NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Episode Date: September 17, 2026

3 killed when NBC LA helicopter crashes; Fed raises interest rates; Growing GOP divide over Iran war; 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.

Tonight, the tragic helicopter crash. Our crew reporting for NBC Los Angeles killed while on assignment. A beloved reporter and seasoned pilot covering breaking news of a deadly bus crash when their chopper suddenly went down, killing one person on the ground. The NTSB now pointing to this video of the moments before as key evidence we hear from their heartbroken colleagues about the legacy they leave behind. Markets tumbling after the first interest rate hike in years and signaling more could be on the way. President Trump's Fed pick defined his wishes to lower rates how the president is firing back.

This just in White House chief of staff Susie Wiles announcing she's cancer-free. Deadly floods, crews pulling a driver trapped in rushing waters, plus the fast-moving wildfires, triggering evacuations, whipping up whirls of fire. duct tape passenger speaks. The man restrained on a plane after an alleged violent outburst why he says he doesn't remember what happened. House of Horrors, the chilling new details about five missing women now linked to this Philadelphia home,

what we're learning about the men who live there. Disturbing video of a caretaker allegedly pouring bleach into a water bottle and serving it to a disabled patient, how he was caught. NFL star Travis Kelsey named as a victim in a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme, how he allegedly got ripped off. And not the greatest guard dog, the pup, caught greeting a home intruder with a toy. Nightly News starts right now.

This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. We thank you for joining us on this Wednesday night. We are tracking several breaking stories right now, including the stock market shock. hitting your 401k's. The Fed hiking interest rates for the first time in more than three years and signaling, more could be on the way. That's surprise spooking the markets, the Dow down more than 600 points on the news.

We're going to have more on that in a moment. But we do want to begin with a deadly helicopter crash that has had a tragic impact on our NBC News family. A photojournalist and a pilot reporting for NBC Los Angeles were killed when their news chopper suddenly fell out of the sky. A person on the ground killed as well. This is the moment the NTSB is now investigating just before the chopper crashed. They were capturing scenes from a separate incident, a deadly city bus crash. And video showed an awful scene just seconds after the accident. Huge flames erupting as first responders rushed in.

We've blurred a body there on the ground of the bystander who's killed. On the scene, our reporters reacting in real time. These images showing emotional moments for KMBC's report. reporters who were on the scene as it unfolded the crash taking too soon the lives of our colleagues, reporter Ileana Moreno and pilot George Marcono. We're going to tell you more about the incredible lives they lived later in this broadcast. We start with Steve Patterson in Los Angeles tonight. Tonight, NTSB investigators on the ground, hoping to discover what caused a heartbreaking tragedy

that hits so close to home, saying this video shot from the helicopter in the moments before the crash will be key evidence. In that recording, we are clearly hearing sounds that are consistent with the engine changing its speed. Investigators combing through the wreckage of the local news chopper operated by Angel City Air that crashed overnight, killing two members of the NBC Los Angeles family. Photojournalists Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marino reporting for local news KNBC and Telemundo, a pedestrian on the ground was also killed. Tonight identified by the medical examiner as 29-year-old Eddie Gutierrez Meha. Angel City Air not responding to our request for comment.

The investigation could take weeks. The tragic crash coming in the middle of breaking news coverage. Our L.A. Chopper team high above the scene covering a fatal bus accident, this SUV jackknifing a metro bus, killing two people and injuring five others. Avoid the intersection of Nordaf and DeSoto for the next several hours. And it was from the scene of that accident when you can hear an explosion. I can tell you that we are having trouble contacting our people right now. Followed by questions and confusion.

Robert, we're going to need you to move towards that smoke and get closer to that scene immediately. KNBC reporter Robert KVasik, rushing to the scene as words circulated it was a news helicopter. As far as we know, witnesses are telling us that it is a chopper down. It is not from one of our other news stations here. We don't know where it is from. Then the devastating confirmation. We can now confirm that the chopper that went down in Chatsworth tonight, about two hours ago, was in fact news chopper four. And the heartbreak.

Kavassik, seen off the air, overcome and later embraced by several city officials. And tonight, the tributes for our dedicated colleagues. Moreno, a hardworking report. from Orange County, so excited about the job who could report in English and Spanish, telling viewers more about her work on Instagram. We are a breaking news helicopter for the most part. So most of the stories that we're going to cover are going to be breaking news. And her partner, Marciano, a veteran pilot, respected in the aviation community.

Tonight, Tom speaking with anchor Colleen Williams. They were beautiful souls. They are bright shining lights in our newsroom. I can't tell you what a tremendous loss this is. Such a devastating loss. Steve is there at the crash scene. And Steve, we're getting a better understanding now of what happened in that accident. Yeah, Tom, investigators now on site, which means they're able to get right on top of that wreckage.

The crash site is behind me. You can see it. Those containers, they're searching for anything that may serve as flight data or now even surveillance video, anything that will point them in the right direction as to what went wrong. Tom. And we're going to have much more on. colleagues later in the broadcast. Steve, thank you. Tonight, the new Fed chair appointed by President Trump raising interest rates despite the president's opposition saying he's worried about inflation. I want to bring in Brian Chung live now. And Brian, Kevin Warsh says the Fed had to raise rates,

and there might be more coming, and that sent stocks plunging. Yeah, Tom, not the best day to check your 401K. With Wall Street reacting to Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh's suggestion that he may hike rates even further later this year. That sent the stock market down over 1% all after Warsh said inflation is too high, thanks in part to the war with Iran. That sent gas prices up almost 50%. Since it began, I asked the Fed chairman, why higher rates would help Americans facing higher costs? And Worse told me that by pushing down inflation, American paychecks would go further. He also said the economy overall is strengthening with a strong jobs market and low unemployment. And Brian, we know tonight that President Trump is not happy about all this.

He was calling for a rate cut. What's he saying now? Yeah, the president posted on Trude Social after Warsh's remarks saying rates should just be 1% adding lower the interest rates for the United States of America and fast. We also did recently hear from the president who said he has confidence in Warsh and wants him to be independent. Tom. Brian Chung on that breaking news.

We're going to stay in Washington because President Trump tonight is facing new opposition to the war in Iran. from his own party. Garrett Hake is at the White House. Tonight, the growing GOP divide over Iran. Seven House Republicans breaking with President Trump, voting for a largely symbolic resolution directing the president to end the war,

including Republican Marionette Miller Meeks from Iowa, a state the president won three times. She wouldn't comment tonight. I have no comment for you. You can contact the communications director. But in a post, writing, I served 24 years in the Army. I will not vote to keep our soldiers in an open-ended war.

The Iranian regime and its nuclear ambitions have been defanged, saying the president should, quote, focus on bringing our soldiers home and lowering prices. It comes as a new non-partisan congressional analysis finds the war's price tag at more than $38 billion through the start of August, with a projected future cost of $2 to $3 billion per month, polls showing most Americans against the war and gas prices still high. Vice President Vance urging voters who backed President Trump two years ago not to be dissuaded by any one issue, including Iran. Even if you don't agree with us on every issue, the other party is consumed by craziness who want to give the country over to illegal aliens and criminals.

Administration officials arguing the Iranian threat to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has weakened, saying 18 million barrels of oil sailed through yesterday near pre-war levels. But Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, damaged and taken offline, by a recent drone strike. Damage assessments are still going on, but it should be up relatively soon. And there is good news tonight for White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles,

announcing she is officially cancer-free. She underwent treatment for breast cancer while continuing her demanding role as the president's top aide. Tom? Garrett Hake at the White House tonight. Garrett, thank you. Next, families in the southwestern U.S.

are facing powerful thunderstorms and a flash flooding threat. This has wildfires burn in multiple states. Here's Priscilla Tom's. Tonight, dangerous weather on the move across the southwest. This is bad out here, guys. In northwest New Mexico, flash flooding inundating streets. Tragically, north of there in the Navajo Nation, floodwaters killing three people. This comes after harrowing water rescues in Tucson earlier this week.

Watch as crews use a ladder to save this person from a car trapped in Russian water. In California, the florist in fire igniting north of Lake Tahoe this morning. In Texas, the hydrofire burning northwest of Waco. Our worst fears have happened. The fire did jump the north containment line and now is forward progressing towards the city meridian. The blaze triggering evacuations for a time in that city of around 1500 Tuesday. And southwest of Fort Worth, crews are battling the Red Bank fire. The biggest challenge right now is the terrain.

It's very hilly. It's very difficult to access. Winds fueling the flames and causing these firewalls to rise in. the air as Mother Nature continues to create chaos for millions of Americans. Priscilla Thompson, NBC News. Tonight we're also hearing for the first time from an American Airlines passenger who was duct taped to his seat after allegedly becoming violent aboard a flight. But he told the judge he doesn't remember anything.

Here's NBC's Tom Costello. I have two screwdrivers and I don't know what happened. Court room audio obtained by the Baltimore banner of 67-year-old Arthur Lane Lundeene, saying he doesn't remember this moment at all. Relax. When passengers duct taped him to a seat as the pilot diverted their American Airlines Dallas to Newark flight to Baltimore, September 3rd. I don't remember landing.

I don't remember any of what happened. Arrested by police, Lundine told a Maryland judge the last thing he remembered was talking to a seatmate. He ended up throwing out the racial slurred, the N-word. throughout this first couple minutes of this starting to happen. Fellow passengers and crews say Lundin suddenly began yelling racist, anti-Semitic, and homophobic slurs, then attacked a fellow passenger and put his hands around his throat and started actually strangling him.

That's when passengers Richard Olenek and retired police officer Juan Machia jumped in using zip ties and duct tape provided by the flight crew. So it took the two of us together to work as a team to start to control him and subdue him. Appearing in court, Lundeen still seemed confused. I don't know how I got to Maryland. I was supposed to land in New Jersey. I came here because my middle daughter is moving apartments.

The Maryland State Attorney and Lundeen's attorney, both declining to comment tonight. Tom. Tom Costello for us, we have some grisly new details in the case of a Philadelphia House of Horrors. officials describing more disturbing images of women taken inside that disappeared. Valerie Castro has the latest. Tonight, a growing and gruesome mystery in Philadelphia, as police say at least five missing women are now linked to this home. Investigators first, zeroing in on the property in June following the arrest of Eugene

Horst during a traffic stop. They say search warrants executed at his house turning up urns with cremated human remains, containers of an unknown chemical substance, and more than a million pieces of. of digital evidence. Videos recovered from the property depicted Gabrielle Amarando and Maribel Friesis, unconscious inside the home. Both were previously reported missing. Their bodies have never been found. And today, police announcing more concerning images showing three other women. Using caution would appear to be, but they're unconscious and they're possibly that could be deceased. One video in particular catching the attention of investigators that shows Eugene's

father, Raymond Horsh, on camera with a woman. He puts a zip tie around her neck, and she becomes unconscious on that video, appear to be lifeless at that time. The elder Horsch also lived at the home and died last year at 82. He made movies and books with themes that were violent and sexually explicit. Some of this is play acting and some of it we believe could be real, but we're not there yet. Eugene Horsh is in federal custody on a weapons charge and for allegedly carrying fake federal credentials. Authorities say they have not seen him in the videos from the home reviewed so far. His attorney did not immediately respond to an NBC News request for comment today.

Valerie Castro, NBC News. All right, when we return in 60 seconds, the home aid accused of giving his patient bleach. You heard me right, the alarming investigation. Plus, the Russians accused of planning an assassination in Washington, D.C., the plot, straight out of a Cold War thriller. and NFL star Travis Kelsey falling victim in a Ponzi scheme worth millions. We'll tell you about it. We're back now with a caretaker behind bars after police say he gave a water bottle with bleach to his patient. Jesse Kirsch has more on the scene captured on camera.

You're watching a caretaker inside his client's home, allegedly pouring bleach into a water bottle. He pauses, adds more, and tells the client, The moment apparently caught on in-home surveillance footage from multiple angles posted on social media by family. A man seen walking to the home's laundry area, appearing to grab bleach and mix it with water, hidden from the victim's view. Police say 30-year-old Reginald Andre Wilson gave bleach to a physically and mentally handicapped victim who's unable to care for himself. And after drinking the water, the victim noticed it tasted like bleach, according to investigators, who say the victim's relative confronted. the caretaker, and he admitted to pouring bleach into the water. The disturbing incident happening in Lake Charles, Louisiana on Monday, the health care workers'

company writing on social media in part that it is deeply saddened to see what transpired, adding we immediately took action and removed the worker and transported the client to the ER to be evaluated. And tonight, Wilson is behind bars, facing multiple charges, including aggravated battery. Jesse Kirsch, NBC News. We're back in a moment with the multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme that even hit Chief Star Travis Kelsey, plus break and cut on camera and the dog who thought an intruder was a playmate. Stay with us.

We are back now with some stunning new details about an alleged assassination plot in our nation's capital. The Justice Department unsealing charges today against five suspects still at least. large accused of orchestrating a murder for hire plot against a prominent Russian dissident in Washington, D.C. this summer. The FBI says it disrupted the plot and that the three of the suspects were high-ranking members of Russian intelligence. Also tonight, back here at home, we're learning new details about a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme that even hit Travis Kelsey. The chief's tied in was among the high-profile victims mentioned in court. The undocumented immigrant behind the scheme will get 11 years in prison after defrauding investors out of more than 30.

$30 million. Now to San Diego and a home break-in caught on camera, the family's dog mistaking the intruder for a playmate, even bringing him a toy. Liz Kreutz picks it up from there. This is not your typical home break-in. This stranger caught on surveillance cameras hopping over this fence and then using a ladder to enter Dante Rowley's house on the second floor. But once inside, you can see the man just making himself at home,

taking off his shoes and shirt, eating snacks from the fridge, even taking a nap. You might assume he's all alone. But there, right under the dining table, is Nash, Raleigh's maybe too friendly golden retriever. Nash was not the greatest guard dog. We thought that he was going to be barking at people, and he did the exact opposite. Not once, not twice, but three different times, Nash simply brings the intruder a toy. Even as police arrived, he's unfazed. grabbing his toy to greet the officers.

The suspect tried to escape, but eventually was taken into custody. We just hope that he gets some help, honestly. As for Nash, he's clearly just here for the belly rubs. Liz Kreutz, NBC News. Nash is definitely not a guard dog. All right, when we come back tonight here on nightly news, the tributes pouring in for our NBC Los Angeles family, why the people who knew them best say they were a team in the sky.

That's next. Finally tonight, we want to take a moment to remember the colleagues we lost in that tragic helicopter crash. Ileana and George were dedicated journalists covering some of the most important stories in Los Angeles. We close tonight with their friends and colleagues who knew them best. They just loved what they did. And together, they were magic in the sky. Their job was to help us understand from above what was happening down below. There we are seeing a lot of active flame.

These were two professionals at the top of their games. They loved what they did. They loved the work. They were a team in the sky. Officers are going to get in position here to try to take this guy into custody. Can't tell you how many times we're in a chase, and she says, my pilot, George Marciano is going to position ourselves so we can see this better. George loved flying.

He took pictures, the most beautiful pictures from his bird. They loved flying together. They love their jobs. And they knew the risks and they took those risks for us, for our viewers, you know, every day. So this is where I can see the streets when we're on a pursuit. She was so delighted to share, you know, her love of her helicopter and flying in the skies and serving Los Angeles. She's the gold standard in this market and a gold standard as a person. And she did it in two languages.

She just had that bright smile, the red lipstick. That was just her thing. They were just partners. We are a family here, and we are grieving her and George, and our viewers are too. And we're going to go through this journey together. Eliana Morano and George Marcono will be missed so very dearly. They were both extraordinarily talented people, and we will miss them. And we are thinking and praying for their families and our colleagues in Los Angeles tonight.

That's nightly news for this Wednesday. I'm Tom Yamas. We thank you so much for watching tonight and always. We're here for you. Good night.