Southwest
Holiday travel warning: $5M worth of cars stolen from major US airport by organized theft ring, report says
An organized theft ring with at least 14 members nationwide is accused of stealing nearly $5 million worth of vehicles from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport between 2023 and November 2024, according to a search warrant obtained by local news.
“Approximately 14 suspects have been identified…the suspects in this group have stolen approximately 52 cars from DFW, for a total loss of $4.9 million,” officials said in the affidavit obtained by NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth.
The DFW Airport told Fox News Digital in a statement that “airport police have recently made significant arrests that have disrupted organized crime rings and greatly reduced reported car thefts at DFW.”
“In 2023 there were a total of 142 vehicle thefts reported in the terminal areas at DFW. Through November 2024 there were only 60 cars reported stolen, which is a reduction of nearly 58% year-over-year,” a DFW Airport spokesperson said in a statement. “Police are generally seeing thieves target high-end muscle cars and luxury SUVs. As has been reported extensively, auto theft is an unfortunate national issue that airports and other public facilities across the country are confronting.”
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Travelers wait to go through security at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, US, on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anticipated screening 40 million passengers this holiday season. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)
The number of car thefts over the last year at DFW is low compared to the 3.4 million vehicles that are parked at the airport every year, the DFW spokesperson added.
“From my time as a U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret, I’ve seen that organized theft rings use many of the same tactics as transnational crime networks or terrorist cells,” Eric Brown, founder and CEO of Imperio Consulting and a 24-year Green Beret veteran and security expert, told Fox News Digital. “They look for easy targets, focusing on weak security measures and predictable routines. The key for travelers is to avoid making your vehicle a soft target.”
“Park in a well-lit spot, lock your doors, remove valuables or keep them out of sight, and make sure any alarm or tracking system is active.”
The ring has allegedly targeted airports across the West, including Texas, New Mexico, Utah and Nevada.
AMERICANS TARGETED BY BRUTAL CRIMES ON VACATION IN 2024
A traveler holds a cat in a carrier at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg)
Alleged ring leader Yoel Hernandez-Frometa, 37, used “Autel devices,” which are auto diagnostic tools, “to reprogram key fobs so he can steal vehicles,” the affidavit said, according to NBC 5.
Gene Petrino, co-owner of Survival Response LLC and a retired SWAT commander, told Fox News Digital that it’s common for organized theft rings to use Autel tools “to reprogram key fobs and bypass modern security systems.” They often target “vehicles based on their market demand or resale value,” he added.
“These devices, designed for legitimate locksmiths and mechanics, can be misused to mimic or reset vehicle keys,” Petrino said.
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Hernandez-Frometa and two others, including 30-year-old Jose Alejandro Pavon-Estopian and 29-year-old Vainer Pinollotoro, were arrested in Salt Lake City, Utah, in July on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, fleeing in a vehicle, failing to stop at the command of police, and possession of burglary tools.
The three suspects were allegedly caught looking into vehicles at the Salt Lake City airport, and when police caught up with them and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, they fled.
Travelers at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, US, on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anticipated screening 40 million passengers this holiday season. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)
Authorities eventually located and detained the suspects with help from multiple law enforcement divisions. During their investigation, they recovered one of the suspect’s backpacks, which was “full of blank car key fobs.”
Officers also found keycards to a nearby motel and obtained a search warrant for the motel. With help from the Salt Lake City Police Department’s SWAT team clearing the suspects’ room, officers “found more evidence of a coordinated stolen car operation,” including a “laptop, other hardware used to communicate electronic signals, and a device used to program key fobs inside the stolen car the suspects bailed from,” police said at the time.
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The Salt Lake City Police Department noted that the three men had no ties to the city.
An Iberia Airlines plane soars over the parking lot at Los Angeles International Airport. (iStock)
It is unclear if any of the additional 11 suspects involved in the theft ring have been arrested.
“These groups often divide tasks among different teams. One crew scouts parking lots, noting high-value vehicles and passing that intel to the thieves. A separate group handles fake paperwork and arranges storage or resale. This setup keeps them flexible and difficult to track,” Brown explained.
FBI RELEASES PHOTO OF SUSPECT WANTED IN AGENT VEHICLE CARJACKING
Petrino similarly said members of a theft ring “have specific roles: some handle scouting, others manage the technical aspects of reprogramming, and others handle transportation and resale of stolen vehicles.”
They also operate “in multiple jurisdictions,” Petrino explained, “making them harder to track and prosecute.”
Aerial view of vehicles at a parking lot on Aug. 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. ( Qian Weizhong/VCG via)
Because these organized theft rings operate across state lines, expert coordination is needed among law enforcement entities to track down suspects, he added. On top of that, police departments “often lack the resources to dedicate to complex, multi-state investigations, especially if the thefts are part of a larger criminal enterprise,” Petrino said.
Brown similarly explained that to combat these theft rings, like targeting bigger threats, local, state and federal authorities need to join forces.
“This collaboration helps tie all the pieces together and disrupt the entire theft network. It’s not an easy task, but with persistent teamwork and resource sharing, law enforcement can weaken these rings and protect travelers,” the former Green Beret said.
The case is under investigation. The FBI’s Dallas Field Office is aware of the theft ring and is assisting DFW Airport Police with their investigation, the Bureau told Fox News Digital.
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Southwest
San Antonio teen who vanished Christmas Eve found dead by suicide in nearby field after days-long search
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This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Texas authorities confirmed on Thursday a missing San Antonio teen who vanished on Christmas Eve took her own life.
Camila Mendoza Olmos, 19, was last seen alive at about 7 a.m. on Dec. 24, walking a few blocks from her home.
Olmos’ body was found Tuesday in a field just a few hundred yards from her home, next to a gun, according to a report from affiliate FOX 7 Austin.
Officials confirmed they found the body of Camila Mendoza Olmos, who went missing on Christmas Eve. (Help Find Camila Mendoza Olmos via Facebook)
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The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the body as Olmos on Wednesday, determining the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and ruling the manner of death a suicide, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office previously said Olmos had a history of suicidal ideation and depression, noting there were no signs of foul play.
Camila Olmos was reported missing on Christmas Eve morning. (Bexar County Sheriff)
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The body appeared to have been in the location where it was found for several days, according to authorities.
In a Facebook post Wednesday afternoon, family members thanked the community for their support.
“In the name of the Olmos family, we want to give a humble and heartfelt thank you to all the news reporters, churches, friends, families, and communities for your support and prayers,” Nancy Olmos wrote in the post. “Our beloved Camila Mendoza Olmos is now with the Good Lord.”
Camila Mendoza Olmos’ manner of death was ruled a suicide, according to officials. (Help Find Camila Mendoza Olmos via Facebook)
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“We kindly ask that you please respect our pain and, most importantly, keep my cousin Rosario—Camila’s mom—and my nephew Carlos—Camila’s brother—in your prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” she added. “Thank you, and God bless you all.”
Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
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Southwest
University of Oklahoma teaching assistant fired after flunking Christian student files appeal with school
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A University of Oklahoma graduate teaching assistant who was fired after flunking a Christian student who cited the Bible in an essay, causing a national uproar, is appealing the school’s decision.
Brittany Stewart, a self-employed and self-described civil rights lawyer, said she is representing William “Mel” Curth, who assessed student Samantha Fulnecky a zero out of 25 on an assignment about gender norms.
“Today, my client, Mel Curth, submitted her appeal of the University’s Institutional Equity Office finding that she engaged in arbitrary and capricious grading of a student’s assignment in violation of that student’s religious liberty,” Stewart said on Bluesky earlier this week.
OU student Samantha Fulnecky, with her Bible, in the Oklahoma Memorial Union, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman/Imagn Images)
“Ms. Curth fully denies that she engaged in any discriminatory behavior,” the statement continues. “It is her position that the investigation was flawed, failed to consider all possible motives and issues, and that new evidence has come to light that undermines the investigation’s conclusion.”
CONSERVATIVE PROFESSOR SLAMS 0 GRADE FOR OKLAHOMA STUDENT’S BIBLICAL ESSAY AS PUNITIVE: ‘VERY INAPPROPRIATE’
Stewart did not specify what the new evidence is.
For the assignment, Curth, who uses she/they pronouns, asked students to read a short paper called, “Relations Among Gender Typicality, Peer Relations, and Mental Health During Early Adolescence,” which discusses results of a study about gender norms among middle schoolers and the social ramifications children may face if they don’t conform to gender norms.
The students were instructed to provide a “thoughtful discussion of some aspect of the article.”
Fulnecky, a junior at the school, responded by saying she thought gender norms should not be viewed as stereotypes. She cited Genesis, the first book of the Bible, in which God created men and women equally, but with separate purposes.
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Students walk on campus between classes at the University of Oklahoma on March 11, 2015, in Norman, Oklahoma. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
“Gender roles and tendencies should not be considered ‘stereotypes,’” Fulnecky wrote in her essay. “Women naturally want to do womanly things because God created us with those womanly desires in our hearts. The same goes for men. God created men in the image of His courage and strength, and He created women in the image of His beauty. He intentionally created women differently than men and we should live our lives with that in mind.”
She later described the normalization of non-binary gender as “demonic.”
Curth took exception to Fulnecky’s response.
“Please note that I am not deducting points because you have certain beliefs, but instead I am deducting point [sic] for you posting a reaction paper that does not answer the questions for this assignment, contradicts itself, heavily uses personal ideology over empirical evidence in a scientific class, and is at times offensive,” Curth’s explanation for the grade said, later adding that the essay was “offensive” and claiming that science backs the idea that “gender is neither binary nor fixed.”
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There were three grading criteria, according to Fulnecky, who said none of those criteria listed empirical evidence as a requirement.
“Does the paper show a clear tie-in to the assigned article?” was the first, worth up to 10 out of the assignment’s 25 total points.
“Does the paper present a thoughtful reaction or response to the article, rather than a summary?” was the second, also worth up to 10 points.
“Is the paper clearly written?” was the last criterion, worth up to five points.
OU student Samantha Fulnecky, with her Bible, in the Oklahoma Memorial Union, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
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Fulnecky filed an official religious discrimination complaint with the school after receiving the zero grade, and Curth was put on administrative leave pending an investigation.
On Dec. 22, the University of Oklahoma released a statement saying Curth had been fired.
“Based on an examination of the graduate teaching assistant’s prior grading standards and patterns, as well as the graduate teaching assistant’s own statements related to this matter, it was determined that the graduate teaching assistant was arbitrary in the grading of this specific paper,” the school said. “The graduate teaching assistant will no longer have instructional duties at the University.”
Stewart said in her statement that Fulnecky had an ulterior political motive for challenging the grade, and slammed the university for making public statements while she said Curth is bound by “confidentiality rules.”
“Rather than engaging in discrimination, Mel Curth has been the target of a political movement that seeks to silence and/or oust LGBTQ people from academia,” Stewart’s statement concludes. “Ms. Curth will continue to fight back against these harmful allegations.”
A University of Oklahoma campus sign is pictured in Norman, Oklahoma, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
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Fox News Digital reached out to Stewart and the University of Oklahoma for comment.
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Southwest
Missing 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos believed to be ‘in imminent danger,’ Texas sheriff says
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Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar indicated that authorities believe that Camila Mendoza Olmos, a 19-year-old woman who went missing on Christmas Eve, is “in imminent danger.”
The FBI is supplying technical aid and the Homeland Security Department is keeping an eye on border crossings as well as international travel, Salazar indicated, according to ABC News.
“We definitely don’t want to miss anything,” he said, according to the outlet. “The ground search is somewhat limited to a couple of square miles. We’re also not ruling out that this case may take us outside the borders of the continental United States.”
TEXAS 19-YEAR-OLD CAMILA MENDOZA OLMOS VANISHES OUTSIDE HER HOME ON CHRISTMAS EVE
Camila Mendoza Olmos, 19, was last seen outside her home in San Antonio, Texas, on Christmas Eve, authorities said. (Bexar County Sheriff’s Office)
The sheriff confirmed to ABC that the young woman had not been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which he verified despite Olmos being an American citizen.
“That was a personal concern. So, I had it checked to make sure that there were no stops, no detentions, and that she’s not somewhere in a federal detention facility. That is something we needed to check,” Salazar noted, according to the outlet.
Fox News Digital reached out to the sheriff’s office for comment.
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Camila Mendoza Olmos was last seen around 6:58 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in northwest Bexar County, Texas. (Bexar County Sheriff’s Office)
A December 24 Bexar County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post noted, “Camila was last seen leaving her residence at approximately 6:58 a.m. on Wednesday, December 24, 2025. Video footage from that time shows an unknown individual, believed to be Camila, searching inside her vehicle for an unidentified item. Moments later, the footage ends. It is believed that she left the residence on foot, as her vehicle remained at the location.”
The post notes, “The only items known to be on her person are her car key and possibly her driver’s license. Camila’s mother stated that Camila normally goes for a morning walk; however, she became concerned when Camila did not return within a reasonable period of time.”
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The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said, “It is believed that she left the residence on foot, as her vehicle remained at the location.” (Google Maps)
The sheriff’s office indicated in the post that she had been “Last seen wearing: Baby blue with Black Hoodie, Baby blue Pajama bottoms, White shoes.”
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