Southwest
Texas girl Audrii Cunningham, 11, died from blunt force trauma
Audrii Cunningham, the 11-year-old Texas girl who missed her school bus last week and was found dead in a river on Tuesday, died from blunt force trauma.
The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office said the death was described as “homicidal violence” and her manner of death has been ruled a homicide following an autopsy, an agency spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
An Amber Alert was issued for Cunningham after she failed to board the school bus on Feb. 15 and did not attend school.
TEXAS GIRL AUDRII CUNNINGHAM FOUND DEAD IN RIVER AS OFFICIALS EYE CAPITAL MURDER CHARGE FOR SUSPECT
Audrii Cunningham was supposed to get on her school bus on Feb. 15 but never made it, authorities said. (Polk County sheriff)
She was found dead in a river on Tuesday and had a “large rock” tied to her body, authorities said. Officials have charged Don Steven McDougal, 42, with capital murder of a person between the ages of 10 and 15.
“The rope used was consistent with rope that was observed in [suspect Don] McDougal’s vehicle on a traffic stop two days prior,” charging documents state.
McDougal, a family friend who lived in a trailer behind Cunningham’s residence in Livingston, was initially taken into custody on Feb. 16 on an unrelated charge of aggravated assault.
Texas authorities named Don Steven McDougal as a person of interest in connection with the Feb. 15 disappearance of Audrii Cunningham. (Polk County Sheriff/ Facebook)
He was tied to three locations of interest through cellphone data, investigators said. Cunningham was tied to two of those locations, including the Trinity River near the US Highway 59 bridge in Livingston, where she was found dead.
McDougal has a criminal history dating back to the early 2000s, when he was accused of dozens of crimes, and was convicted on two child enticement charges in 2008.
“He was probably taking her to… the bus stop, and we do feel that he was the last person to see Audrii,” Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons said of McDougal during a Monday press conference, adding that there were “some occasions” when McDougal would take Cunningham to the bus stop or even to school if she missed the bus.
Don Steven McDougal has a lengthy criminal record dating back to the early 2000s. (Liberty County)
Lyons said McDougal admitted to leaving with Cunningham on Thursday morning but didn’t confirm if she boarded the bus to school.
Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
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Los Angeles, Ca
Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico
A man wanted for a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles was arrested and extradited from Mexico after fleeing the U.S. in 2024.
The suspect was identified as Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Authorities had been searching for him since the deadly incident on October 10, 2024.
Rojas and a second suspect, Joshua Rojas Sr., 47, of Downey, were driving on the northbound 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights around 4 p.m. when they became involved in an altercation with another driver that escalated into a shooting.
Video of the tense confrontation showed the suspects, who were driving a Dodge Durango SUV, opening fire on two men in a Cadillac sedan.
The shooting forced the victim to pull over abruptly. That’s when a suspect ran up to the Cadillac, opened the passenger-side door and fired several shots at close range.
In a panic, the Cadillac driver tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and driving against oncoming traffic. He eventually crashed head-on into several vehicles.
The suspects ditched their SUV and fled toward a freeway exit on foot. The Cadillac driver was left with serious injuries and his passenger was killed. Their identities were not released.
The incident caused a miles-long backup that left thousands of motorists stranded on the freeway for hours and authorities worked to clear the scene.
Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified the two men as the suspects involved.
Joshua Rojas Sr. was arrested in San Bernardino on October 22, 2024, on a murder charge. He remains in custody awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, Christian Rojas had fled the U.S. and was hiding in Mexico, detectives said. A $4.3 million bail warrant was issued for his arrest.
“Through a coordinated international effort, investigators determined that Rojas was living in Palomo de Arriba, Mexico,” CHP officials said. “The U.S. Marshals Service worked with Mexican state police to locate and arrest him on the outstanding warrant.”
On June 2, 2026, Christian was arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a murder charge.
“This arrest demonstrates that time and distance will not shield violent offenders from justice,” said CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris. “For nearly two years, our detectives remained relentless in their pursuit of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Through exceptional collaboration with the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, we located and apprehended this suspect and brought him back to face the charges. We remain committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide.”
Los Angeles, Ca
NB 405 Freeway closed near LAX after pursuit ends in gunfire
The northbound 405 Freeway will remain closed for several hours near Los Angeles International Airport after a police pursuit ended with officers opening fire Friday morning. Unconfirmed reports indicated the incident began with a robbery at a 7-Eleven store, which ended with Los Angeles Police Department officers pursuing the suspect in a Kia. The chase […]
Los Angeles, Ca
'Top Gun: Maverick' actor identified as victim stabbed to death in Tarzana
The victim in a bizarre and deadly stabbing in Tarzana has been identified as 81-year-old character actor James Handy, best known for a recent role in Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” The stabbing happened around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 19200 block of Erwin Street in the West Valley area. Officers responded after receiving a […]
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