attacked in broad daylight&#8221; in D.C. The Metropolitan Police Department said the adult male victim was stabbed multiple times and treated at a hospital for life-threatening injuries. Court documents show the victim told a detective at the hospital that he did not know the suspect, nor did the suspect make any demands before the attack.
In February, Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) was assaulted by a 26-year-old homeless man in an elevator at her D.C. apartment building. Craig said she was &#8220;very, very lucky that [she] was not more injured.&#8221;
Daniel Chaitin and Zach Jewell contributed to this report.

US Capitol In Washington DC During The Night

Members Of Congress Warned To Stay Alert Amid Rising Crime In Nation’s Capital: Report

Members Of Congress Warned To Stay Alert Amid Rising Crime In Nation's Capital: Report

Capitol Hill

Congress

Politics

Senate

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Violent Crime

Washington D.C.

A Las Vegas woman who was released without bail despite beating a man with a metal pole may only serve four years in prison for her crimes.
Vanessa Harvey, 49, beat a man with a metal pole on October 22, 2021, but was released without bail even after she failed to show up for a court date, KLAS <a href="https://www.8newsnow.com/investigators/las-vegas-woman-deemed-moderate-risk-kills-mom-of-8-after-getting-out-of-jail-without-bail-in-similar-beating/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Just two weeks after her release, Harvey beat another man with a metal pole along with Machika Goodjoint, a 42-year-old mother of eight. Goodjoint died due to her injuries. Harvey pleaded guilty to manslaughter and no contest to the first beating.
Following the first attack, police found the metal pole in the car where Harvey had been living.
Harvey didn’t appear for her probable cause hearing on the charge of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm, and her bail was set at $5,000. A pretrial risk assessment used by Nevada courts to guide bail decisions deemed Harvey a “moderate risk” and showed she had not failed to appear at any court date within the past two years.
This was inaccurate, however, as Harvey had missed a court date in October 2020 relating to a charge of battery after she beat a 7-year-old child. Harvey pleaded no contest in that case and was sentenced to just 150 days in city jail. She was released after two months.
“When she was located, a metal pole with apparent blood was located inside the vehicle with her,” prosecutors wrote in documents obtained by KLAS. “After Miranda, the defendant told police that [the victim] had entered the vehicle and began hitting her at which time she defended herself with the metal pole, but only remembered hitting [him] on the hands. Detectives did not observe any injuries on the defendant.”
Days later, Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Diana Sullivan released Harvey without bail, in part citing Harvey’s claim that she acted in self-defense.
Two weeks later, on November 8, 2021, Goodjoint was walking around her neighborhood when she and an unnamed man were attacked by a woman wielding a metal pole. Police body cam footage would show police officers arriving at the scene to help the victims, finding Goodjoint near a sidewalk with a massive head wound, according to KLAS. Her injury was so severe the officer in the footage thought she had been shot in the face.
A second officer helped the man, who survived his injuries.
“I knew my baby didn’t have a chance, period,” Rozlyn Byron, Goodjoint’s aunt, told KLAS.
“She loved her 89106 area,” Byron told the outlet, referring to the neighborhood’s ZIP Code. “No matter if I said, ‘Baby do you want to move?’ ‘Nah uh. I don’t want to move from my 89106 area.’”
“My baby walked around, even though she didn’t have much herself, she walked around, she fed her people on the streets,” Byron added.
The aunt said Goodjoint had previously helped Harvey by giving her meals.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-62980">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
Just minutes after police officers found Goodjoint and the male victim, they located Harvey with a bloody metal pole at her side.
“We’ve got a pole over here and there’s blood on it,” an officer said, according to KLAS.
Another officer asked Harvey if she had been hurt in case she was a third victim.
“No, she’s got the pole, dude,” another officer said.
Harvey refused to identify herself when she was taken into custody.
“It does get frustrating though when something like that occurs because we did our job and now that person is out again,” retired Las Vegas Metro police assistant sheriff Jim Seebock told KLAS, referring to issues within Nevada law. “What the community may not be aware of is how common it is for someone to be arrested for a violent crime and then be let out sometimes the next day, sometimes the matter of just a few days.”
In May 2023, Harvey pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of Goodjoint and <a href="https://www.8newsnow.com/investigators/victims-family-says-justice-not-served-after-woman-sentenced-in-deadly-beating-outside-las-vegas-convenience-store/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was sentenced</a> to four to ten years in prison, making her eligible for parole in 2025.

Vanessa Harvey Mugshot

Woman Who Beat Man With Metal Pole Released Without Bail. She Then Killed A Mother Of 8.

Crime

Las Vegas

Nevada

U.S.

Two female models have been reportedly found dead in their luxury apartments in downtown Los Angeles within the last week, sparking an investigation from authorities who have not confirmed if any link exists between the two deaths.
Authorities discovered Maleesa Mooney, 31, an aspiring model and real estate agent, dead in her apartment on September 12, leaving family members grieving and authorities searching for a suspect.
“When a week went by, we just knew something was off,” Bailey Babb, Mooney’s cousin, <a href="https://ktla.com/news/local-news/family-seeking-answers-after-model-was-murdered-in-dtla/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> KTLA. “Her messages weren’t delivering, and we knew something was up because we all have a special relationship with Maleesa.”
Authorities have reportedly launched a murder investigation into Mooney&#8217;s death.
According to a <a href="https://www.lapdonline.org/newsroom/detectives-seek-information-on-murdered-los-angeles-woman-nr23674jc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news release</a> from the LAPD, Mooney’s exact cause of death remains unknown pending results from a post-mortem examination conducted by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.
Police authorities have asked the public for assistance in identifying the person or people responsible for her death.
Two days earlier, authorities found 32-year-old model Nichole Coats, whose death prompted members of her family to tell local media they believe she was murdered.
“I couldn’t recognize her,” May Stevens, aunt, said, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-09-16/two-models-found-dead-in-downtown-la-apartments-in-past-week" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Los Angeles Times. “I believe it was murder, I really do. One of her legs was up in the air in a kicking position. That’s not somebody who just laid in their bed and died.”
Coats’ death is not being investigated as a homicide, according to the LAPD and the L.A. County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.
On Saturday, LAPD Officer Drake Madison said that he has “no idea” about the circumstances of Coats’ death and that “we had no information of any type of homicide or anything. We couldn’t find anything on that. … It could be anything.”
Lt. Ricardo Lopez of the L.A. County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said it is under “active investigation,” adding, “The cause of death is deferred, so we don’t have any cause of death to give you at this time. … That’s subject to change, but at this time, no.”
Coates&#8217; cousin, Sheniya Mason, <a href="https://abc7.com/model-death-downtown-los-angeles-investigation-nichole-coats/13793806/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> ABC7 she wants to know if there is a correlation between the deaths of the two females.
&#8220;We just want to know what happened &#8230; It just doesn&#8217;t seem right &#8230; Is there a correlation between these two females?&#8221; she said. &#8220;Is there a correlation? They were both almost in the same area &#8230; we need to make sure that this isn&#8217;t something else because it just didn&#8217;t seem right.&#8221;
In recent years, critics have blamed Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon for what they say are soft-on-crime policies that allow criminals to walk free despite serious criminal histories.
Last week, an alleged <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/los-angeles-alleged-gang-member-on-probation-for-attempted-murder-crashes-into-uber-kills-two-sisters-and-friend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gang member on probation</a> for attempted murder killed two sisters and their friend when he crashed into their Uber at up to 100mph over the weekend, police said Wednesday.

Aerial view of Harbor Freeway #110 leading to Los Angeles Skyline, California

Two L.A. Models Found Dead In Downtown Luxury Apartments Within Same Week: Reports

Two L.A. Models Found Dead In Downtown Luxury Apartments Within Same Week

California

Los Angeles

Model

Murder

A Democrat politician in Chicago promoted a novel suggestion to address the city’s insane homicide rate: ask gang members to restrict their shootings to the evening hours.
Maria Hadden, a Chicago alderwoman — aldermen and women are elected by their constituencies to serve a four-year term —<a href="https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/chicago-democrat-asks-gang-members-to-limit-shootings-to-nighttime/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sent an email</a> in which she promoted a proposal from a group called Native Sons asking gang members to restrict their shooting to between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m.
“We have to start somewhere,” Tatiana Atkins, co-founder of Native Sons, said. “Our goal is to approach our city’s gun violence problem strategically and not all at once. Things didn’t become this way overnight and change won’t happen overnight,” CWB Chicago <a href="https://cwbchicago.com/2023/08/chicago-group-want-gangbangers-to-refrain-from-firing-guns-between-9-a-m-and-9-p-m.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported.</a>
“Under this ordinance, we ask that people stop associating with and glorifying’ shooters,’ stop glorifying ‘switches,’ and stop wearing those ski masks everywhere which perpetuates you as some ‘opp,&#8217;” Atkins said. “When those who live a certain lifestyle try to hang with ‘regular’ class citizens, they put everyone at risk.”
“Switches” turn some semi-automatic handguns into effectively automatic-firing weapons.
“If people know that after a certain hour, the likelihood of them being shot by an unknown and unprovoked assailant are at a higher risk, they will be less likely to be out and about, and they may become more proactive with the supervision of their children,” Atkins stated. “At the end of the day, 5-year-olds are being killed by gun violence, 14-year-olds are being killed by gun violence, 78-year-olds are being killed by gun violence, pregnant women are being killed by gun violence, young boys with bright futures are being killed by gun violence, fathers are being killed by gun violence, and this shouldn’t be happening.”
“I myself have reached out to active gang members in regards to this ordinance and have had more positive feedback than negative and have even had some of them (a small few) post this ordinance to their social media as well,” Atkins concluded. “We live in a trend society, let’s get the right things trending – the more media, government officials, and community residents believe in this ordinance and stand behind it, the more likely the people will align with the ordinance.”
A February 2023 <a href="https://wirepoints.org/chicago-new-orleans-were-the-nations-murder-capitals-in-2022-a-wirepoints-survey-of-americas-75-largest-cities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> found Chicago had the highest number of homicides for a major city in the United States in 2022. Chicago had 697 total homicides; Philadelphia had 516, New York City had 438, Houston had 435, and Los Angeles 382. The report stated that Chicago had led the nation for the 11 consecutive years.

LIFE-ENV-CHICAGO-STARGAZERS-1-TB

Chicago Dem Promotes Solution For Insane Homicide Rate: Ask Gangs To Only Shoot At Night

Chicago

Las Vegas Metro Police Department on Monday confirmed authorities searched a home in connection to part of a nearly three-decade investigation into the death of legendary hip hop artist Tupac Shakur.
&#8220;LVMPD can confirm a search warrant was served in Henderson, Nevada on July 17, 2023, as part of the ongoing Tupac Shakur homicide investigation,&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/las-vegas">Las Vegas</a> police <a href="https://southernillinoisnow.com/2023/07/18/home-searched-in-tupac-shakur-murder-investigation-source/">said</a> in a statement to <a href="https://www.8newsnow.com/investigators/las-vegas-police-search-home-in-connection-with-tupac-shakur-murder/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC News</a>. &#8220;We will have no further comment at this time.&#8221;
Shakur&#8217;s death has remained a mystery since the iconic rapper was fatally shot in 1996. He was 25 years old at the time of his death.
Shakur was shot in a new black BMW 750 driven by former Death Row Records CEO Marion &#8220;Suge&#8221; Knight just one block away from the famed Las Vegas strip on September 7, 1996. Both men were leaving a Mike Tyson boxing match at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino when the fatal incident occurred.
Previous reports claim an unknown shooter in the back seat of a white Cadillac rolled down the window and fired at least 13 rounds into the BMW, with three shots hitting Shakur in the chest while shrapnel injured Knight.
Emergency crews transported both men by ambulance to the University Medical Center.
Shakur died six days later in the hospital from injuries after undergoing treatment and operations.
The University Medical Center officials said Shakur died of respiratory failure and cardiopulmonary arrest.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-7029">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
Investigators previously said Shakur had engaged in a fistfight with a man named Orlando Anderson earlier in the night.
Authorities initially believed Anderson had a gun and drove toward the BMW with Shakur and Knight. No charges were filed against Anderson.
Anderson was later killed in an unrelated shooting in Los Angeles.
No arrests have been made to this day.
The latest development in Shakur&#8217;s death comes a month after the rapper received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. The Rock &amp; Roll Hall Of Fame recognized Shakur&#8217;s influence in music history and inducted him into the museum in 2017.

Tupac Shakur At Club Amazon

Las Vegas Home Searched In Connection To Unsolved Murder Of Rapper Tupac Shakur: Authorities

Hip Hop

Music

Police in South Carolina currently view two individuals as persons of interest in connection with the death of teenager Stephen Smith, whose body was found in the middle of a rural road in 2015, according to a <a href="https://www.fitsnews.com/2023/04/02/stephen-smith-investigation-exhumation-persons-of-interest-update/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from local outlet FitsNews.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has had two people on their radar for killing Smith – neither of whom will be named by The Daily Wire because they have not been charged with a crime. The persons of interest are not part of the Murdaugh family, which has long been rumored to be connected to Smith’s death.
The stepfather of one of the persons of interest implicated the two, who were teenagers at the time of Smith’s death, according to the report. The stepfather was encouraged to come forward by Randy Murdaugh, whose little brother Alex Murdaugh was convicted last month of murdering his wife Maggie and son Paul.
The stepfather allegedly said his stepson told him his friend was driving a vehicle that “struck and killed Stephen Smith.” The stepfather said the reason he passed the information on five months after Smith’s death was “because Randy Murdaugh told him to call,” the report says.
A police officer told investigators that the stepfather told him that his stepson’s friend “was drunk and hit something,” FitsNews <a href="https://www.fitsnews.com/2023/04/02/stephen-smith-investigation-exhumation-persons-of-interest-update/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
“He said he went back the next day to see what it he had hit and he (saw) a lot of police out there. So he talked to one of the cops, and then he had left and then he learned – I guess by media – that somebody had been killed in that same area. That’s why the police were there,” the police officer said of the stepfather.
This police officer also told investigators that the stepfather told him the friend called his stepson crying about what had happened. The stepson then walked outside to throw up, the stepfather reportedly told the police officer.
Smith was the alleged victim of a hit-and-run in 2015, a death that has since been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/south-carolina-law-enforcement-rule-teenagers-death-a-homicide-days-after-buster-murdaugh-denies-involvement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled a homicide</a>.
Investigators initially said in 2015 that Smith apparently was hit by a vehicle and killed while standing near his own car on the side of the road after apparently running out of gas. An <a href="https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/crime/article252313493.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigator’s report</a> obtained by The Island Packet initially said Smith had a “defensive wound” on his hand, but the medical examiner wrote that Smith had been struck in the head by a car mirror during a hit-and-run.
No glass or other car debris was found in the area where Smith was found dead, however, the Packet reported.
The inconsistencies led many to speculate that Smith, who was openly gay, may have been murdered.
Many also suggested that Buster Murdaugh, Alex’s son, was involved in Smith’s death without providing any evidence to support the claim. Buster has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/south-carolina-law-enforcement-rule-teenagers-death-a-homicide-days-after-buster-murdaugh-denies-involvement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denied any involvement</a>.
“These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his death are false. I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family,” Buster said in a statement last month.

US-NEWS-MURDAUGH-SMITH-DEATH-CS

South Carolina Police Have Two Persons Of Interest In Stephen Smith Murder Case – And Neither Are Murdaughs

South Carolina Police Have Two Persons Of Interest In Stephen Smith Murder Case

South Carolina

The death of a South Carolina teenager who was on a rural road in 2015 has been ruled a homicide, just two days after Buster Murdaugh denied involvement in the teen’s death.
Stephen Smith was the alleged victim of a hit-and-run in 2015, years before the Murdaugh family housekeeper died after falling down some stairs and before Paul Murdaugh drunkenly drove a boat that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach. On Tuesday, lawyers for Smith’s family announced that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) now considers Smith’s death a homicide.
“We have a chance to right eight years of wrongs, and we intend to do just that,” Eric Bland, an attorney representing Smith’s family, said in a statement sent to the press.
Earlier this week, Sandy Smith, Stephen’s mother, raised enough money to have her son’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mother-of-teen-involved-in-hit-and-run-to-have-body-exhumed-as-baseless-rumors-connect-death-to-murdaugh-family" target="_blank" rel="noopener">body exhumed</a>.
“SLED officials have revealed that they did not need to exhume Stephen Smith&#8217;s body to convince them that his death was a homicide,” Brand and law partner Ronnie Richter said in a joint statement. “However, they will be present and participate in any exhumation of Stephen&#8217;s body to gather more evidence. We are committed to finding out what really happened, and getting the peace and justice the Smith family deserves.”
The announcement stems from a phone call between Bland and SLED Chief Mark Keel, during which SLED apparently revealed that they wanted to wait until Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial was over before making any announcements about Stephen Smith. Murdaugh <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alex-murdaugh-found-guilty-of-killing-wife-son" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was convicted</a> earlier this month of murdering his wife Maggie, and son, Paul.
For years, people have claimed that Paul and his older brother Buster had something to do with Stephen’s death, even though no known evidence links them to the case. Earlier this week, Buster Murdaugh released <a href="https://twitter.com/lawyergriffin/status/1637780916524261376" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a statement</a> through his attorney Jim Griffin denying any involvement in Smith’s death:
<blockquote>I have tried my best to ignore the vicious rumors about my involvement in Stephen Smith’s tragic death that continue to be published in the media as I grieve over the brutal murders of my mother and brother. I love them so much and miss them terribly.
I haven’t spoken up until now because I want to live in private while I cope with their deaths and my father’s incarceration.
Before, during and since my father’s trial, I have been targeted and harassed by the media and followers of this story. This has gone on far too long. These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his death are false. I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family.
I am requesting that the media immediately stop publishing these defamatory comments and rumors about me.</blockquote>
Investigators initially said in 2015 that Smith apparently was hit by a vehicle and killed while standing near his own car on the side of the road after apparently running out of gas. An <a href="https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/crime/article252313493.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigator’s report</a> obtained by The Island Packet initially said Smith had a “defensive wound” on his hand, but the medical examiner wrote that Smith had been struck in the head by a car mirror during a hit-and-run.
<a class="c-link" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-3413">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
No glass or other car debris was found in the area where Smith was found dead, however, the Packet reported.
The inconsistencies led many to speculate that Smith, who was openly gay, may have been murdered.

US-NEWS-MURDAUGH-SON-CS

South Carolina Law Enforcement Rule Teenager’s Death A Homicide Days After Buster Murdaugh Denies Involvement

A search warrant has been unsealed from when Pennsylvania police arrested the 28-year-old man suspected of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/homicide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killing</a> four University of Idaho <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/students" target="_blank" rel="noopener">students</a> in November 2022.
The search warrant, which was unsealed on Tuesday, is dated December 30, the same day the suspect, who will not be named due to Daily Wire policy, was arrested at his parent’s home in Pennsylvania. Items taken from the home include a flashlight, four medical-style gloves, a T-shirt, a Washington State Cougars sweatshirt, a pair of size 13 Nike shoes, as well as Under Armour black socks, shorts, and boxers. Police also collected a cheek swab from the suspect for DNA, People Magazine <a href="https://people.com/crime/newly-unsealed-search-warrant-items-bryan-kohberger-had-arrest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The search warrant was executed nearly seven weeks after Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Ethan Chapin, 20; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Madison Mogen, 21, were found stabbed to death in their off-campus residence on November 13.
The unsealed warrant reveals that on December 28, Pennsylvania State Police were requested to assist the Moscow Police Department in Moscow, Idaho, and the FBI in the investigation into the deaths of the four college students. Pennsylvania police began surveilling the suspect’s parents’ home to monitor the suspect’s comings and goings. After establishing that the suspect was indeed at the property, Pennsylvania police swooped in for the arrest.
The suspect has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary in relation to the killings. The suspect appeared in court and was ordered held without bail, with his next court date scheduled for June 26.
A state court in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/washington" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington</a> in January unsealed the search warrants used to collect items from the suspect’s home and office at Washington State University’s department of criminal justice and criminology, where he was pursuing his Ph.D.
Police found nothing at the suspect’s office, the filings show, but hair samples and other evidence were collected from his apartment.
The search warrants show police were looking for blood, DNA, shoes with a particular pattern on the soles, and any information pertaining to the victims who were killed in November.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-148709">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
Police seized a “nitrite-type black glove,” three possible hairs, one possible animal hair strand, a computer tower, a “dark red spot,” two cuttings from an uncased pillow containing a “reddish/brown stain,” along with other items from the suspect’s apartment. While the warrant mentioned the items were removed, it did not explain the connection they may have to the murders.
It is believed that the suspected killer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/accused-idaho-killer-followed-all-three-female-victims-on-instagram-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">followed all three female victims</a> on Instagram and may have reached out to at least one of them.

Suspect Arrested For The Murders Of Four University Of Idaho Students

Here’s What Police Collected When They Arrested The Accused Idaho Killer

College

Idaho

Students

Authorities arrested a suspect Monday in connection to the death of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell, multiple sources say.
O’Connell, 69, of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, was shot dead in his home in the suburb of Hacienda Heights.
Multiple media sources, including <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-02-20/la-me-bishop-killed-arrest">The Los Angeles Times</a>, reported authorities arrested the suspect on Monday. Other sources reported the arrest happened following a hours long barricade in Torrance, CA.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING: Multiple sources telling <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FoxNews</a> that a suspect has been arrested in the shooting death of Bishop David O’Connell. The arrest came following a hours long barricade in Torrance, CA.
&mdash; Alexandria Hernandez (@AlexandriaHrndz) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexandriaHrndz/status/1627708754182672384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A spokesperson from The Los Angeles County Sheriff&#8217;s Department told The Daily Wire O&#8217;Connell&#8217;s death is still under investigation and could not disclose further information.
Law enforcement sources told The Los Angeles Times that O&#8217;Connell was found dead in his bed on Saturday after a single gunshot wound. Other sources said no signs of forced entry at his home have been revealed and that the crime was not believed to be random.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the shooting happened just before 1 p.m. Saturday. Deputies arrived and found a man with a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim was pronounced dead soon after.
Archbishop of Los Angeles José H. Gomez said in a statement Saturday &#8220;I am very sad this afternoon to report that our beloved Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell has passed away unexpectedly.”
“It is a shock and I have no words to express my sadness,” Gomez said. “As a priest and later a bishop here in Los Angeles for forty-five years, Bishop Dave was a man of deep prayer who had a great love for Our Blessed Mother.&#8221;
“He was a peacemaker with a heart for the poor and the immigrant, and he had a passion for building a community where the sanctity and dignity of every human life was honored and protected,” he added.
Archbishop Gomez released a separate statement after learning on Sunday the Los Angeles County Sheriff&#8217;s office determined that the death of O&#8217;Connell was a homicide.
&#8220;We are deeply disturbed and saddened by this news,&#8221; Gomez said. &#8220;Let us continue to pray for Bishop Dave and his family. And let us pray for law enforcement officials as they continue their investigation into this terrible crime.&#8221;
The sheriff&#8217;s department said on Twitter: &#8220;Bishop O&#8217;Connell was a guiding light for so many, and his legacy will continue to live on.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Bishop O&#39;Connell was a guiding light for so many, and his legacy will continue to live on. You are not alone in your grief and that <a href="https://twitter.com/LASDHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lasdhq</a> is here to support you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, and we are working diligently to seek those responsible for his death. <a href="https://t.co/cIBzvzx0km">pic.twitter.com/cIBzvzx0km</a>
&mdash; LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/LASDHQ/status/1627370976286773249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
O’Connell was named Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles by Pope Francis in 2015. He served as chairman of the interdiocesan Southern California Immigration Task Force, which helped respond to an influx of immigration from Central America in recent years. He was also chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.
<p data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_F28DC828-8280-77AA-9B88-6E99D9939D54@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-analytics-observe="off">During his time serving as an associate pastor, O’Connell focused part of his ministry on helping communities with gang violence and poverty in southern Los Angeles.

Friends and parishioners hold a novena for Roman Catholic Bishop David O’Connell, who was found dead in his Hacienda Heights home. O’Connell suffered a gunshot to his chest and police are investigating the case as a homicide.

Suspect Arrested In Killing Of Los Angeles Bishop: Report

Suspect Arrested In LA Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell, Sources Say

Catholic Church

A defense attorney representing the 28-year-old man suspected of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/homicide">killing</a> four University of Idaho <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/students">students</a> said her client currently has no evidence to present at trial.
The prosecution a week earlier provided the suspect, who will not be named per Daily Wire policy, and his attorney with more than 995 pages of documents and nearly 2,000 photos relating to the investigation, Inside Edition <a href="https://www.insideedition.com/bryan-kohberger-idaho-murders-evidence-trial-weapon?fbclid=IwAR3yCkUH_HPR4Jnif41_yyyWPOmqa6sUgidzIaDoHbnzKHMWGD9fO7YazqM">reported</a>. The defense, however, responded by saying they had nothing to present at trial at this time but left the door open to bring forward evidence at a later date.
&#8220;There are no books, papers, documents, photographs, or copies, or portions thereof in the possession of the Defendant at this time, which will be submitted at the time of trial,&#8221; the suspect’s attorney, Ann Taylor, wrote to the prosecution last week. &#8220;There are no results or reports of physical or mental examinations or scientific tests which are in the possession of the Defendant at this time, which will be submitted at the time of trial.&#8221;
The defense noted that they may use evidence that has “been disclosed by the State in discovery material&#8221; during trial. In addition, the defense &#8220;may also call as a witness people that were disclosed as a potential witness by the State and any other persons who were named by the State within other discovery materials,&#8221; according to the filing.
The suspect has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary in relation to the killings of Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Ethan Chapin, 20; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Madison Mogen, 21. The suspect appeared in court and was ordered held without bail, with his next court date scheduled for June 26.
A state court in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/washington">Washington</a> in January unsealed the search warrants used to collect items from the suspect’s home and office at Washington State University’s department of criminal justice and criminology, where the suspect was pursuing his Ph.D.
Police found nothing at the suspect’s office, the filings show, but hair samples and other evidence were collected from his apartment.
The search warrants show police were looking for blood, DNA, shoes with a particular pattern on the soles, and any information pertaining to the victims who were killed in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13.
Police seized a “nitrite-type black glove,” three possible hairs, one possible animal hair strand, a computer tower, a “dark red spot,” two cuttings from an uncased pillow containing a “reddish/brown stain,” along with other items from the suspect’s apartment. While the warrant mentioned the items were removed, it did not explain the connection they may have to the murders.

Accused Idaho Killer Tells Prosecution He Has No Evidence To Present At Trial, Yet

The 28-year-old man suspected of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/homicide">killing</a> four University of Idaho <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/students">students</a> met with the Pullman, Washington, police chief about a job seven months before the quadruple homicides took place.
Recently released emails show that the suspect, who will not be named due to Daily Wire policy, had an online meeting with Gary Jenkins, the chief of police at the Pullman Police Department, about a three-year Graduate Research Assistantship. The job was one of two offered through Washington State University, where the suspect was pursuing his graduate degree.
“It was a great pleasure to meet with you today and share my thoughts and excitement regarding the research assistantship for public safety,” the suspect wrote to Jenkins on April 12, 2022, just a few hours after the two met about the job, <a href="https://www.insideedition.com/bryan-kohberger-interview-police-chief-idaho-murders?fbclid=IwAR325UlFHEL0QSuRJqKgMSGjYbORxHXW-8G6-y0foyWlpr7WHAo3N_VbOpM">according to Inside Edition</a>.
“Great to meet and talk to you as well,” Jenkins responded.
It is unclear whether the suspect was hired for the job, but the emails indicated he was one of four candidates who applied, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/university-idaho-students-killed-moscow.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIt%20was%20a%20great%20pleasure%20to%20meet%20with,public%20records%20request%20by%20The%20New%20York%20Times.">reported</a>.
Those hired were expected to “coordinate activities with their respective police department,” including designing databases, analyzing data, and writing reports and grants, among other duties.
The suspect is accused of killing Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Ethan Chapin, 20; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Madison Mogen, 21, as they slept in their off-campus residence in Moscow, Idaho, in the early morning hours of November 13.
The suspect was pursuing a Ph.D. in criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University and worked as a teacher’s assistant, and was reportedly a tough grader.
The suspect previously studied psychology at DeSales University in Pennsylvania. While at DeSales, the suspect reportedly worked as a student investigator for a survey exploring motives behind crimes. One question in the survey reportedly asked, “Why did you choose that victim or target over others?” Another asked, “After committing the crime, what were you thinking and feeling?”
A state court in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/washington">Washington</a> on Wednesday unsealed the search warrants used to collect items from the suspect’s home and office at Washington State University’s department of criminal justice and criminology.
Police found nothing at the suspect’s office, the filings show, but hair samples and other evidence were collected from his apartment.
The search warrants show police were looking for blood, DNA, shoes with a particular pattern on the soles, and any information pertaining to the students who were killed on November 13.
Police seized a “nitrite-type black glove,” several possible hair strands, one possible animal hair strand, a computer tower, a “dark red spot,” two cuttings from an uncased pillow containing a “reddish/brown stain,” along with other items from the suspect’s apartment. While the warrant mentioned the items were removed, it did not explain what connection the items may have to the murders.

Accused Idaho Killer Met With Police Chief About Job Months Before Quadruple Murder

Menu