Southwest
Houston manhunt ends: Suspect accused of fatally shooting deputy is shot and killed by police
A Houston manhunt ended Wednesday evening when police shot and killed the suspect they said fatally shot a deputy who was trying to serve a warrant.
Houston Police said 56-year-old Robert Lee Davis, also known as Christopher Davis, was wanted in connection to the deputy’s death.
“A short time ago, the suspect was shot by law enforcement officers behind the businesses near the original shooting scene here on Stella Link,” police said in a post on X. “The suspect is deceased.”
Houston Mayor John Whitmire and Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz said earlier in the day that Brazoria County Sheriff’s Deputy Jesus Jesse Vargas was killed after being shot in the head while serving a warrant on a repeat offender.
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“This afternoon, we lost a local hero in Deputy Sheriff Vargas from the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office,” Whitmire said.
The shooting happened in the parking lot of a Dollar General store at about 11:30 a.m.
Vargas and his partner were serving a warrant on the offender in the parking lot, and when they approached the fugitive’s vehicle, he reportedly opened fire and fled the scene.
Vargas was working as a member of the U.S. Marshal’s Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force at the time of the shooting, according to authorities.
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Officials said Vargas was shot in the head.
Vargas was taken to Ben Taub Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Vargas was a 17-year veteran of the force and leaves behind a wife and three children, authorities said.
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Harris County Constable Alan Rosen posted on X that his department was aiding in the search for the suspect.
“We are praying for the officer shot while serving a warrant this morning,” Rosen wrote. “Please keep this officer and his family in your prayers!!!! I have deputies attached to this task force who are out searching for the suspect with our other law enforcement partners!”
Prior to being found, police released a photo of Davis, who was last seen wearing a blue Nike hoodie with white lettering, blue jeans, and blue sneakers.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Houston assisted police in the search for Davis.
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Los Angeles, Ca
Alhambra police shoot, kill person
A police officer shot and killed a person in Alhambra on Saturday, authorities confirmed.
The shooting was reported at about 11:47 a.m. on the 1200 block of South Almansor Street, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which is assisting the Alhambra Police Department with the investigation.
No details were released other than the fact that police shot a person who was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Authorities referred to the person only as a “suspect.” As of Saturday afternoon, it’s not clear what crime the person was suspected of committing, if they were armed or if they also shot at police.
No officers were injured. No additional details were immediately made available.
Southwest
Houston cleaning up 'drug-addicted rats' infestation in evidence property room
The Houston Police Department and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office announced a change this week to how evidence is stored and processed for criminal cases after a rodent infestation caused some issues.
Police Chief Noè Diaz announced in a press conference that in October the HPD noticed the rats were consuming old marijuana in the evidence property room.
“400,000 pounds of marijuana and storage and the rats are the only ones enjoying it,” said Houston Mayor John Whitmire.
“Think about it, they are drug-addicted rats. They’re tough to deal with,” Peter Stout, CEO of Houston Forensic Science Center said.
Whitmire says the overall problem is that so much evidence is stored that it is no longer needed.
“The problem has been so much evidence is kept and stored that it is no longer needed; that has no impact on the resolution of that charge that conviction, or even that innocence,” he said during the press conference.
He went on to announce that they will be working with the DA to make sure the evidence is properly handled and if it’s no longer needed there will be space for property that is important.
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HPD says there are 1.2 million pieces of evidence currently being stored, and it is no longer relevant.
Before this, evidence like sticks, tennis rackets, bicycles and even rocks were kept for sometimes decades from cases that were solved long ago.
They say that a combination of communication and laws are the main source preventing the destruction of the evidence in a timely manner.
They also said this has caused rats and mold to accumulate in the evidence locker, risking the contamination of new evidence.
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“Now that this has come to light, I think you’re going to see a lot of pushback from the defense about the integrity of evidence used against people they represent,” said Anthony Osso a criminal defense attorney in Houston.
All narcotic evidence obtained before 2015 will be cleared from the shelves and destroyed with the cooperation of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the Houston Forensic Science Center.
Records of the evidence will be kept indefinitely.
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Los Angeles, Ca
The true story behind the VW bus that survived the Palisades fire
A Malibu resident is telling his story about how he captured a now-viral photo of a Volkswagen Bus that survived the deadly Palisades Fire on January 7.
“Get out of the house, now! There’s a massive fireball heading your way,” Pacific Palisades resident, Matt Baker, recalled a friend calling him to give him this urgent warning as the fire started.
“I stayed in the danger zone far longer than I should have. I was determined to make sure all my neighbors safely evacuated,” Baker said about staying to fight the flames.
He gathered belongings, moved vehicles away from incoming flames, hosed down his house and other homes on his block, and helped elderly neighbors evacuate.
“It was intense—heat, smoke, exhaustion—but the instinct to help and hold on was stronger than the fear. It’s in moments like these you truly understand the meaning of community and resilience,” Baker said in an interview with KTLA.
On January 8, a day after the fire started, Baker assessed his neighborhood. He said right away he noticed his neighbor’s 1977 Volkswagen Type 2 Bus somehow survived the fire, “I had to tell her right away! We are all so close, and this was a glimmer of hope!”
Megan Weinraub, the owner of the bus, had parked on a flat part of the street by her apartment before the fire broke out, because she’s still new to driving stick, and wanted to avoid starting on a hill.
She only recently bought the bus from her friend, Preston Martin.
When she had to evacuate her home, she knew others would be worried about the bus.
“Since the day I brought the van home, it’s become part of my neighborhood,” she said. “I’ve been posting photos of it, and now everyone on my street recognizes it—along with my dog, who’s often right there with it.”
Weinraub hasn’t been able to return home, and said she’s grateful for Baker sent her photos of the bus, “I immediately shared it with Preston, knowing how emotionally attached he is to the van. I’ve kept him in the loop because it means a lot to both of us.”
Martin, the original owner of the bus has always said, “There’s magic in that bus!”
In an interview with KTLA, the pair said, “The most surprising thing about this van going viral is how deeply it resonated with people. It’s become a symbol of light and hope, especially during such dark and uncertain times.”
Weinraub said she wants to use this opportunity of going viral to raise awareness and give back to her community. She is an artist and the owner of the customer surfboard shop, Vibrant Boards.
She has started a raffle and donation campaign to support those affected by the wildfires. All the information can be found on her website.
Baker said he looks forward to seeing “Megan’s magic blue bus” continue to drive up and down PCH like it always has, “In the midst of so much loss and chaos, the bus feels like a little symbol of resilience and hope, reminding us that some things can endure even the fiercest storms.”
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