u/NoUnion3402

Richard Werstine has been arrested overseas after spending decades on the run from federal authorities after the killing of his roommate Rodney Barger (Rawn Beauty), the frontman of Detroit punk rock/hardcore band Cold As Life. 

Richard Werstine was taken into custody in Panama by the US Marshals Service with assistance from local authorities.

Werstine was originally arrested and charged days after the 1993 murder of Rodney Barger (then just 23-year-old), whom was shot to death in his sleep.

Werstine failed to appear for his trial in 1994 and another arrest warrant for him was issued in June of that year.

For the next 32 years, Werstine used a series of aliases to evade capture, according to the US Marshals Service. 

In May 2022, when the US Marshals took over the investigation, they discovered that Werstine had been arrested multiple times under fake names over the years. Authorities simply never connected the dots to figure out who he really was, federal investigators said.

'He was a ghost since '94,' a federal source said.
'He was very cunning, very crafty while on the run.' 

He was detained in a dog park in Panama City without incident. He admitted to having fake identification documents and entering Panama illegally in 2005.

FINALLY, he's caught and brings some closure to Barger's family.

Cold As Life were originally active from 1988 to 2001, and went on to reunite in 2015, remaining active since.

Almost done with The Tank Museum's exclusive Cobi FURY Sherman M4A2E8.
Just need a couple more parts for some more stowage, string (and need to color it) to rope in the crates and a couple more Brickmania jerrycans.
Will do a full review when done.

My second Cobi tank and loving it!
EDIT: Also waiting on a proper Wardaddy minifigure. It's a MinifigCo Wardaddy fig. from a Brick Veteran Sherman kit from a few years back.

Brickmania, even though expensive, and I understand why (sourcing parts, exclusive unique printing, custom graphics, custom weapons, elements, limited runs, etc.), to their credit offer many tanks and vehicles from a rival company, Cobi.
You don't see that often in the toy market. Hats off to Brickmania.
You can use Brickmania discounts on Cobi products too on Brickmania's site.
I'm sure many of you know this, just wanted to point it out to any new comers.

So I got this Cobi Sherman M4A1 awhile back and did super minor simple cosmetic mods using Brickmania stickers, elements, BrickArms weapons, Lego parts, BrickWarp elements, etc.

My first Cobi tank and I have to say it's a sturdy good looking Sherman, can stand up for play and looks great on display at a fraction of the cost of a Brickmania tank (which I have a few and love them as well).

So if you don't want to drop high dollar on your military vehicles, give Cobi a shot. It's worth it.
The caveat I'd say is color matching Cobi's tones with Lego colors if you want to mod with Lego bricks.

COBI 3044 Company of Heroes 3 Sherman M4A1
615 parts
1:35th scale
One minifigure, with helmet and weapon.

PRO's:
- Excellent design and shaping. The tank itself looks better than some Brickmania Sherman's.
- Extremely sturdy solid model, can handle play.
- Detailed interior engine using silver metallic elements with opening hatch.
- Nice pleasing Olive Drab tone. Not sure if exactly military OD, but looks very good.
- Printed elements (hatches, insignias, sighting device, power unit compartment cover, shell ejection port, etc).
- Accessories (crates, shovel, sandbag, M3 submachine gun, jerrycans, Browning .50 caliber machine gun).
- Lights, coaxial machine gun, tracks, rear tow hitch, towing hooks, ventilators, radio antennae, etc.
- Very detailed but molded drive sprockets, bogies, track support rollers.
- Rolls smooth and nice on rough surface. Not so much on smooth.
- Turret turns °360, cannon elevates up and down.

CON's:
- Back rear section, too many gaps.
- Driver's hatches for some reason are printed small on 1x2 w/rounded edges. Looks out of scale.
- Shovel element comes in two parts that comes apart very easily.
- No printed star on turret.
- No .30 caliber on turret.
- When top hatch is open, interferes with figure. Tilts it to the side. So you have to open it all the way, which separates the hatch from the hinge element. One stud connects but the other is almost halfway off.
- Cobi figures are really too goofy looking. Very unappealing.
- For some reason, tanker helmet looks like a Soviet WW2 tanker helmet.
- Need to take off legs for commander to fit in properly in turret. He can stand with legs, but not a proper look.
- To fit driver figures, need take off arms and legs to fit properly.

Of note: Box graphics, art.
Cobi does itself a disservice with their box art. Doesn't do the tank justice. The colors are too dark and saturated. The green color is way off from the actual model. Makes the toy look cheap.

1/4 TON 4x4 - WWII US UTILITY TRUCK (OPERATION MARKET GARDEN)
Designer - Andreas Eggen
126 LEGO, BrickArms and custom Brickmania elements.
101st Airborne Staff Sergeant minifigure.
Full-color printed building instructions (saddle stitched).
Printed and sticker decorations.
1/35th scale.
$104usd ($95usd for jeep, $9usd for Perfect Caliber M1919 upgrade).
Paid $83.20usd with 20%-off coupon.

Did some mods on this kit. It's generally good, very good but lacking in some areas in my opinion.

PRO's:
- Nicely designed and shaping by designer Eggen.
- Excellent Sergeant minifigure (exclusive to this set). Design, graphics on torso, arms, legs top notch and comes with Brickmania 3D printed helmet.
- Printed tiles (front fender, 2 star tiles and excellent details on 1x4 clear tile windshield).
- For extra $9usd, got the BrickArms Perfect Caliber M1919. Subtle shading upgrade from regular M1919, and fine printing on ammo can.
- Nice details and accessories (Shovel, regular BrickArms M1 Carbine, rifle mount on dashboard, 3D printed jerrycan, spare tire, pearl silver wheels, side mirror, tow hitch for upcoming new artillery perhaps, mount for M1919, seats, gear shift and steering wheel).
- Nice sticker graphics.
- Double rubber tires.
- Rolls nicely, very smooth on any surface.
- Fits 3 figures (2 seat comfortably).
- Good for dioramas and can withstand play.

CON's:
- Don't like the front end build technique. To get that shape, the attachments below are clipped in. The top side middle stays separated. Even when attaching the windshield mount it still stays slightly apart. Then you apply the sticker and that helps but I feel a poor technique to achieve that shape.
And we long time Lego collectors KNOW with most clips, over time can get very loose/no clutch and some can break.
- Can bend slightly from front end. Needed another plate underneath to secure it more tightly.
- Windshield though printed nicely, too short. Perhaps two clear 1x4's instead with continued printed graphics would've worked?
- Carbine must be mounted at an exact spot on clip to have it line up horizontally across dash.
- Sticker has a Lego no-no, placed across multiple plates.

MOD's:
- Added 2x2 plate before grills to lock in the front more. To lessen the separation.
- Added two, 1x1 studs to extend the headlights to stay in-line with the grill.
- Added long chain around front fender.
- On dash, added speedometer tile.
- Swapped out regular BrickArms Carbine to their Perfect Caliber version.
- Added back bench and fire extinguisher.
- Finished that back interior with tiles.
- Added on right side a hatchet.
- Underneath added 6 more Lego elements to lock in chassis better and now can really stand up to play and very sturdy.

For more of my Brickmania Reviews here's some links.
https://www.reddit.com/r/brickmania/comments/1kdeuqb/review_pattons_m20_armored_utility_car_us_3rd/

https://www.reddit.com/r/brickmania/comments/1l0hltu/review_m4_sherman_wwii_allied_medium_tank/

https://www.reddit.com/r/brickmania/comments/1l6xsbq/review_m7b1_priest_wwii_allied_105mm_howitzer/

https://www.reddit.com/r/brickmania/comments/1ln4xs1/mutt_m151a1_14_ton_4x4_utility_truck_review/

https://www.reddit.com/r/brickmania/comments/1kqvj4s/review_m8_greyhound_wwii_us_light_armored_car/

https://www.reddit.com/r/brickmania/comments/1mi2j0n/dday_squad_pack_part_1_review/

https://www.reddit.com/r/brickmania/comments/1n0dwzp/dday_squad_pack_part_2_review/

https://www.reddit.com/r/brickmania/comments/1le0buw/vietnam_war_usmc_drill_instructor_minifigure/

https://www.reddit.com/r/brickmania/comments/1nkj1xl/smart_gunner_vol2_custom_minifigure/

https://www.reddit.com/r/brickmania/comments/1nhaqa7/offworld_dragoons_minifigure_pack_review/

https://www.reddit.com/r/brickmania/comments/1kxq0ya/sticker_pack_wwii_us_ammo_crates_ration_boxes/

From the Dead Kennedy's X account.

And from me...wishing Jello FULL recovery, and back on the scene with us all soon!
God bless Jello!

The note was written by Anne-Marie Anderson, who works at Biafra's label, Alternative Tentacles, and appears to have been helping take care of him since the stroke.

Modded this Brickmania M5A1 Stuart - 761st Tank Battalion from a used kit from eBay.
Paid only $40usd because it was missing over 50 parts.
Notably one printed drive sprocket, one of the printed hatch tiles, both coaxial mg's, front gun barrel, browning mg, top light, antennae, minifigure and no box.

Even with so many missing parts, from my own parts collection I pieced it together, got a tanker figure and head from MiniFigCo., and added more details.
Was a lot of fun to do.

Mods:
- Brickmania 37mm gun barrel.
- Both coaxial machine guns.
- Brickmania Perfect Caliber .30mm M1919.
(Of note, even though more details overall and printing on the ammo box, not worth $9usd. The details don't stand out like the Perfect Caliber M2HB. Best to get the regular $2usd M1919. More bang for your buck ;) ).
- Right side driver's assistant hatch with port.
- Top light.
- Swapped out grey grouser's for more accurate black (don't know why Brickmania made the grouser's gray. Gray grills are already established as vents).
Perhaps they couldn't source enough black grills?
- Flat clear tile front headlights.
- Pearl silver tow cable.
- Commander port.
- Knock-off Brickmania printed ammo and rations crates.
- Flipped over the front mud flaps to the stud side (looks better, than the other way from original design).
- New tanker minifigure and head from MiniFigCo.
- 3D printed Tanker helmet from Brickmania.
- Lego binoculars.
- Missing drive sprocket from Brickmania's M4 Sherman Printed Parts Pack.
- 'Hothead' sticker from Brickmania's WWII Vehicle Name & Gun Barrel Print - Sticker Pack.

Great finale.
Fuck Racism.
Real art, made by real people.
And I got some skin from Angelo!
Great night with Fishbone, friends and family.