Top Story with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Episode Date: December 7, 2022

The Trump Organization convicted of criminal tax fraud, polls close in Georgia in the crucial Senate runoff, flu hospitalizations soar, investigators focusing on the events surrounding two of the Idaho students killed, Argentina's VP Cristina Fernández de Kirchner found guilty of corruption, and the elementary teacher sharing his passion of Latin dance with his students.

Tonight, breaking news, the Trump organization convicted of criminal tax fraud, a jury finding the company guilty on all 17 counts, including conspiracy and falsifying records. Prosecutors describing a 13-year scheme that let top executives get paid off the books, with the conviction means for the former president and his latest run for the White House. Also tonight, the midterm finale, polls closing in Georgia in that crucial Senate runoff, Can Democrat Raphael Warnock keep his seat, or will Republican Herschel Walker pull off a major GOP win? The results coming in at this hour. Flu hospital soaring more than 4,500 people already killed by the surging virus.

The new warning tonight from the CDC about vaccine fatigue, what you need to know to keep your family safe. Overseas China's COVID games. The country signaling some harsh lockdown rules could be lifted, but tonight, new video of a man dragged from his home by COVID workers and quarantine camps under construction painting a very different picture. Our team is on the ground joining us live tonight from Beijing. Investigators in Idaho still desperate for answers after the horrific murder of four college students last month, why they're now zeroing in on two of the victim's final hours. Plus the dramatic shootout at a police station in California, a suspect running towards officers,

brandishing a long gun, how that man was able to breach the secure parking lot, and political sucker punch, the former president of Albania, decked by a protester in the street, who he's accusing of orchestrating the attack. Top story starts right now. And good evening, guilty on all counts. We begin top story tonight with that late breaking news, the Trump organization, convicted on 17 counts in a tax fraud conspiracy that spanned more than a decade. The jury finding the organization guilty of every single charge of criminal tax fraud,

conspiracy, and falsifying records. The maximum penalty, $1.6 million. Prosecutors argued top executives like CFO Alan Weisselberg, you see them here, were paid under the table for years with perks like free apartments, expensive cars, even free private school tuition that they failed to. to pay taxes on. Weisselberg, who pled guilty to fraud earlier this year, then became one of the state's star witnesses. Donald Trump himself was not named in the case, but this verdict marks the first time a company he owns has been tried and convicted of a criminal

offense, and it comes, of course, just weeks after he launched his third run for the presidency. Garrett Haake, following all the late details, he leads us off tonight. Guilty on all counts. A Manhattan jury tonight, convicting two of former President Trump's family businesses on 17 counts, including conspiracy and criminal tax fraud, after fewer than 11 hours of deliberation. The case against the Trump organization reaching back more than a decade. This was a case about lying and cheated, false documents to the end of evading taxes for the individuals and the corporations. They've now been held accountable in a court of law. The verdict marking the first ever criminal conviction of one of former President Trump's companies.

The case centered around what prosecutors described as a sweeping 13-year tax fraud scheme by the Trump organization, with former Trump organization's CFO Alan Weisselberg, the star witness. Weisselberg, who pled guilty to tax evasion charges in exchange for a five-month sentence, received a rent-free apartment, expensive cars, and private school tuition for his grandchildren, all off the Trump organization's official books, so he did not pay taxes on them. Other executives were compensated with similar perks, prosecutors said. Many signed off on by former President Trump himself. Mr. Trump was not charged in the case.

The Trump organization pleaded not guilty, saying Weisselberg acted on his own. Tonight, the company says it will appeal. The trial comes just as Mr. Trump launched another bid for the White House. The former president regularly attacking the proceedings on his social media platform, saying New York's Democratic District Attorney was wasting time and money fighting a political witch hunt for D.C. against Trump over fringe benefits. All right, Garrett Hague joins us tonight from our Washington Bureau. So, Garrett, you were there, as the president announced his third run for the presidency at Marlago.

He's had a bit of a sloppy start, right, with things he's posted against the Constitution and meetings he's had with anti-Semite Kanye West and white supremacist Nick Fuentes. He built his 2016 campaign in part by selling the idea. that he was a successful businessman, right? A deal maker. Tonight, the reality from the court is that his company cheated and he's now been caught.

How do you think this plays into his 2024 run? Well, I had another problem, Tom. He could see his handpicked candidate in Georgia lose tonight. Look, this is clearly not the way that Donald Trump wanted to start his third presidential campaign. Although, his allies will say this,

that you cannot lose a campaign 700 days before the voters actually go vote. And they believe he's got the time to turn this around, especially with no other candidate getting into the field. And the way this campaign is shaping up, if more challengers are emboldened to get in, it's easier for him and his 25 or 30% of the Republican Party

to hold on tight and win amongst a divided field. Too early to count him out, but clearly, clearly not the first three weeks. Donald Trump and his allies were hoping for. All right, Garrett Hake, leading us off tonight. Garrett, we do appreciate that. The jury delivering a guilty verdict on every count as we've reported for the Trump organization.

So what does that reveal about its inner workings and what could this mean for President Trump's legal troubles? I do want to bring in former federal prosecutor and NBC News legal analyst, Glenn Kershner. Glenn, thanks for joining Top Story tonight. Glenn, I think everyone needs to take a deep breath here. And this is why. The Trump organization is going to have to pay $1.6 million.

And to the average American, that is a lot of money, right? That seems like chump change, though, for the Trump organization, which is valued. I know it's unclear because that's, at debate right now, but it's worth hundreds of millions of dollars. So my question to you is $1.6 million, how big of a deal is this really? You know, I think it's not a big deal financially speaking to the Trump organization, but I think the collateral consequences are potentially devastating.

Why? Because reputable lenders are no longer going to want to have anything to do with the Trump organization. So this could actually see the Trump organization go belly up. And the other thing that this does is I think it puts wind in the sales of New York Attorney General Tish James civil suit, because that is brought directly against Donald Trump and his adult children for being involved in fraud as part of the Trump organization. And Tish James is seeking a quarter of a billion dollars, $250,000 from Trump and his children. But, Glenn, there's been so many investigations into the former president, right? Please explain to our viewers why the former president's company is guilty, but not Trump himself.

So the only way I can explain it, Tom, is because Alvin Bragg opted not to indict Donald Trump as part of this criminal prosecution. But here's some foreshadowing for the viewers. The prosecutors last week in their closing argument in the Trump Organization prosecution said, and I quote, the evidence shows Donald Trump explicitly okayed. tax fraud. That's foreshadowing. And it sounds like the DA's office might believe they have the goods to bring charges against Donald Trump. And maybe they saw this prosecution as something of a trial run. Glenn, but I do on that point, you just mentioned right there. I want to be crystal clear for our viewers. This is from the Wall Street Journal's reporting. Prosecutors said that

Mr. Trump sanctioned the tax-free benefits and personally signed some checks for private school tuition for former finance chief Alan Wieselberg's grandchildren, which you were just mentioning. But But during closing arguments, a defense attorney said Mr. Trump relied on an outside accountant who never told him the perks in question were illegal. Will that defense hold up in these other investigations? Essentially, hey, listen, I was just listening to the people around me. They didn't tell me it was illegal. Yeah, we certainly wouldn't expect Donald Trump to take responsibility for his own actions.

This is his MO. Try to distance himself from any illegality the whole while, his organization, his children, and he personally are benefiting from these crimes. So I think you should keep your eye on where Alvin Bragg and the New York District Attorney's Office goes now moving forward. Glenn Kirshner for us tonight here on Top Story, Glenn, we thank you so much for joining this broadcast. Now to the other major headline tonight,

the final contest of the midterms. Polls in Georgia closed just moments ago, with results expected later tonight in the rematch between incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock and Republican candidate Herschel Walker. The race still too early to call NBC's Peter Alexander's on the ground for us tonight from Atlanta. Tonight it's election day again. Georgians lining up before dawn going to the polls for the fourth time in two years to decide the nation's final Senate seat.

Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock is questioning the competence and character of his opponent, who's faced a series of public scandals. Having to be represented by Hershey Walker for six years. That, my friends, will be exhausted. Republican challenger Herschel Walker is slamming Warnock as a rubber stamp for President Biden's agenda. We're going to get out to win this election. Herschel Walker, going to be your senator, and we're going to get things changed. Among the eye-popping figures more than $400 million in spending, making this one of the most expensive Senate races ever.

Tonight's result won't change the balance of power, but it could help Democrats cement their nation. narrow Senate majority. Warnock, who in the Senate, who's voted 96% of the time with President Biden, not hosting any events here in Georgia with the president, whose approval rating is hovering in the low 40s. And Walker, whose candidacy was propelled by former President Trump, has not held an in-person rally with Mr. Trump since the primary. Republican Jennifer Danger tells us she's taking a pass on Walker. I still do think that it's kind of proof that Trump can't just back candidates and have them win with no substance that you have to put somebody better up you know the republicans expect more but republican finessa allen says she's voting for walker upset about soaring

inflation what's frustrating you most about the country the fact that i go to the grocery store and i'm paying a hundred dollars a day uh the fact that i fill in my gas tank so uh my vote basically goes based off the economy all right peter alexander joins us now live tonight from Atlanta from the watch party, I think, for Senator Warnock there. Peter, I got to ask you, $412 million. That's such a big number. Is every single advertisement in Georgia right now a political ad? Yeah, it feels like that when you've been watching the news over the course of the last several months,

just ask any Georgian right now. But it wasn't just over the course of the entire campaign. It was over the course these last several weeks that we really saw that renewed urgency with Herschel Walker and Republican allies of his being. out spent two to one by Raphael Warnock and his Democratic allies. I think a lot of Georgians will breathe a sigh of relief when this thing is finally over. And then, Peter, we know polls just closed there in Georgia. Any guidance on when we think they may declare a winner? Yeah, Tom, we're finally now just getting our first look at some of the early voting numbers as

they come in across the country, like here in Fulton County. To give you a sense, two years ago in January of 2021, when Raphael Warnock defeated the Republican Kelly Lefler. We didn't know until 2 o'clock in the morning, the next morning. So a matter of hours from now could be five or six hours, could be even longer, depending how close this thing is. But really, at the end of the day, Tom, I think what's been solidified is that what was traditionally a Republican stronghold in the past, the state of Georgia,

is now viewed as a purple state competitive in the eyes of both parties. Tom? Yeah, Republican governor and possibly another Democratic senator. Okay, Peter, thank you for that. We turn out of the growing health crisis as we approach winter, COVID-19, RSV, and the flu outbreak, whose numbers are now spiking and have officials very concerned. The tripledemic, as it's been called, hitting hospitals around the country, even forcing some to implement new visitor restrictions. NBC's Perry Russum is in Chicago with more.

Tonight, health officials warning of the growing flu threat as the country still battles COVID and RSV. The CDC releasing new numbers, estimating 4,500 people have been killed by the flu so far this season, closing in on last year's total of 5,000 people. The Midwest is getting hit hard. In Missouri, Eliana Hyshaw's mother says she thought her daughter was dealing with COVID before finding out it was the flu. I did not rush for her flu shot the way that I did for her COVID vaccine. All this as the country faces what's being called a triple demic. In Kansas City, RSV killed Bailey Kiel's seven-week-old daughter last year. Her newborn son had the virus this year. They almost immediately admitted him and he had been an oxygen and ivy for three days she spoke with our affiliate kshb

it is so hard on these little babies i didn't know if you know i was going to be having lose another child or if i was going to be able to keep him with me so it was absolutely scary last month in chicago rsv pushing children's hospitals to capacity with patients being sent out of state our hospital capacities are not so overburdened at the moment but it wouldn't take a whole lot for us to get back into that crisis situation. Officials say flu season started significantly earlier than expected, with hospitalization rates reaching numbers the U.S. has not seen at this time of year in a decade. I've seen a lot of young, healthy people come in. They're just feeling about as bad as they've ever felt. CDC director, Rochelle Walensky, says vaccination rates are down compared to

last year, warning of vaccine fatigue. Today in Indiana, a rise in flu cases forcing hospitals to issue new visitor restrictions, allowing only immediate family in two at a time. They have to be over the age of 18 and masks are required. There are now concerns coast to coast over what's to come with major holidays over the next few weeks. In our emergency rooms and some in the inpatient settings and then clinics and school absences influences wreaking havoc. All right, Perry Russell joins us now live outside of a hospital there in Chicago. So Perry, you know, you mentioned vaccine fatigue and we have to explain to the viewers now.

That's much different than vaccine hesitancy. Yeah, Tom, so when the COVID vaccine vaccine. first came out, people were hesitant about taking it. Some didn't trust what was inside. Others did not want to be the first. That is vaccine hesitancy. With vaccine fatigue, people are at the point now years into this pandemic where they just don't want to get boosters anymore. And we're sitting that bleed into flu vaccines for children. When the CDC says race for children, that's down 5% compared to pre-pandemic levels, Tom. And I know to make matters worse, I know you have some other reporting out there that's important. There's a Tamiflu shortage as well?

Yes, we have some county officials over in Indiana who are reporting at Tamiflu shortage. We know some of these major pharmaceutical companies are looking at this more broadly. Walgreens and CVS tell our NBC affiliate here in Chicago that this is merely temporary, but there are still questions about how temporary that is, weeks or is that months, Tom? All right, Perry Russum, for Top Story tonight with a lot of new reporting. Perry, we appreciate it. For more on how the triple-demic is spreading and how you can stay healthy, I want to bring an NBC News medical contributor, Dr. Natalie Azar, who joins us now.

So, Dr. Azar, we know the flu season has started. Do we know why the flu feels like it's much worse this time around? Yeah, you know, Tom, it's not because the strain that's circulating is causing more severe illness than in years past. We just didn't have any exposure to flu in the last couple of years because of our masking and everything like that. So we built up very little immunity. and the numbers are really kind of shocking. And I am not an alarmist by nature, but I have to tell you,

hospitalizations doubled in the past week. And in terms of cases and deaths, we're already close to the totals from last season already now in the first week of December. We heard about it in Perry's story, and I want to ask you about this, is there some type of vaccine fatigue or is it a different type of issue with the vaccines

because of the COVID vaccines that so many of us took? You know, generally every year, only about 50% of individuals who are eligible for the flu vaccine get it, which is really low. I mean, we actually are doing much better in terms of COVID-19 vaccine uptake, but particularly in the people who are most vulnerable, pregnant women, kids under the age of five, and individuals over 65, we're really seeing numbers that are much less than in previous years. Of all the years, it is necessary and important to get the flu shot this year. some specific questions. If you've had the food this year, should you still get the vaccine afterwards? Yes, because there are more, there's more than one strain of flu that's circulating at any given time. So even if you've already had flu to one's, because of one strain, you still can get the vaccine because it covers four different strains. So it will

still protect you from the other strains that are circulating. So the other day, I felt a little under the weather, got a flu test, I was negative. But they said, let's wait a little bit before we give you the flu vaccine. Why is that? You hadn't had the flu vaccine. Yeah, I hadn't had Yeah, you know, generally, well, first of all, they were, you know, the flu testing isn't 100%. So it is theoretically possible that you had the flu and it was just, you know, mild and it wasn't picked up. And so for... It was recently, so I hope I don't have it. I don't think I do it.

I feel fine. Yeah, yeah. Contagious anymore. So, generally speaking, we don't really like to give a vaccine for the illness that you might have just had, you know, so soon after. And we also know that if you did have any sort of viral illness, generally, we like your immune. system to be back up and running again before we hit you with another vaccine because we want you to have the best response to the shot. So on another personal note, our Thanksgiving Day plans got completely upended because of the flu. I know a lot of people, the same thing happened to

them. We've talked about this before. We've had so many friends and colleagues who have had the flu. I know it's sort of anecdotal. We live on the East Coast. But I do want to ask you, and I hate asking this because we've been, we went through COVID already, and so many celebrations could not have been celebrated because of COVID. What is the advice this year with the flu just raging out of control? You know, the, the advice stays the same. It feels like, well, maybe the pathogen changed a little because flu is top of mind. But I think if you keep one thing in mind, and that is to plan your activities around the most

vulnerable person in your household. So maybe that's grandma and grandpa. Maybe that's somebody in your family who's undergoing chemotherapy. Or maybe someone in your family happily had a newborn, but that's not necessarily somebody you want everyone to be holding and be around. You know, you may have to think twice about those larger family gatherings this year. And it's not not okay to wear a mask, you know? I mean, I know we're all tired of that. I'm talking about fatigue.

But masks do work. And so if you are concerned and you are going to be indoors, please just put that mask on to protect yourself and to protect those. And if someone is wearing a mask, don't judge you. If you're not wearing a mask. I mean, I find myself, the other day, I was in the subway. I always wear a mask in public transportation, and I felt like people were looking at me, and I looked around. I was the only one with a mask on.

No, I was looking at you. And it made me feel self-conscious, but I was like, you know what? I don't care. I'm going to say anything. Right. Your life, you get to do what you want with it. Okay. Dr. Azar, thank you so much. Okay, now we want to head overseas to China.

COVID cases are there on the rise, despite the country's zero COVID plan and strict lockdown rules, which have led to massive protests. Now officials there say they are loosening some restrictions, but images from the ground suggest the road to reopen will be a long one. You're about to see some striking images. Janice Mackey Freyer with that video and this story from Beijing. After years of heavy COVID restrictions, signs that some rules are easing. Lockdowns in some cities now lifted, and the need to show a negative COVID test to get into supermarkets or offices has been dropped. The government hasn't said that in zero-COVIDs,

strategy is ending. But with cases near an all-time high here, it's now rethinking the vast system it's built. It seems ready to allow some people with COVID to quarantine at home instead of forcing every case into government facilities. In Hungjo, this man was dragged from his couch by COVID workers tasked with taking him to government quarantine. City officials did apologize, but still sent him to quarantine. Sprawling mask quarantine camps are still being built around the country for the probable exit wave of cases. This is normally an exhibition center that's been converted to a makeshift hospital. More than 5,000 beds inside for positive COVID cases and close contacts.

These men were just released after 10 days there with mild symptoms. There's nothing to be afraid of, he says, of having COVID. Zero COVID has battered Chinese economy and supply chain. Xi Jinping and fueled nationwide protests that were the biggest show of public discontent here since Xi Jinping took power a decade ago. The COVID system won't exactly be abandoned, but officials will change how people use it. So far, it's uneven at best, like removing testing booths in Beijing, but not the need to test. Barracades still block streets in Shanghai. And digital surveillance tools like health codes still track.

every place a person goes. The worry here now is the actual virus, as the country goes from zero COVID to everywhere COVID. Three years of heavy controls have left most of the population with low immunity and little experience with COVID. Propaganda here made the virus into something to be feared as it ravaged Western countries like the U.S. Zero COVID is good, she explains. We should only open the places where there's a few cases. But top officials in state media are now softening their tone on the severity of the virus, bringing the message more in line with what other countries have been saying for more than a year, putting China on the road to reopening, albeit a bumpy one.

All right, Janice, Mackey Freyer joins us now live from Beijing. Janice, you know, we look at all those images in your piece. And it makes us think that we're back in 2020 in the spring of 2020. It looks like nothing has changed in China. You interviewed a man outside one of those COVID quarantine facilities who said there's nothing to be afraid of, but then you see that other image of a guy getting pulled off his couch by COVID workers. Do people in China live in fear right now of the quote-unquote COVID police? Well, I guess the balance of fear is changing for the most part.

People, of course, are happy to have the hard lockdowns and the heavy restrictions lifted, unable to travel between cities, this digital surveillance every single day and every single task, as well as schools being closed. As a parent, of course, I want them to be open. But as we peel back the agony of those restrictions, it's being replaced now with anxiety over the virus itself. We've had a relaxation of rules before, but when there were very few cases in most cities. Now a city like Beijing is reopening, great, but there's COVID everywhere, and that's a first for a lot of people. There is a surge of cases that is now expected. The health care system hasn't been tested, and there needs to be this shift in attitude or mentality towards people having COVID because of the way it's been demonized over the last few years. So part of the messaging now from state media and top officials,

is that COVID is not something that should be feared. It's something that should now be woven into whatever phase is next after zero COVID. Janice, and briefly, because I want to get to this question about vaccines, it's hard to understand what the people of China really want, right? Because you had those massive protests, but we just heard from that woman in your story saying zero COVID has been good. Well, there's a nervousness here. Think about it. When there are restrictions in place, the restrictions may not always be great. They're chafing. They're stifling. They limit your mobility. But there is a sense of consistency across the board in knowing that this system is tracking every single COVID case. Now it's a bit of a free-for-all. And they're still putting people into quarantine. It may be home quarantine. It may be mass quarantine. They're still tracking COVID cases for now.

But there are just that many more cases. Even a few weeks ago, the leadership here in Xi Jinping was talking about zero COVID in sticking with it, speaking about tackling the virus in war terms. So there is now the nervousness among people that they're not only going to get COVID, but that they're not going to have the same sense of when they might. And so that is creating some anxiety. as well, there's the sense that an exit from this strategy could be as problematic as zero COVID itself. And then finally, Janice, again, briefly, if you can, with all the resources that have gotten to zero COVID, vaccinations there didn't scale up the same way. That doesn't make sense. Well, for three years, these controls were keeping cases low, and that nurtured this sense of complacency among people. They thought, why should I get vaccinated? The infections are too low. Now, two-thirds of people over the age of 80 are under-vaccinated or not vaccinated at all. A lot of people haven't had a booster shot in over a year.

And there is still a ban on foreign vaccines here, including MRNAs, the ones that studies show have been effective against the Omicrom variant. So it's going to take some time in order to unwind a lot of these restrictions that people have been living with here. Think about all of the pain and agony that other countries have gone through in living with COVID. And China is just now starting down that road. So there are some tough adjustments ahead. Janice, Mackeyfair, with a comprehensive look at the war on COVID right now in China.

Janice, we appreciate it. We want to stay overseas to the war in Ukraine now. Russia accusing Kiev of a series of drone attacks. And now Moscow is responding with more missiles. The recent assault further crippling Ukraine's infrastructure amid brutal winter conditions. NBC's Richard Engel with this story. Russia suspects Ukrainian drones were busy again today, deep in Russian territory, attacking an airbase and setting a fuel depot ablaze.

The aftermath was plastered across Russian TV. The public told Russia is under attack. Russia accused Ukraine of deadly drone attacks on two airbases. yesterday, a satellite image showing the aftermath. Ukraine did not claim responsibility. Russia responded with a volley of missiles further crippling Ukraine's power grid. Ukrainian President Zelensky today visiting troops in the east told them victory is coming. But Ukraine is being battered. There are rolling power cuts amid a particularly harsh winter. The cold is harming the poorest and most vulnerable. In Herzon, the high.

hospital has no electricity. Victoria is taking her son Kirill for a checkup. He has cerebral palsy and other conditions, including dystonia and seizures. They have no power or heat at home, and now the boy underweight has a fever. Every day we fear what will happen tomorrow, she says, we can't sleep peacefully because of the explosions and neither can Kirill. We have been without water and electricity for three weeks. It's hard.

Of course it's hard. Russia is using the cold here as a weapon. It's an ancient tactic in this part of the world to force submission. But now there's the very modern addition of drones flying hundreds of miles into Russia. Tom? Richard Engel with the ongoing war there in Ukraine. Still ahead tonight, the club cue shooter appearing in a Colorado court. The charges formally filed today amounting to more than 300 counts.

Plus the latest on the college murder mystery in Idaho, why investigators are now focused, seen on the couple that was killed and where they spent their final hours, including at a fraternity party. And the dramatic confrontation, you see it here at a police station in California, how that man you see there got into a secure parking lot with a long gun. Stay with us. Top story. Just getting started.

Now to that investigation out of Idaho, three weeks after four University of Idaho students were found stabbed to death in their off-campus house. Officials still don't have many answers. Gotti Schwartz has more. Tonight in Moscow, investigators on the hunt for a killer amid growing frustration from families who say they're concerned that basic questions about the investigation are still unanswered. Among them, a glaring five-hour gap in the timeline of events

surrounding two of the victims, Ethan Chapin and Zanakernoodle, who authorities say were last seen at a frat party. Officials say they left the party around 8 to 9 o'clock, but aren't placed at their home until 1.45, even though the distance between the crime scene and the fraternity is just over a block away and visible from the house. Police asking the public for any information on what they were doing before they returned home.

Meanwhile, investigators say they've received over 6,000 tips so far have assigned more than 60 local, state, and federal investigators to the case, including the FBI, but still no suspect description or motive. The father of one of the victims, Kaylee Gonzalez, telling Fox News, his daughter's death was different than her roommates. Their means of death don't match. Their points of damage don't match. It's not commenting on specifics, but the chief saying tomorrow, investigators will begin to gather the victim's belongings from inside the home to return to their families.

We're still gathering tips. We're still gathering evidence. We're still doing everything we need to do. But there also comes a point in time when the family needs to have those belongings back, the ones that we can get them back. They've asked for some of those things back. So we're ready to take care of that for them. Gatti Schwartz, NBC News. All right, for more on this murder mystery investigation.

I want to bring in retired ATF special agent in charge. An NBC news contributor, Jim Kavanaugh, of course, a friend at Top Story. Jim, why do you think the investigation is now centering around the couple? Well, Tom, it's a big gap in the facts this far into the case. They're three, four weeks into the case, and we have four or five hours where we don't know where two of the murder victims, were. It's critical information that the investigators have to have.

They've got to nail this down and you want to nail it down now while they're fresh. The reason is maybe during that time they encountered the killers or killer. So Jim, you think they go back to this fraternity party and they try to start interviewing everyone who's at the party and trying to have

those students who possibly were drinking? Try to remember what happened three, four weeks ago at that night? Oh, absolutely, Tom. It's still fresh in a cold case. This is still fresh time interview every one of those kids at the frat party anybody who came or left neighbors everybody in those residences which i'm sure many have already been interviewed but they've got to be re-interviewed did you see this couple anywhere also restaurants the couple

might have left the frat party and went somewhere to eat you know the kids eat late just like the two girls were eating at the food truck might have went to a restaurant at nine o'clock or a hot dog stand somewhere walked somewhere and then walked back did anybody see them there could they have encountered somebody there, brushed up against somebody, did somebody watch them there? And we don't know what happened to them because they're not here to tell us. And so the investigators have to press. It's a big gap and they've got to close it. Jim, how confident are you that they find this killer?

Yeah, Tom, I think they'll find the killer, but the question really is, will they find the killer or killers before they kill again? That is really the crux of the matter. I think they'll be apprehended. But, you know, will they kill? So that leads me to my next question. From everything you've seen so far, do you think this killer or killers knew this area? Do you think they possibly were drifters or maybe even someone who knew the victims? Well, all is possible.

Also, I would say this, don't assume the killer is a man. Don't assume there's one killer. Don't assume that, you know, they knew the victims or didn't know the victims. That's all open. but the killers or killers do have a motive. There is a motive, but it may only be in their head. And as some of the famed criminologists like Lonnie Athens would tell us, the killer assigns an attitude to the victim.

They assign the victim an attitude, and then they decide whether they're going to use violence against that victim. So the victim might have done nothing, might not even know the person, but the killer decides this person wrong me or this person did something, or this person's unworthy, or this person, you know, done me wrong, and so they're going to die.

Some of the sick calculations. We don't know those answers. Some of the sick calculations that these killers do. Okay, Jim Kavanaugh, we thank you for your analysis. When we come back, the smash and grab in Los Angeles, a really weird case. Thieves caught on camera breaking into a hair salon, the surprising and priceless collection the owner says they got away with.

We'll tell you about it. Stay with us. All right, we're back now with Top Stories News Feed and new details on that mass shooting at an LGBT nightclub in Colorado. The suspect now facing 305 charges, which could be the most heavily prosecuted murder case in the state's history. The counts including first-degree murder, attempted murder, and hate crimes. The 22-year-old is accused of killing at least five people and injuring at least 17 others at Club Q in Colorado Springs last month. Now to those frightening moments at a police station in California. Take a look at this video.

It was released by the Rialto Police. It shows a Dodge Charger following an officer's patrol car into a secure parking lot. The driver then jumping out, brandishing a long gun as he runs towards police, one of those officers opening fire and striking the suspect several times. That man taken to a local hospital, no word yet on his condition or what exactly he was doing and why. Also in California, the search for at least two people after a smash and grab caught on camera. New surveillance video shows three suspects using rocks to break glass doors at the salon and Corona. Suspects are using trash cans to raid the shop, including, get this, the owner's 20-year collection of Dodgers' bobbleheads.

That barber was also robbed of his football memorabilia back in January. At least one person has been arrested. And a massive fire breaking out at a South Florida junkyard, aerial footage shows plumes of thick black smoke. You can see it here, spewing from the yard in Hialeah. Streets in the area shut down to traffic as crews worked to get it under control. No injuries have been reported and still no word on what started that fire. Okay, we turn now to that shocking death of actress Christy Alley at age 71. We're now learning she died after a private battle with colon cancer.

The actress who won over millions of viewers with her role on cheers and now being remembered for her legacy of laughter. NBC's Ann Thompson has more. Hey, everybody, guess what? We got married. After six seasons on Cheers, everyone knew Kirstie Allie's name. They couldn't take their eyes off me. You drinking again?

Certainly not. I never stopped. She joined the beloved sitcom five years into its remarkable run. And as Rebecca Howe made the show even funnier. earning Allie the first of two Emmys. That humor and timing is what co-star Ted Danson remembers, writing, I am so sad and so grateful for all the time she made me laugh. Originally an interior designer, Allie made her TV debut on the match game. Where do you live?

I live in Wichita, Kansas. Her first big movie, Star Trek 2, The Wrath of Khan. Entering Neutral Zone. Mr. Sulu, plot and intercept course. Moving to greater acclaim in the look. Who's Talking Films with John Travolta. Just relax. Hold on. We're almost there. Later in life, she chronicled her weight loss journey in Jenny Craig commercials. What? I'm not cheating.

And TV shows. 71, Allie was also a mother and grandmother. Her family tonight remembers her never-ending joy of living. Ann Thompson, NBC News. And as we mentioned, Ali died from colon cancer, which unfortunately impacts hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. The lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancers about one in 23 for men, one and 25 for women, according to the American Cancer Society. For a more in-depth look at the risk and diagnosis of colon cancer, we are joined now by Dr. Arun Swamy-Nath, director of the inflammatory bowel diseases program at Lanx Hill Hospital here in New York.

Doctor, thanks so much for joining the Top Story. I think what is going to frighten a lot of viewers is that they hadn't heard that Christy Allie was sick. Even her family says that the diagnosis was recent. How common is this that people get recently diagnosed with colon cancer and then don't make it? Yeah, so Tom, this is sadly a fairly common situation. We know that about 5% of the population in the U.S. is at risk for developing colon cancer in their lifetime. So in both men and women, it's the third most common cancer.

So we look for it before symptoms start, and that's the whole idea of screening. And what are those some of the symptoms that people should look out for? So some of the symptoms, again, they're not specific, but blood in the stool, anemia, abdominal pain, changes to the stool habit. And so that can be, for example, from a normal stool to a skinny stool, as awkward as it is to say, those are changes to pay attention to. And then talk to me about screening. How old should people be when they get their first test?

done and how often should they do it? Yeah, it's a great question. And in fact, there have been some recent changes. So the old news was that you start screening at age 50 for everyone who's at average risk. The data has changed recently such that we know that younger and younger people are starting to get it. And so now we've changed that starting screening age to 45 years for all average risk patients. You know, I have some friends who've done a lot of work with colorectal cancer organizations,

and I know it's very tough, and getting donations and getting money for research has been very hard because other cancers, unfortunately, are more prevalent and get more money. Why should people also keep this on their radar? Yeah, I mean, it's an important cancer. I think all cancers are important, and they share some biology and some risk factors. So by working on this cancer, we may find the answer to other cancers as well. So, for example, we know that the risk factors for colon cancer include smoking, obesity, eating, you know, a diet that's focused on meat as opposed to an agrarian diet.

So there are some risk factors. Before you go, give us some more, I guess, best practices to keep your colon healthy. Yeah, so I think getting healthy is really all about sort of staying fit, eating, thinking about a Mediterranean diet, keeping your weight stable, avoiding smoking, and over-drinking. And these are all good, this is good advice for pretty much everything. Dr. Arun, Swami Nath, we thank you so much for joining us and helping our viewers out better understand this type of cancer. Okay, coming up next, the dramatic fall from grace in Argentina, why the former first lady

who was currently the vice president was just sentenced to six years behind bars. One of the biggest names in Latin American politics, plus the political sucker punch in Albania. Do you see this? What led up to this wild moment? Stay with us. Okay, we're back now with Top Story's Global Watch and the latest in the protest out of Iran. New video shows people setting fires in the streets and blocking roadways in Mashad as a three-day nationwide strike begins.

The new wave of demonstrations comes as Iran's state media denies the countries abolishing the morality police, which enforces Iran's hijab law. Now to the moment Albania's opposition leader was punched in the face as he led an anti-government protest. Take a look at this new video. It shows a man run out of a crowd. You see it right there and strikes Sally Berisha, right in the face. Berisha is the country's former president and is now accusing Albania's current leader of orchestrating that attack. The prime minister denies those claims and denounce the assault. The suspect is now in custody. And at the World Cup, Morocco, knocking heavyweight Spain out of the tournament. Morocco winning on penalty kicks in extra time after the two sides tied zero zero in regulation. It's the first time Morocco has ever made it to the World Cup quarterfinals.

And get this, the game-winning goal scored by a player who was actually born in Spain to Moroccan parents. Okay, time now for the Americas and the breaking news out of Argentina, where the sitting vice president, Christina Fernandez de Kishner, was found guilty of corruption, sentenced to six years in prison for fraud. For months, the VP calling the trial a political hit job. NBC's Guadvanegas has the latest details. never. So, me don't know six

years, me den 20 years. Argentina's vice president, Christina Fernandez-Eekirschner, sentenced to six years in prison and barred from holding public office again. Fernandez-Eakirzner was found guilty of corruption charges by a three-judge panel.

Condenar a Christina Elizabeth Fernandez-Eckirner to the pened six years of prison, inhabitation special perpetual to exercise cargos publicos. Within minutes, Fernandez streaming her response,

calling out the judges who last week should refer to as, quote, a firing squad. Mafia. Mafia absolute. The vice president disqualifying the process against her from the beginning. Christina has sustained that's being persecuted by motives political, for judges, political, oppositors, even have involved, too sectors mediatics. Prosecutors say, during her time as president, two terms between 2007 and 2015, Ferrandez-A-Kirschner committed aggravated fraud and was part of an illicit association while steering public works contracts to a family friend.

The contracts worth nearly a billion U.S. dollars. The decision brings a devastating blow to her supporters, as today she announced she will not run in next year's presidential election. No, I'm going to be a candidate to nothing, nor president, nor senator. My name will be in any bulleta. A deep polarizing figure in Argentinian politics with a cult-like following. But back in September, Kishner survived an assassination attempt when a gunman in a crowd attempted to shoot her point-blank.

The gun jamming. Two suspects have been charged with attempted homicide with a third being investigated as an accomplice. But tonight, the vice president vowing to take action against the decision. decision in what could become a lengthy legal battle. Guad vanegas joins us now from the Telemundo Center in Miami. And Guad, we can't stress enough how big of a story this is, right? Christina Fernandez-Dek Kushner is one of those famous politicians in the region. Everyone in Latin America knows who she is.

Given today's ruling, could we see the sitting vice president of Argentina actually faced prison time before the end of her term? Well, Tom, the decision by the three-judge panel isn't final. Cuesner can still appeal to the Court of Appeals and then she can go to the Supreme Court. In fact, the Supreme Court has to ratify the sentence for it to be final and that could take some time. Now, Cusner is 69.

She could be 70 by then. And under Argentinian law, that means she could serve the time from home. So it's very unlikely that she would eventually go to prison, Tom. Guad vanegas clearing all that up for a squad. We appreciate it when we come back. Building confidence in the classroom through the dance, floor. One teacher's transformative method using merengue, Mambo, and the cha-cha-cha. We have a really fun one coming up right after this break. Finally tonight, one teacher's important life

lesson. Elementary dance instructor Edwin Sordo from El Salvador loves to share his passion for Latin dance with his students. But when he faced a big test, it was his students who led the way. Valerie Castro has this story. Mondays are from Mambo. On Wednesdays, it's time for merengue. And to finish out the week, these kids in Mr. Sorto's class in Washington, D.C., dance bachata. I've learned. Bichata, marangue, sosa. Videos of weekly dance rehearsals like this, finding a wide audience online, racking up thousands of views on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.

They're amazing. Like, they're not just cute dancing. Like, they are very talented. Mr. Sorto says nine years ago he realized his passion for Latin dance could translate into valuable life lessons beyond the dance floor. I think as a teacher, my job is to make sure that they're confident with themselves. What is it like to watch them grow and change? It makes me, I get teary sometimes because you never expect the growth to be so significant. Like many schools, his classroom went dark during the pandemic.

Mr. Sorto took his dance classes online, and students joined in from their kitchens and bedrooms. It interrupted a lot of our learning, so for me it's important that our kids had an outlet to feel happy. Now that class is back in person, fifth grader Khalil Perry can keep moving and grooving. I mostly like that groovy stuff. That groovy stuff, yeah. When I came to the school, Kemp, D.C. in kindergarten, I just fell in love with Latin American culture.

And third grader, Eve Harris now leads her class, dancing the cha-cha-cha-cha. Eve, what's it like when you walk into Mr. Sorto's class? What does it do to your mood that day? It makes me happy because I know that we're probably going to learn a new choreography and then I'm like, I know he wants us to get it, so I might as well put all my strength in it so I can get it for him. Getting it right, something Mr. Sorto was also put to the test on as he prepared to take his U.S. citizenship test last year. I'm taking the big test next Tuesday.

His students, always equal dance partners, now leading with this life lesson. Okay, Mr. Soto, I know you have a test next week. And I need you to believe in yourself, you need confidence. Act like it's dancing. Believe in yourself. Don't forget that one word, believe in yourself. It was precious. Like, you can, you never see the impact that you have in kids until those moments.

And for me, that was beautiful. You know, I told my parents the test that we're all excited. It was beautiful. Senor Tso and his students definitely have some moves. We thank Valerie Castro for that story, and we thank you for watching Top Story tonight. I'm Tom Yamerson, New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.