Cleveland, OH
Cleveland Family stunned after arsonist burns home to ground; Police still searching for suspect
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A family is devastated after investigators say someone intentionally set their house on fire in the middle of the night.
“Who would do that to someone? Try to kill my whole family in our sleep with our 7-month-old baby? In a fire? It’s sickening,” said Felipe Freitas.
Freitas and Cecelia Li tell 19 News they’re still traumatized but grateful to be alive after their home went up in flames.
“I woke up by an act of God, saw flames outside our bedroom window and screamed, ‘Felipe, the house is on fire!’ He ran downstairs, tried to put it out. It went so fast, I picked up our baby, tried to go downstairs and the wall of smoke was so thick, it was like walking into a black cloud. I was choking, I couldn’t go downstairs,” said Li.
Li says she jumped from a second-floor window where Freitas caught her and their 7-month-old baby boy.
Sadly, they share that their pets, a dog and a cat named Salami and Evelyn, didn’t make it out of the home.
“They were the sweetest animals, they were the best friends, an absolute blessing and our son absolutely loved them,” said Li.
Cleveland Fire tells 19 News that when crews arrived to the home on w. 106th and Clifton Just after 2 a.m. Saturday, the fire had spread to two other houses in the neighborhood and two vehicles.
They estimate more than $700K in damages and for the house to be demolished.
“99 percent of everything in that house is irreplaceable, like one of a kind. The art, things we’ve kept for decades, that have been passed on for generations,” said Li. “Literally that night I was like, I got you [Felipe], I’ve got our son, that is all I have,” she said.
Investigators believe the cause of the fire is arson and the couple tells 19 News, they are stunned.
They’re hoping police get answers about the suspect and their case soon.
In the meantime, loved ones have wrapped their arms around the family with financial and emotional support.
“People can be really good and it’s like one person did something really evil to us but hundreds of people have done more and are doing so much good,” said Li.
Cleveland Police Department is investigating.
A $2,500 reward is being offered for any information that leads to an arrest.
Tips can be left by calling 216-664-6380.
Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Cleveland, OH
Report: Ohio among worst states in the U.S.
OHIO — The U.S. News & World Report released its sixth Best States rankings, and this year’s shows Ohio is among the worst.
The rankings are based across 71 metrics in eight categories, including the economy, health care, infrastructure and natural environment. Some categories were weighed more heavily than others. Health care and education had the most weight, then came state economies, infrastructure and opportunities given to each state’s citizens.
Ohio came in 36th place. It ranked high in opportunities for citizens and fiscal stability, but low in natural environment, economy and health care.
Here’s what the report ranked as the Top 10 states:
- Utah
- New Hampshire
- Nebraska
- Minnesota
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Vermont
- Washington
- Florida
- Massachusettes
Here are the top 10 worst states:
- Louisiana
- New Mexico
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- West Virginia
- Alaska
- Alabama
- Oklahoma
- Michigan
- South Carolina
Cleveland, OH
3rd man charged in deadly shooting of Cleveland mom in front of her children
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Cuyahoga County prosecutor said a third person is now charged in the deadly shooting of a Cleveland mother in front of her two young children.
Alyson Appling-France, 29, was shot 17 times while unloading groceries in the parking lot of her apartment complex near Detroit Avenue and Berea Road on Jan. 10, said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley.
PREVIOUS STORY: 2 indicted for fatally shooting Cleveland mother in front of her kids
PREVIOUS STORY: Dog killed during SWAT situation in Garfield Heights; 2 arrested for Cleveland murder
Her daughters, ages six and 10, were inside the car. They were not injured.
O’Malley said a grand jury has indicted Jamar Skanes, 49, Alontez Beasley, 34, and Clarence Bennett, 43, on these charges:
JAMAR SKANES | ALONTEZ BEASLEY | CLARENCE BENNETT |
---|---|---|
One count of aggravated murder One count of conspiracy to commit murder Two counts of murder Five counts of felonious assault |
One count of aggravated murder One count of conspiracy to commit murder Two counts of murder One count of involuntary manslaughter Five counts of felonious assault One count of having weapons while under disability |
One count of aggravated murder One count of conspiracy to commit murder Two counts of murder One count of involuntary manslaughter Five counts of felonious assault One count of having weapons while under disability |
Skanes pleaded not guilty on Feb. 8 to aggravated murder, murder, and felonious assault, The judge ordered him held on a $1 million bond.
Beasley was also in court on Feb. 8 and pleaded not guilty to murder, aggravated murder, felonious assault, having weapons under disability, and involuntary manslaughter.
He received a $1 million bond.
PREVIOUS STORY: 2 men plead not guilty to shooting Cleveland mom 17x in front of her children
Arraignments for Skanes and Beasley on the new charges will happen at a later date, according to O’Malley.
According to O’Malley, Bennett followed the victim to Target, watched her enter and exit, then tipped off Skanes and Beasley when she was heading home.
After the shooting, Skanes and Beasley fled the scene, said O’Malley. They were arrested by Cleveland police on Jan. 26.
Bennett remains on the loose and authorities need help locating him. Anyone with information should contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-866-4.WANTED.
“These three individuals conspired to brutally murder Alyson Appling-France in front of her 10-year-old and 6-year-old daughters. Their actions were unfathomable, and it is my firm belief that they are a danger to the public… Jamar Skanes and Alontez Beasley are in custody. We need the public’s help to find Clarence Bennett. If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-866-4.WANTED.”
Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Cleveland, OH
Eggy Performs National Anthem At Cleveland Guardians Game [Watch]
Connecticut-native quartet Eggy on Tuesday headed to Cleveland, OH’s Major League Baseball park, Progressive Field, to perform the national anthem ahead of a matchup between the Cleveland Guardians and the visiting Seattle Mariners.
Appearing in red Guardians jerseys with “Eggy” emblazoned across their backs, band members Jake Brownstein, Dani Battat, Mike Goodman, and Alex Bailey left their instruments in the van and used their first-ever public rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” to showcase their aptitude for four-part vocal harmony.
Eggy Guitarist Jake Brownstein Hits Record-Breaking Trick Shot At Westville Music Bowl [Watch]
“As long time fans of baseball, it was surreal to play a role in the actual production of a Major League game,” Battat told Live For Live Music of Eggy’s national anthem performance in Cleveland. “We challenged ourselves with an acapella arrangement by the Gaither Vocal Band, and are all extremely proud with the result. The whole experience is a dream come true and we can’t wait to do it again.” Watch a video of the Eggy national anthem performance at Tuesday’s Cleveland Guardians game below.
Eggy is in the midst of a particularly busy year. In addition to rolling out singles from their forthcoming sophomore LP, Waiting Game, Brownstein, Battat, Bailey, and Goodman are due to make their debuts at a number of notable venues and festivals in the coming months. After performing at Electric Forest today (6/20) and supporting Blues Traveler at Morrison, CO’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre on July 4th, Eggy will continue on to festival gigs at Quincy, CA’s High Sierra Music Festival (7/5–7/7), Snowshoe, WV’s 4848 Festival (7/18–7/20), Jay, VT’s Jeezum Crow Festival (7/19–7/20), Check, VA’s FloydFest (7/24–7/27), East Aurora, NY’s Borderland Music Festival (9/13–9/15), Asbury Park, NJ’s Sea Hear Now (9/14–9/15), Austin, TX’s Austin City Limits Festival (10/6–10/6, 10/11–10/13), Live Oak, FL’s Suwannee Hulaween (10/24–10/27), and more. In August, the group will join Umphrey’s McGee as support for a run of amphitheater shows. For a full list of upcoming Eggy tour dates, head here.
Eggy Shares New Single “Laurel”, An Ode To The Romantic Allure Of L.A. [Listen]
Tuesday’s a cappella “Star-Spangled Banner” at the Guardians/Mariners game came on the heels of Eggy’s debut performances at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival late last week. Watch a full, pro-shot video of the group’s Thursday, June 13th performance in the festival’s “This Tent” below.
Eggy – Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival – Full Set [Pro-Shot] – 6/13/24
-
Politics1 week ago
President Biden had front row seat to dog, Commander, repeatedly biting Secret Service agents: report
-
Politics1 week ago
Biden's attorney general is fighting back as the GOP-led House contemplates contempt
-
News1 week ago
171,000 Traveled for Abortions Last Year. See Where They Went.
-
Politics1 week ago
Trump travels to DC to meet with congressional Republicans, speak with nation's top business executives
-
Politics1 week ago
Durbin looks to force Supreme Court ethics bill vote amid Alito controversy
-
World1 week ago
The far right will probably fall short in French legislative elections
-
World1 week ago
Hezbollah rains rockets on Israel after senior commander killed
-
Politics1 week ago
Biden’s ’pre-9/11 posture’ to blame for ISIS migrants slipping through cracks: expert