Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - 9yo's Bravery Saves Family from Home Invasion Attack | Crime Alert 04.25.25

Episode Date: April 25, 2025

A 9-year-old girl gives police dispatcher critical information to help save her family, who is downstairs with a man that broke into their house. Florida man trades pink wig and thong for an orange jump suit! For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Crime Alert, I'm Acie Grace. Breaking crime news now. Orange County, California cops commend a nine-year-old girl's quick thinking. As a would-be burglar tries to break into the home, the girl upstairs calmly calls 911. Listen. 911 emergency, police or paramedics. There's someone in my house. What address are you at? Oh sorry, my family's downstairs. How are they trying to get in? How old are you? Nine. Okay so your house is a two-story so your family is downstairs and you're upstairs?

Okay baby I'm gonna hang up with you. Your sister is talking to you're upstairs? Yes. Please help me. Okay, baby. I'm going to hang up with you. Your sister is talking to my partner. We have officers arriving on scene, okay? Okay. Okay, honey. All right. Good job, okay?

Bye. All right. Bye-bye. Police say the girl sees someone trying to get in through a downstairs window, then gives the dispatcher crucial information, including the suspect's approximate age and that other family members are in the home. The girl's father in the kitchen confronts Jorge Mendoza Diaz, 34, who tries to run, jumping a fence in a neighboring yard. Three minutes later, he's cuffed, facing burglary

and trespass. The disturbance at a Clearwater, Florida Applebee's must have been a sight to see. A drunk man wearing a pink wig and pink thong stumbled around the parking lot trying to get in a car, but not his own. When Daniel Ciriello, 49, is questioned by cops, he can't even answer basic questions like what state he's in or where he's from. Ciriello soon changes pink thong for an orange jumpsuit. Booked on disorderly intoxication. More crime and justice news after this. Now with the latest crime and justice breaking news, Crime Online's John Limley. A Connecticut man has been convicted of murder in the 2019 killing of his girlfriend,

while the search for their missing daughter continues. 48-year-old Jose Morales of New Haven was found guilty of murdering Christine Holloway and tampering with evidence at her home in Ansonia, roughly 10 miles west of New Haven. He now faces 25 to 65 years in prison when sentenced on July 8th. Prosecutors said Morales beat Holloway to death and tried to clean up the scene. The jury deliberated for just two hours before reaching a verdict. Morales had testified he was under the influence of PCP and claimed two intruders attacked them and kidnapped 14-month-old Vanessa, who hasn't been seen since.

Despite being named a suspect in the child's disappearance, Morales was never charged in that case. Vanessa's name and photo remain on national missing children databases, and the FBI is still seeking information. In Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro is reopening the official residence to the public just days after an alleged arson attack targeted the historic home. We turn now to Crime Online's Sydney Sumner for more. Just over a week after a fire damaged the Pennsylvania governor's residence, Governor Josh Shapiro welcomed families back to the mansion's west lawn for an Easter egg hunt. The event marked a return to normalcy following an alleged arson attack that forced

the evacuation of the governor and his family. The fire, which broke out around 2 a.m. on April 13, caused significant damage to parts of the residence, including the state dining and piano rooms. Authorities say 38-year-old Cody Balmer scaled a nearly seven-foot fence, broke windows with a hammer, and threw gasoline-filled bottles into the building. Balmer later turned himself in and faces multiple charges, including attempted homicide, arson, and terrorism. Investigators are examining potential political and religious motivations for the attack as the incident occurred during the Passover holiday.

In a 911 call, Balmer allegedly expressed anger over Shapiro's support for Israel, citing harm to Palestinians. Despite the damage, no injuries were reported thanks to the swift actions of state troopers who evacuated the governor's family. Restoration efforts are underway with hopes to complete repairs by mid-summer. An independent security review led by former State Police Commissioner Jeffrey Miller is also in progress.

The preliminary hearing for Cody Balmer is scheduled for May 28th. Thanks, John. Search efforts span 44 square miles with canine units and drones for Cannon Sullenberger, 51, when he didn't show up for business meetings. Family members last saw the Washington personal trainer, Feb 16, near his business, Body Design Fitness. Police did a welfare check at the apartment, found his three dogs and personal items, but no Cannon.

Search dogs traces sent through the parking lot, but stop at the edge of the complex. Cannon Sullenberger, 5'8", slim, short brown hair, brown eyes. If you have info on Callen Sullenberger, please call Vancouver PD, 604-717-3321. For the latest crime and justice news, go to crimeonline.com. And please join us for our daily podcast, Crime Stories, where we do our best to find missing people, especially children, and solve unsolved homicides. With this crime alert, I'm Nancy Grace. This is an iHeart Podcast.