Midwest
How Minnesota officer uncovered UK man's plot to kill British TV host
A Minnesota detective’s routine monitoring of a crime-infested chatroom led to the arrest and conviction of a U.K. man who made plans to stalk and murder popular English TV personality Holly Willoughby.
In October 2023, the detective had been looking into an online chat called “Abduct Lovers” through Kik, an instant messaging app that allows users to remain anonymous. Using the alias David Nelson, he uncovered 37-year-old Gavin Plumb’s violent plot to kidnap and murder Willoughby.
“This work requires a creative ability to engage in online chats to build trust and a willingness to maintain an online presence,” Owatonna Police Chief Jeff Mundale told Fox News Digital. “While these online investigations are just part of this detective’s regular work, it is due to a strong commitment to and interest in working covert cases across various social media platforms that led to this case being discovered.”
The detective’s work typically involves sex-trafficking cases involving minors, as well as rape-for-hire and illegal firearms transaction cases, Mundale noted.
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Gavin Plumb, 37, was convicted of plotting to kidnap and murder English TV host Holly Willoughby. (Essex Police)
“Upon recognizing imminent danger to Willoughby, the detective alerted FBI authorities who contacted London Metropolitan Police and Essex Police,” Mundale said. “The coordination and quick action by law enforcement officials in both countries demonstrate the gravity of this situation and the effective teamwork this case presents.”
“The brilliant work of our detective and his impact on saving lives and preventing future victimization of others is immeasurable.”
A Minnesota officer uncovered Plumb’s plot to kill Willoughby, which the defendant discussed in online chatrooms. (Dave J Hogan)
U.K. authorities on July 4 thanked the Minnesota officer’s undercover work after Plumb, of Potters Field, Harlow, was convicted of soliciting Willoughby’s murder, encouraging or assisting the commission of her kidnap and encouraging or assisting the commission of her rape, according to a press release.
Essex Detective Chief Inspector Greg Wood described Plumb as “a dangerous and predatory individual who was intent on causing the most serious harm to his victim,” in a July 4 press conference.
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Essex Detective Chief Inspector Greg Wood described Plumb as “a dangerous and predatory individual who was intent on causing the most serious harm to his victim,” in a July 4 press conference. (Essex Police)
“He was not just obsessed with Holly Willoughby as he claimed. He carefully planned, over a number of years, to carry out a violent attack in which he plotted to kidnap her from her home, take her to a remote location and ultimately take her life,” Wood said.
“He carefully planned, over a number of years, to carry out a violent attack…”
The obsession dated back to 2021, and Plumb plotted with others online to carry out his violent plan.
Owatonna Police Chief Jeff Mundale said he is “proud” of the detective who helped expose Plumb’s murder plot. (Handout)
Plumb did “extensive research” to try and devise a plan in which he could kidnap Willoughby from her family home, police said in a press release.
The defendant also made purchases to assist him with carrying out the crime, including metal cable ties, ropes and chloroform.
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Gavin Plumb’s obsession with Willoughby began in 2021, according to police. (Joe Maher/WireImage)
During one of Plumb’s many discussions online, in October 2023, he did not realize that one of the users he was communicating his plans to was the Minnesota detective who eventually flagged him to U.K. officials.
Plumb had prior convictions relating to the false imprisonment and attempted kidnap of women, including two 16-year-old girls, Essex police said.
Plumb had prior convictions relating to the false imprisonment and attempted kidnap of women, including two 16-year-old girls, Essex police said. (Essex Police)
“Today, we’re extremely grateful to our law enforcement colleagues in America, who not only brought Gavin to our attention but helped gather the vital evidence that secured his conviction,” Wood added.
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During his eight-day trial, Plumb testified that his murder plot was all a “fantasy” and a “massively regrettable” mistake. He also confessed to spending 99.9% of his time online, according to The Guardian.
A Chelmsford crown court jury found Plumb guilty after hearing evidence against him. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto)
Regardless, a Chelmsford crown court jury found Plumb guilty earlier this month after hearing evidence against him, including what the Owatonna officer helped compile.
Following his conviction, Essex police posted a video of Plumb’s initial arrest.
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“I’m not gonna lie, she’s a fantasy of mine,” Plumb can be heard saying in the video when police confront him about the allegations.
Willoughby released a statement after Plumb’s conviction saying, in part, that she will “forever be grateful to the undercover police officer who understood the imminent threat, and to the Metropolitan and Essex police forces for their swift response.” (Lucy North/PA Images)
Willoughby, who has presented for TV shows including “This Morning” and “Dancing on Ice,” released a statement after Plumb’s conviction saying, in part, that she will “forever be grateful to the undercover police officer who understood the imminent threat, and to the Metropolitan and Essex police forces for their swift response.”
“As women, we should not be made to feel unsafe going about our daily lives and in our own homes.”
Chief Mundale said the Owatonna Police Department Detective Unit “uses online platforms to monitor criminal activity and chatter to gather intelligence.”
“These investigations have no geographic boundaries and generally land in other states and countries,” Mundale explained. “These covert investigations are conducted across various and changing social media platforms searching for individuals with a criminal mind and intent to traffic minor children or persons that are seeking to hire for rape or murder.”
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Detroit, MI
Where to score tickets for this Sunday’s Pistons vs. Nets game for under $30
If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.
Detroit Pistons fans will have the chance to see the Eastern Conference leaders this Sunday, Feb. 1, when they return to Little Caesars Arena to host the Brooklyn Nets at 6 p.m. ET.
Tickets are available now from Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, StubHub and Ticketmaster. Prices below reflect availability at the time of publication and are subject to change.
| Ticket Service | Starting Price |
|---|---|
| Vivid Seats | $27 |
| SeatGeek | $29 |
| StubHub | $28 |
| Ticketmaster | $26 |
The team is currently in the middle of a Western Conference road slate, which includes matchups with the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors. They earned a 109-108 win over Denver Tuesday night to improve to 34-11 and will set their sights on the Suns on Thursday. They’ll then make a final stop in San Francisco to take on the Warriors before returning home.
Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris each had a team-high 22 points in Tuesday’s win, while Cunningham also had 11 assists. Cunningham currently leads the league in assists, averaging 9.8 per game. He will represent Detroit as an Eastern Conference starter in this year’s All-Star Game.
Fans can score their tickets now for Sunday’s game from Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, StubHub and Ticketmaster.
Milwaukee, WI
A Look Into Five Great Milwaukee Novels
Novels offer a great escape, but sometimes we want our fiction to hit closer to home. These recent books are set in Milwaukee, but do they paint a recognizable portrait of our beloved city?
MYSTERY | PENGUIN BOOKS, 2022 | $18
Sneha, a queer South Asian college grad moves to Milwaukee in 2013 for a job. She explores identity, romance and friendship, along with our city’s socialist history and alcohol culture.
Is Milwaukee a “character?”
Most definitely. The people whom Sneha meets ring true to our region, including “tony Brookfield,” Bay View and beyond.
Does it feel like Milwaukee?
Certainly. Sprinkled throughout are local history lessons and discussions of our prodigious alcohol consumption, not to mention a little day-drinking on Brady Street.
Name-drops:
Bay View Massacre, North Division and Rufus King high schools.

Celebrate the Milwaukee leaders who foster connection, create opportunity and strengthen our community!
COMING OF AGE | POLIS BOOKS, 2021 | $19

Ukraine-born Masha must return from a new life in Israel to her childhood home in Milwaukee, where her sister has mysteriously gone missing.
Is Milwaukee a “character?”
Mostly. Masha’s father lives in the “semi-dangerous neighborhood of Riverwest.” Despite frequent allusions to Masha’s youth in Ukraine, Milwaukee’s cafes and clubs provide the main setting for Masha’s adventures.
Does it feel like Milwaukee?
Indeed. Slor has clearly done her Riverwest research: Masha spends plenty of time sipping at Fuel Cafe (RIP) and checking out music at Bremen Cafe.
Name-drops:
Foundation, Uptowner
POSTMODERN | PENGUIN PRESS, 2025 | $30
In speakeasy Depression-era Milwaukee, a softening former cop deals with organized and not-so-organized crime as he follows the trail of a wayward cheese heiress.
Is Milwaukee a “character?”
Yes, early on. It’s left behind as a concrete setting for the second half of the book, but Cream City remains the spiritual home for our main character.
Does it feel like Milwaukee?
The details are rich and almost always amusing. Characters gab around bubblers, drink old fashioneds, play sheepshead and talk more cheese than you can believe.
Name-drops:
Paramount Records (a defunct blues label in Grafton), Holton Street Bridge, Oriental Drugs
SUSPENSE | THREE TOWERS PRESS, 2019 | $27
Mitch is a firefighter looking to escape a tragedy in rural Wisconsin. He relocates to Milwaukee to join a busy firehouse, leading to many adventures.
Is Milwaukee a “character?”
As a former pro, Renz knows his firefighting, and he knows Milwaukee well enough to strike a clear contrast between the quiet, manure-air of Mitch’s farm home and the frenetic energy of the North Side.
Does it feel like Milwaukee?
The neighborhoods are richly drawn, and Renz includes the violence, conflict and racial tensions all too familiar in our unequal city.
Name-drops:
Teutonia Avenue, a character called the “Jawbreaker of South Milwaukee”
THRILLER | BALLANTINE BOOKS, 2021 | $19
Following a traumatic episode in Chile, Emily tries to recover with a new job in Milwaukee. A friend from the past arrives, and their violent history comes slowly to the surface.
Is Milwaukee a “character?”
Not really. Local author Bartz places the main characters here, but the setting isn’t the biggest factor in their character development.
Does it feel like Milwaukee?
The plot mostly shines on the internal life of Emily, but there’s local insight: She’s “over Milwaukee – her hometown – with its smallish size and polarized communities.”
Name-drops:
Brady Street and the “slightly creepy Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit at the public museum”
This story is part of Milwaukee Magazine’s January 2026 issue.
Find it on newsstands or buy a copy at milwaukeemag.com/shop.
Be the first to get every new issue. Subscribe.
Minneapolis, MN
Lawmakers condemn ‘disgusting’ attack on Ilhan Omar at Minneapolis town hall
Lawmakers from both parties have condemned the attack on Ilhan Omar after the Minnesota congresswoman was sprayed with an unknown substance during her town hall on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.
In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, responded to comments from Donald Trump who quipped that “she probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”
Jeffries countered: “That’s a disgusting comment and the president’s lies and misinformation continue to fan the flames of these types of violent incidents.
“Ilhan Omar, of course, is a strong, courageous, hardworking public servant. This should have never happened,” he continued.
Trump has long targeted Omar, who arrived in the US as a refugee as a child and has been a citizen for more than 25 years. His xenophobic attacks on her have ramped up in recent weeks as he has targeted Minnesota’s Somali community. He recently called for her to be “sent back to Somalia” in a post on Truth Social.
After the attack, lawmakers have directly blamed Trump’s rhetoric.
Jasmine Crockett, the Democratic representative from Texas, said in a social media post that she was “disgusted” and “outraged”. “Let’s be clear: nonstop hate and dangerous rhetoric from Trump and his allies has fueled this type of violence.”
The Minnesota representative Angie Craig said she was “relieved that my colleague Ilhan is safe”.
“The rise in political violence in our state must stop,” she posted on X. “We are better than this Minnesota.”
Chris Van Hollen, a Democratic senator of Maryland, said he was “relieved” that Omar was not injured. “But Trump’s response was shameful – & Republicans should say so. His baseless & racist attacks against her have no doubt endangered her. His inability to condemn the attack is appalling,” he wrote on X.
Greg Landsman, a Democratic representative from Ohio, said “the rhetoric against a sitting member of Congress is un-American” and leads to more violence. “Everyone, regardless of political affiliation, should approach this moment with humility and grace. That’s how we break this cycle of division and hate.”
Republicans have also spoken out against the apparent act of political violence. The South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace wrote that she was “deeply disturbed” to learn that Omar was attacked at the town hall.
“Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric – and I do – no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are.”
Don Bacon, a representative of Nebraska, said on social media: “Political violence is always wrong. We always have the right to free speech and to petition the government, but political violence must be dealt with sternly.”
He added that the attacker “needs to spend sometime [sic] behind bars”.
Omar is the second lawmaker of color to be physically attacked in the last week. The Florida representative Maxwell Frost said he was punched in the face on Friday at the Sundance film festival in Utah by a man who said Trump would deport him.
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