Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Crime Alert 08.10.23

Episode Date: August 10, 2023

Woman discovers explosives in estranged husband's basement. Cops rescind warning after learning suspect provided a false name.  For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to an iHeart Podcast. Crime Alert, I'm Nancy Grace. Breaking crime news now. A Maryland woman calls cops while removing belongings from her estranged husband's basement. Stephen Thompson allegedly tells her he had hidden an explosive device in the basement ceiling and she found several detonators while removing items from the basement. A bomb squad's called in. They determined

a detonator had been rigged to be connected to another device. Nancy, Thompson stole the detonators or blasting caps from his employer, a fire protection service. The blasting caps are used in a fire suppression system to penetrate a metal sheet on a water tank, releasing the water inside in the event of a fire. While the blasting caps can be used to trigger a larger explosive, they are considered destructive devices that can cause serious injury on their own. Thompson, 48, now charged with eight counts possessing explosive device. An Ohio water park patron calls cops after noticing a woman cursing at a child, then pushing him out of a floatie.

The woman identifies herself as Jennifer Miller to police and admits she called the child a brat, but denies touching him. The cop decides to give her a warning, but discovers the woman gave him a false name and address, so he heads back into the park. The woman admits her name is really Janet Nail. Nail, 67, then charged with obstruction and D.C. Disorderly conduct. More crime and justice news after this. Now with the latest crime and justice breaking news, Crime Online's John Limley. A Massachusetts judge has determined that a man accused of the triple slaying of a couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and the woman's 97-year-old mother

in a suburb of Boston is mentally incompetent to stand trial. With more, here's Sydney Sumner with Crime Online. 41-year-old Christopher Ferguson of Newton, Massachusetts was ordered to remain at Bridgewater State Hospital during a hearing in Newton District Court. Bridgewater State Hospital is a state psychiatric facility for those who have either been found guilty of a crime or in the process of going to trial. At the hearing, prosecutors said that the state was unable to establish Ferguson's readiness for trial as of today. Based on that statement, the judge ruled that Ferguson is not currently competent to stand trial. Ferguson had earlier entered a plea of not guilty and had been detained without bail. He did not appear to be related to the victims.

Ferguson is now charged with murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and burglary. Ferguson is accused of murdering 97-year-old Lucia Arpino, 73-year-old Gilda DeMore, and 74-year-old Bruno DeMore. The three were discovered dead on June 25 at a Newton residence after the couple failed to show up for the celebration of the DeMore's 50th wedding anniversary. The celebration was scheduled to take place after the communion service at Our Lady Help of Christians Church. According to the prosecution, more charges could be brought against Ferguson in the weeks to come. A member of a criminal motorcycle club accused of killing a fellow club member and disposing of his body in a Philadelphia cemetery, has been found guilty of murder and other offenses. When he's sentenced later this month, 51-year-old Michael DeMauro,

who represented himself throughout the trial, could receive a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors say that 33-year-old David Rosillo Jr. was shot four times by DeMauro in Mount Moriah Cemetery in December 2017. DeMauro then wrapped a rope around the victim's neck, hauled his body across the property with a car, and dumped the body in an underground crypt. Before Rosillo's body was found in April 2020, he had been missing for almost three years. The discovery was made as detectives were searching for another missing associate of the Warlocks motorcycle gang. Investigators found the bodies of both men in the crypt.

It is still unclear why they were killed. Now to our nation's capital as the White House hosts the first-ever summit on the ransomware attacks targeting the country's public schools. Once again, Crime Online's Sydney Sumner. The White House conducted its first-ever cybersecurity summit to discuss the ransomware attacks that are plaguing American schools and leaking private student information online. Among the sensitive documents compromised are medical records, mental evaluations, and even allegations of sexual assault. Ransomware assaults have affected at least 48 districts this year,

which is three more than all of 2022 combined. This according to the cybersecurity company Emisoft. The firm says that all but 10 had had their data stolen. Typically, Russian-speaking foreign-based gangs steal the information before activating network-encrypting malware and threatening to post it online unless cryptocurrency ransoms are paid. The information occasionally includes the social security numbers and financial information of district workers. In an October 2022 report, the Government Accountability Office, a watchdog organization, concluded that more than 1.2 million students were impacted in just 2020 alone. The learning time missed ranged from three days to

three weeks. A study by the publicly sponsored organization Center for Internet Security found that by the end of 2021, about one in three U.S. school districts had been compromised. Layla Cavett takes her toddler son on a road trip to visit a friend in Miami. When they arrive, the two spend time on the beach before meeting up with Shannon Ryan at a gas station in Hollywood, Florida, seen on surveillance video leaving in Ryan's Lexus sedan. The next morning, Cavett's two-year-old found wandering alone in a parking lot. Cavett's truck found at a Walmart five miles away, the window broken out. Cops catch Ryan getting into Cavett's truck at the Walmart. Ryan claims Cavett sold it to him. Police search Ryan's car and find cleaning supplies and trash bags purchased with Cavett's debit card. Hollywood PD strongly suspect foul play in Layla Cavett's disappearance. The mom now missing more than three years.

If you have info on Layla Cavett, contact Hollywood, Florida, PD 954-764-4357. For the latest crime and justice news, go to CrimeOnline.com. With this crime alert, I'm Nancy Grace. You're listening to an iHeart Podcast. iHeart Podcast.