James Patterson, Margaret Atwood among thousands of writers urging AI companies to honor copyrights
James Patterson, Suzanne Collins and Margaret Atwood are among thousands of writers endorsing an open letter from the Authors Guild urging AI companies to obtain permission before incorporating copyrighted work into their technologies
2023-07-19 03:53
J&J sues in latest bid to halt Medicare drug price negotiations
(Reuters) -Johnson & Johnson sued the U.S. government on Tuesday, becoming the latest drugmaker seeking to block a program that
2023-07-19 03:52
Thai election winner set to make last stand in contentious bid to become prime minister
The leader of Thailand’s Move Forward Party is expected to get a last chance to win parliament's confirmation as the country’s next prime minister
2023-07-19 03:52
The stark warning behind the global heat map that has gone viral amid 'hell on Earth'
The Northern Hemisphere which is overwhelmed by the upsurge in temperature will reportedly escalate this week
2023-07-19 03:52
Liberty and tacos for all: Taco Bell prevails as Taco John's abandons trademark to 'Taco Tuesday'
Taco Bell has rung up a win in its quest to make “Taco Tuesday” free of trademark restrictions
2023-07-19 03:51
U.S. hit by blazing heat, smoky air, tropical storm all at once
By Brendan O'Brien and Julia Harte (Reuters) -The United States is experiencing with a range of unusual weather, from a
2023-07-19 03:47
US says Ukraine has significant combat power not yet committed to the war
The top U.S. military officer says Ukrainian forces have a “significant amount of combat power” that hasn’t yet been committed to the war
2023-07-19 03:46
Judge refuses to toss discrimination lawsuits over Georgia voting districts
A judge has refused to dismiss lawsuits alleging Georgia’s congressional and legislative districts illegally discriminate against Black voters
2023-07-19 03:46
A 'person of interest' is being held in Oregon deaths of 4 women after governor revokes commutation
A man considered a person of interest in the deaths of four women whose bodies were found in northwestern Oregon is being held in a state prison after Gov. Tina Kotek reinstated a prison sentence that was commuted by her predecessor
2023-07-19 03:45
Gilgo Beach murder suspect may have had female accomplice, attorney for victim families says
An attorney representing the families of two women whose bodies were found along the shoreline in Gilgo Beach more than a decade ago has shared his suspicions that newly-arrested suspect Rex Heuermann may have had a female accomplice. A string of murders stumped police in the gated Long Island community of Gilgo Beach for more than a decade. It began in 2010 when 24-year-old Shannan Gilbert vanished after leaving a client’s house and an investigation into her disappearance led authorities to a trail of young women’s remains. Ten bodies, also including an Asian male and a 10-month-old baby, were recovered along a stretch of a remote highway, prompting fears of a serial killer. The case went cold until last year, when Suffolk County police reopened a probe into the grim murders. Last week, an interagency task force arrested 59-year-old Manhattan architect Mr Heuermann, reigniting hopes that the victims’ families might finally be able to obtain justice. Mr Heuermann is only facing charges for the murders of three of the Gilgo Beach murder victims — Amber Costello, Megan Waterman and Melissa Barthelemy. But authorities have revealed they’re confident further charges over the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes will stick and haven’t ruled out the possibility that the disgraced architect could become the prime suspect in the other slayings. Attorney John Ray represents the families of Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, whose remains were among those found during the 2010 probe. Mr Ray told The Independent on Tuesday that he has long suspected that a woman may have helped the killer lure the victims. “We have a number of reasons to think a woman may have been involved. Nothing is certain here, [I want] to emphasise that, but there was some evidence that a woman was involved,” Mr Ray said. The attorney said that some of the evidence that could suggest a woman was involved in the killings is the way a “baby Doe’s” body was found. The child’s mother, dubbed “Peaches” for a tattoo on her torso, was found in Nassau County in 1997. Additional remains and those of her child were found years later, and the murders have been linked to the Gilgo Beach case. “The baby was wrapped in a blanket of some kind. And that’s something, you know, if you’re a depraved murderer, as a man ... Would you take the time to do that?” Mr Ray said. “But a mother might do that. That’s just one I use that as one of several reasons why we think that, but we don’t have any dispositive evidence that it was so.” Gilbert’s body was found in December 2011. Suffolk County authorities have previously said that they don’t believe Gilbert was a victim of the Gilgo Beach serial killer, or even that she was a victim of homicide. However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered. “We’ve insisted that she was murdered. We have overwhelming evidence that that is true,” Mr Ray said. “The police had taken bizarre position that she died of natural causes.” He added: “We’re hoping now with the new task force with these great guys and new brains and excellent work of the District Attorney and the new Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison. “We’re hoping that they’re going to give it a look, a new look at the evidence with Shannan and investigate it as a murder.” Mr Ray said his clients have welcomed news of the arrest and now hope their loved ones’ killer or killers will also face the criminal system. “Both families are very happy that this man was caught and they’re happy for the other family members of the other victims,” Mr Ray said. “But the murderer of their loved ones has not been found. And even if it turns out to be this Tyrannosaurus Rex monster, there’s no solace in the end. Justice is an idea, but it’s not a feeling in a sense, and their feelings and their senses are still hurt and this resurrected those feelings. So it’s a bittersweet condition.” Mr Ray said that his law firm is joining efforts with the Suffolk County Police Department’s investigating team. Commissioner Harris has said in the aftermath that they’re probing any links Mr Heuermann may have with the Gilgo Beach bodies. On Tuesday, Former NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce told ABC’s Good Morning America that Mr Heuermann is being looked at in connection to missing persons cases and murders far beyond the shores of Long Island – across the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and even nationwide. Mr Tay also told The Independent that although he had a tip that a breakthrough development would be announced in the case, he was not familiar with Mr Heuermann. “His whole background and purpose and so forth, his lifestyle were all quite surprising,” Mr Ray said. “Much more needs to be known about that now, because here’s a fella who purports to be a successful architect. I doubt very much that he was.” Mr Heuermann is the president of the architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates. On his company website, he boasted about working with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport. However, court records obtained by CNN show that Mr Heuermann, who lives in the same modest home where he was brought up in Massapequa Park, has a history of filing personal injury lawsuits claiming to have been hit by vehicles. He also reportedly owes more than $200,000 in taxes to the IRS. “He maintained some kind of an office in Manhattan, you know, dipping in Manhattan doesn’t make you rich,” Mr Ray added. “But here he is an architect and yet his house is filthy and broken down and held up by two-by-fours on the front porch. It’s a striking contrast between, you know, the guy in the suit and tie you see in the picture and his circumstances.” An NYPD official told ABC News that the married father-of-two’s DNA has been entered into a statewide database and that his alleged MO is being compared to other cases across New York state – including those during the period he was allegedly active in Gilgo Beach. Mr Heuermann lived close to Gilgo Beach in Massapequa Park, Long Island, but worked in the heart of Midtown Manhattan where he runs an architecture firm. Some of the victims were last seen alive in the city. Read More Gilgo Beach murders - live: Rex Heuermann lawyer claims police are ignoring ‘stronger’ serial killer suspects JonBenét Ramsey’s brother says he believes her killer has ‘same bio’ as Gilgo Beach murders suspect Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect had one chilling question for officials after his arrest
2023-07-19 03:23
Babies R Us was gone for good. Now it's back with a new US flagship store
First came Toys R Us' roller coaster revival, and now Babies R Us is experiencing its own rebirth, too.
2023-07-19 03:22
CLIMATE GLIMPSE: Here's what you need to see and know today
Whether you live in Europe or are just visiting as a tourist, authorities have a recommendation: Stay inside
2023-07-19 03:21
