Current Criminal Investigations and Trials
The Trial of George Zimmerman
On Feb. 26, 2012, in the Sanford, Florida gated community of The Retreat at Twin Lakes, George Zimmerman was working as a Neighborhood Watch volunteer when he spotted a young black man, Trayvon Martin, walking through the neighborhood wearing a hoodie.
Profiles of the Casey Anthony Trial Jury Members
After the end of 11 days of grueling questioning from the judge, the prosecution and the defense attorneys, a panel of 12 jurors and five alternates was sworn in to serve in the first-degree murder trial of Casey Anthony.
The Celina Cass Case
On June 25, 2011, shy 11-year-old Celina Cass was last seen at her computer in her Stewartstown, New Hampshire home.
The Susan Cox Powell Case
On Dec. 7, 2009, Susan Cox Powell, a mother of two sons, failed to show up for work and her children were not dropped off at daycare.
Top Crime Stories of 2010
The top crime stories of 2010 included justice catching up with a twice-accused killer, an extradition that didn't happen, a death row appeal that failed, and a suicide that followed months of bullying.
The Lauren Spierer Case
On June 3, 2011, 20-year-old Indiana University student Lauren Spierer, a native of Greenburgh, New York, was last seen walking home to her apartment from a friend's home after a night of partying with friends.
The Disappearance of Haleigh Cummings
On Feb. 10, 2009, five-year-old Haleigh Cummings disappeared from her home in Satsuma, Florida while her father, Ronald Cummings, was at work and she was being cared for by his girlfriend, Misty Croslin.
The Chester Turner Case
In 2002, DNA linked Chester Turner to the murders of 10 women and one of the women's unborn child in South Los Angeles.
The Rockefeller Imposter Case
In August 2008, police arrested a man who called himself Clark Rockefeller for the abduction of his own daughter in Boston.
The Tucson Shooting Rampage
On January 8, 2011, a lone gunman opened fire at a "Congress on Your Corner" event held by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords at a Safeway store in Tucson, Arizona.
The Legal Trials of Lindsay Lohan
On Jan. 22, 2011, a custom jewelry store in Venice Beach, California, reported that a $2,500 diamond necklace was taken from the store by actress Lindsay Lohan.
The Collarbomb Robbery Case
On August 28, 2003, pizza delivery man Brian Douglas Wells was locked into a bombing device when he robbed a bank branch near Erie, Pennsylvania. When he was stopped and handcuffed by state police following the robbery, the bomb exploded.
The Death of Zahra Baker
On Oct. 9, 2010, the father of 10-year-old Zahra Baker, who wore hearing aids and had a prosthetic leg due to her battle with cancer, was reported missing.
Top Crime Stories of 2012
The crime news story that received the most media coverage in 2012 involved a Neighborhood Watch volunteer who shot and killed a teenager who was visiting in the gated community.
The Murder of Somer Thompson
On September 18, 2009, 7-year-old Somer Thompson was walking home from her Orange Park, Florida school with her twin brother and 10-year-old sister when she disappeared. Her body was found two days later 50 miles away in a landfill in Georgia.
The Murder Chandra Levy
On May 1, 2001, Washington D.C. intern Chandra Levy disappeared while walking her dog in Rock Creek Park. A year later, someone else walking a dog found her remains.
Anthony Sowell
Anthony Sowell was arrested in October 2009 and charged with the murder of 11 women whose bodies were found in and around his home in Cleveland, Ohio.
Anthony Sowell
Anthony Sowell was arrested in October 2009 and charged with the murder of 11 women whose bodies were found in and around his home in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Murder of Elizabeth Olten
On Wednesday Oct. 21, Elizabeth disappeared while walking home from a friend's home about a quarter-mile from her house. A massive search by hundreds of volunteers turned up no trace of the nine-year-old.
A Deadly Home Invasion in Connecticut
On July 24, 2007, the quiet Connecticut town of Cheshire was shocked by a brutal home invasion that left a house in flames, a wife and her two daughters dead and a bloody and battered father in the hospital.
The Crimes of John Albert Gardner III
Convicted sex offender John Albert Gardner III was charged with the rape and murder of 17-year-old Chelsea King, the attempted assault of another in the same San Diego park and could be involved in the disappearance of other young girls.
The Crimes of Anthony Sowell
On October 29, 2009, police in Cleveland, Ohio went to the home of Anthony Sowell after a woman told police that he had raped her there.
Top Crime Stories of 2011
The top crime stories of 2011 include a surprising jury verdict, some unsolved cases and some final justice in some cases from years ago.
The Murder of Annie Lee
On Sept. 8, 2009, days before she was planning to be married, 24-year-old Annie Le disappeared from the Yale University Medical School research laboratory where she was a pharmacology doctoral student.
The Death of Anna Nicole Smith
On Feb. 8, 2007, Anna Nicole Smith -- former Playmate, jeans model and bride of 89-year-old billionaire J. Howard Marshall II -- died at age 39 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
The Deaths of Byrd and Melanie Billings
On July 9, 2009, several men dressed as ninjas invaded the home of Byrd and Melanie Billings, a wealthy Florida couple who were known for adopting children with special needs.
The Crimes of Anthony Sowell
On October 29, 2009, police in Cleveland, Ohio went to the home of Anthony Sowell after a woman told police that he had raped her there.
The Case of Jaycee Lee Dugard
On June 10, 1991, Jaycee Lee Dugard was a 11-year-old, four-foot, six-inch blonde with blue eyes. She was last seen waiting at a school bus stop near her in South Lake Tahoe, California. Witnesses said they saw her being abducted by a man and woman in an automobile.
Celebrity Trials
Even the rich and famous can find themselves in trouble with the law. Being a celebrity in the United States does not protect you from the pursuit of justice. Or does it?
The Trial of Melissa Huckaby
On March 27, 2009, 8-year-old Sandra Cantu disappeared from the mobile home park where she lived in Tracy, California. She was last seen on a video surveillance tape skipping toward her best friend's home.
What Do You Think Happened to Caylee Anthony?
What is your theory about what actually happened to 2-year-old Caylee Anthony?
The Death of Michael Jackson
On June 25, 2009, less than a month before he was scheduled to begin a series of comeback concerts, paramedics were called to Michael Jackson's rented home in Holby Hills near Los Angeles where they found him unconscious and not responding.
George Sodini - The Online Journal of Mass Murderer George Sodini
George Sodini kept a blog detailing why he planned to go on a shooting rampage at a local Pittsburgh gym.
Child Killer Lam Luong
On Jan. 7, 2008, after having an argument with his 23-year old common-law wife, Lam Luong, 38, drove his van to the top of the 80-foot high Dolphin Island Bridge and threw his four children into the water.
The Crimes of Chester Arthur Stiles
In the summer of 2007, a man found a glass jar in the desert near Las Vegas in which there was a videotape showing another man sexually assaulting a 2-year-old girl.
The Jennifer Hudson Family Murders
On October 24, 2008, the bodies of Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother were found in the family's home on Chicago's South Side. Shot to death were Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson.
The Craigslist Killer
Philip Markoff, a 22-year-old medical student was arrested by Boston authorities in connection with a series of crimes against women who were advertising erotic services on the online classified service Craigslist.
The Crimes of Drew Peterson
Former Bolingbrook policeman Drew Peterson made national headlines in October 2007 when his fourth wife Stacey Peterson disappeared. a little more than three years after his third wife died under suspicious circumstances.
The Appeals of Troy Davis
On Aug. 19, 1989, an off-duty Savannah, Georgia, police officer, Mark Allen MacPhail was working a moonlighting job as a security guard for a Greyhound bus terminal when he heard a homeless man cry out from the Burger King parking lot next door.
The Legal Troubles of Joe Francis
Joe Francis, who has made millions with his 'Girls Gone Wild' videos and magazines, has found himself entangled in legal trouble in civil and criminal courts on the state and federal levels.
The Murder of Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach
On Dec. 19, 2007, Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach, a Marine stationed at Camp Lejuene, North Carolina, was reported missing by her stepmother who had not heard from her since Dec. 14.
The Murder of Anchorwoman Ann Pressly
On October 20, Anne Pressly, a popular morning anchorwoman at KATV television, was found badly beaten in the bedroom of her home in the Pulaski Heights section of Little Rock.
The Murder of Eve Carson
Eve Marie Carson, the popular president of the student body at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was found shot to death laying in the street at an intersection near campus. She had been shot several times including once in the head.
Caylee Anthony - Timeline of Events
The timeline in the investigation of missing child Caylee Anthony has become a maze of unanswered questions.
The Zoey Zane Murder Case
On Nov. 23, 2007, 18-year-old Kansas college student Emily Sander was last seen leaving a bar with a 24-year-old man. Her body was found six days later about 50 miles east of El Dorado.
The Brooke Wilberger Case
Brooke Carol Wilberger was last seen on the morning of May 24, 2004, in Corvalis, Oregon. She was working outside an apartment complex near the campus of Oregon State University which was managed by her sister and brother-in-law.
The Death of Laura Burk
On March 4, 2008, Lauren Burk's nude body was found along side a rural road about four miles from Auburn University where she was a freshman.
The Barbie Bandits Case
On Feb. 27, 2007, two young women with blonde hair and wearing designer sunglasses were caught on videotape laughing and giggling as they presented a robbery note to a teller at a bank branch located inside a Kroger grocery store in Acworth, Georgia.
The Gary Michael Hilton Case
On New Year's Day 2008, 24-year-old University of Georgia graduate Meredith Emerson went hiking in the north Georgia mountains hear Vogel State Park with her dog Ella as she had done many times before. She failed to return home from the hike.
The Phoenix Baseline Killer Case
Between August 2005 and September 2006, the Phoenix, Arizona, area was terrorized by a serial criminal who authorities believe was responsible for nine murders, 11 sexual assaults of women and young girls and several robberies.
The Brianna Denison Case
Brianna Denison, a 19-year-old Santa Barbara City College student, who was home in Reno, Nevada, on winter break, went out partying with friends Saturday night Jan. 19, 2008 and then spent the night on their couch.
The Murder of Bobbie Jo Stinnett
On December 16, 2004 the body of eight-months-pregnant Bobbie Jo Stinnett was found at her Skidmore, Missouri home by her mother. Her unborn baby had been cut from her womb.
The Debra Lafave Case
Debra Lafave, a 24-year-old married middle school teacher in the Tampa, Florida, area was arrested in June 2004 and accused of having sex numerous times with one of her 14-year-old students.
The 'Baby Grace' Case
On October 29, 2007, a fisherman found a plastic storage box washed up on an island in Galveston Bay that contained the body of a two-year-old girl. An autopsy revealed that the child, named "Baby Grace" by investigators, had a fractured skull.
The Lisa Nowak Case
On Feb. 6, 2007, U.S. Navy Capt. and NASA Astronaut Lisa Nowak, 43, was charged with trying to kidnap a woman she regarded as her romantic rival for the affection of a space shuttle pilot.
Profile - Imette St. Guillen
Profile of Imette St. Guillen, the young, beautiful college student brutally raped and murdered in New York City.
The Trials of Tiffany Hall
On Sept. 15, 2006, police found the body of 23-year-old Jimella Tunstall in a vacant lot in Belleville, Illinois. An autopsy revealed that her unborn child had been cut from her womb with a pair of scissors.
The Trials of Darryl Littlejohn
On February 25, 2006, Imette St. Guillen, a graduate student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, was last seen around 4 a.m. at The Falls, a bar in the SoHo section of New York City. Her nude body was found 14 miles away near a Brooklyn street.
The Trials of Kenny Richey
At approximately 4:15 a.m. on June 30, 1986, a fire broke out at the Old Farm Village Apartments in Columbus Grove, Ohio, in the second-floor apartment of Hope Collins, killing her two-year-old daughter Cynthia.
Fugitives Wanted for Violent Crimes
Fugitives from justice who are wanted by the FBI for violent crimes.
The Murder of Kelsey Smith
On June 2, 2007, Kelsey Smith stopped at a Overland Park, Kansas, department store to buy items for a high school graduation party, but she never made it home to the event. Her body was found four days later in a shallow creek 20 miles away in Missouri.
The Phil Spector Case
Legendary rock and roll music producer Phil Spector is charged with the fatal shooting of former actress Lana Clarkston Feb. 3, 2003 at his Los Angeles mansion.
The Clemson Bikini Murder Case
On May 26, 2006, Clemson University student Tiffany Marie Souers was found dead in her off-campus apartment by a former roommate. She was wearing only a bra and had a bikini top wrapped around her neck.
The Murder of Jessie Davis
On June 15, 2007, after not having heard from her daughter for two days, Patricia Porter, the mother of nine-months-pregnant Jessie Davis went to her house and found her bedroom in disarray and her two-year-old son alone in the house.
The Appeals of Michael Skakel
Michael Skakel was indicted for the murder of Martha Moxley after a book came out about the 1975 case and he was convicted in June 2002, mostly on statements he made to others while in rehab.
Natalee Holloway: Missing in Aruba
Natalee Holloway, an 18-year-old graduate of Mountain Brook High School in Birmingham, Alabama, traveled to the Caribbean island of Aruba with 125 members of her senior class. On Monday, May 30, 2005, she did not show up for her flight back to the United States.
The Trial of Mary Winkler
Mary Winkler, 32, is charged with first-degree murder for the shotgun shooting death of her husband, Matthew Winkler, on March 22 at their Fourth Street Church of Christ parsonage in Selmer, Tennessee.
Brian Nichols: Atlanta Courthouse Killer
On March 11, 2005, Nichols was on trial for rape at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta when he overpowered a female deputy, took her gun, and went into the courtroom where he trial was being held and shot the judge and a court reporter.
Tiffany Souers Investigation
Photos of suspect trying to use Tiffany Souer's debit card at two ATM machines.
The Jessica Lunsford Case
Nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford disappeared from her bedroom at her grandparents' home in the middle of the night Feb. 23, 2005.
Duke Lacrosse Team Rape Scandal
On March 13, 2006 members of the Duke University lacrosse team held a party at an off-campus house and hired two strippers to perform, specifically requesting that they be white or hispanic. When neither of the two dancers who showed up were white, they apparently became the target of racial slurs by some of the players. One of the dancers later...
The Entwistle Murder Case
On Feb. 22, 2006, the bodies of Rachel Entwistle, 27, and her nine-month old daughter, Lillian Rose, were found shot to death under the covers of a bed in their Hopkinton, Massachusetts home.
The Trial of Joseph Edward Duncan
Joseph Edward Duncan III was out on a $15,000 bond in Minnesota for molesting a 7-year-old boy, when three people were killed in an Idaho home and their two children kidnapped. Six weeks later, Duncan was arrested after he was spotted in a restaurant with eight-year-old Shasta Groene.
The Elizabeth Smart Case
Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her Salt Lake City home on June 5, 2004 and was found nine months later with the man and wife, Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee, who have been charged with her abduction.
Hostage Ashley Smith: 'God Brought Him to My Door'
Ashley Smith, the hostage who notified police that the Atlanta Courthouse Killer wanted to turned himself in, read to Brian Nichols from "A Purpose Driven Life," shared her personal faith, and prayed with him for more than seven hours in her Duluth, Georgia apartment.
Current Crime News and Headlines
The latest updates on current criminal cases in the news, including background information and chronological events.
Crime News Daily
The latest crime news and headlines updated daily by your About Crime Guide.
Brian David Mitchell
Brian David Mitchell: A look at the life of the preaching drifter that was arrested and charged with the kidnapping of then fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart and held her captive for nine months.
High-Profile Cases
The latest updates on current criminal cases in the news, including background information and chronological events.
Ex-Boyfriend Charged in Murder of Lisa Underwood, Son
The bodies of a pregnant woman and her seven-year-old son were found in a shallow grave near Denton, TX just hours after her ex-boyfriend, and the father of her unborn child, was arrested and charged with murder in the deaths.
The Crimes of Joran Van der Sloot
Joran Van der Sloot, the chief suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba, has been accused of killing a 21-year-old Peruvian woman in his hotel room.
The Murder Confession of Joran Van der Sloot
Faced with overwhelming evidence against him, Joran Van der Sloot confessed to Peruvian authorities to the death of 21-year-old Stephany Flores.
The Death of Tina Watson
In October 2003, just 11 days after their wedding in Alabama, David Gabriel Watson and Christina Mae Watson went diving off Australia's Great Barrier Reef on their honeymoon. During the dive, Tina drowned and sunk to the bottom of the sea.
The Tracy Teen Torture Case
On Dec. 2, 2008, a emaciated and bruised 16-year-old boy showed up at the In-Shape Sports Club in Tracy, California wearing only boxer shorts and...
The Flint Slasher Case
In August 2010, authorities arrested Elias Abuelazam at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport just as he was about to flee the U.S. on a flight to Israel.
Profile of Jodi Arias
Jodi Arias admitted to killing her ex-lover, Travis Alexander, claiming she did so in self defense. But many of those who knew Travis feel that Arias murdered him in a jealous rage because he was dating another woman.
Transcript of the 9-1-1 Call From Amanda Berry
Here is the transcript of the call Amanda Berry made to 9-1-1 after her escape from the house where she had been held for 10 years. After the call went public, the Cleveland 911 dispatcher came under a lot of criticism for how the call was handled.