Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Crime Alert 05.14.24

Episode Date: May 14, 2024

Man tries to shoot pastor during live-streamed services. This neighbor really must've really needed a cup of sugar! 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 Nancy Grace. Breaking crime news now. Services come to a screeching halt at Jesus's Dwelling Place Church, Pennsylvania, when a member of the congregation points a gun at Pastor Glenn Germany. Germany dies for cover as Bernard Polite pulls the trigger. Miracle. The gun jams. No shots fired. Another churchgoer tackles Polite, yanks the gun away. In Polite's home,

police discover his cousin, Derek Polite, shot dead. Nancy, Pastor Germany says he had never seen Polite before the day of the attempted shooting. Polite told police he tried to shoot Germany because God told him to do it. Polite also said he wanted to go to because God told him to do it. Polite also said he wanted to go to jail to clear his mind. Neighbors say there was never any trouble

at the Polite home and are shocked by the murder of Derek Polite. Bernard Polite, 26, charged with attempted murder and homicide. Haley Blunt walks to her neighbor's home and knocks on the front door. The neighbor asks who is it and walks away with no one answers. Blunt then goes through the backyard, knocks at the back door. Now fearful, neighbor calls 911. While they're on the phone with the operator, Blunt smashes a window near the front door, comes inside, and strips naked. Florida police find Haley Blunt inside the home, completely nude and bleeding from cuts. She's given a blanket and handcuffed. Haley Blunt, 24, charged with burglary and criminal mischief. Wow, she must have really needed to borrow a cup of sugar. More crime and justice news after this.

Now with the latest crime and justice breaking news, Crime Online's John Lindley. We begin in an Illinois courtroom as a 22-year-old man accused of killing an off-duty Chicago police officer has been refused pre-trial release by a judge. With more, here's Sydney Sumner with Crime Online. Charges against Xavier Tate Jr. include first-degree murder, aggravated vehicular hijacking, and possession of a stolen weapon in connection with the April 21st death of 30-year-old officer Louise Weska. Prosecutors claimed in court that Weska had been shot 10 times. At a press conference, Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Antoinette Urcidi stated that video evidence gathered from over 90 locations following Weska's death helped

identify Tate. Urcidi said that detectives were able to follow Tate to a store where he used a relative's bank card to purchase a bottle of water thanks to video footage from the scene of the shooting. A water bottle and the clothes Tate was wearing at the time of the shooting were discovered in Weska's stolen car when authorities found it after the incident. A statement from Officer Weska's family reads, quote, The vile nature of this crime and its devastating impact on our family and the community demands uncompromising pursuit of justice. While no measure of justice can bring Officer Huesca back or fully heal our hearts, we take solace in his enduring legacy of service and bravery. Tate was apprehended by the Chicago Police Department and the Great Lakes Regional

Fugitive Task Force of the U.S. Marshals, this after a Cook County court issued an arrest warrant for him. It was on April 21, just before 3 in the morning, that Huesca was shot several times on the southwest side of the city. He was declared dead at an area hospital. Superintendent Larry Snelling previously stated that the officer was dressed in uniform, but as is common for off-duty police, he had something covering his uniform. On April 29, hundreds of people gathered in the streets for Huesca's funeral procession. Huesca was buried in Chicago after church services in the streets for Huesca's funeral procession. Huesca was buried in Chicago after church services in the city. Now to Colorado, as officials there say 10 further

charges of child abuse involving two children have been brought against a school bus aide captured on video striking a nonverbal child with autism. Once again, Crime Online's Sydney Sumner. 29-year-old Kiara Jones was first charged with one felony count of third-degree assault on an at-risk person following her arrest in April. According to Eric Ross, a representative for 18th Judicial District Attorney John Kellner, eight further counts of third-degree assault on an at-risk person and two misdemeanor counts of child abuse have been brought against Jones. Kellner says that the additional allegations center on the alleged abuse of a second child in addition to the child who was first identified as a victim. The victim's names were omitted from court filings, but an attorney for the families of the students who rode the bus on which Jones worked in suburban Denver stated that the boys

were both nonverbal with autism. One of the children was shown being struck in a video that his mother released in April. Jessica Vestal claimed in January that her son had returned from school with mysterious bruises all over his body. Later, the boy returned home with a bruised foot and a black eye, which Vestal said Jones blamed on the child hitting himself with a toy. Vestal requested that the school system take a close look at the bus security footage as she was unable to provide an explanation for the injuries. The lawyer for the family says that each of the additional assault charges, which are felonies, represent days when there were several distinct instances of child abuse. Thanks, John. Danielle Croft, recovering from

complications of cerebral palsy, quits her job, sending her three children to live with their dad. Danielle lives with her grandma in Bonham, Texas, but often spends the night with her boyfriend a few blocks away. After an argument, she leaves the boyfriend's home 3 a.m. planning to walk to grandma's. She never makes it. Her bag left at her boyfriend's contained wallet and medications. The pink pajamas and slides Danielle last seen wearing are found scattered on the side of the road. Her phone appears to have been turned off around the time she left her boyfriends. Danielle Croft, missing five months. If you have info on Danielle Croft, please call Bottom Texas Police, 903-583-2141.

For the latest crime and justice news, go to CrimeOnline.com. With this crime alert, I'm Nancy Grace. This is an iHeart Podcast.