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Woman charged with capital murder after July 2 shooting in Northport

Woman charged with capital murder after July 2 shooting in Northport

Yahoo21 hours ago
A 47-year-old woman has been arrested after a July 2 shooting that killed a man in Northport.
Joyce Reed was charged with capital murder in connection with the shooting. She is being held in the Tuscaloosa County Jail without bond due to the capital charge, said Capt. Marty Sellers of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit.
At around 7:42 p.m., officers with the Northport Police Department received a report of a man who had been shot in the 11400 block of Fairwood Avenue in Huntington Place. When officers arrived, they found a man who had been shot multiple times, Sellers said.
The man, later identified as 28-year-old Jermaine Dashun Witherspoon of Tuscaloosa, was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries.
More: Accessing local journalism is even easier with the News app
Sellers said Witherspoon and Reed were acquaintances who had been involved in a disagreement before the shooting.
Investigators believe Witherspoon was sitting in Reed's car while Reed was standing nearby. According to investigators, Reed shot Witherspoon and there was no evidence that Witherspoon was armed before he was shot.
Sellers said the exact nature of their relationship is still being determined by investigators.
Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com. To support her work, please subscribe to The Tuscaloosa News.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Woman charged with capital murder in Northport shooting
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Woman charged with capital murder after July 2 shooting in Northport
Woman charged with capital murder after July 2 shooting in Northport

Yahoo

time21 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Woman charged with capital murder after July 2 shooting in Northport

A 47-year-old woman has been arrested after a July 2 shooting that killed a man in Northport. Joyce Reed was charged with capital murder in connection with the shooting. She is being held in the Tuscaloosa County Jail without bond due to the capital charge, said Capt. Marty Sellers of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit. At around 7:42 p.m., officers with the Northport Police Department received a report of a man who had been shot in the 11400 block of Fairwood Avenue in Huntington Place. When officers arrived, they found a man who had been shot multiple times, Sellers said. The man, later identified as 28-year-old Jermaine Dashun Witherspoon of Tuscaloosa, was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries. More: Accessing local journalism is even easier with the News app Sellers said Witherspoon and Reed were acquaintances who had been involved in a disagreement before the shooting. Investigators believe Witherspoon was sitting in Reed's car while Reed was standing nearby. According to investigators, Reed shot Witherspoon and there was no evidence that Witherspoon was armed before he was shot. Sellers said the exact nature of their relationship is still being determined by investigators. Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@ To support her work, please subscribe to The Tuscaloosa News. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Woman charged with capital murder in Northport shooting

Founder of Las Palapas restaurant chain Edward ‘Ron' Acosta allegedly killed in his mansion by nephew suffering from hallucinations: ‘He just completely snapped'
Founder of Las Palapas restaurant chain Edward ‘Ron' Acosta allegedly killed in his mansion by nephew suffering from hallucinations: ‘He just completely snapped'

New York Post

timea day ago

  • New York Post

Founder of Las Palapas restaurant chain Edward ‘Ron' Acosta allegedly killed in his mansion by nephew suffering from hallucinations: ‘He just completely snapped'

The founder of the popular Mexican restaurant chain Las Palapas was allegedly killed by his nephew, who was suffering from paranoid hallucinations and traveled from California to Texas to commit the gruesome murder. Edward 'Ron' Acosta, 78, was found stabbed to death inside his mansion in a gated community in San Antonio on Tuesday after he was allegedly killed by his nephew, David Ruiz, the San Antonio Express-News reported. Ruiz, 39, had left his home in southern California on Sunday, telling his family that he was heading to San Antonio to visit his cousin and the Tex-Mex restaurant chain's founder's son, Aaron Acosta, and to see his brother in Austin. Advertisement 4 Founder of the popular Mexican restaurant chain Las Palapas, Edward Ronald Acosta, was killed in his Texas home on Tuesday. Las Palapas Restaurants / Facebook However, he was armed with a pistol and amid a severe mental breakdown when he left for the Lone Star State, his father, James Ruiz, told the outlet. 'I thought I was going to lose him to suicide,' his father said. 'I never thought he'd hurt someone else — especially not Ronnie. He just completely snapped.' Advertisement Before heading to Texas, James said his son had been showing signs of every 'mental disorder that you could imagine,' hadn't slept for four days, was suffering from hallucinations, and was extremely paranoid — making bizarre claims that his father was dead and others were out to kill him. When the accused killer left for San Antonio, James said he called Aaron Acosta to warn him that he thinks his son was 'capable of something pretty serious,' due to his mental state and being armed. 'I was fearful that, based on my son's behavior, he was going to take his own life. And how he ended up going to my brother-in-law, whom he had no contact with, and took it out on him is beyond me,' he said. 4 The restaurant founder was allegedly killed by his nephew, David Ruiz. Advertisement Ruiz called Aaron Acosta on Monday while en route to his home, but he planned to stop for the night before reaching San Antonio. The following morning, the Las Palapas founder called his nephew and invited him to stay at his home instead of heading to his son's house. Ruiz agreed, but when he arrived, Acosta wrote in a family group chat that Ruiz was at his home and called for a family gathering to discuss what to do with his nephew. However, at around 11 a.m., the San Antonio Police Department was called to Acosta's home, where they found the businessman unresponsive and bleeding from multiple stab wounds. Advertisement 4 Before heading to Texas, Ruiz had been showing signs of every 'mental disorder that you could imagine,' hadn't slept for four days, was suffering from hallucinations, and was highly paranoid. Kens5 He was declared dead at the scene, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by the outlet. Police said a housekeeper witnessed Ruiz stabbing Acosta, pleading with him to stop before calling 911. Ruiz fled the scene and was still on the run when his father heard about the murder and texted him to turn himself over to the police. The alleged killer was arrested hours later after being pulled over by police in Kimble County, about 100 miles northwest of San Antonio. 4 Acosta founded the Tex-Mex chain Las Palapas in 1981. Las Palapas Restaurants / Facebook He is awaiting extradition to Bexar County to face a first-degree murder charge. Acosta founded the Tex-Mex chain Las Palapas in 1981, expanding it to multiple locations throughout South and Central Texas before selling his majority stake in the company in 2020. Advertisement He is remembered as a beloved member of the San Antonio community, with a huge charitable heart and a strong sense of faith, his friend, Gilbert Hernandez, told News4SA. Las Palapas Restaurant issued a statement saying it was 'heartbroken' over Acosta's murder. 'Ron was a man of deep faith, a generous spirit, and a true community leader. His warmth, vision, and work ethic left an undeniable mark on San Antonio,' the company said. 'Ron's impact reached far beyond the restaurants he helped build. He brought people together, created jobs and opportunities, and shared his love of culture and community in everything he did. He will be missed more than words can express.'

ICE Agents Arrest Mother of Two at Assisted Living Facility
ICE Agents Arrest Mother of Two at Assisted Living Facility

Newsweek

time4 days ago

  • Newsweek

ICE Agents Arrest Mother of Two at Assisted Living Facility

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Federal immigration agents arrested a mother of two after she fled into a nearby assisted living facility in Pasadena, according to KTLA 5. Rosalina Luna Vargas was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Saturday morning on the morning of June 28, 2025, at around 8 AM in Pasadena, according to a post on GoFundMe. Newsweek has contacted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the family for comment. Government agents muster nearby before an immigration sting at Corso's Flower and Garden Center, Tuesday, June 5, 2018, in Castalia, Ohio. Government agents muster nearby before an immigration sting at Corso's Flower and Garden Center, Tuesday, June 5, 2018, in Castalia, Ohio. John Minchillo/AP Photo Why It Matters The arrest comes amid a crackdown on immigration by President Donald Trump's administration. Trump has vowed to remove millions of immigrants without legal status as part of a hard-line mass deportation policy. The White House has said that anyone living in the country illegally is a "criminal." What To Know Vargas works as a caregiver, according to a post on GoFundMe, which has been set up by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, a worker rights advocacy group. Her children were there when the incident happened during the day at the intersection of Catalina and Del Mar. Jillian Reed, a Caltech graduate and local resident, captured the event on video as she drove past and saw the events unfold from the sidewalk. The video shows three individuals in plain clothes, two of whom were wearing masks and badges on lanyards, attempting to guide Vargas into an unmarked Honda Accord. A third man who had no visible identification was also involved, per a report by KTLA 5. "I saw the commotion while driving, and when I slowed down, the kids shouted for help," Reed told the outlet. "They kept asking for a warrant. They told the officers they would stop resisting if they just showed them a warrant. One of the men said he had one but didn't show it." Reed told KTLA 5 that she called 911, reporting what she initially believed to be a possible kidnapping. Vargas reportedly broke free from the agents and ran into the courtyard of the nearby Del Mar Park Assisted Living Facility, followed closely by her children. The agents pursued, but the children intervened, attempting to physically shield their mother. "They formed a human wall," Reed said. "One of the kids clung to her, telling her, 'Don't let go! Don't let go!' while crying. Then he started shouting to the crowd, 'I can't lose my mom!'" Pasadena police later arrived and collected statements from witnesses at the scene. According to Reed, ICE agents returned afterward and took Vargas into custody. A family member informed Reed that the warrant involved a different individual. What People Are Saying The National Day Laborer Organizing Network wrote in a post on GoFundMe: We are heartbroken and outraged. No one should be taken from their family like this. Rosalina's detention has left her children traumatized and without the daily care and love that only a mother can give. California State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez said in a post on X: "Pasadena mom Rosalina Vargas was taken by immigration enforcement early Saturday morning in front of her children. Please consider donating to her family to help her legal defense and cover the basic needs of her children. Reed told KTLA 5: "I didn't know if I was witnessing a hate crime or a kidnapping. And because they might have been law enforcement, I wasn't even sure whether to call the police."

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