West
Well-connected wife of prominent New Zealand businessman murdered in affluent coastal California town
The killing of a grandmother from New Zealand during a robbery in an affluent coastal Southern California town highlights the pressing need for tougher laws and enforcement to hold criminals accountable, something some lawmakers say has been lacking across the state.
Orange County prosecutors have charged three men, one of whom has prior convictions, with murder for the death of Patricia McKay, 68, who was visiting Newport Beach with her husband, Douglas McKay, a well-known figure in New Zealand who serves as a non-executive director of National Bank Australia, when they were visiting the Fashion Island shopping center on July 2.
The suspects, Leroy Ernest Joseph McCrary, 26; Malachi Edward Darnell, 18, both of Los Angeles; and Jaden Cunningham, 18, of Lancaster, are charged with with special-circumstances murder. McCrary has prior felony convictions, raising questions by some about why he had not served any prison time.
A sailboat cruises through Newport Harbor, passing Balboa Fun Zone’s Ferris Wheel and a panoramic view of recently blanketed snow-capped San Gabriel mountains after a historic storm dumped heavy snow and rain across Southern California in Newport Harbor Thursday, March 2, 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“We clearly have a disconnect between people who commit violent crime and need to be taken off the streets until they are rehabilitated,” California Assemblywoman Diane Dixon, who previously served as the mayor of Newport Beach, told Fox News Digital.
In addition to the murder charge, McCrary is also charged with second-degree attempted robbery and evading while driving recklessly. Darnell faces charges of second-degree attempted robbery, attempted murder, and personal use of a firearm and a felony enhancement of personal discharge of a firearm. Cunningham is also charged with attempted second-degree robbery.
CALIFORNIA HOMEOWNER SHOOTS HOME INVASION SUSPECT, ANOTHER DEAD IN TARGETED HEIST: POLICE
A tourist from New Zealand was fatally run over by a group of suspects who were trying to rob her at gunpoint outside a California fashion mall Tuesday, sparking a wild police chase, which eventually saw the three alleged perpetrators arrested. (Fox 11)
The trio were arrested following a high-speed police chase in Los Angeles County. They could face the death penalty. In 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a moratorium on carrying out executions.
McCrary has prior felony convictions for residential burglary in 2018, criminal threats in 2020 and robbery in 2023.
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A shirtless suspect emerges and walks backwards towards police with his hands in the air as police have their guns drawn following a police chase after the killing of Patricia McKay, a tourist from New Zealand, in Newport Beach, California. (KTTV/Fox11)
“The case against Mr. McCrary had significant problems with proof, including witnesses who were unable to identify the suspects,” the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office told Fox News Digital. “As a result, the management team at the Airport Court authorized a plea offer that allowed Mr. McCrary to be placed on probation with a suspended state prison sentence.”
The DA’s office noted that the plea deal was approved by a judge but that McCrary’s alleged actions in Newport Beach were “reprehensible.”
Current Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill railed against Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon during a recent appearance on “Fox & Friends.”
“Do your job, and recognize who the actual victims are,” he said. “The victims are the McKays. The victims are all over your county right now, because you’re not doing your job.”
The McKays were outside a Barnes & Noble book store waiting for a ride when a Toyota Camry pulled up, and two men wearing masks got out. One of them put a gun to Douglas McKay’s head and demanded his watch before forcing him to the ground, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said.
When they were unable to get McKay’s property, Cunningham allegedly attacked Patricia McKay, who was holding several shopping bags. He then allegedly threw her to the ground and dragged her into the street in front of the getaway car being driven by McCrary as he stole her bags.
As she laid in front of the Camry, Douglas McKay tried to jump in front of the car. McCrary then drove over Patricia McKay and dragged her 65 feet, authorities said. Darnell is accused of shooting at a good Samaritan trying to catch Cunningham, who was running after the getaway vehicle. He eventually jumped in, and the three men fled, authorities said.
CALIFORNIA CRIME REFORM GETS ‘UNHEARD OF’ SUPPORT FROM DAS, SMALL BUSINESSES, PROGRESSIVE MAYORS
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon is creating a Racial Justice Act Section within his office. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Cunningham was arrested after bailing out of the vehicle in the suburb of Cypress, and McCray and Darnell were arrested later after the police chase ended in Los Angeles County.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described McKay’s killing as “an absolute tragedy,” and extended condolences to family members, whom he knows personally. A spokesperson for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told Fox News Digital that the agency was assisting the McKay family.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer put some of the blame for the killing on Newsom, a Democrat, and the Democratic-led state Legislature.
“Our shopping centers and malls have become hunting grounds for criminals who are stalking innocent shoppers to rob them blind because our governor and our Legislature refuse to hold anyone accountable for their actions,” Spitzer said. “Actions have consequences, and it shouldn’t have to result in the death of an elderly woman just enjoying a day of shopping with her husband for our elected leaders in Sacramento to realize that this is the product of their soft-on-crime policies, which encourage criminality while sacrificing public safety.”
Because of a soft-hands approach to crime, criminals in California feel emboldened to steal and commit violent crimes, said California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones.
NEWSOM URGED TO HALT PROGRESSIVES’ ‘SCHEMING’ TO DERAIL POPULAR ANTI-CRIME INITIATIVE
The incident took place outside Barnes & Noble at Newport Beach (Google Maps)
“This is where we’re at in California,” he told Fox News Digital. “He (McCrary) was completely emboldened. He’s never paid any price for his prior crimes.”
Jones also cited a recently failed effort by Newsom and some Democrats to follow through with a proposed anti-crime ballot measure to compete against another initiative that would strengthen California’s controversial Proposition 47.
Prop 47, a 2014 voter-approved ballot initiative, downgraded some lower-level crimes to misdemeanors and put in place a $950 threshold for shoplifting felonies. Backers argue that the law has resulted in an increase in crime and retail thefts. Prop 36 would reform Prop 47 by raising penalties and sentences for some drug and theft offenses and increase punishments for convicted shoplifters with two or more prior theft-related convictions and adding fentanyl to the list of drug offenses.
“We need to get back to some modicum of public safety that gives law enforcement the tools it needs to take care of violent criminals,” Dixon said. “If they can be in the process of their sentencing and their time in prison can be rehabilitated and returned to the community, OK, but these people who committed this murder, in Newport Beach, were never sentenced for their violent crimes.”
In a statement released shortly after Patricia McKay’s killing, California State Sen. Dave Min, a Democrat who represents Newport Beach, said he was committed to improving public safety.
“We cannot rest until we fully address the twin epidemics of gun violence and rising crime,” he said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Min’s office and the California Democratic Party.
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SALT LAKE CITY — The 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City were, in a way, Utah’s entrance onto the world stage.
While the Beehive State is no longer a secret, the return of the Winter Olympics in 2034 will give the state a chance to showcase what could very well be the future of flight after the Utah Department of Transportation and state partners on Monday were selected to lead a federal pilot program to test advanced electric aircraft and other emerging aviation technologies.
More specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration selected Utah as one of eight projects nationwide for the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program, a three-year initiative designed to help safely integrate advanced aircraft into the national airspace.
“What this means for Utah and for advanced air mobility is that this enables us to work very closely with the FAA in testing the technology that makes up advanced air mobility,” said Matt Maass, director of UDOT’s Aeronautics Division. “So the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft will be used for moving passengers, these aircraft will be used for moving cargo, medical transport, and it’s all going to be done electrically.”
Specifically, through an initiative called “uFly,” Utah will lead a collaboration between Oregon, Idaho, Arizona and Oklahoma — along with industry partners and research institutions — to test new aviation technology and gather data that will inform the future of electric flight.
Partners in the initiative include BETA Technologies, Ampaire, Joby Aviation, Lockheed Martin, Future Flight Global, Alpine Air, Jump Aero and Utah aerospace and defense company 47G.
Utah has been selected by @SecDuffy and the FAA as one of eight national pilot sites for next-generation electric aircraft. We’re proud to help shape the future of aviation right here in Utah, creating jobs, strengthening mobility, and keeping America at the forefront of… pic.twitter.com/pV2envlxUt
— Governor Cox (@GovCox) March 9, 2026
BETA Technologies might sound familiar to a lot of Utahns, for good reason.
In May 2024, the company launched Project ALTA in conjunction with 47G. Technically known as the Air Logistics Transportation Alliance, the project’s goal is to establish an “advanced air mobility system” for the state.
According to 47G, advanced air mobility is a novel mode of transportation that uses electric aircraft to move people and packages throughout the state. BETA Technologies in March 2025 returned to the state to conduct six days of demonstration flights, showcasing its electric ALIA aircraft.
The federal project, although it doesn’t have any funding attached, brings together over 30 public and private partners to conduct real-world flight operations.
“It will focus on parcels and packages, but then eventually people,” said Aaron Starks, president and CEO of 47G. “This designation now allows us to, through a phased approach, begin implementing all of this right away.”
Utah’s diverse landscapes are another reason the FAA chose the state to lead one of eight projects, Maass explained, saying the electric aircraft can be tested at high-altitude, snowy settings, desert environments and more.
Starks added he’s excited by the prospect of Utah leading the way when it comes to building a functional air mobility system.
“I grew up in northern Utah and rural Utah, and I remember as a kid, coming down to Salt Lake was like a big deal. That was the big city, right? You can be in an air taxi in Provo and into Moab in 36 minutes,” Starks said. “(If) I’m a Utah Jazz fan, or I want to go catch an MLB game, I can get in an air taxi and my family and I can be in Salt Lake, and we can be part of what’s happening here in the state, and live further away from the metropolitan areas that exist on the Wasatch Front. It’s awesome. It’s really cool.”
Starks added that in addition to moving people and packages, the project is also looking into how electric aircraft can be used for avalanche detection and mitigation, organ transplant delivery, wildfire monitoring and other exciting applications.
“This is going to happen in a phased approach, and our goal is to democratize this form of transportation so all families can take advantage,” Starks said.
The pilot program, like the inaugural ventures into electric flight from players like 47G, UDOT and BETA Technologies, has strong legislative backing.
Utah Senate President Stuart Adams said that nearly a decade ago, he told the Legislature that someday, electric air taxis would be flying in Utah and that he wanted the state to lead that effort.
“That one day, that one day is here today. We are now leading the effort with other states to bring air mobility to Utah and I couldn’t be more excited,” Adams said. “Our goal, our vision, is, we hope to have this functioning to be able to show off air taxis delivering to our Olympic venues.”
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
WASHINGTON STATE — Winter was nearly out of here, but after months of hitting the snooze button, the season has decided to wake up.
Western Washington has already seen a return to wintry conditions over the past few days, including brief lowland snow in the North Sound on Tuesday morning. The Cascades are covered in fresh snow, with nearly 3 feet reported at Stevens Pass in the past 48 hours.
An extended plume of moisture — known as an atmospheric river — is expected to move into the Northwest tonight through Thursday. This is not a “Pineapple Express”-style system, as it is oriented straight across the Pacific rather than tapping into warmer air near Hawaii. That means steady precipitation, but snow levels should remain near pass level instead of rising significantly, as they did during storms in December.
Rain is spreading across the region tonight, gradually pushing out the remaining cold air near sea level. Some wet snow or sleet may briefly mix with rain in the lowlands, but it is not expected to last. Overnight lows will hover near 40 degrees in Seattle and Tacoma.
Snow is already falling in the mountains and will intensify on Wednesday. A winter storm warning is in effect for the Cascades, where an additional 1 to 2 feet of snow is expected in the next 24 hours. In the lowlands, periods of cool March rain are expected on Wednesday, with damp conditions for both the morning and evening commutes. High temperatures will reach about 50 degrees in the metro area, close to normal for this time of year.
Feet of snow, gusts up to 50+ mph expected in the Cascade and Olympic Mountains
The heavy snow and gusty wind expected have prompted a rare Blizzard Warning in the mountains Wednesday Evening.{ } Image courtesy of the KOMO 4 Forecast Team.{ }(KOMO News)
By Wednesday evening, a rapidly strengthening area of low pressure will move through Western Washington. Southerly winds of 30 to 50 mph, with gusts up to 55 mph, are expected across the region, including along the coast and through Puget Sound. The strongest winds between Kitsap and King counties are expected between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. A wind advisory is in effect, and gusty conditions could cause tree damage and power outages.
As the storm moves east, winds will shift to the west in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the San Juan Islands. Gusts of 40 to 55 mph are possible in areas such as Oak Harbor, Port Angeles, and Anacortes.
Strong winds combined with heavy mountain snow have prompted a blizzard warning for parts of the Cascades and Olympics from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday. Winds could exceed 60 mph near mountain peaks and remain strong near the passes. Travel across the Cascades is expected to be hazardous on Wednesday night.
Heavy rain, mountain snow and gusty winds will make for a stormy Wednesday and Thursday around the region. Image courtesy of the KOMO 4 Forecast Team. (KOMO News)
By Thursday, winds will ease, but rain in the lowlands and snow in the mountains will continue. Snow levels are expected to remain near 2,000 feet through Thursday and Friday, adding to late-season snowfall at the passes and ski areas.
Another push of colder air is expected Friday night into Saturday, lowering snow levels to about 500 feet by Saturday morning. Some brief, light accumulations of lowland snow are possible. High temperatures on Saturday will struggle to rise much above the lower 40s.
Conditions are expected to improve Sunday and Monday, with drier weather and increasing sunshine just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. Highs could approach 60 degrees by Monday afternoon.
Until then, winter appears to be making one final push.
The top boys’ basketball players in Wyoming for Classes 1A and 2A were chosen for the 2026 high school season. The Wyoming Coaches Association has unveiled the all-state awards for this year, as voted on by the head coaches in the two classifications, respectively. The Wyoming Coaches Association only recognizes one team for all-state, and only these players receive an award certificate from the WCA. WyoPreps only lists all-state players as defined by the WCA.
WCA 1A-2A BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-STATE SELECTIONS IN 2026
Each class selected 14 players for all-state, reflecting a broad recognition of talent across Wyoming. Notably, congratulations go to Hulett’s Kyle Smith, Brady Cook from Lingle-Fort Laramie, and Carsten Freeburg from Pine Bluffs, who earned all-state honors for the third straight year. In addition, eight more players achieved all-state status for the second time in their prep careers.
Class 1A
Paul McNiven – Burlington
Bitner Philpott – Burlington
Ammon Hatch – Cokeville (All-State in 2025)
Hudson Himmerich – Cokeville
Kyle Smith – Hulett (All-State 2024 & 2025)
Anthony Arnusch – Lingle-Ft. Laramie
Brady Cook – Lingle-Ft. Laramie (All-State 2024 & 2025)
Tymber Cozzens – Little Snake River (All-State in 2025)
Corbin Matthews – Lusk
Max Potas – Meeteetse (All-State in 2024)
Jace Westring – Saratoga
Hazen Williams – Saratoga
TJ Moats – Southeast (All-State in 2024)
Nic Schiller – Upton
Read More Boys Basketball News from WyoPreps
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Class 2A
Caleb Adsit – Big Horn
Chase Garber – Big Horn
Carsten Freeburg – Pine Bluffs (All-State 2024 & 2025)
Mason Moss – Rocky Mountain
Oakley Hicks – Shoshoni
Kade Mills – Sundance
Cody Bomengen – Thermopolis (All-State in 2025)
Zak Hastie – Thermopolis
Ellis Webber – Thermopolis (All-State in 2025)
Joseph Kimbrell – Wright
Mitchell Strohschein – Wright (All-State in 2025)
Adriano Brown – Wyoming Indian
Heeyei’Niitou Monroe-Black – Wyoming Indian (All-State in 2025)
Cordell Spoonhunter – Wyoming Indian
The 2026 state champions were the Saratoga Panthers in Class 1A. They beat Lingle-Fort Laramie, 50-45, in the championship game. The 2A winners were the Thermopolis Bobcats, who repeated as champions, after a 45-38 victory over Wyoming Indian in the title game.
Lusk versus Rock River high school basketball 2026
Game action between the Tigers and Longhorns
Gallery Credit: Courtesy: Lisa Shaw
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