Conviction upheld in Janesville triple homicide
31.12.69
A Janesville sex offender was properly convicted of killing his neighbor and her two teenage children, a state appeals court ruled Thursday.
A jury convicted James Koepp in 2010 of stabbing and strangling 38-year-old Danyetta Lentz, her 17-year-old daughter, Nicole, and her 14-year-old son, Scott, in the family's trailer home. Prosecutors theorized Koepp killed Lentz to cover up an affair and killed the children because they witnessed the murder.
Rock County Circuit Judge Alan R. Bates sentenced Koepp to three consecutive life terms with no possibility of parole.
Koepp, now 53, argued on appeal that Bates should have allowed him to introduce evidence suggesting someone else committed the slayings.
Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Standoff ends: Bodies found inside mobile home
31.12.69
Gibsonton, Florida -- Hillsborough Sheriff David Gee says a standoff with a possible murder suspect is over, as the bodies of a man and a woman were found inside a barricaded mobile home.
Sheriff Gee is not confirming that the deceased man is a suspect wanted on murder charges in Volusia County.
Earlier in the day, Hillsborough deputies say they, along with US Marshals, attempted to serve a warrant for the arrest of 29-year-old James Seagraves. The Hillsborough SWAT team and negotiators were called out to try and coax the suspect from the residence.
Officials initially said the suspect had barricaded himself inside along with his girlfriend, but deputies say they cannot confirm what relationship the deceased woman had with the man.
Source: WTSP 10 News
Mobile home destroyed by surprise storm
31.12.69
A mobile home in San Tan Valley was completely obliterated after Wednesday's storm. The owners were actually inside when it happened, but luckily they walked away with just a few scrapes.
"Duck and cover," said Dave Acree. He teaches earth science, and he says that's one lesson he's going to pass on to his students because it saved his life.
"Just get down low so hopefully you can dodge and not get hit too hard," Acree said. He and his wife managed not to get hit by broken glass, their roof and virtually their entire home. It all started when he saw a huge wall of dust through the window headed their way.
"Lot of dust, it's actually more dust than I've seen before, so a pretty heavy downdraft," Acree said.
Source: KPHO Phoenix
