The man convicted of murdering four University of Idaho students was sentenced to four consecutive fixed life sentences without opportunity for parole.
Bryan Kohberger was also sentenced to 10 years in prison for the count of burglary, as well as a $50,000 fine and $5,000 civil penalty per count.
Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. As part of the guilty plea, he waived his right to appeal but escaped the death penalty.
&#8220;No parent should have to bury their child,&#8221; Judge Steven Hippler said before the sentencing. &#8220;This is the greatest tragedy that can be inflicted on a person.&#8221;
Hippler said he was unable to find anything redeeming in Kohberger.
&#8220;His actions have made him the worst of the worst,&#8221; Hippler said. &#8220;In my view, the time has now come to end Mr. Kohberger&#8217;s 15 minutes of fame.&#8221;
Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador commended the sentence.
“Our hearts are with the victims and their families. While no sentence can bring full justice to this kind of evil, today’s sentence ensures that Bryan Kohberger will never see the outside of a prison and will never again harm innocent families,” Labrador said in a statement. “Under Idaho law, the fixed prison sentences mean Kohberger will never be eligible for parole. I’m especially grateful to Prosecutor Bill Thompson and my Criminal Division Chief, Jeff Nye, whose leadership, judgment, and tireless efforts brought this case to a just conclusion. Their teams served the State of Idaho with distinction, and our families and the public are safer because of their hard work.”
Before the sentencing, family members of the victims made statements before the court.
Kristi Goncalves, mother of Kaylee Goncalves, said Kohberger &#8220;will finally get what [he] wanted&#8221; in prison.
“A dead killer doesn&#8217;t kill again, so while I&#8217;m disappointed the firing squad won&#8217;t get to take their shots at you, I&#8217;m confident that the men in prison will have their way with you in more ways than one,&#8221; Kristi Goncalves said. &#8220;You will finally get what you wanted, physical touch, just probably not how you were expecting it.”
&#8220;Hell will be waiting,&#8221; Kristi Goncalves concluded.
Steve Goncalves, father of Kaylee Goncalves, told Kohberger, &#8220;From this moment, we will forget you.&#8221;
&#8220;Today we are here to finish what you started. Today you’ve lost control,&#8221; Steve Goncalves added. &#8220;Your actions have united everyone in their disgust for you.&#8221;
Randy Davis, the stepfather of Xana Kernodle, told the victims&#8217; families, &#8220;I love you all and I feel your pain.&#8221;
He then told Kohberger to &#8220;go to hell,&#8221; and everyone applauded.
Kim Kernodle, the aunt of Xana Kernodle, told Kohberger she forgave him.
&#8220;This is probably gonna bother everybody, but Bryan, I’m here today to tell you I’ve forgiven you, because I could no longer live with that hate in my heart,&#8221; Kim Kernodle said. &#8220;And for me to become a better person, I have forgiven you.&#8221;
One of the surviving roommates, Dylan Mortensen, made her <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dylan-mortensen-roommate-idaho-murder-victims-bryan-kohbergers-sentencing/">first</a> public statement since the murders.
&#8220;Living is how I honor them,&#8221; Mortensen said. &#8220;Speaking today is to help me find some sort of justice for them and I will never let him take that from me. He may have taken so much from me, but he will never get to take my voice.&#8221;
&#8220;I get to feel sadness, I get to feel rage, I get to feel joy even when it&#8217;s hard, I get to feel love even when it hurts, I get to live, and while I will still live with this pain, at least I get to live my life. He will stay here, empty, forgotten and powerless,&#8221; she concluded.
After the impact statements, Prosecutor Bill Thompson showed photos of the four victims while family members cried in the background.
&#8220;We can&#8217;t undo and we can never undo the horror that occurred,&#8221; Thompson said. &#8220;From today forward, our memories should be focused on these innocent victims whose lives were taken on their families, on their friends, on the community.&#8221;
Kohberger declined to make a statement.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1948079113358495996">addressed</a> the sentencing during a press conference Wednesday.
&#8220;Our nation grieves with you, and we will never forget the precious souls who were lost in this horrific act of evil,&#8221; Leavitt said. &#8220;May God bless and watch over everyone affected by this unimaginable tragedy, especially the parents who lost their children.&#8221;

Bryan Kohberger Is Sentenced For Murder Of 4 University Of Idaho Students

Sentence Is In For Bryan Kohberger In University Of Idaho Murder Case

Court

Idaho

Murder

Violent Crime

An arrest has been made in connection with the murder of longtime &#8220;American Idol&#8221; music supervisor Robin Kaye, 70, and her husband, who were both found shot and killed in their California home earlier this week. 
Police said that Raymond Boodarian, 22, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of murder in what is believed to be a burglary gone wrong.
An investigation revealed that the murders may have occurred on July 10, per the LAPD, due to the fact that their office received two calls that day about a possible burglary. Police <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/15/entertainment/american-idol-robin-kaye-double-homicide">said</a> they flew a helicopter over the mansion at the time but did not attempt to enter due to the property being “highly fortified” and not seeing outward signs of forced entry. The couple lived in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Officers arrived to conduct a welfare check after a concerned friend called on Monday. 
That’s when officers discovered a broken window and signs of a “violent struggle,” the police chief <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/american-idol-music-supervisor-dead-1236022120/">said</a>, noting that both of the victims were &#8220;ruthlessly shot multiple times.&#8221; 
Kaye’s body was found in the pantry while her husband, Thomas Deluca, was found deceased in a bathroom, per <a href="https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/man-woman-fatally-shot-inside-encino-home/3745211/">NBC Los Angeles</a>. 
The suspect is believed to have scaled a seven to eight-foot-high fence with metal spikes on top of it to gain entry into the residence. Police believe he was in the house for about 30 minutes before the couple encountered him. 
At this time, there is no suspected motive, and the crimes are being treated as a random attack. A murder weapon has not been recovered.
The person who took care of the couple’s pool said there was another attempted break-in a little over a month ago. &#8220;Tom told me that somebody tried to break in, and the dog, he woke up and barked,&#8221; Mauro Quintero <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/american-idol-music-boss-robin-kaye-husband-found-murdered-la-home">told</a> Fox News Digital during an interview. &#8220;So they got up, and I guess they turned the lights on, and the people [ran] away.&#8221;
He continued, &#8220;At that point [Deluca] put something on the wall, so the people don&#8217;t jump in anymore. I guess he was trying to see if that [would] save him from another break-in. But I never expect[ed] that they got murdered like this.&#8221;
The outlet also reported that the couple had consulted with a home security company but did not proceed with installing the system.
Kaye worked as a music supervisor on &#8220;American Idol&#8221; from 2009 to 2023, which prompted reps from the show to issue a statement on her murder.
&#8220;We are devastated to hear of Robin and her dear husband, Tom&#8217;s, passing,&#8221; an American Idol spokesperson said. &#8220;Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her. Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.&#8221;

Robin Kaye

Suspect Arrested After ‘American Idol’ Exec And Husband Murdered In L.A. Mansion

Arrest Made After ‘American Idol’ Exec, Her Husband Killed In Apparent Botched Burglary

American Idol

burglary

California

Crime

U.S.

A man reportedly looking for his wife at a Lexington, Kentucky, church gunned down a grandmother of eight and her daughter after shooting a state trooper near the city’s airport on Sunday. The gunman also shot the two women’s husbands, one of whom is the pastor at the church, before police responding to the emergency shot and killed him.
The suspected shooter, Guy House, 47, shot a state trooper outside Blue Grass Airport before fleeing, then carjacked a vehicle and headed to Richmond Road Baptist Church, the Lexington Herald Leader <a href="https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/crime/article310590260.html">reported.</a> The small church is comprised mainly of families related to one another, Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/13/us/kentucky-shooting-lexington-church-ky">said</a>.
Beverly Gumm, 72, and her daughter, Star Rutherford, were cooking lunch in the basement of the church on Sunday afternoon when House barged in and asked for his wife, the mother of their three children, who is Gumm’s daughter and Rutherford’s sister. When they informed him she wasn’t there, he said, “Well, someone is gonna have to die, then,” and started shooting, Rutherford told the Herald-Leader, which added, “Gumm, 72, ducked and avoided the first shot, but the second hit her in the chest, killing her. The man then went outside and shot and killed another of Rutherford’s sisters — Christina Combs, 32 — and injured two others: Gumm’s husband and the longtime pastor of the church, Jerry Gumm, and Combs’ husband, Randy Combs.”
Another daughter of Gumm’s, Rachael Barnes, said Combs had five children, including a 6-month-old baby, and had plans to graduate from nursing school in December. Of her slain mother and sister, she said, “They were both fantastic moms.” She said Jerry Gumm and Randy Combs were in critical but stable condition. The injured trooper is reportedly also in stable condition.
Star Rutherford said she held her mother as she died. Gumm’s surviving daughters said she was a “faithful member of the church who loved God,” and her “love language” was feeding “homeless people, drug addicts, strangers.”
“In 2022, the Lexington Police Department and Madison County Sheriff’s office featured House as the Crimestoppers ‘Wanted Person of the Week,’” Fox 56 r<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKEVJXLCGec">eported</a>. “He was wanted for wanton endangerment of a police officer.” Other charges against House included theft of a vehicle, fleeing and evading, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and receiving stolen property.

Shooting In Kentucky Leaves State Trooper Injured And Multiple Victims At Baptist Church

Gunman Opens Fire At Kentucky Church After Shooting State Trooper, 2 Dead

Church

Kentucky

A new report details how the perpetrators of the Hamas-led massacre of Israelis on October 7, 2023, had a “systematic and premeditated” plan for the brutal sexual assault of Israeli women.
The <a href="https://thedinahproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Dinah-Project-full-report-A4-pages_web.pdf">report</a> from the aptly-named Dinah Project — in the Bible, the Biblical patriarch Jacob’s daughter was raped by a prince of a nearby region — delineates the savage treatment in the rape and murder of the Israeli women by the Palestinians who were either members of Hamas or the Gazan population.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Rape. Genital Mutilation.
Hamas used sexual violence as a weapon of war &#8211; on October 7 and well after.
This was not random. It was systematic. An intentional tactic of terror. A war crime.
The July 8 Dinah Report demands accountability. 
We will not stop fighting for… <a href="https://t.co/YXpesuK9aH">pic.twitter.com/YXpesuK9aH</a>
&mdash; Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraelMFA/status/1942508962852790450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“This report represents a call to action: to acknowledge the sexual violence that occurred on October 7 as crimes against humanity, to hold the perpetrators responsible, and to ensure that the tactical use of sexual violence by Hamas as a weapon of war receives the international condemnation and response it demands,” the report states.
According to the report, the sexual assaults themselves were systematic and premeditated, thus attesting to the weaponization of sexual violence and its utilization as a tool of war. A report from the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) of the UN had already noted, “across multiple locations of the Gaza periphery, a pattern of victims, mostly women, found fully or partially naked from the waist down, with their hands tied behind their back and/or tied to structures such as trees and poles, and shot. &#8230; There are further accounts of individuals who witnessed at least two incidents of rape of corpses of women.”
“One should bear in mind that the vast majority of those who were sexually assaulted were among the 1,166 who were murdered in the attack and therefore silenced forever,” the report reminds its readers. “Many of those who did survive are likely to be too traumatized to be able to recount their experience.”
“The threat of forcibly marrying the female hostages is a recurring theme,” the report explains. “The intention to marry off the female hostages, which was reported by six of the returned hostages, reveals a plan to engage in an act of raping and possibly impregnating them.”
“Five witnesses reported four or five separate cases of gang rapes; two witnesses reported one possible case of gang rape,” the report notes. “Thus, in total, there are at least four accounts of gang rapes, and possibly six such accounts, all occurring during the October 7 attack. &#8230; In most cases, the rape victims were murdered during or immediately following the assault. &#8230; The accounts of mutilations are corroborated by the descriptions of first and second responders.”
The report noted the following actions taken by the perpetrators: Bodies with objects inserted into their private parts; bodies with signs of shooting or other mutilations in the area of the genitalia, and bodies of naked women cuffed to trees.
“All of the first responders who were at the Nova festival site described the same scenes: Dozens of female bodies naked or partially naked from the waist down, many of them bleeding from the genitalia as a result of gunshots,” the report states.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT-HOSTAGES

New Report Exposes Brutal Hamas Atrocities Against Israeli Women

Hamas

Israel

October 7

Rape

Terrorism

World

Jose Ibarra, the illegal immigrant convicted of murdering 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, secured a major court victory last Thursday when a judge ordered a mental evaluation that could lead to a new trial.
Ibarra, 27, was found <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-jose-ibarra-found-guilty-of-killing-georgia-nursing-student-laken-riley">guilty</a> in November on 10 charges, including murder, kidnapping, and aggravated assault with intent to rape Riley, who he murdered after she went jogging at the University of Georgia in Athens.
According to court documents, Ibarra&#8217;s defense attorneys <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/07/us-news/laken-rileys-killer-jose-ibarra-gets-major-win-for-possible-trial-redo/">claimed</a> he &#8220;lacks the mental capacity to understand the nature and object and proceedings&#8221; and is &#8220;suffering from congenital deficiency which could render the client incapable of preparing a defense and standing trial,&#8221; per the New York Post.
Judge Patrick Haggard ordered a &#8220;prompt evaluation&#8221; to determine if Ibarra was fit to stand trial last year and whether he can assist with his current appeal.
“The mental competence of [Ibarra] has been called into question, and this court has found it appropriate for an evaluation to be conducted at the public expense,” the order reads.
Prosecutor Sheila Ross noted in court filings that there was no evidence during the trial suggesting Ibarra wasn&#8217;t mentally competent, though she didn&#8217;t oppose the evaluation and instead left the decision up to the Judge.
Ibarra, a member of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, waived his right to a jury trial, and Judge Haggard sentenced the illegal immigrant to life in prison without parole.
Ibarra had illegally entered the United States during the Biden administration&#8217;s border crisis, having been detained in El Paso, Texas, in September 2022, but was released after approximately one day.
Riley&#8217;s brutal murder shocked the University of Georgia campus and garnered national attention amid heated debates about immigration enforcement.
In January, President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-signs-laken-riley-act-into-law?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Signs+Laken+Riley+Act+Into+Law">signed</a> into law the “Laken Riley Act,” which requires federal officials to arrest non-U.S. nationals accused of violent and theft-related crimes in the United States.
Ibarra had been previously arrested for other offenses, but he was released in New York before federal authorities could issue a detainer.
The mental evaluation is set to take place either at the Georgia Department of Corrections or at a designated hospital facility. No timeline has been established for when the evaluation results might be available or how quickly the court will rule on potential next steps.
If the mental evaluation finds Ibarra was not competent during his original trial, his defense team could petition for a retrial, potentially setting aside his life sentence and reopening wounds for Riley&#8217;s family and community.

US-VOTE-POLITICS-TRUMP

Judge Grants Laken Riley’s Killer A Path To Possible Retrial

Georgia

Illegal Immigation

Laken Riley

News

Tren De Aragua

President Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill heads back to the House after a marathon Senate session – and a tie-breaking vote from JD Vance. Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis put aside past differences at Alligator Alcatraz — touting the power of their federal-state alliance. And, Bryan Kohberger avoids the death penalty – pleading guilty to murdering four Idaho students.
It’s Wednesday, July 2, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here: 
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<h2>The Senate Passes Trump&#8217;s Big, Beautiful Bill</h2>
<div id="attachment_924413" style="width: 868px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-924413" class="size-large wp-image-924413" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2216484723-858x576.jpg" alt="" width="858" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2216484723-858x576.jpg 858w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2216484723-300x201.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2216484723-768x516.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2216484723-1536x1031.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2216484723-2048x1375.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 858px) 100vw, 858px" />(Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)</div>
Topline: After a marathon vote in Congress, the Senate narrowly passed Donald Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill, pushing his sweeping policy agenda toward the finish line.
Senators and their staff spent the last 48 hours debating the bill non-stop — in what Washington calls a Vote-a-Rama, where members submit last minute amendments before a final vote. Votes were held on 45 proposed amendments covering everything from Medicare cuts and electric car subsidies to health care for illegal immigrants and Planned Parenthood funding. That process went all night Monday and well into Tuesday afternoon.
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Democrats made clear that they viewed the Vote-a-Rama as a means of forcing Republicans to go on the record with their views, but more importantly, to stall. That tactic angered Republicans and even some Democrats who opposed the bill, including Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman.
“Oh my God, I just want to go home,” Fetterman <a href="https://x.com/niceblackdude/status/1939829913873522764">said</a> during the Vote-a-Rama. “Keeping us here until some ungodly hour isn’t helping anyone.”
Given their slim majority, the GOP could only afford to lose three Republican votes. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Susan Collins (R-ME) were definite no votes, so it came down to Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski. Ultimately, GOP leadership won her over by offering major concessions, exempting Alaska from a number of funding cuts in the bill. The final tally was 50-50, allowing Vice President JD Vance to step in and cast the deciding vote.
The bill will now head to the House, where it’s expected to pass, though not without some difficulty – some hardline Republicans have expressed concerns about some of the Senate’s changes. Given the delay from Senate Democrats, the bill might not be voted on before President Trump’s desired deadline of July 4th. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has said he would honor the customary 72 hour period to allow members three days to review the legislation – so it’ll be tight.
<h2>Trump-DeSantis Alliance &amp; Alligator Alcatraz</h2>
<div id="attachment_582447" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-582447" class="size-large wp-image-582447" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/07/RDDT-1024x576.jpg" alt="Donald Trump Ron DeSantis" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/07/RDDT-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/07/RDDT-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/07/RDDT-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/07/RDDT-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/07/RDDT-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Getty Images</div>
Topline: President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference down at the state’s new “Alligator Alcatraz” on Tuesday.
Trump and DeSantis have reconciled since Trump beat the Florida governor in the GOP presidential primary last year, and Trump’s win in November pushed the two even closer, especially on immigration, but also on other issues as well.
“Ron, I would like to thank you, personally,” Trump said during a joint press conference. “You&#8217;re my friend. You will always be my friend. We may have some skirmishes even in the future &#8212; I doubt it &#8212; but I will always come back. We have blood that seems to match pretty well. We have a relationship that&#8217;s been a very strong one.”
DeSantis is term-limited as Florida’s governor, and he signaled that his wife Casey may jump into the 2026 race to replace him. An endorsement from Trump would be a huge boon in a Republican primary that has the potential to be extraordinarily competitive.
The press conference took place during a visit to Alligator Alcatraz – an immigration facility being built in the everglades. It could hold thousands of illegal aliens slated for deportation. In addition to the new detention facility, Trump also plans to deputize Florida National Guardsmen as immigration judges, which could massively cut down the time it takes to schedule immigration hearings – from a matter of years to just a few days.
Detention capacity has been a big constraint to Trump’s immigration agenda. That’s why we’ve seen the Trump administration partner with El Salvador, for instance, to hold illegal aliens, or ship them to Guantanamo Bay. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now arresting hundreds of illegal aliens a day, and Trump is doing whatever he can to make sure none of them are released back into the public after they’ve been caught.
<h2>Accused Murderer Accepts Plea Deal</h2>
<div id="attachment_644939" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-644939" class="size-large wp-image-644939" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/GettyImages-1663792088-864x576.jpg" alt="Second District Judge John C. Judge speaks at a hearing for Bryan Kohberger, who stands accused of murder, on cameras in the courtroom in Latah County District Court on September 13, 2023 in Moscow, Idaho." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/GettyImages-1663792088-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/GettyImages-1663792088-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/GettyImages-1663792088-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/GettyImages-1663792088.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Ted S. Warren-Pool/Getty Images</div>
Topline: The man accused of the 2022 Idaho murders has accepted a plea deal. The death penalty trial was originally set to begin on August 18th.
Byran Kohberger will accept the prosecution’s plea deal and plead guilty to all charges. Those include four counts of murder, as well as burglary. In exchange, the state has agreed to take the death penalty off the table – he will serve four consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole, and he has waived the right to appeal. There will be a change of plea hearing on Wednesday, which may provide some closure for the families of the four victims: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?cs=0&amp;sca_esv=6bab3b4dfd99b83d&amp;q=Kaylee+Goncalves&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiu1p60rZyOAxVdfzABHekEHXIQxccNegQIAhAC&amp;mstk=AUtExfAVHVDRi0V94ynk_-wXgwIe9p6AbGoJuzIiz0pCF7FCYFcqYP56aFCt_vMqUu7B0VzjpVsJ9CGG0U3uDDXjN-z2UWJXiAHpe-5dMrBL7SAcF26kj_tjAaHGQcYI7dU2WDq4CZwgj7-Gz0zgIEWPtFN-mEm4Jlb7ZlpRJ3ZAUROmbhuXvcRt8tahCE8pRTkhpY9R&amp;csui=3">Kaylee Goncalves</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?cs=0&amp;sca_esv=6bab3b4dfd99b83d&amp;q=Madison+Mogen&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiu1p60rZyOAxVdfzABHekEHXIQxccNegQIAhAD&amp;mstk=AUtExfAVHVDRi0V94ynk_-wXgwIe9p6AbGoJuzIiz0pCF7FCYFcqYP56aFCt_vMqUu7B0VzjpVsJ9CGG0U3uDDXjN-z2UWJXiAHpe-5dMrBL7SAcF26kj_tjAaHGQcYI7dU2WDq4CZwgj7-Gz0zgIEWPtFN-mEm4Jlb7ZlpRJ3ZAUROmbhuXvcRt8tahCE8pRTkhpY9R&amp;csui=3">Madison Mogen</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?cs=0&amp;sca_esv=6bab3b4dfd99b83d&amp;q=Xana+Kernodle&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiu1p60rZyOAxVdfzABHekEHXIQxccNegQIAhAE&amp;mstk=AUtExfAVHVDRi0V94ynk_-wXgwIe9p6AbGoJuzIiz0pCF7FCYFcqYP56aFCt_vMqUu7B0VzjpVsJ9CGG0U3uDDXjN-z2UWJXiAHpe-5dMrBL7SAcF26kj_tjAaHGQcYI7dU2WDq4CZwgj7-Gz0zgIEWPtFN-mEm4Jlb7ZlpRJ3ZAUROmbhuXvcRt8tahCE8pRTkhpY9R&amp;csui=3">Xana Kernodle</a>, and <a href="https://www.google.com/search?cs=0&amp;sca_esv=6bab3b4dfd99b83d&amp;q=Ethan+Chapin&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiu1p60rZyOAxVdfzABHekEHXIQxccNegQIAhAF&amp;mstk=AUtExfAVHVDRi0V94ynk_-wXgwIe9p6AbGoJuzIiz0pCF7FCYFcqYP56aFCt_vMqUu7B0VzjpVsJ9CGG0U3uDDXjN-z2UWJXiAHpe-5dMrBL7SAcF26kj_tjAaHGQcYI7dU2WDq4CZwgj7-Gz0zgIEWPtFN-mEm4Jlb7ZlpRJ3ZAUROmbhuXvcRt8tahCE8pRTkhpY9R&amp;csui=3">Ethan Chapin</a>.
Kaylee Goncalves&#8217; sister Aubrie called the decision to take the death penalty off the table “shocking and cruel.” The family posted a statement to social media saying, “We are beyond furious at the state of Idaho. They have failed us.”
The defense has maintained that Kohberger is innocent, although initially the evidence against him seemed overwhelming. His car was caught on surveillance, his cell phone data was consistent with him being near the scene &#8212; not just on the night of the murder, but the next morning, and on about a dozen occasions leading up to the crime, always late at night. Most damning, his DNA was found on the knife sheath left at the scene, and his purchase history showed a black ski mask similar to the one described by the witness. He was also a criminology student with apparent interest in serial killers.
Defense attorney Anne Taylor did raise arguments for reasonable doubt. First, she filed a motion to have the DNA evidence thrown out because it was obtained, according to her, through an illegal genealogy search – that would have been devastating to the prosecution&#8217;s case. She also raised the issue of mystery DNA found in the bloody handprint. Investigators determined that there was DNA from two mystery males found in that print on the bannister, and DNA from a third mystery male was found on a glove outside the residence. There was also DNA from multiple individuals found under the fingernails of one of the victims, although it was inconclusive. The defense was planning to float an alternative suspect theory, and all they had to do was make one juror have doubts. These issues also could have theoretically provided fertile ground for appeals down the road.
However, in the past week, the judge dismissed the defense’s attempt to introduce alternative suspects. And not long before that, it was revealed that a DoorDash driver may have been at the scene delivering food at 4 a.m. when the crime occurred. In leaked police interview footage, that driver can be heard saying, “I saw Bryan there,” and she claimed she parked next to him.

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Over the past 10 years, Northern Nigeria has quickly risen to the top of the list as the most dangerous place to be a Christian. More Christians are killed here than anywhere else in the world.
The data show us that it’s not by slim margins. According to International Christian Concern, in 2022, <a href="https://www.persecution.org/2023/09/11/90-percent-of-the-5500-christians-killed-in-2022-were-nigerian/">90%</a> of all Christians killed in the world were killed in Nigeria. Last year, that number was around <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/261571/nigeria-tops-report-for-number-of-christians-killed-kidnapped-in-2024#:~:text=The%20World%20Watch%20List%2C%20released,countries%20in%20the%20same%20year.">70%</a>.
The persecution of Christians in Northern Nigeria has quickly evolved into a full-on genocide. But how did this happen? How did the region become a stronghold for this violence against those who follow Christ?
Most of the region is a virtual “wild west” of Africa, leaving Northern Nigeria largely unchecked with a sparse military presence. The geography, coupled with a rise in Islamic extremism, has allowed groups like Boko Haram and ISIS-WA (ISWAP) to flourish unimpeded.
<div id="attachment_74449" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-74449" class="wp-image-74449 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/12/ISIS-Truck-1024x576.jpg" alt="A vehicle allegedly belonging to the Islamic State group in West Africa (ISWAP) is seen in Baga on August 2, 2019. - Intense fighting between a regional force and the Islamic State group in West Africa (ISWAP) has resulted in dozens of deaths, including at least 25 soldiers and more than 40 jihadists, in northeastern Nigeria. ISWAP broke away from Boko Haram in 2016 in part due to its rejection of indiscriminate attacks on civilians. Last year the group witnessed a reported takeover by more hardline fighters who sidelined its leader and executed his deputy. The IS-affiliate has since July 2018 ratcheted up a campaign of attacks against military targets." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/12/ISIS-Truck-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/12/ISIS-Truck-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2019/12/ISIS-Truck-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />A vehicle allegedly belonging to the Islamic State group in West Africa (ISWAP) is seen in Baga on August 2, 2019. AUDU MARTE/AFP via Getty Images</div>
According to the most <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1197570/deaths-caused-by-boko-haram-in-nigeria/">recent statistics</a>, Boko Haram alone is responsible for the deaths of 38,000 people between 2011 and 2023. Their growth has been so staggering that it has essentially overwhelmed the Nigerian government’s attempts to stop it. In 2023, I witnessed Nigerian soldiers walk off the job when ordered to fight Boko Haram militants. They told me that fighting Boko Haram was a suicide mission. These terrorist groups keep the people of northern Nigeria in a constant state of fear. They yield this fear skillfully to maintain control. While I truly believe Nigerian President Bola Tinubu wants to see change in the region, his government is outnumbered and outgunned.
Another equally devastating contributor to the problem is the ethnic conflict between Fulani Muslims (herders) and Christians (farmers). While this is not “terrorism” in the traditional sense of Islamic Jihad, the results are no less deadly. There are approximately 17 million Fulani Muslims in Nigeria. Most Fulani are nomadic and predominantly raise cattle to maintain their livelihood. In this region, Christians have largely settled and sustain themselves by planting crops. As the Fulani migrate their cattle over vast distances, those cattle often wander into the farm fields of Christians, destroying their crops. While some Fulani Muslims have been radicalized, the herder vs. farmer crisis is overwhelmingly the result of tensions over land.
<div id="attachment_939751" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-939751" class="size-large wp-image-939751" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1257123144-864x576.jpg" alt="TOPSHOT - A Fulani pastoralist rests at a water point in Loumbel Lana, Matam region on May 19, 2023. For pastoralist the extreme heats direct effect is that their livestock drink double what they usually do. Usually one sheep will drink around 2,5 litres of water a day, now they need 4 or 5 litres a day. Pastoralists now need to get to water points multiple times a day (up to 20km away) and spend double the money buying water. Since April the region of Matam has regularly been flagged as the hottest place on earth with temperatures reaching 48 degrees celsius in the shade and fifties in direct sun. (Photo by JOHN WESSELS / AFP) (Photo by JOHN WESSELS/AFP via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1257123144-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1257123144-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1257123144-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1257123144.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />JOHN WESSELS/AFP via Getty Images</div>
For years, I have brokered peace agreements between hundreds of Fulani Muslim and Christian communities. In nearly every case I have worked, the root cause of the conflict boils down to violence that arose from cattle destroying crops. And that violence is not one-sided. Christians have retaliated for the destruction of their crops; however, more often than not, these conflicts result in an inordinate number of Christian deaths.
The most recent example is the massacre of nearly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/terrible-massacre-hundreds-of-christians-killed-by-jihadists">200 Christians</a> that happened on <a href="https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/fulani-jihadists-massacre-over-200-christians-in-nigeria">June 14, 2025</a>. As a result of Nigeria’s diminishing areas for cattle grazing, the Fulani Muslims attacked Christians as a means to claim land for their cattle to graze. Further evidence is that every dry season, when access to good feeding grounds is at its lowest, there is a surge of violence between the Fulani herders and Christian farmers.
Northern Nigeria, like much of Africa, is gripped by severe socio-economic challenges that fuel instability and hardship. Most people in Northern Nigeria live on the equivalent of a little more than <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/current-affairs/2024/08/20/majority-of-workers-in-nigerias-largest-city-earn-below-62-50-monthly-report-reveals/">$1 USD per day</a>. Currently, a <a href="https://maypatronic.com/bag-of-rice-in-nigeria/#:~:text=in%20the%20market.-,Price%20Ranges,such%20as%20region%20and%20quality.">10kg (22-pound) bag of rice costs about $35 USD</a>. People barely earn enough to feed themselves. The <a href="https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/nga/nigeria/inflation-rate-cpi#:~:text=Nigeria%20inflation%20rate%20for%202023,a%201.85%25%20increase%20from%202019.">annual inflation rate is around 24%</a>, which drives the cost of food higher and higher. <a href="https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/25-million-nigerians-high-risk-food-insecurity-2023">UNICEF has placed Nigeria on its crisis list</a>, stating that over 25 million people are at high risk of food insecurity. These conditions have created an environment that keeps people in a perpetual state of survival.
But how do dire socio-economic conditions contribute to Christian persecution?
<div id="attachment_168513" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-168513" class="wp-image-168513 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/BH-1024x576.jpg" alt="TOPSHOT - Mourners attend the funeral of 43 farm workers in Zabarmari, about 20km from Maiduguri, Nigeria, on November 29, 2020 after they were killed by Boko Haram fighters in rice fields near the village of Koshobe on November 28, 2020. - The assailants tied up the agricultural workers and slit their throats in the village of Koshobe. The victims were labourers from Sokoto state in northwest Nigeria, roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) away, who had travelled to the northeast to find work." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/BH-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/BH-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/BH-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/BH-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/11/BH-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />TOPSHOT &#8211; Mourners attend the funeral of 43 farm workers in Zabarmari, about 20km from Maiduguri, Nigeria, on November 29, 2020 after they were killed by Boko Haram fighters. AUDU MARTE/AFP via Getty Images.</div>
Inflation and food shortages exacerbate the conflict between Fulani Muslim herders and Christian farmers because, to them, every day is a desperate fight for survival. Tensions over grazing land — the source of sustenance for both the herders and farmers — run at a fever pitch. These socio-economic conditions are also the reason why so many young men are drawn to radical Islamic groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP. Not only do these groups provide a support system, but they also pay well for people willing to follow their orders and commit violent acts. I’ve heard reports of Boko Haram paying their fighters $100 USD for the successful execution of a single act of terrorism. That’s a small fortune in this part of the world.
The desperate conditions of Northern Nigeria are the fuel that keeps the fire of persecution burning.
These are complex problems in a complex part of the world. That’s why, at <a href="https://www.acrossnigeria.org/">Across Nigeria</a>, we are driven by a powerful mission: not only to uplift suffering Christians but also to extend Christ’s love to Muslims. Through our network of primary schools across Northern Nigeria, we empower Fulani Muslims with transformative education and literacy, building bridges of hope and understanding. In every area where we operate a Fulani school, the violence has dropped by 60 to 70%. We have found that providing people with options and opportunities is the best way to deter them from resorting to violence.
By helping Muslims overcome these challenges, we are helping to significantly reduce the violence and bring an end to the suffering. We have done a lot, but we have a long way to go. With the proper support, I believe we can reduce the violence and bring an end to suffering for the Muslims and Christians in the most dangerous region in the world.
* * *
<a href="https://www.acrossnigeria.org/ourfounder">Brad Brandon</a> is the founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.acrossnigeria.org/">Across Nigeria</a>. Since 2018, he has been actively serving in predominantly high-risk, highly persecuted areas like Northern Nigeria and other parts of West Africa.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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The Silent Slaughter: Inside Nigeria’s Christian Persecution Crisis

The Silent Slaughter: Inside Nigeria's Christian Persecution Crisis

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Karen Read was acquitted Wednesday of murdering her Boston police officer boyfriend in a case that exposed a flawed investigation and allegations that authorities conspired to frame her for his death.
The case began when Read was <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/18/us-news/karen-read-jurors-reach-verdict-in-second-murder-trial/">accused</a> of leaving her boyfriend, John O&#8217;Keefe, to die in a 2022 snowstorm after allegedly hitting him with her Lexus outside a suburban Boston house party, per the New York Post.
In her Wednesday retrial, Read, 45, was found guilty only of operating under the influence of liquor — a lesser sub-charge of the manslaughter count — resulting in a sentence of one year of probation.
Jurors acquitted her of second-degree murder and leaving the scene of an accident causing death after deliberating for about three full days, according to the New York Post.
&#8220;No one has fought harder for justice for John O&#8217;Keefe than I have — Than I have, and my team,&#8221; Read told reporters outside the courthouse, thanking her loyal advocates.
As the Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/she-was-accused-of-killing-her-cop-boyfriend-but-said-she-was-framed-a-jury-couldnt-decide-who-was-right">reported</a>, this was Read&#8217;s second trial after a hung jury led to a mistrial last year. The retrial began in April and featured key differences, including the absence of lead investigator Michael Proctor, who was fired after sending lewd texts about Read during the first trial, calling Read a “wack job c***.”
Proctor’s misconduct, combined with other <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/karen-read-is-on-trial-for-allegedly-killing-her-cop-boyfriend-but-is-she-being-framed">evidence</a> of police misconduct throughout the investigation, put the spotlight on Read’s trial, garnering her thousands of supporters who came out in droves to support her at the retrial.
&#8220;We&#8217;re all Karen Read,&#8221; one supporter <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/were-all-karen-read-hundreds-of-supporters-celebrate-verdict/3745890/">told</a> NBC 10 Boston following the trial, while another exclaimed, &#8220;God blessed Karen Read. She didn&#8217;t even get to mourn John&#8217;s death,&#8221; per the Post.
Read&#8217;s defense team argued that O&#8217;Keefe was actually beaten, bitten by a dog, and then left outside the Canton home in freezing temperatures, claiming authorities constructed a conspiracy to frame her for his death.
The jury&#8217;s decision came after a confusing sequence of events on Wednesday afternoon. The jury initially indicated they had reached a verdict, then quickly informed a court officer they had changed their minds, before finally confirming they had reached a decision shortly after Judge Beverly Cannone provided an update.
During deliberations, jurors asked several questions that suggested they were unlikely to find Read guilty of killing O&#8217;Keefe, including inquiries about the timeframe for the drunk driving charge. The jury ultimately spent approximately three days deliberating before delivering their verdict.
Several people close to O&#8217;Keefe before his death <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/karen-read-trial-verdict-jury-murder-charges-manslaughter-what-know-rcna212763">released</a> a statement decrying the verdict as a &#8220;devastating miscarriage of justice.&#8221;
“They have suffered through so much and deserved better from our justice system. While we may have more to say in the future, today we mourn with John’s family and lament the cruel reality that this prosecution was infected by lies and conspiracy theories spread by Karen Read, her defense team, and some in the media,” the statement read.
According to NBC, several people who signed the statement were accused by Read&#8217;s defense of being possible suspects in the death of O&#8217;Keefe, but were not adequately investigated due to police misconduct.

Karen Read Acquittal

Karen Read Acquitted Of Murdering Cop Boyfriend

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President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he won&#8217;t &#8220;waste time&#8221; with a phone call to &#8220;whacked out&#8221; Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz following the assassinations of a state representative, her husband, and the near-assassination of a state senator and his wife over the weekend.
Sources close to Walz said that the governor spoke to Vice President JD Vance after the Saturday morning shootings, but added that he had not heard from the president. Asked if he would reach out to Walz, the Democrats&#8217; 2024 vice presidential nominee, Trump <a href="https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/1934918294508638209">said</a>, &#8220;I&#8217;m not calling him.&#8221;
&#8220;I think the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out. Why would I call him?&#8221; Trump <a href="https://x.com/factpostnews/status/1934953237678899354">added</a>. &#8220;I could call and say, ‘Hi, how you doing?’ The guy doesn’t have a clue. He’s a mess. I could be nice and call, but why waste time?”
After the suspected Minnesota assassin killed Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounded Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, Trump addressed the deadly shootings.
&#8220;Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place,&#8221; the president <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114682713948931541">posted</a> on social media.
Trump was also <a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/trump-call-walz-after-minnesota-shootings-calls-grossly-122870353">asked</a> about reaching out to Walz during an interview with ABC News on Sunday.
&#8220;Well, it&#8217;s a terrible thing. I think he&#8217;s a terrible governor. I think he&#8217;s a grossly incompetent person. But I may, I may call him, I may call other people too,&#8221; Trump said.
Authorities arrested 57-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/suspected-minnesota-assassin-went-to-homes-of-two-other-elected-officials-prosecutor">Vance Boelter</a> on Sunday, just over 24 hours after the assassination of Hortman and the near-killing of Hoffman. The suspect is accused of impersonating a police officer and visiting the houses of at least four elected Democrats in Minnesota. At the Hoffmans&#8217; home, Boelter barged in after being confronted by the state senator and his wife. Boelter opened fire, wounding both of them. He later shot and killed Hortman and her husband at their home before engaging in a shootout with police and getting away.
Police said they found a potential &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/read-the-hit-list-found-in-minnesota-gunmans-vehicle">hit list</a>&#8221; in Boelter&#8217;s vehicle that contained the names of numerous Democrats, including Gov. Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Angie Craig, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.
Boelter, who was appointed to Minnesota Democrat Governor Tim Walz’s Workforce Development Council in 2019, was “very conservative,” his roommate <a href="https://x.com/lilialuciano/status/1934315979687010680">told</a> CBS News. The roommate added that Boelter “would be offended if people thought he was a Democrat,” referring to rumors spreading on social media that Boelter was a leftist. The suspect rented a room <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYQPRPe1M3I">part-time</a> in a house in north Minneapolis, but he also <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7c5cDL2ryU">lived</a> in a home about an hour southwest of the Twin Cities with his wife and five children.
Boelter faces federal charges, including stalking, murder, and multiple firearms-related offenses. The federal murder charge makes Boelter eligible for the death penalty.

Donald Trump/Tim Walz

Trump Says He Won’t Call Tim Walz After Minnesota Assassinations: ‘He’s A Mess…Why Waste Time?’

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A federal prosecutor revealed on Monday that the suspected assassin, who shot Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and state Rep. Melissa Hortman along with their spouses early Saturday morning, also visited the residences of two other state lawmakers between the attacks.
Vance Boelter, the 57-year-old man accused of murdering Hortman and her husband and attempting to kill Hoffman and his wife, stopped by the homes of two other politicians while impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to Joseph Thompson, the acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota, USA Today <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/06/16/minnesota-shooting-vance-luther-boelter-charges-live-updates/84224901007/">reported</a>. Thompson didn&#8217;t name the other two lawmakers, but said one was a state representative and the other was a state senator.
After shooting and wounding Sen. Hoffman and his wife, Boelter traveled to the home of a state representative in Maple Grove, Minnesota. After arriving at the home, Boelter rang the doorbell at around 2:24 a.m., Thompson said during a press conference on Monday.
&#8220;Again, he was dressed as a law enforcement officer, wearing a tactical vest and body armor, carrying a handgun and a flashlight, and wearing that same hyper-realistic silicon mask,&#8221; the prosecutor <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/minnesota-shooting-suspect-went-to-the-homes-of-two-other-elected-officials-us-attorney-says/">added</a>.
&#8220;Fortunately, the state representative was not home. She and her family were gone on vacation,&#8221; Thompson said. &#8220;So Boelter left.&#8221;
The suspected assassin then traveled to another state senator&#8217;s home in New Hope, Minnesota. Outside of the home, Boelter parked his black SUV, which had a police license plate, in the street. As Boelter was parked outside, a New Hope police officer arrived on the scene to do a wellness check on the lawmaker after learning that Hoffman and his wife had been shot. The New Hope police officer believed Boelter was another officer who had been dispatched to do a wellness check and rolled down the window of her patrol car to speak with him.
&#8220;Boelter did not respond. According to the officer, he just sat there and stared straight ahead,&#8221; Thompson said. &#8220;So the New Hope police officer who had been dispatched to the scene proceeded to the state senator’s home, and she waited for other law enforcement to arrive. When they did, by the time they did, Boelter had left the scene.&#8221;
The suspected assassin&#8217;s next target was state Rep. Hortman in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, where he shot and killed her and her husband, Mark, in their home. Boelter allegedly had a &#8220;hit list,&#8221; containing the names of numerous Democratic lawmakers and abortion clinics in his vehicle, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/read-the-hit-list-found-in-minnesota-gunmans-vehicle">reported</a>. Among those named on the &#8220;hit list&#8221; were Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Angie Craig, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.
Boelter, who was appointed to Minnesota Democrat Governor Tim Walz’s Workforce Development Council in 2019, was &#8220;very conservative,&#8221; his roommate <a href="https://x.com/lilialuciano/status/1934315979687010680">told</a> CBS News. The roommate added that Boelter &#8220;would be offended if people thought he was a Democrat,&#8221; referring to rumors spreading on social media that Boelter was a leftist.
The suspected assassin was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/authorities-catch-suspected-minnesota-assassin?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Suspect+In+Minnesota+Political+Assassination+Captured+Alive">arrested</a> by authorities in a wooded area near his home on Sunday. He is charged with six counts, including stalking, murder, and multiple firearms-related offenses, according to USA Today.
&#8220;It is not an exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares,&#8221; Thompson <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/06/16/minnesota-shooting-vance-luther-boelter-charges-live-updates/84224901007/">said</a>. &#8220;Boelter stalked his victims like prey.&#8221;

Minnesota assassination

Suspected Minnesota Assassin Went To Homes Of Two Other Elected Officials: Prosecutor

Shooting

Jihadists massacred around 200 Christians in Nigeria last week after storming a predominantly Catholic farming community and setting fire to homes, according to multiple reports.
Last Friday and Saturday, Fulani Jihadist herdsmen targeted the Christians in Yelwata, in Nigeria’s Benue State, according to Catholic news outlet, <a href="https://cruxnow.com/church-in-africa/2025/06/latest-attack-reportedly-kills-nearly-200-people-in-nigeria">Crux</a>. The militants attempted to storm St. Joseph’s Church in Yelwata, which was housing families who had been displaced by previous Fulani Jihadist attacks in other areas, but were repelled by police, according to another report from <a href="https://www.churchinneed.org/nigeria-up-to-200-dead-in-worst-killing-spree/">Church in Need</a>. The militants then attacked the town square, setting fire to buildings and killing people while yelling &#8220;Allahu Akbar.&#8221;
According to eyewitnesses on the ground in the Nigerian community, the Jihadists &#8220;surrounded Yelwata &#8230; and began slaughtering people—mostly women, children, and displaced families who thought they had found safety here.”
“We’re still finding bodies in the bushes,” <a href="https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/fulani-jihadists-massacre-over-200-christians-in-nigeria">said</a> local youth leader Mton Matthias. “The death toll is rising every hour.”
Pope Leo addressed the &#8220;terrible massacre&#8221; on Sunday when he said Christians &#8220;were killed with extreme cruelty, most of whom were internally displaced persons hosted by the local Catholic mission.&#8221;
&#8220;I pray that security, justice, and peace will prevail in Nigeria, a beloved country so affected by various forms of violence,&#8221; Pope Leo said before he delivered the Sunday Angelus prayer, Vatican News reported. &#8220;And I pray in a special way for the rural Christian communities in Benue State who have been unceasingly the victims of violence.&#8221;
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Pope Leo prays for the victims of a “terrible massacre” in Benue State, Nigeria.
Around 200 people were “brutally killed” in Yelwata, in the Guma Local Government Area on the night of the 13th/14th June, the Pope said, most of them internally displaced persons “sheltered by the… <a href="https://t.co/gOZw8Ny0L2">pic.twitter.com/gOZw8Ny0L2</a>
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/VaticanNews/status/1934238312937537896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The violence against Christians in Nigeria is not new, but last week&#8217;s massacre marks the deadliest atrocity committed against Christians in the country in recent years, according to Church in Need. Fulani herdsman, made up of Muslims, regularly threaten farming communities, made up mostly of Christians, in Benue State. Between 2023 and 2025, more than 1,000 people have been killed as the Jihadists have clashed with farmers and Nigeria&#8217;s security forces, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyznnl4mddo">reported</a>.
According to Rev. Fr. Remigius Ihyula — director of the Justice, Peace and Development Foundation (JPDF) — the violence against Christians is part of an effort to clear the land of the Christian inhabitants.
“These Fulani militias are not just killing—they’re clearing land to claim it,” he <a href="https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/fulani-jihadists-massacre-over-200-christians-in-nigeria">said</a>. “And they’re being allowed to do it.”
The Nigerian government, led by Muslims, has been accused of looking the other way while radical Muslims attack and kill Christians.
“The credible evidence of who [the attackers] are is undeniable, so why is the government helpless in securing the safety of its citizens?&#8221; asked Father Moses Aondover Iorapuu, a Parish priest in Makurdi, Nigeria.

Religious cross on a building’s gable

‘Terrible Massacre’: Hundreds Of Christians Killed By Jihadists

Death

Persecution

Pope Leo

Religion

The man accused of killing Minnesota House Democrat leader Melissa Hortman and her husband within the Twin Cities metropolitan area has been taken into custody, authorities said on Sunday evening.
A high-ranking state official <a href="https://www.startribune.com/melissa-hortman-shooting-vance-boelter-suspect/601373342" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Star Tribune that the suspect, identified as Vance Boelter, was apprehended in Sibley County. Police have since confirmed the development, much to the relief of people across Minnesota and the country.
“I’m grateful that this nightmare has come to an end with the suspected murderer captured alive so he can be charged, prosecuted, and punished for the horror he has wrought on our state,&#8221; Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican, said in a statement.
She added: &#8220;Thank you to the brave men and women of local, state, and federal law enforcement who have worked around the clock to ensure this evil man faces justice.&#8221;
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The agency shared this message: “The face of evil. After relentless and determined police work, the killer is now in custody. Thanks to the dedication of multiple agencies working together along with support from the community, justice is one step closer.”
— Mary McGuire (@mcguirereports) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcguirereports/status/1934443380521492598?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Boelter, 57, has been charged with two counts of second degree murder and two counts of second degree attempted murder, according to a complaint <a href="https://www.startribune.com/melissa-hortman-shooting-vance-boelter-suspect/601373342" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> unsealed after the arrest.
Authorities had been searching for Boelter over the weekend following what they described as &#8220;targeted&#8221; overnight shootings by someone impersonating law enforcement.
Hortman and her husband were killed at their home in Brooklyn Park. State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot at their home in Champlin, but they survived and are recovering from their wounds.
The FBI <a href="https://x.com/FBIMostWanted/status/1933992217263186433" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offered</a> a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Boelter. Officials said he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/flyers-for-anti-trump-no-kings-protest-found-in-suspected-assassins-vehicle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">left</a> anti-Trump &#8220;No Kings&#8221; protest flyers in his vehicle and had a <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/15/us-news/minnesota-assassination-suspects-manifesto-names-dozens-of-lawmakers-abortion-providers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;manifesto&#8221;</a> naming dozens of lawmakers and abortion providers.
People across the political spectrum issued statements after the attacks, including President Donald Trump in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114682713948931541" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on Truth Social.
&#8220;I have been briefed on the terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers. Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law,&#8221; he said.
Trump added: &#8220;Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!&#8221;

Two Minnesota State Legislators And Spouses Shot In Targeted Attacks

Suspect In Minnesota Political Assassination Captured Alive

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