Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Second Assassination Attempt on President Trump Thwarted| Crime Alert Recap Saturday 09.21.24

Episode Date: September 21, 2024

Breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow "Crime Alert Hourly Update" now on your favorite podcast app: https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert Here are some of our top stories this week. Second assassination attempt on President Trump stopped. Cause of death for two Kansas moms revealed. Teen hires hit man to kill her grandparents.  Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Crime Alert, hourly update, breaking crime news now. I'm Jennifer Gould. Authorities have stopped an apparent assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump at his Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. The incident occurred just 63 days after a similar attack at a rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania. Trump, who was on the golf course at the time, is reported to be safe and unharmed. The incident unfolded around 1.30 p.m. Eastern time when a Secret Service agent performing a routine security sweep

spotted a rifle barrel protruding from a chain-link fence surrounding the golf course. The agent, realizing the threat, engaged the suspect, firing several shots. The suspect, who has been identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, was approximately 400 to 500 yards away from Trump when the confrontation occurred. The suspect, who was reportedly seen fleeing from nearby bushes and escaping in a black Nissan, was quickly tracked down with the help of witness descriptions and license plate readers. Martin County deputies apprehended him on I-95 about 45 miles north of the golf course after a brief pursuit. The FBI, which is leading

the investigation, confirmed that Routh was carrying an AK-47 style rifle with a scope, two backpacks filled with ceramic tiles and a GoPro camera. This incident marks the second assassination attempt on Trump within two months. The first occurred back on July 13th in Butler County, Pennsylvania, where gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at a Trump rally resulting in the death of a retired fire chief and injuring two others. Trump himself sustained a minor graze injury to his ear in that attack. Authorities are still investigating the motive behind the latest attempt. While the suspect's background and reasons for targeting Trump remain unclear, the FBI and local law enforcement are actively working on the case.

Federal charges may be forthcoming as the investigation continues. In a statement, Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw emphasized the efficiency and effectiveness of the Secret Services response. The White House has also expressed relief at Trump's safety with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris being briefed on the situation. The former president has since returned to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, where he remains secure. The FBI is urging anyone with additional information to contact their tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov. I'm Nicole Parton. New details from court documents have emerged regarding the tragic deaths of two Kansas mothers, Veronica Butler, 27, and Jillian Kelly, 39. The women vanished in March while on a trip to Oklahoma to pick up Butler's children. Their

bodies were later found in a chest freezer abandoned in a cow pasture. With their car, they had been driving located near the border of the state. Police reports now reveal that Butler was fatally stabbed. The cause of Kelly's death remains unclear. In April and May, five individuals associated with an extremist religious group called God's Misfits were arrested in connection with the murders. According to court documents, Tiffany Adams, 54, the grandmother of the children, her boyfriend, Tad Cullum, Cole and Cora Twombly, and 44-year-old Paul Grice were alleged to participate in the killings. The records obtained by KSN indicate that Grice stabbed Butler to death,

injuring himself in the process, while Cullum is suspected of killing Kelly. The bodies were then placed in the freezer and discarded in a field. Grice reportedly disposed of incriminating evidence, including clothing with his and Butler's DNA, a stun gun and a murder weapon. Cullum, on the other hand, is said to have placed his clothing, which contained Kelly's DNA, with the victims inside the freezer. Accessories to the murder weapon were allegedly found in Cullum's residence. The Twomblies are accused of acting as lookouts during the crime, while Adams is believed to have purchased the items like burner phones, stun guns, and straps that were found on

the freezer. The court documents also suggest that Adams was embroiled in a custody dispute over Butler's children. For more, here's Crime Online's Dave Mack. The custody battle between Veronica Butler, her ex-husband Wrangler Rickman, and Rickman's mother Tiffany Adams has been going on since 2019. At one point, Tiffany Adams refused to turn the children over to her son Wrangler Rickman, the children's father who has legal custody of the children. Wrangler Rickman had to call police to help settle the matter. Tiffany Adams wants to raise her grandchildren and court records indicate that was the motivation behind the murders. Butler's children were in Adams' home due to the custody battle.

The suspects are facing charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit murder. The affidavit further reveals that the Twombly's teenage daughter overheard conversations implicating her parents in the murder and gave investigators key insight to the plot. Adams was reported to have purchased prepaid phones that were found near the victim's car and he had searched online for ways to remove dead bodies, stun guns, and how to dispose of weapons. The tragic incident occurred on the day Butler's daughter's birthday was to happen with bloodstains found near the vehicle in Oklahoma. Kelly, the wife of Pastor Heath Kelly, was going with Butler to pick up her children on the fateful day. She was designated as a supervisor, appointed by DCF to help with custody visits.

I'm Drew Nelson. In Florida, a granddaughter is arrested for allegedly conspiring in the murder of her elderly grandparents who were shot to death in their home. Jaleesa Hill, age 34, is now facing charges of first-degree murder after police claim she paid her ex-boyfriend Maurice Newsom $1,000 following the murders. Hill's grandparents, Major and Claudette Melvin, were found dead in their Fort Lauderdale home. The suspect's uncle, Dennis Parker, son of the victims, talked to WTVJ. You know and God knows what you did and if you was involved in any way, I hope you're right in hell. Investigators believe Hill worked with Newsom, age 30, to carry out the killings. Newsom had already been charged with the murders last month after selling the couple's stolen car, a Red Ford Fusion, to a tow yard. Family members had expressed

suspicions about Hill's role early on. New court documents revealed that Hill sent the payment to Newsom through a third party. Police say when they questioned Hill, they found her responses inconsistent. At first, she claimed she was next in line to inherit her grandparents' home. Then she denied that. Later, a polygraph test indicated she was deceptive about her involvement in the crime. Hill and Newsom are both being held without bond. The investigation began after a neighbor's camera caught footage of someone arriving at the Melvins' home in the early morning of the murders, and then later, their vehicle was seen being driven away, the Melvins' vehicle. That car was found two weeks later at the salvage yard, and Newsom was linked to the sale.

The Melvins had 28 grandchildren, and while some relatives were shocked by Hill's arrest, others believe more family members might have been involved. The uncle, Dennis Parker, says, quote, there's something more here. It's only a matter of time before the truth comes out. For the latest crime and justice news, follow the Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app. With this Crime Alert, I'm Drew Nelson. This is an iHeart Podcast.