NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Episode Date: September 30, 2026

Flash flood emergency in the Southwest; Former American Idol contestant convicted of murder; Lindsay Clancy returns to court for first time since mistrial; and more on tonight’s broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Breaking news tonight, the flash flood emergency in the southwest. New evacuations issued the dam at risk of failing at any moment. The daring helicopter rescue, this driver trapped on top of a vehicle surrounded by water, crews racing to reach this man. The belongings swept away and now tens of millions at risk from Arizona to Iowa. Also breaking tonight, the American Idol contestant accused of murdering his wife found guilt. his emotional breakdown as the verdict was read. Lindsay Clancy's lawyer's bombshell, while he now argues there's no evidence she killed her kids as her retrial hangs in the balance.

Growing outrage over the rape accusation at Cornell University, now we're learning the local police department never informed about the alleged assault involving seven fraternity members, the questions over if the case was mishandled. Historic AI summit at the White House. White House as some tech leaders sound the alarm, President Trump rejecting calls to slow down. The agreement they all just signed and what it means. NBC News exclusive, never before seen footage of Sean Diddy Combs behind bars using an illegal

cell phone, how he pays inmates to allegedly make his food, score booze, even give him massages. Also tonight, the investigation into a toddler pulling out a loaded gun at a daycare. Now a parent is under arrest, how teachers jumped into action. A school bus flipping with kids on a major highway in Indiana, what we know about those students on board. And there's good news tonight, the high school senior getting his storybook moment delivering this unforgettable touchdown. Nightly News starts right now.

This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. It's great to be with you on this Tuesday night. We want to start with the millions across the southwest under the threat of severe flooding tonight. In New Mexico, families told to evacuate. Look at this, floodwaters overtopping a dam. An official's warning tonight, it is on the brink of imminent failure. In Arizona, one man on top of his car seemed surrounded by flooding waters, a helicopter hovering just feet above the ground before airlifting him out. Then in Nevada, this person lifted to safety after falling from a bridge, the water below seemed raging.

violently. The flood threat far from over tonight, with 25 million at risk right now. Priscilla Thompson is following this story. She starts us off tonight. Tonight, harrowing rescues in the southwest, as millions are at risk for dangerous flooding. They have a mare on top of the truck. He's about 50 yards in the middle of the riverway. West of Phoenix, first responders in Maricopa County, Arizona, seen here hovering above the raging water, racing to reach this man stranded on top of a submerged vehicle surrounded by water. Rescuers hoisting him to safety. Officials say they made multiple rescues in the county today. North of Las Cruces, New Mexico, a man seemingly trapped in his van as fast-moving flood waters

overtook Interstate 25. A flash flood emergency declared in part of Donia Ana County. Fears a dam could fail. Families in nearby towns urged to evacuate because of potential And in Clark County, Nevada, rescuers pulling this man out of a drainage tunnel overnight. All of it, part of a day's long deluge, now putting 25 million people under flood alerts from Arizona to Texas and even into Iowa. In Bullhead City, Arizona, roads turned into rivers Monday. At one point, a mattress seen floating down the street as a truck plows through the high water. And tonight, the threat in the southwest is far from over.

Priscilla Thompson joins us now live from Texas, and Priscilla, that storm is starting to move into the state. Yeah, Tom. Texas is expecting to get hit hard starting tomorrow with up to seven inches of rain possible in parts of central Texas. Cities to watch include Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas, areas that could get a month's worth of rain in just days. Tom? Priscilla Thompson for us tonight. Priscilla, thank you. We want to head to Ohio now because a jury there has found a former American Idol contestant guilty of murdering his wife and trying to make it look like a break-in.

Shaquille Brewster now on the emotional moments in court today. Tonight, former American Idol contestant Caleb Flynn breaking down in court. An Ohio jury convicting him of murdering his wife. Caleb C. Flynn guilty of murder. After just over two hours of deliberations, jurors finding him guilty on all nine counts. He's now facing a maximum sentence of life behind bars without parole. The defendant executed action. In closing arguments, prosecutors argued the former music pastor was having an affair when he shot and killed his wife Ashley in February, then staged a home invasion to mislead investigators.

The defendant wanted Ashley out of that life. Prosecutors pointing to the more than 100,000 text messages exchanged between 40-year-old Flynn and his now 24-year-old mistress, Aaliyah Bottner. Even playing clips from AI-generated songs he wrote to her. Botner testifying against him. How would you describe your feelings from the defendant today? I hate him. Why the change from love to hate? Because I believe that he murdered his life.

Flynn's attorneys tonight promising an appeal of the verdict, pleading with jurors in their closing arguments. His being unfaithful doesn't equal murder. Flynn is expected to be sentenced October 5th. Shaquille Brewster, NBC News. to a courtroom now in Massachusetts and Lindsay Clancy back before a judge for the first time since her mistrial and a bombshell from her attorney today, now saying there's not enough evidence she even killed her three kids. Emily Aketa was inside the courthouse.

She was told. Back in court tonight, Lindsay Clancy's future hanging in the balance with no decision from the district attorney on whether he'll retry the Massachusetts mom on first-degree murder. We're doing a very thorough review right now. and we're going to continue to do our job to make sure that we do what's best for the interests of justice and the interests of those three children. The uncertainty comes as Clancy's defense urged the judge in court today to block any possibility of a second trial, shifting their focus away from Clancy's mental state and arguing there wasn't enough evidence to prove she even killed her three children. You have the woefully deficient DNA. You have the woefully deficient fingerprinting.

It was not even a horrendous investigation. There was no. investigation. The prosecution calling that argument laughable is a laughable argument and reiterating Clancy was of sound mind during the 2023 killings. A defendant who has mental illness can commit crimes and can be criminally responsible. Also in court today, one of the attorneys for the holdout juror Michael DeSronville pushing back against the defense's effort to examine him and his phone. Juror should not have to worry about coming in and having them out. because they take a stance different than everyone else. Overnight is Ronville speaking out for the first time on camera.

But we want to reel everything back and put the focus on the three angels. The next court date is in November with the judge considering an acquittal, whether to question the holdout juror, and when a retrial should begin if the DA decides to pursue one. Tom. Emily, thank you. Now to a growing questions about how an alleged gang rape at Cornell University was initially investigated. And if more should have been done when the alleged victim originally came forward, our Maggie Vespal reports from campus in upstate New York and a warning, some of these details are disturbing. Tonight, new details in the timeline of the investigation into rape allegations at Cornell University.

It was two years ago when a female student first reported an incident to campus police, an incident she now alleges in a new lawsuit, involved being drugged and then sexually assaulted by seven members of the Kai-5 fraternity. Her attorney telling NBC News she only told her story to one investigator, saying campus police failed to follow up on key evidence, including these Snapchat messages, now a part of the student's lawsuit, which the lawsuit describes as encouraging other fraternity members to join in on the gang rape. Police in Ithaca, where Cornell is located, saying they were never involved and only learned of the allegations recently through the media.

Tonight, Cornell saying campus police investigated and consulted the district attorney's office, per established protocol. The local DA saying his office relied on the evidence turned over by campus police, namely the female student's statement. It was given to an experienced investigator from the Cornell Police Department who was trained in trauma-informed sexual assault cases. It did not set out probable cause for a criminal prosecution. The seven men were never criminally charged.

Cornell at the time banning the chapter and suspending and expel. some students. One of the students accused in the lawsuit tonight through his attorney denying the allegations calling Cornell's investigation extensive. Student Assembly President Ishan Chowdhury is calling for transparency. I think it's an utter tragedy that the case had to be reopened only after a mass media cycle came into play. With that, Maggie joins us now live from Cornell's campus. And Maggie Cornell just released a new statement moments ago about their investigation. What does it say? Yeah, Tom, that's right. The university saying campus police indeed turned that Snapchat screenshot from inside the fraternity over to the DA's office as part of

their evidence two years ago. We just reached out to the DA for comment. So far, no response. Tom. Maggie Vespa with those new developments tonight, Maggie, thank you. Now to that historic White House meeting, President Trump with tech titans amid growing controversy over whether more guardrails are needed on AI. And now the president releasing the agreement they all just signed. Gabe Gutierrez with what's in it. Hi, everybody. Tonight, the historic huddle at the White House. President Trump walking out with some of the biggest names in artificial intelligence amid

sharp disagreements over whether the industry needs guardrails. The president rejecting calls to slow down. They understand that they have to sell police and a bad actor is going to get caught. And that's why we have the DOJ. The group agreeing on what the White House calls a voluntary accord on oversight. Among those there, Elon Musk. I think my father most likely outcome is an age of abundance. Metas, Mark Zuckerberg.

We drafted a set of principles and commitments around building robust internal controls. These are good steps forward. An Anthropics, Dario Amadeh, who's been warning about AI's potential dangers. The technology has very real risks, and, you know, the mechanism, how we address those risks, is still under discussion. Among those risks, overnight, open AI, scrapping the release of its new model over security. security concerns that researchers found during internal testing. Still, Nvidia's Jensen Huang argues new government regulations are not needed. There's no conflict between innovation, technology, and safety. The debate, even reaching the Vatican. The concerns raised by many of

the experts, specialists in AI should be taken seriously. I don't think that that is a fake news, as some have said. President Trump also unveiling the new AI-powered America.gov, a one-stop shop, for federal services such as renewing passports. And tonight, the president releasing the documents signed by tech leaders, saying they agreed to partner with independent external auditors for safety on AI. Tom? Gabe Gutierrez at the White House. Gabe, thank you.

To the Mideast and another disturbing chapter for a Palestinian family trying to return to their West Bank home, but instead met again by violence. Here's Matt Bradley. Tonight, a Palestinian family coming face to face with an inferno set by Israeli settlers while trying to return to their West Bank home, just weeks after a violent attack left one of them unconscious. The disturbing attack began when homeowner Mahmoud Tubassi tells us Israeli security forces had just escorted his family inside. His family returning after settlers occupied their home for weeks and trashed it, damaging floors, doors, and even

yanking out toilets. But moments after they arrived, a group of settlers forced their way back in. attacking the family and Israeli security forces and injuring three border police officers, according to the IDF. How did you feel when the settlers got so close to you? It was a really frightening moment, he told me, it seemed like life or death. This wasn't the first time

the Tubasi family has endured settler violence. I first met Mahmoud and his wife Aida a month ago. As Ida carefully walked us toward her home, a gray car full of masked young men pulled up. Armed with sticks and stones, they smashed our car's windshield, Hulled our team with sticks, and beat 51-year-old Ida unconscious.

Are you okay? You-h. Ida has since recovered, but now her home has been torched. Security forces said they arrested three of the settlers, and an rare rebuke. Prime Minister Netanyahu condemned the settler attacks and said they should be prosecuted

to the fullest extent of the law. Tom? Matt Bradley, in Israel, when we return in 60 seconds exclusive video of Sean Diddy Combs behind bars using an illegal cell phone. What his fellow inmates tell us, Combs paid other prisoners thousands to do for him. Plus a scary scene on a busy Indiana highway,

a school bus full of children flipped on its side, and a toddler pulls out a loaded gun at a Michigan daycare, how a teacher avoided a possible tragedy. Stay with us. We're back now with an NBC News exclusive. Tonight, never before seen footage of of Sean Diddy Combs behind bars, using a cell phone illegally. Chloe Malas now with the new details on his life behind bars.

Tonight, an inside look at how Sean Combs is living in federal prison. For the first time in footage exclusively obtained by NBC News, Combs is seen using a cell phone, which is prohibited by federal law. This all comes nearly a year after Combs was sentenced to 50 months for prostitution-related offenses. NBC News spoke to four men who spent time with Combs in prison at Fort Dix in New Jersey. They were granted anonymity to speak freely about life inside prison. They described Diddy's privileged life, saying he's paid thousands of dollars a month to other inmates to do chores like make his bed, clean his toilet and shower, even give him massages. They also cook him special meals like these, from pizza to onion rings.

Those sources say the money flows from people outside prison. to the commissary accounts of those inmates performing the services. Multiple sources said Diddy has used contraband cell phones to scroll Instagram. One source pointing NBC News to an Instagram account that Combs uses with no profile picture that's followed by Combs's publicist. They also say he has access to a modified tablet, which allows him to watch movies and television shows. A source calls Diddy's prison life a party with regular access to alcohol and Remeron, and antidepressant with mood-boosting effects.

The Bureau of Prisons tells NBC News, inmates are not permitted to have access to cell phones. And per policy, they do not comment on any incarcerated individual. Adding, like all correctional agencies, contraband, particularly cell phones, narcotics and weapons, remains a constant challenge, and we continue to tackle the problem. And tonight, a spokesperson for Combs says

the media is characterizing ordinary prison life as news. Chloe joins us now live in studio. And Chloe, we just learned Combs's released was moved up. Will these videos now affect that? You know, it's unclear. The Bureau of Prisons has moved up his release date from February 2028 to January. And I want to point out that having a cell phone in prison is a standalone criminal offense. It could carry up to a year sentence, Tom. Chloe, Molas, with that big exclusive tonight, Chloe, thank you. We're back now with a scary school bus crash in Indianapolis. It sent more than a dozen children and adults to the high. hospital. Video from the scene you see it here showed the bus flipped on its side. Officials said that

bus crashed into an Indiana State Police vehicle. Eight kids on the bus were injured. One is listed tonight in critical condition. In Michigan, prosecutors tonight are weighing charges against a toddler's parent, get this, after their child brought a loaded handgun to a daycare center. A teacher saw the child pull the gun out of a backpack and quickly intervened. Police say one of the child's parents is a police officer, but the gun brought to school was not a service weapon. A decision on charges could come as soon as tonight. When we come back, a story you're going to love because there's good news tonight, how a high school football team's biggest fan went from the sidelines to the answer. Finally, there's good news tonight. No one does high school football quite like Texas.

And during a recent game outside of Houston, one senior who normally spends his time cheering on the sidelines got a chance to suit up and hit the field. It was a rivalry game in this Texas town just outside of Houston, and senior Mason Wisnoss was ready for his number to be called. A little play here for a young man receiving the ball, and he'll score a touchdown. Mason has down syndrome. Normally, he supports his favorite football team from the sidelines, running with the team flag and cheering his heart out.

But this time, he's suited up, helmet on, ready to play. Let's go, buddy. The team quickly gets Mason the ball, and then he takes off, sprinting straight into the end zone. Mason celebrating the epic moment on the shoulders of his teammates. Hands put your hands together. The number 39, Mason was last game. We asked Mason what that felt like.

Awesome. I feel happy. An unforgettable moment for their whole family. All the people involved made that happen for him, and we're just so thankful for it. Ready, one, two, three. Just the world is so much better when we show our kindness, and that's exactly what his team and coaches did for him. Nice touchdown, Mason, number 39. And we have more sports tonight.

Baseball's biggest rivalry takes center stage tonight. NBC brings you postseason baseball as the Red Sox take on the Yankees in game one of the MLB Wild Card Series. tune in 8 p.m. Eastern right here on NBC and streaming on Peacock. That's nightly news for this Tuesday. I'm Tom Yamas. We thank you so much for watching. Tonight and always, we're here for you. Good night.