Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Diddy's New Release Date | Crime Alert Hourly Update Saturday 04.04.26

Episode Date: April 4, 2026

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Crime alert, hourly update, breaking crime news now. I'm Nicole Parton. Sean Diddy Combs' prison term has been reduced by 10 days, according to updates from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. His new expected release date is now April 15, 2028, a change from the prior date of April 25, 28, and the earlier date of June 4. This adjustment follows a previous modification that cut more than a month off of his original sentence. The time frame regarding his release has seen several changes in the last few months. Initially, in December, it was postponed from May to June 28, but then moved back to April in early March. Combs 56 is currently serving a 50-month sentence after being found guilty last summer on two counts related to transportation for prostitution during a high-profile federal trial in New York.

He was acquitted of more severe charges, including sex trafficking and ratcheworthy. a teering conspiracy, which could have led to a life sentence. Prior to his sentencing, Combs had already spent nearly a year at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center after being denied bail. Prosecutors pursued a sentence of over 10 years while his defense team advocated for a maximum of 14 months, citing a partial vindication from the jury. Combs is now held at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey. that's a federal facility on a military base, about 40 miles from Philadelphia. His attorneys requested this placement due to its access to drug rehabilitation programs and its proximity to his family.

In a court filing in October, his attorney stated to address drug abuse issues and maximize family visitation and rehabilitative efforts. We request that the court strongly recommend Mr. Combs be placed at FCI Fort Dix. He has since entered a drug. rehabilitation program, which may help shorten his sentence through good behavior credits. Combs' legal struggles are far from over. Last December, his legal team filed an appeal against his conviction and his sentence, contending that the sexual encounters in question were all consensual, and that a trial judge imposed an excessively harsh sentence. On February 20,

federal prosecutors urged an appellate court to affirm both the conviction and the sentence, in documents that Combs was a repeat offender who employed violence and intimidation to commit his crimes. Combs was convicted under the Man Act. That's a federal law that prohibits the interstate transportation of individuals for prostitution. During the eight-week trial, testimonies from Cassie Ventura, a former girlfriend of Combs, and another woman said that he orchestrated drug-influenced sexual encounters referred to as freak-offs with hired male escorts. Prosecutors claim that Combs arranged travel for these individuals, sometimes across state lines, or even internationally, using coercive tactics in his relationship. In their appeal to

the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Manhattan, prosecutors argued that the judge duly considered the treatment of the women when determining Combs' sentence. They stated, according to Combs, the district court should have ignored how he executed his Man Act offenses and mistreated as victims, violently assaulting them, threatening them, deceiving them, and providing them with drugs. Combs' legal representatives countered that the sexual activities were all consensual. In their appeal filed on March 13, Combs' lawyers characterized his extensive prison time as a, quote, perversion of justice advocating for immediate release and a judgment of acquittal. In their appeal filed on March 13, Combs' lawyers characterized,

his prison sentence as a perversion of justice advocating for his immediate release, a judgment of acquittal, or at least to remand his resentencing. Oral arguments for that appeal are set for April 9. More crime and justice news after this. A Tennessee teen says her teacher showed her nude photos on his phone and the case is now under investigation as the school district claims it was an accident. In Montgomery County, 17-year-old McKenzie Ellethorff says the incident happened on March 9th inside a classroom at Montgomery Central High School. She says she was speaking with her teacher, Matthew Vetter, when he began showing her images. Here's McKenzie on WTVF. He showed me a picture and it was like a project that he was working on and then he swiped over and it was

full nude photos. McKenzie says the images did not stop there. She described seeing several photos as he continued to swipe. She says she left and immediately called her mom. I just called her and told her everything. And I didn't really know what to think because I was like, mom, like, I don't understand what I did or what, why he's doing that. Her parents contacted the sheriff's office. An investigation is now underway involving the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, the Department of Children's Services, and the district attorney's office. McKenzie says she does not believe the incident was accidental. She says the teacher could have reacted differently in the moment, but did not. She says the moment changed how she viewed someone she once trusted.

Just because, like, I looked up to him because he was my teacher. And so I'm like, why, why me? The school district tells investigators a different version. Officials say the inappropriate image was, quote, accidentally, briefly displayed while the teacher was showing an appropriate photo to a student. They say he was immediately removed from campus and reassigned to an alternative work site while the investigation continues. The teacher just so happens to be married to the district superintendent who has stepped away from the case herself. The district says there are no prior complaints or disciplinary actions in his personnel file and he has been employed since August of 2020. McKenzie's mother Ashley describes what her daughter told her and how it affected her. And to purposely show her, holding something out and showing her,

That's disgusting, and it scared her. The family says they have received little communication from the district since reporting the incident. They say they feel left in the dark as the investigation moves forward. Meanwhile, officials confirm the findings will be turned over to prosecutors once the investigation is complete. The district says it will not begin its own internal review until those outside investigations are finished. McKenzie says she no longer feels safe at school. She says she is speaking out so other students know they are not. not alone and can come forward if something happens to them. I'm Sidney Sumner. A North Carolina

repeat offender arrested in Florida for allegedly stabbing a pregnant mom with a steak knife in what police are calling a random attack. The Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department announced the arrest of Marvina Butler Hardy accused of stabbing a pregnant woman in the parking lot of the Harris Teeter grocery store in Cotswold on March 18th. We need a medic, Ponto. We're at the shared and any here's heater. It's only just stabbed by someone. They got out of their car and stabbed them. She's 38. And you're pregnant? And she's pregnant. A bystander called 911 after witnessing the attack, with officers responding to a stabbing report. The pregnant woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. According to law enforcement, Butler Hardy had no

connection to the victim. This time, it appears that the victim and the suspect did not know each other and had no prior interaction. Officers allege Butler approached the female victim outside the grocery store at approximately 11.30 a.m. The 38-year-old mother says she was getting her toddler out of their car seat when Butler Hardy, who pulled out of the space behind her, stopped her car, got out, cursed, and attacked her with a knife. Quote, I was facing my toddler, getting him out of his seat, and thankfully turned around, and she was coming at me with a steak knife. I pushed and kicked and screamed, and thankfully I think that scared her off. The victim suffered a stab wound to her sternum, but she and her unborn child are okay.

Following the seemingly random attack, CMPD released surveillance video of the suspect, later identified as Butler, and a be on the lookout for her vehicle. One of the windows is taped up, and it's also missing a hubcap. On Monday, a Florida State Highway Patrol trooper spotted a silver Hyundai matching CMPD's description traveling south on I-95. The trooper pulled Butler Hardy over, and she gave him an ID card instead of a license. When asked why, she reportedly said her license was suspended. The trooper checked with another who confirmed Butler Hardy was the suspect in the Cotswold stabbing. She was promptly arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and battery on an unborn

child. She's now behind bars at the Flagler County Jail awaiting extradition to Mecklenburg County. Records show Butler Hardy has a lengthy rap sheet of nine prior convictions, six felonies, and three misdemeanors tied to theft-related offenses, along with more recent convictions for firearm possession and misconduct in custody. Butler Hardy last regained freedom in April of last year and completed probation requirements earlier this year. The victim telling WSOC TV, she is shocked Butler Hardy is free to roam the streets, but grateful she is behind bars once again. I'm hoping this charge is enough to keep her behind bars, that's for sure. The amount of mugshots do you see of this woman.

You wouldn't think that she would be on the streets. The major break in a decades-old homicide case in Southern California, where investigators say new evidence has led to an arrest after more than 20 years, and they're now urging anyone with information to come forward as they continue working to bring closure. The case centers on Ernan Marquez, a 27-year-old man who was found fatally shot in August of 2002. Authorities say deputies responded to what initially appeared to be a crash in La Quinta, but when they arrived, they found Marquez inside his vehicles suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives later determined Marquez had been to a house

party shortly before the shooting. Investigators believe an altercation broke out and that Marquez was shot as he was leaving. Despite his injuries, he managed. to drive away but lost control of the car and crashed into parked vehicles. For years, the case went unsolved. Now, after a renewed investigation and advances in forensic technology, authorities say they have identified a suspect. Alex Anthony Uribe, now 46 years old, has been arrested in connection with the killing, and investigators believe he may be the sole suspect. Officials say the case remains active and they are continuing to follow up on additional leads. For Marquez's family, the development represents a long-weighted step toward answers in a case

that has remained unresolved for more than two decades. Five defendants have now been sentenced in connection with the 2023 shooting at a Sweet 16 birthday party in Dadeville. The attack left four people dead and more than 30 others injured. Investigators say multiple gunmen opened fire during the celebration, which was being held at a dance studio. The victims ranged in age from 17 to 23, including high school seniors and young adults. Under plea agreements, the five defendants received sentences of five years in prison followed by probation. The outcome has drawn criticism from some victim's families who say the sentences do not reflect the scale of the violence or the law suffered that night. Prosecutors have defended the agreements,

citing the complexity of the case and challenges in determining how the gunfire began. In New York, a death inside a correctional facility is now the focus of a criminal case, with officials saying the investigation remains ongoing and additional details may be released as court proceedings continue. Prosecutors have filed manslaughter charges in connection with the death of inmate Jonah Levy. Authorities say Levy died while in custody, and investigators allege his death was not simply accidental but the result of actions that rose to a criminal level. While officials have not released all details publicly, the charges suggest prosecutors believe there was a significant failure and the duty of care owed to Levy,

while he was behind bars. The case is now moving forward in the legal system and could bring increased scrutiny to conditions and oversight within the facility. And finally, this hour, concern is growing over an American journalist kidnapped overseas, where her whereabouts remain unknown as officials continue an international effort

to secure her safe return. Shelley Kittleson, a 49-year-old freelance reporter, was abducted in Baghdad earlier, this week. Iraqi officials say she was taken by armed men at a busy intersection and forced into a vehicle. Security forces quickly launched a search. Authorities say one suspect has been arrested after a vehicle believed to be connected to the kidnapping crash during a pursuit. However, Kittleson was not inside and other suspects remain at large. U.S. officials say Kittleson had previously been warned about potential threats, including risk.

linked to Iran-backed militia groups operating in the region. She's an experienced journalist who has spent years reporting from Iraq and Syria, often working independently in high-risk environments. Thanks, John. 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.