Top Story with Tom Llamas - Thursday, February 27, 2025

Episode Date: February 28, 2025

Tonight's Top Story has the latest breaking news, political headlines, news from overseas and the best NBC News reporting from across the country and around the world.

Tonight, the mystery surrounding the tragic death of legendary actor Gene Hackman. The investigation now underway after the Oscar winner was found dead in his Santa Fe home, alongside his wife and their dog. We have new details tonight, as police say they aren't ruling out foul play. We'll talk to the mayor about the grizzly discovery. Also tonight, the president and the prime minister. President Trump meeting with the UK's Kier Starmer to discuss a potential Ukraine-Russia peace deal. What President Trump is now saying about the land Russia seized from Ukraine as our Lester Holt goes one-on-one with the British leader.

Will the Menendez brothers be released? Their family now applying new pressure after California Governor Gavin Newsom took a step toward possibly commuting their sentence. A cousin close to the brothers joins Top Story tonight. We'll ask how they're feeling about being possibly released. Teenage serial killer, police revealing chilling new details about how a 17-year-old allegedly killed multiple people at random in Chicago, the evidence police used to piece the case together. Chinese supercarriers are new reporting tonight. The satellite images that experts believe show China's military is taking a giant new step towards competing with the U.S. for military supremacy. Are they building a new supercarrier? And the moment in Ohio, a school bus erupts into flames with more than a dozen kids on board, the quick thinking of the bus driver that saved lives. Plus, the celebrity space race ready for takeoff, which stars are now headed for the stars.

Top story starts right now. And good evening, I'm Tom Yamas. Tonight questions are mounting after Hollywood icon Gene Hackman, and his wife were found dead in their New Mexico home. Police say 95-year-old Hackman and 64-year-old Betsy Arakawa had both been deceased for quite a while when their bodies were discovered yesterday afternoon. The investigation still in its early stages, but here's what we know tonight. Police say it appears Arakewa died first, and she was Hackman's main caretaker.

Hackman was found in the mudroom with a cane nearby, and there was a bottle of spilled pills in the home. Two dogs were alive, but one was dead, found inside of a crate. As their deaths remained shrouded in mystery, his life and career immortalized in more than 40 years in film. He's known for his roles in films like The French Connection, The Conversation, Unforgiven, The Firm, and Hoosiers, earning him the title, as one of the hardest working men in show business. The tributes are pouring in from other Hollywood legends. Francis Ford Coppola, Morgan Freeman, and Clint Eastwood remembering Hackman as magnificent, incredibly gifted, and a dear friend. We're going to have more on his amazing career later in the show. But first, we start with NBC's Dana Griffin, who has the latest on this investigation in New Mexico tonight.

Tonight, chilling new details in the death of legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife of 34 years, Betsy Arakawa. You know, all I can say is they have been deceased for quite a while. Their bodies found Wednesday afternoon after a groundskeeper called 911 after arriving at their Santa Fe, New Mexico home and seeing them through a window. Are they moving at all? No, dude, they're not moving. Just bring somebody out here really quick. Authorities are investigating the deaths as suspicious, but have already ruled out a carbon monoxide leak and say there were no obvious signs of foul play. There was no indication of a struggle. There was no indication of anything that was missing from the home or, disturbed. When deputies arrived, they located the body of Hackman's 65-year-old wife in a bathroom

located near the front door, which was open, according to the warrant. Officers noted an orange bottle of prescription pills scattered on the countertop and a space heater near her head, which detectives say could indicate she fell abruptly to the ground. 95-year-old Hackman was found dead in a mudroom near the kitchen, according to the warrant. It states his cane was next to him, indicating he may have fallen and was unable to get up. also found the couple's German Shepherd dead in her crate. The warrant says both Jean and Betsy's bodies showed signs of decomposition. This is an investigation, so we're keeping everything on the table.

I think the autopsy is going to tell us a lot. Okay, Dana Griffin joins us tonight from Santa Fe. Dana, we just heard it there, right? They're keeping everything on the table. What more do we know about the investigation into Hackman's death? Well, Tom, we know that they have completed a preliminary autopsy, And they are waiting for official results from that autopsy and toxicology. They think this is going to help them to determine exactly what caused their deaths.

And as you mentioned, they say this is an ongoing investigation. So they are looking at everything. They are taking some items out of the home to try to see if there could be any connection to possibly anything else. But as you mentioned, no foul play at this time. We have heard from the Hackman family releasing a statement. They say that the two will be sorely missed and they are devastated. by the sloss. Tom?

Dana Griffin joins us tonight from Los Angeles. Dana, we thank you so much for being there. For more on the response to Gene Hackman and his wife's death. I'm joined tonight by Santa Fe Mayor Alan Weber. Mayor Weber, we thank you for joining the broadcast tonight. I know this is a sad time for your community. I do want to start with Gene Hackman's legacy in Santa Fe. What can you tell our viewers about why he chose to live there

and how the community is remembering him tonight? Yeah, thanks for remembering him with us. You know, I think the town of Santa Fe is a great place for people to come who may be global icons, huge stars, but when they are here in Santa Fe, they're just part of the community in a good way. Gene Hackman is remembered as somebody who fit in. He was gracious. He was friendly. He treated everybody well and with graciousness and respect. The same with Betsy. These are two people. who have huge, huge talent, gifts, global reputations, and yet here in Santa Fe, they're just down-to-earth people, part of the community. And I think that's part of what made Santa Fe attractive to them, that you could have your own business, you could have a company, you could have a restaurant, you could fit in, you can go out to dinner as part of our arts and culture community,

and feel welcome and not harassed or hounded by people looking out for celebrity. And that's part of Santa Fe's charm. You know, so many people feel a connection to Gene Hackman because he was such a great movie star, such a great actor. He made great films. But the community there in Santa Fe obviously had a closer bond because of everything you

just said. How is the community taking this loss tonight? It's tough. It's pretty much the talk of the town. A lot of people are remembering him. They had different ways of connecting with him and his wife, whether it was seeing him in restaurants, seeing him in restaurants,

that was their favorite haunt, going to Betsy's shop, seeing Gene Hackman out and about. And people just felt they were part of us. And everybody's got a favorite story, a favorite memory, a huge amount of fondness and affection for both of them and a sense of community loss in a town that really has a lot of film and arts and culture stars. They were down-to-earth members of Santa Fe's community, and they're going to be remembered that way.

And I think we'll continue to talk about how gracious and graceful they were as part of the Santa Fe community. Death is never easy. This case, your law enforcement calling it, quote, suspicious. You guys don't think there's a criminal element. I know there's not a lot you can share about the investigation. Is there anything for certain you can tell our viewers who are, fans who, you know, loved Gene Hackman. You guys certain it wasn't a crime here. Well, the county sheriff is in charge of the investigation. City Fire was the first on the scene. And from everything I'm being told, they're still sifting through the evidence. And you heard about the early autopsy having been done. Until that work is completed, I think we're all just

going to be shaking our heads and wondering how this happened and focusing more on the loss than the cause just like the rest of the country okay mayor we thank you for your time tonight we thank you for joining top story thank you thanks very much we're gonna have much more on jean hackman's life and legacy later in the broadcasts we do want to turn out of politics in the high stakes meeting in washington between president trump and british prime minister keir starmer the two world leaders holding critical talks on ukraine ahead of president zalinski's white house visit tomorrow mbc's lester holt sat down with the prime minister and spoke with him about comments President Trump has made on Russia's President Putin and the future of the EU. Tonight, President Trump and British Prime Minister Kier Starrmer reaffirming the country's enduring special relationship. In a moment of real danger around the world, the relationship, this relationship matters more than ever. A high-stakes meeting as talk start to end the war in Ukraine. President Trump saying he's confident any deal with Russia's President Putin will last. I don't believe he's going to violate his word.

You know, it's trust and verify, let's call it that. And he was asked, can he get back Ukrainian territory that Russia seized? A lot of the sea line has been taken. We're going to see if we can get it back or get a lot of it back for Ukraine, if that's possible. While also expressing some doubt, President Trump saying Ukraine's President Zelensky will come to the White House tomorrow to sign a deal giving the U.S. access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals to pay back the U.S. for billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine.

And the president was pressed about his previous comments calling Zelensky a dictator. Do you still think that Mr. Zelensky is a dictator? Did I say that? I can't believe I said that. Next question. Hello. Prime Minister, how are you? We spoke with the Prime Minister moments after that White House meeting. If I understand President Trump correctly, he says, let's do a peace deal regarding Ukraine first and then come back and visit the area of security guarantees. That doesn't sound like what you came here to tell him.

Well, let me first start by saying that President Trump has changed the conversation on Ukraine. And so it's created this opportunity, and we all hope that that deal is forthcoming. What's most important, I think, is that it's a lasting deal. that it's not just a temporary pause. And to be lasting, it's important that the deal is defended, that Putin knows he can't go again. And that's why I've been concerned to ensure that on the European side, all countries, including the United Kingdom, step up.

And I've said that we are willing to play our full part in any security guarantees. And obviously, talking to the president about what that might look like. You said in a news conference today that you're all. all in, that you're ready to go to put boots on the ground. What's your larger message about what the UK is willing to do and advance forward in the name of peace? The first element is a wider argument, which is that Europe and the United Kingdom need to do more in our own defense.

And that's why this week I announced the biggest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War. That's the macro argument about the defense of the continent. In relation to Ukraine, I do think that it's important that European countries play a leading part in any security guarantees. And that's why I've said that the UK would put boots on the ground if necessary. The President speaks positively of Russia, of Vladimir Putin. He's the one that ultimately he'll have to negotiate with.

Do you trust Vladimir Putin as a good faith bargainer? Well, look, I think President Trump is quite right to have brought the these proceedings to talks because we've had three long years now. There have been many, many people killed and injured in this. I was in Kiev just a few weeks ago and I was in the burns unit of a hospital. I saw firsthand the human scars that those on the front line and actually civilians are bearing. So we need this piece. My concern is that we know historically that Putin might go again.

Sounds like you don't trust him. Well, look, I mean, I think that he has ambitions. I think he will go again, and I've made my views on President Putin pretty clear on a number of occasions. And Lester joins us live now, fresh off that interview there in Washington. Lester, you know, I kind of know, or at least I think I know where you were going with those questions. Do you believe, from talking to the prime minister, that he believes President Trump will get the deal done with Ukraine and NATO? I think he's bullish. I think that's the word I would use. You know, he talked about the fact that President Trump has really kind of brought this conversation back into the forefront, the conversation of peace in Ukraine.

So I think he's giving him credit there. He downplayed to a certain extent some of the differences between how they reach a place where Russia is no longer a threat, that it would abide by whatever is negotiated. But I think his whole point right now is that this is in play. This is a conversation that's happening. lets everyone move. He plans to meet with European allies very soon to talk about, you know, beefing up their militaries and the role that they might play in a peace deal. You know, your interview and the news conference that preceded it are really the first times Americans are seeing this new prime minister from the U.K. He's quite the diplomat. He was able to sort of have some tough talk, but also compliment the president,

the president calling him a tough negotiator as well and laughing throughout that news conference. What is your sense here, the sort of the relationship between these two world leaders? Well, he's certainly a gifted politician and a gifted leader. I think one of the interesting things was how he set the table for this trip. If you think about it, the UK announced he announced only a, it seems like a few days ago, that the UK would spend 2.5% of its GDP in its own defense. That, of course, has been a big issue for President Trump. And then he comes today, hand-carrying a invitation from King.

Charles for a state visit. This would be a rare second state visit for a leader in this case. So he certainly laid a foundation of goodwill and trust. And I think that might have really set the tone in a big way today. Lester Holt with that big interview for us tonight. Lester, we thank you for joining the show. Breaking late tonight, a federal judge ordering the Trump administration to rescind a memo that directed the mass firing of probationary employees, which are workers in the first or second year of their jobs. The judge ruling that the memo issued by the Office of Personnel Management was likely illegal. The ruling tonight does not reinstate dismissed employees, but it will prevent future firings from taking place.

And NBC News tonight has another big exclusive interview, this time with President Trump's Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy. The administration under fire after a recent slew of aviation crashes and closed calls. Tonight, the secretary announcing new measures that he says will make flying safer, and it starts with increasing the number of air traffic controllers. Here's Tom Costello with that interview. It's great to be here. On his first visit to the FAA's Air Traffic Control Academy in Oklahoma City. He's coming to the other runway.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy got a hands-on look at the high-stakes training to become a controller. Runway 2-8 left, cleared the land. His visit comes as the NTSB and FAA are investigating a string of aviation crashes and close calls. In Washington, D.C., Nome, Alaska. Toronto, and this week's close call on the runway at Chicago Midway Airport. I thought it's 2.504 going around. Is there anything that connects them or is it the possibility of human error? They're all very unique.

But I do think in all of them, and again, not exclusively, not 100 percent, but a majority probably of the airs go to the pilots, right? There's some pilot air at play in each of these incidents. The NTSB chair says it appears the private jet pilot who taxied in front of a southwest plane had failed to follow controller instructions to hold and wait. FlexJet, the owner of the company, says it's conducting its own investigation. Any action to rectify and ensure the highest safety standards will be taken. Your message after the midway incident was, if you don't listen to or don't adhere to air traffic control, your pilot's license should be yanked. Hell yes.

And says Duffy, Congress will need. to spend billions very soon to upgrade America's antiquated ATC technology. If this takes four years or five years, it won't happen. And then if it fails and people get hurt or people die, everyone's going to be disappointed. Meanwhile, the FAA is still short some three to four thousand controllers and struggling to hire and train enough to replace those who leave. The academy is not easy. Thirty-five percent of the students here quit, fail, or wash out. Another 20% wash out once they're on the job. It's a stressful job, but you also need to be able to control your nerves.

After hearing from students, Duffy today announced steps to attract what he calls the best and brightest. Fast-tracking students with the highest application test scores, accelerating the hiring process, and a 30% pay hike for Academy students. A hundred and sixty grand a year, three years after you graduate. Come on, it's a So young people, check it out. All right, we thank Tom Costello for that. Next tonight to President Trump's immigration crackdown. Just over five weeks into his second term,

Trump made ramping up border enforcement a signature campaign promise. And tonight, the Department of Homeland Security is touting new immigration arrest numbers. Here they are. DHS announcing they've arrested more than 20,000 undocumented immigrants in just one month. That totaled more than 100% higher than the average monthly arrest under 4,000. former President Biden during fiscal year, 2024. And the Trump team signaling they're just getting started, revealing plans to reopen Delaney Hall in Immigration Detention Center in Newark

with a 1,000-bed capacity. It's the first to open during his second term, and it's six times larger than the other facilities in the Garden State. The new moves come after Trump's reported frustration with the rate at which his government is deporting undocumented immigrants. Just last week, the administration demoted the acting director of ICE, Caleb Betelho. Yet questions are growing tonight about who they are targeting. President Trump and his allies have promised to prioritize migrants with prior criminal histories,

but detention data obtained by NBC News shows more than 1,800 migrants without a criminal conviction or pending charges have also been detained. And tonight another battlefront is emerging in the fight over immigration, schools. Oklahoma is one of several states considering requiring proof of citizenship for all public school students. Our Gabe Gutierrez spoke to the state's Republican governor now waiting into the debate saying the policy turns pupils into political ponds. After weeks of protests, today to suspend all activity related to immigration. A contentious school board meeting. Why is this board to say to God that people or children are trash?

We're standing up with you and so glad you're standing with President Trump. Last month, state board members here approved the proposal that would require public school districts in Oklahoma to ask parents for proof of citizenship before enrolling their kids. Ryan Walters is the state superintendent and a staunch supporter of President Trump. Do you believe that local and state officials should help enforce federal immigration law? Absolutely. They should be following every order, every director from the Trump administration. A landmark 1982 Supreme Court decision held that children are entitled to public education, regardless of their immigration status. But in addition to Oklahoma, at least four other states have seen measures introduced in their

legislatures trying to restrict undocumented children from attending public school or that would require proof of citizenship. Are you scared? This woman in Oklahoma City is undocumented and asked us to conceal her face. She says every child should have the opportunity to go to class, but she's now terrified of her son being rounded up. Walters, the superintendent, is now facing backlash from within his own party. Do you support it?

You know, no, I don't. Governor Kevin Stitt, a Republican who says he supports Trump's immigration policies, argues Walters is going too far. I've never heard President Trump say, I'm going to go pick on kids. I've heard him talk about criminal elements and get him out of our country. All right, Gabe Gutierrez joins us tonight live from Oklahoma City. So Gabe, what are the next steps here for this proposal and has President Trump weighed in? Hi there, Tom. Well, this proposal is now set to go before the Republican-controlled legislature here. But even if lawmakers do sign off on it, the governor, who we just spoke to, says that he will veto it.

As for President Trump weighing in, he hasn't weighed in on this specific proposal, but I have been speaking with White House officials who say that sweeping executive order at this time does not apply to school lunches for undocumented kids. But this is certainly an issue that will be debated in the months to come. Yeah, and if this happens in other parts of the country, we know the governor has that veto power there. But given the fact that the Trump administration has been challenged legally for trying to conduct enforcement in sensitive locations, whether they be schools or hospitals or churches, has there been other legal pushback? Well, certainly, Tom. When it comes to immigration, there is almost always legal pushback. But I mentioned in the story that, you know, this all goes back to that 1982 Supreme Court decision. and we expect there to be legal challenges here and some of these Republicans,

including the state superintendent here, he expects this case and others like it to go all the way to the Supreme Court, Tom. All right, Gabe Gutier is there for us in Oklahoma City where this is all happening. Thanks, Gabe. Still ahead tonight, new developments in the Menendez Brothers case.

The action the California governor is taking and their legal team trying to cut their sentences short, one of their cousins joins us live in a moment with how the brothers are reacting to the news. Plus, Chicago police say a serial killer had stalked their streets, killing multiple people. More chilling, he was just 17 years old, how they caught him.

And another state now seen measles cases. What do you need to know? Stay with us. Top story. Just getting started on this Thursday night. We're back now with the latest in the Menendez Brothers case. California Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday ordering a risk assessment in the event Eric and Lyle Menendez are released,

in addition to Wayne, a commutation application for the two men convicted of killing their parents back in 1989. Newsom's saying there is, quote, no guarantee of an outcome, but the Menendez family saying they are beyond thrilled at the news. For more on these developments, I do want to bring in Eric and Lyle's first cousin, Anna Maria Berault. Anna Maria, we thank you for joining Top Story tonight. When was the last time the family spoke to Lyle and Eric, and where are their minds right now?

Are they hopeful? First of all, thank you so much for having me. And we speak to them all the time. We're in constant contact with Lyle and Eric. And they are cautiously optimistic as all of us are. I do want to stress that the governor's office was very clear that there are no guarantees in this process. And this is a really rigorous process that they use

in order to evaluate risk. But we are hopeful, and so are they. If they were to be released, what would their life be like outside of prison? That is hard to see. I mean, it's really interesting because they, of course, are not celebrities, and yet they are so well-known. So I hope that they will be able to have some sort of privacy when they are if and when they are released. I do know that they are very anxious to continue their work.

They're very passionate about getting the voices of survivors out there and to take away the shame and stigma of those who have been abused in their lives and who have childhood trauma. So your family is looking at three separate avenues for re-examining this case. right? There's the commutation of the sentence, a resentencing, and then a new trial. The Los Angeles DA has already rejected the idea of a new trial. Of the avenues left, what do you see is the best chance for your cousins to be released? Well, I want to push back a little bit, and that he doesn't have the power to deny the habeas petition, right? He came out, the district attorney's office came out in opposition of it. That doesn't mean that that goes away.

The Lyle and Eric's attorneys will still be able to argue. in front of a judge for the habeas petition. So I don't want to take that off the table. Okay. As far as the resentencing versus the clemency, I am actually not sure how those pieces fit together now that the governor has involved himself. I don't know whether it will usurp the resentencing process.

That would be a question for the legal team, but hopefully something is going to get them out. That's all we know. You know, as we mentioned, and you sort of alluded to there, the L.A. County DA, Nathan Hockman, has asked the court to reject the brother's newest petition for a new trial in their murder case. That's a little different from the commutation. He's citing issues with the alleged new evidence in the case, specifically the ones of sexual abuse against Lyle and Eric's father. Your family has called that decision, quote, an abhorrent dismissal of abuse evidence.

What's your response to the decision? Well, again, it's his position. It is, it was pretty alarming to see him just out of him. and dismiss the letter that was written by Eric to Andy. I know that that's real. And so for him to just dismiss it out of hand was pretty alarming. It was also alarming to see him dismiss the testimony

of the accounts of Roy Rosella, who was an entirely different third party who came in and corroborated that kind of behavior. So I'm not sure what made him come to those conclusions. But again, those are things for the lawyers to argue in front of a judge. You know, you spoke a little bit about the governor. Are you optimistic after hearing him on that podcast?

I mean, how do you guys interpret what he was saying? Cautiously optimistic, for sure. In our family, we tend to temper hope a little bit. This has been a 35-year journey for us. But we are so encouraged simply that he is stepping in and that he is taking a look and that he is showing leadership and courage in order to. to move things forward.

And we're very grateful. And if you look at the components of what it takes for risk assessment, what that looks like, that's pretty hopeful for us, because Lio and Eric have done the work. They have educated themselves. They have gone through the programs. They have really led tremendous lives of purpose for decades.

Before you go, and I do have to ask you this, because I think there's going to be viewers out there who maybe don't follow this case as closely as others have had. But for people who sort of know this at the surface level, and they say, these two brothers killed their parents in cold blood and have been in prison for it and were convicted of it. Why should they be released? What do you say to those people?

For one thing, I want to remind anybody in that position that Lyle and Eric, if they were released today, are not getting away with anything. They have spent 35 years incarcerated. I would also urge them to understand that we have evolved as a culture to understand the effects. of trauma, of childhood trauma, and on the effects of the brain and on the effects of actions

related to that trauma. I would also encourage them to look at what they have done, what they have done with their lives. They were youthful offenders, right? The law in California now understands that people under the age of 26, their brains have not fully formed and that they act in ways that are not fully formed adults. So if they were, if that law had been in place when they were sentence, they would have been out. Anna Maria Barralt, cousin of both Eric and Lyle Menendez. We're going to be talking to you in the future on any developments that happened with your cousin's case.

We thank you for being here tonight. Thank you for having me. We want to turn now to some chilling new details of an alleged teenage serial killer in Chicago. Police said they've now connected the suspect who was first arrested for a shooting in 2020 to six killings and several attempted murders. His victims apparently randomly selected. See Shaquille Brewster reports.

Tonight, Chicago police detailing how they connected a string of six murders in 2020 to an alleged teen serial killer. It's difficult to comprehend how anyone could easily take someone's life, and especially so many in one year. Authorities say Antonio Reyes, who was just 17 at the time, was put behind bars in December 2020 for a shooting that took place in June of that year. Investigators recovered and processed the weapon, and they say found casings matching that weapon to other seemingly random shootings. None of these people had ever met Antonio Reyes before, and there's no reason to suspect Antonio Reyes had any reason to target them. Reyes allegedly targeting victims who prosecutors say were just going about their daily lives. One victim was killed when he went to the gas station to buy a pop early one evening. Another victim was sitting in a parked car with a friend on Palm Sunday.

afternoon when he was shot and killed. Another victim's only crime was taking his family to buy a new puppy one afternoon. Police say Reyes had a fairly significant social media footprint that they used to connect him with the shooting of 26-year-old Luis Davalos Garcia that led to his initial arrest. Garcia's father, also named Luis, said his son was working hard to make something of himself. He went out there and, you know, hustle for. what he wanted. He always, he had this gift, was able to talk to people and become friends instantly. His family still reeling. Heartbroken. That hasn't changed at all. Me and my wife

are devastated and there's not a day that passes that we don't remember our son. Many of Reyes's other alleged victims, young men ranging from six. 16 to 30 years old. Reyes facing attempted murder charges for some even younger. Three attempted murder charges are for children between the ages of three and nine. And while behind bars, prosecutors say the violence has continued. He allegedly tried to kill his cellmate with a shank and has charges pending there as well. After Reyes' initial 2020 arrests, the Chicago Tribune reported his attorney argued there was no video of the shooter's face and dismissed a social media video of him with the gun, saying there was no way to know if it was

the murder weapon. He's pleaded not guilty in that case. Court records for that case were not immediately available, but it appears the case remains open. Reyes has pled not guilty to all charges. An attorney for him could not immediately be reached for comment. It's a good day, but, you know, it's a, it's a bitter, sweet situation. Justice will be served, and that is a good thing. But we have a lot more work to do. Those poor family members, Shaq Brewster joins us now from Chicago. Shaq, you know, at the top of your story there, you said these murders happened in 2020. Do we know why it took five years to sort of link all these murders to one man? You know, Tom, investigators didn't explain the time that it took, but they did say that

detectives worked, quote, tirelessly to come to answers to this case. It was clear that they were clearly trying to build this case together. They not only had video evidence, they had that that weapon that was recovered in 2020. They had witnesses and tips that they say they got from members of the community. And they also said that social media was a key part to this case. When you look back at the initial shooting that took place in 2020, it was the reason why the suspect was behind bars in the first place. In some court hearings, you heard prosecutors mentioned that there was a video that showed

the suspect with a gun. His attorneys say that there was no way to link that gun to the actual murder that took place. But that was a crucial part of linking the suspect to the timing of at least one of the shootings. Investigators say, but, you know, many of these families saying that they've been waiting for updates, waiting for answers on the shootings, on the murders of their loved ones for many years now. And they're at least relieved to get some answers and some clarity on what happened. Tom? Shaq Brewster for us from Chicago.

Shaq, we thank you for that. Coming up next, China's new military might. The images of the mysterious Navy ship China is building are new reporting from Kier Simmons that it could be a nuclear-powered supercarrier to rival anything in America's Navy. The pictures coming up and the new celebrity space race, the famous names, now set to launch into space. Stay with us. We're back now with Top Stories News. And tonight, controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan are back in the U.S.

The brothers who face numerous charges, including sex trafficking and rape in Romania, landed in Fort Lauderdale today after Romanian prosecutors lifted a travel ban. The Tates have denied all allegations of wrongdoing, but today, Governor Ron DeSantis says he was not aware they were coming. The reality is, no, Florida is not a place where you're welcome with that, with those, that type of conduct in the air. And I don't know how it came to this. We were not involved.

We were not notified. Florida's attorney general says he is launching a preliminary investigation into the brothers. And an update on the deadly measles outbreak, Kentucky, the latest state with a reported case, 145 people now sickened across several states, nine of them, including three in three new cases in New Jersey. In almost all cases, all the states, the people are unvaccinated. According to local health officials, the epicenter remains in West Texas where one child has died. Some A-less celebrities getting into the space race set to join an all-female crude spaceflight. Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin announcing Katie Perry, Gail King, and Bezos's fiancé, Lauren Sanchez, will be on its next space flight.

They'll be joined by a former NASA engineer, a research scientist, and a film producer. No official date on takeoff, but it will be sometime this spring. And a big change could be coming to Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. Sony says it's shopping around for the highest streaming bidder to air the two popular game shows which still draw on roughly 7 million viewers each a night, according to Nielsen. Sony says starting in September, the streamer would be able to air new episodes the day after their first run and air simultaneously when syndication rights expire in 2028. Okay, we want to move now to China, rapidly expanding military capability.

NBC News obtained satellite imagery that may show the country is building nuclear-powered supercarriers matching the U.S.'s most advanced aircraft carrier technology. The Chinese embassy in Washington telling top story late tonight that China has always adhered to the strategy of self-defense and does not engage in an arms race with any other country. But as our chief international correspondent, Keir Simmons reports, many experts see this latest development as a looming threat. As China increasingly rivals American sea power, this, its latest aircraft carrier, the type 003, also called the Fujian. Tonight, there are new satellite images that analysts believe show an engineering prototype for an aircraft carrier. The configuration does not match the Fujian or any other Chinese carrier.

Analysts say that suggests that China is moving forward with efforts to build a nuclear-powered supercarrier. We think this is stem testing equipment and layouts for the upcoming type 04 carrier. The image is taken between April and January at Daly and shipyards in northeast China. NBC News spoke to five experts with a deep understanding of the Chinese military, all assessing these two tracks, which appeared to be the catapult launch system for aircraft, are a distinctive sign that China is beginning to move forward with the construction of a superiors. The current carrier, the type 03, has three electromagnetic catapults, two up front and one at the waist.

The general consensus is that their new carrier will have four catapults like the, like the Gerald Ford and other U.S. carriers. So it will have two up front and two at the waist. A nuclear supercarrier would match America's latest generation of aircraft carriers, the Gerald Ford class, enabling China to project power across the Pacific and closer to America. China flexing its muscles again this week, renewing live fire drills around Taiwan. And a recent Department of Defense report estimated China's defense budget is 40 to 90 percent more than it publicly admits. That would match U.S. defense spending in 2024. The Trump administration makes no secret that it sees China as a priority.

The Secretary of Defense telling NATO leaders, they should shoulder more of the security burden in Europe to free up US firepower, saying, We also face a peer competitor in the communist Chinese with the capability and intent to threaten our homeland and core national interests in the Indo-Pacific. The US is prioritizing deterring war with China in the Pacific. China already has a larger navy than the United States

and is matching many of America's technological advances. advances and in some ways surpassing them. This small carrier is unlike any ship in any other navy. Some experts believe it is the world's first bespoke drone carrier. One purpose for its naval capability, Beijing says, to protect China's expanded trade links. For example, in 2023, NBC News visited a massive new civilian port in Peru. Could we one day see a ship from the People's Liberation Navy dock in this port? Well, this port is oriented to commercial activities.

But China's determination to dominate the Pacific sits more than uncomfortably with America's long-standing role there. Experts say these new images suggest China's first nuclear supercarrier is a long way off, perhaps five years away or more. The U.S. still has time for that long-talked-about pivot to Asia and for diplomacy. And with that, Kier Simmons joins Top Story tonight. So, Keir, what is China saying about why it's escalating their defense capabilities? Well, Tom, China has accused the U.S. of, quote, provocations and has warned of a conflict caused by American actions.

President Xi has said he aims to defend territorial sovereignty and to protect stability. But, Tom, here is a truism in defense thinking that hopefully doesn't apply here. Here. One side may think it is taking defensive actions. The other side may think those actions are equally offensive, and that's how two sides can stumble into conflict. And Keir, as you report on this buildup from China, here in the U.S., there's been so much coverage, especially here on Top Story, about what's happening with Elon Musk and the new Trump administration and Doge and trying to cut out government waste and government spending. Is that hitting the Pentagon and our direct military spending when it comes to aircraft carriers,

and or weaponry. Yeah, look, Doge is looking at defense spending, but compared with the amount of defense spending, well, it may be kind of a drop in the ocean. I mean, stand by some mind-bending numbers, Tom. The U.S. spends almost a trillion dollars on defense. U.S. debt is 36 trillion dollars, and so that is putting a limit on how much more the U.S. can spend, and it has to be approved by Congress. So here's what the Trump administration is trying to do,

and here's why it's so difficult. It's trying to manage the crisis in the Middle East. It's trying to tackle the Ukraine-Russia conflict. And at the same time, it is trying to cut defense spending or rationalize, if you like, while turning and facing the challenge of China. It is an enormous challenge, Tom. Keir Simmons for us tonight.

We thank you for all your reporting. We do want to stay abroad and get a check of what else has happened. around the world with Top Story's Global Watch. We start with President Trump saying he will revoke a deal that allows Venezuela to export oil to the U.S. despite sanctions. The license allowed Chevron to export Venezuelan crude oil, which accounts for nearly a quarter of Venezuelan oil exports. Trump canceling the Biden-era license because he says Venezuela had not met electoral conditions and was not accepting migrants fast enough.

South Korean officials say North Korea appears to have sent even more troops to Russia. Officials reporting more troops were sent after North Korean troops suffered heavy losses on the front lines. 10 to 12,000 troops arrived in Russia last fall. However, it's unclear how many more were sent this time. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy says that Ukrainian troops encounter North Korean troops during a skirmish in Kersk earlier this month. And in the Middle East, at least 13 people were injured when a bus rammed into civilians waiting at a bus stop in Pardez-Hanna-Karker, in northern Israel. Israeli police say the attacker was a Palestinian from the West Bank who was married to an Israeli citizen.

Police reporting the suspect deliberately targeted civilians in that attack. One of the victims, a 17-year-old girl, was critically injured and is now sedated and ventilated, according to Israeli emergency services. Okay, coming up next, the terrifying moments in Cleveland. Look at this, a school bus going up in flames with 15 middle school students inside, how the driver of that bus saved their lives.

We are back now with scary video out of Ohio. A bus carrying more than a dozen students engulfed in flames on its morning route. The driver now being called a hero for their quick thinking. NBC's Maggie Vespa picks it up from there. Heart stopping video of a near tragedy in Ohio. This is going to be a bus vehicle on fire, unsure if it is occupied. Showing massive flames and black smoke. engulfing a Cleveland Heights school bus during its morning run to a local middle school.

The district confirming there were 15 students on board. Every child is accounted for. Every child's off the bus. Firefighters hailing the bus's driver for acting quickly and getting everyone out safely. It's just a blessing that the kids got on alive. Witnesses saying they heard a loud explosion. I saw the girl waiting for the bus. Two to three minutes later, I hit her big boom. City officials telling NBC News, the fire.

appears to have been caused by a mechanical issue, with the superintendent saying in a letter to parents, flames broke out behind one of the rear wheels. The exact cause under investigation. After about five minutes, it was all engulfed in flame and it was just unbelievable. This report from Ohio State Highway Patrol confirms the bus just passed its annual mandatory inspection on February 14th. The superintendent noting the entire fleet is now being re-inspected out of an abundance of caution. She writes the driver who, who's asking not to be identified, credited annual evacuation drills for getting students out safely, adding, I can't express how relieved I am that no one was hurt. Maggie Vespa, NBC News. When we come back, look back at the life and legacy of Gene Hackman. Hollywood's humble every man whose star was larger than life. Finally tonight, we covered the investigation to the mysterious death of Gene Hackman and his wife at the top of the broadcast.

But before we go, we do want to remember his amazing legacy. He was Hollywood's favorite every man whose humility could never quite dim his stardom, lending his gritty, hard-nosed demeanor to iconic roles like Popeye Doyle in the French Connection and his light-hearted comedic chops

to films like the Royal Tennebombs. Now NBC's Gotti Schwartz looks back at the life and legacy of one of America's most celebrated actors who never considered himself a movie star. If the car chase scene in the French connection set the gold standard for all Hollywood chases to follow, then it's star Gene Hackman has come to define what a true actor is. With the uncanny ability to vanish into any role, Hackman drew from within to put nuance into

all the tough guy roles he portrayed. You got a stupid smile, you know that, pal. Can you see it? A child of a broken home who lied about his age so he could join the Marines, Hackman worked many odd jobs, all to finance auditions. Every day was like a new challenge. It was going out and trying to get that job and doing those auditions, and I loved it. Kicked out of the Pasadena Playhouse, it wasn't until Hackman was 36, playing the simple-minded

Buck Barrow and Bonnie and Clyde, when Hollywood took notice. I want to hear it. Come on. Yes, you've been there, right? Soon after, his tough as nails good cop, Popeye Doyle and the French connection earned him his first Oscar. The prestige involved with an Oscar means that you have been in a couple of films that have made some money and that they can take a chance on it. In Hollywood, kept taking chances. Games real careful.

No hurry. And bam! Hackman won his second Oscar for playing a bad cop in 1992's Unforgiven. But he felt the tough guy roles never really pushed him. We were cast so close to type in films that, um, that, um, that, um, that he was. that you can only do so much within your own persona. I hope you're hungry. I could eat a horse.

Radish. Towards the end of his career, Hackman found he preferred comedy for the challenge. Comedy is harder. Because, you know, it isn't arbitrary. If they don't laugh, it doesn't work. The problem is, always shrugging off the label of movie star, but Hackman remained an actor in his own words.

I guess movie star is Robert Redford and Paul Newman and kind of guys that I idolized or visualized when I was a real young guy. Moving to Santa Fe after retiring, Hackman continued to work as a novelist publishing his fifth book in 2013, always letting his actions speak for him on the written page and the silver screen.

Gotti Schwartz, NBC News, Los Angeles. Gene Hackman was 95. We thank you for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yamerson, New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.