Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Crime Alert 09.27.24 | Woman's Body Pulled From New Orleans Wharf

Episode Date: September 27, 2024

Man arrested 2000 miles away after woman's body pulled from New Orleans wharf. Boyfriend defecates on the floor, then chokes his horrified girlfriend.  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. New Orleans police respond to the Governor Nichols Street Wharf in the French Quarter where a woman's body recovered from the water. The victim ID'd as Patricia Fitzgerald, 44. According to an autopsy, she was strangled and dumped in the Mississippi. Patricia's roommate tells police he last saw her with a guy named Courtney Cantrell. Cops discover Cantrell gets on a plane the same day Patricia's body discovered. He's tracked to Poplar, Montana, nearly 2,000 miles away. Nancy, it's unclear what relationship Fitzgerald and Cantrell had. Several outlets are reporting that Cantrell is homeless.

Police initially considered Cantrell someone who might have information in the case and later upgraded his status to a suspect. Fort Beck police found Cantrell hiding out on tribal land in Montana. A hearing is scheduled for his extradition. Fitzgerald's autopsy also revealed she was beaten and blunt force trauma was a contributing factor in her death. Fitzgerald's autopsy also revealed she was beaten, and blunt force trauma was a contributing factor in her death. Fitzgerald's roommate, Michael Kirkham, met Fitzgerald when they both worked at an aircraft manufacturing plant in his mourning the loss of his friend. Courtney Cantrell, 35, now charged with murder and awaiting extradition. Kiva Kirby, 30, tries to break away from a late-night argument with his girlfriend to go to bed, but the argument escalates into an all-out screaming match in their Florida home. All of a sudden, Kirby strips naked and poops on the floor. Horrified, the girl screams. Kirby

puts a hand over her nose and mouth and pins her to the wall. The girlfriend calls 911 as soon as she escapes and cops give Kirby the chance to, quote, clean up before he's arrested for domestic battery. More crime and justice news after this. Now with the latest crime and justice breaking news, Crime Online's John Limley. In Virginia, a former Fairfax County police officer is on trial for the fatal shooting of an unarmed man suspected of shoplifting. Wesley Shifflett is charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless discharge of a weapon in the death of 37-year-old Timothy McCree Johnson, who was shot during a foot chase near Tyson's Corner Center in February 2023. Shifflett, who has pleaded not guilty, was fired by the police department for violating

use-of-force policies. Body camera footage captured the nighttime chase and the moment Shifflett fired the fatal shot. He later claimed he believed Johnson was reaching for a weapon, but no firearm was found. Initially, a grand jury declined to indict Shifflett. However, Fairfax County Commonwealth's attorney Steve Descano convened a special grand jury that ultimately brought charges. Descano argued the case involved grossly negligent conduct, which warranted an involuntary manslaughter

charge. In recent hearings, the judge denied prosecutors' request to introduce evidence of previous incidents where Shiflett aimed his weapon at other shoplifters while allowing the defense to reference parts of Johnson's criminal history. However, a 2019 conviction for involuntary manslaughter related to a car crash will not be presented to the jury. Now to a major legal victory for prosecutors in the case against Ghislaine Maxwell. We turn to Sydney Sumner of Crime Online for more. A federal appeals court has now upheld the conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell, the former socialite who helped facilitate Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse of underage girls. Maxwell was found guilty on multiple counts of sex

trafficking and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Her attorneys had argued that the conviction violated a non-prosecution agreement Epstein had reached with federal prosecutors in Florida. But the appeals court ruled that the agreement did not bar federal prosecutors in New York from bringing a case against Maxwell. Maxwell's trial revealed a disturbing pattern of abuse. Four women testified that they were sexually assaulted by Epstein at his various properties, often with Maxwell's direct involvement. Prosecutors painted a picture of a predatory relationship where Maxwell lured young girls into Epstein's orbit and facilitated his abuse. The case has also shed light on the dark side of power and privilege. Epstein and Maxwell's connections to prominent figures, including former presidents and

billionaires, were not a central focus of the trial, but the mentions of these individuals highlighted the couple's ability to exploit their social status to manipulate their victims. Maxwell is currently serving her sentence in Tallahassee, Florida at a minimum security federal prison. Thanks, John. Samantha Tapp, 16, and sister Kendall Wyatt are removed from their adoptive mom's home from the Texas Department of Children's Services after they find evidence of abuse. Samantha and Kendall placed with grandparents in Burleson, Texas where Samantha thrives. Kendall turns 18 and moves out to live with a boyfriend. Samantha then begins to spiral. A month later, she knocks on Kendall's door asking for a place to stay after an argument

with Grandpa. Kendall tells Samantha she's willing to help, but Samantha needs to stay with grandparents until she can figure out custody. Samantha never goes back to the grandparents. There have been possible sightings of Samantha Tapp, none confirmed. Kendall Wyatt believes her sister is out there and begs her to come forward. Samantha Tapp has brown hair, brown eyes, 5'5". If you have info on Samantha Tapp, please call Burleson, Texas PD 817-426-9903. For the latest crime and justice news, go to CrimeOnline.com and please join us for our daily podcast, Crime Stories. With this Crime Alert, I'm Nancy Grace. This is an iHeart Podcast.