EXCLUSIVE Murder of adorable baby boy takes fresh twist as mystery phone call unearths chilling new evidence: 'They got it all wrong'
But just a few hours later, a 16-month-old boy was dead and Melissa was sitting in a windowless interrogation room being relentlessly grilled by police.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
36 minutes ago
- The Sun
New DB Cooper files shed light on hunt for world's most elusive plane hijacker – including mystery suspect in wheelchair
NEW FBI files shed light on one of the longest-running unsolved hijacking cases in US history. A 398-page document compiles decades of tips on DB Cooper - the mysterious man who hijacked a plane in 1971 and parachuted away with $200,000. 6 6 6 Dan "DB" Cooper is the alias of the man who hijacked Northwest Flight 305 over Portland, Oregon, in November 1971, en route to Seattle. He demanded $200,000 ransom and parachuted from the plane with the money, never to be seen again. Described as a dark-haired man in his mid-40s, Cooper passed a flight attendant a note claiming he had a bomb in his briefcase - which he revealed contained wires and red sticks. After the Boeing landed in Seattle, Cooper released 36 passengers in exchange for the cash and four parachutes. The plane then took off with several crew members, heading towards Mexico City under Cooper's orders. Somewhere between Seattle and Reno, Nevada, at 10,000 feet, Cooper jumped from the back of the jet with a parachute and the ransom money. The document, released by the FBI on Tuesday, reveals that despite interviewing hundreds of suspects, the agency remains at a dead end. One suspect was even a man in a wheelchair, with the report concluding: 'A man confined to a wheel chair [sic] did not hijack the plane in this case.' While multiple suspects are named in the files, further investigation - including showing photos to witnesses - often led agents to mark their files with a handwritten 'eliminated'. The files include the well-known claim by Donald Sylvester Murphy that he was DB Cooper. New DB Cooper 'suspect' and DNA unearthed as pressure piles on FBI to act now and identify skyjacker to solve mystery Murphy made this claim to a former Newsweek editor, but it was later revealed to be part of an extortion scheme. The elaborate plot saw Murphy posing for photographs 'wearing a wig and glasses and otherwise appearing much like the widely circulated 'artist's conception' of 'D.B. Cooper,'' according to a court document included in the files. Murphy and a conspirator were sentenced to prison for the fraud, according to a 1973 report by The New York Times. Notably, Richard McCoy Jr., whose children claimed he was DB Cooper last year, does not appear in the files. 6 In fact, most suspects remain unknown to the public. They range from an Alabama man who died of cancer just months after the hijacking, to airline pilots, parachutists and Boeing employees. Previously, The Sun has reported independent investigator Eric Ulis' probe into the DB Cooper case. In August last year, Ulis identified Vince Petersen, a deceased metallurgist from Pennsylvania, as his leading suspect - a theory he has pursued since 2022. Ulis and forensic expert Tom Kaye discovered dozens of rare titanium particles on a clip-on tie left behind by the skyjacker. Tracing the particles led them to the now-defunct Crucible Steel plant in Midland, Pennsylvania, where Petersen worked for several years. Meanwhile, the memories of those aboard the hijacked flight paint a portrait of DB Cooper himself. Michael Cooper, then a 31-year-old teacher traveling home for Thanksgiving, told The Sun he remembered the hijacker as a suave and level-headed man who exuded quiet authority. "He was probably in his 40s, and he was wearing a jacket and a tie and he was just real quiet," Michael, who is now 84, said. 6 6
Daily Mail
40 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Horror at stunning $2.6m California home after beloved doctor, 56, filed for divorce from high-flier husband
The husband of a beloved California doctor has been arrested months after she was found dead in their burning $2.6million home. Yoon 'Kevin' Lai, 63, was taken into custody on Thursday on suspicion of the murder of his endocrinologist wife, Irene Gaw-Lai, 56. The estranged couple, who share 16-year-old twin boys, was in the middle of a contentious divorce, their friends told ABC7. Gaw-Lai's remains were found on January 6 after firefighters extinguished a fire in her San Marino home. Her cause of death was ruled as undetermined. Lai initially told police that he had taken their sons to baseball practice and returned to the house being on fire. Police say she had signs of physical trauma on her upper body, which prompted a homicide investigation. Ga-Lai filed for divorce in August, 2024, and had previously filed for divorce from Lai in 2003, per court records cited by the Los Angeles Times. It's not clear whether Gaw-Lai died before or during the fire at the home, seen above It's still unclear whether she died before or during the fire in the home. Lai is being held on no bail before police present their case to the district attorney on Tuesday. He is a civil engineer and the president of a land surveying company. Gaw-Lai had her own medical practice in Arcadia, and her patients have been leaving tribute's on the business' Yelp page. 'Amazing Endocrinologist ! So sadden for her loss,' said one patient. 'I miss her so much and still trying to take in the tragic loss to the industry. I knew my health was on a positive path because of her. God bless you Dr. Gonzalo.' Another patient said: After many she was by far the best. Would love to know of others have found a new physician? It's not easy finding a great endo. Would appreciate any recommendations.' A third said: 'I had my appointment scheduled for today and was never informed about her death. So shocked and sad as I showed up to the office door and saw the notice. She's been very kind and attentive to my conditions. I will miss you, Dr Gaw.' Gaw-Lai's cousin Joyce Chen Banks also wrote a tribute for the doctor on Facebook after her death. 'Happy heavenly birthday, dear cousin Irene. I know you're probably up there shaking your head at me, thinking, "Seriously, still crying??!!" But what can I say? You were more than a cousin; you were like a sister to me. 'You always went out of your way to see us, even when I told you it was okay and you were busy seeing your patients. I miss you always, love you forever, and yes, I'll try to stop crying. No promises. Until we meet again...' Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Man accused of airport assault was aggressive and headbutted traveller
The man accused of assaulting police at Manchester Airport was 'aggressive' and got 'in the face' of another traveller before head-butting him, a witness told a court. The incident at a Starbucks coffee house at Terminal Two of Manchester Airport led to police being called, Liverpool Crown Court heard. When police arrived they traced brothers Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and Muhammad Amaad, 26, who was leaving the airport after picking up their mother from a flight from Qatar. As the brothers went to pay for parking, police arrived to arrest them but they resisted using a 'high level of violence' and assaulted three officers, it is alleged. Both incidents were caught on CCTV, shown to the jury. The brothers, from Rochdale, deny the alleged offences on July 23 last year and claim self-defence. Traveller Abdulkareem Ismaeil and the defendant's mother had been on the same flight and 'something happened' the jury was told, that upset the defendant's mother. Mr Ismaeil, with his wife, two young daughters and young son, had stopped at the Starbucks while leaving the terminal when the defendant's mother passed by and pointed him out to her sons. Cameron Cartledge was the manager at the Starbucks and was in the office doing paperwork and preparing the shift handover before going home when he heard 'raised voices' and went to the door, he told the court. As his colleague prepared the order for Mr Ismaeil at the counter, he saw another man, wearing a blue track-suit, identified as Amaaz, 'quite close to him, shouting at him'. Mr Cartledge said the shouting was in a foreign language he did not understand. The witness said: 'At the time of the arguing he was very close to him, like in his face. ' Blue track-suit man seemed quite aggressive, obviously annoyed about something, I don't know what. Blue track-suit man was aggressively shouting. 'Because his body language, his tone of voice was quite aggressive.' Prosecutor Paul Greaney KC, asked the witness: 'What about Mr Ismaeil, the man with his back against the counter?' Mr Cartledge said: 'He had a raised voice, but I would say he was more defensive than aggressive. 'There was arguing, I don't know what was being said, then blue track-suit man head butted the man we see in the black. 'He got him in the face. It did not look like it hurt Mr Ismaeil much but it was forceful enough to make him stagger back into the counter.' Mr Carledge said before the two men were split up, Amaaz threw two punches but he thought they landed on Mr Ismaeil's shoulder. Mr Carledge said, working at the airport, he saw people 'arguing all the time' but, after witnessing the headbutt, called police. Mr Greaney said: 'Why did you call police?' 'Well, he had just assaulted him,' the witness replied. Police traced the brothers leaving the airport where violence erupted again, the court heard. Amaaz denies one count of assault to Mr Ismaeil and three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm to Pc Zachary Marsden, Pc Ellie Cook and Pc Lydia Ward. His brother Amaad, denies one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm to Pc Marsden. Imran Khan KC, defending Amaaz, suggested to Mr Cartledge that the conversation he had heard was in fact in English. Mr Cartledge replied: 'It didn't sound like it was in English.' Asked if he sensed any aggression from Mr Ismaeil, Mr Cartledge said: 'No, he was more defensive. He just stood there probably more worried about his children behind him.' Starbucks barista Justine Pakalne also told the court she did not believe the conversation between the two men was in English. Mr Khan put it to the witness that Mr Ismaeil was the 'aggressor' and that he had stepped forwards towards Amaaz. Ms Pakalne said: 'Even if he stepped forward he didn't lay a hand on him. It was the other way round – he (Amaaz) headbutted him.' The trial continues on Monday.
