Dr. Gerhardt Konig, a Maui anesthesiologist accused of trying to kill his wife during a hike in Honolulu, was found guilty after prosecutors argued he pushed her toward a cliff, attempted to inject her with a syringe and repeatedly struck her with a lava rock. The case now moves into post-trial proceedings, with Konig’s attorneys expected to argue on his behalf.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Former TikTok influencer Ali Abulaban, who was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in 2024 for killing his estranged wife and her friend in a high-rise East Village apartment, is requesting a new trial.
Ali was not present in court Wednesday morning for the appeal presented to a panel of three justices.
Appellate Attorney Laura Schaefer and the Office of the Attorney General argued that Ali was not treated fairly during his trial, saying evidence presented in court of child pornography on Ali’s phone and videos where he made racist remarks may have swayed the jury.
Ali, who was known online as “Jinnkid,” garnered over a million followers on TikTok for his popular impression videos. As his social media following grew, family members described a major shift in his personality, an unraveling marriage and cocaine use.
In her arguments, Schaefer also argued that the 12-person jury in Ali’s trial should have been able to consider intoxication when determining premeditation, given that cocaine was found in his system eight hours after the murders.
A forensic toxicologist who testified during the trial said that Ali would have had to have taken a considerable amount of cocaine for the drug to appear in his system several hours after being arrested because it typically metabolizes fast and can leave a person’s body within a few hours.
Schaefer painted a picture of someone who had been spiraling in the months leading up to the murders and was heavily using cocaine.
She also said the fact that Ali recorded the incident is inconsistent with someone who would plan a murder, incriminating themselves.
“Didn’t he livestream a good part of his life?” responded one of the justices when presented with the notion.
On Oct. 21, 2021, Ali entered the residence he had shared with his estranged wife Ana Abulaban at the Spire Apartments, and shot and killed her and her friend Rayburn Barron on the couch. Neighbors testified that prior to the shooting loud screams and commotion could often be heard coming from the couple’s apartment.
One neighbor said that at one point Ana, holding the daughter she shared with Ali, had knocked on her door asking for help after Ali had “beat” her.
Communications between Ali and Ana presented during the 14-day trial showed a relationship marked by violence, control and jealousy.
Six days before the shooting, Ali and Ana were scheduled to meet at the same courthouse where his trial was eventually held to file for divorce but didn’t go through with it. Digital evidence presented in court also showed that Ali had searched for graphic photos of decapitations and chopped-up bodies before the shooting.
During the appeal presentation Wednesday, one of the justices said the search history and violent threats that Ali had made to Barron, whom he accused Ana of having an affair with, were enough evidence of premeditation.
“We have pretty strong evidence,” said one of the justices. “He took pictures of the bodies, he called up his mother, he called up other people saying, ‘I killed her,’ and this is not what you’d call a hard case to prove a homicide.”
The arguments were meant to go for 15 minutes, but ended up going closer to an hour as both sides went back and forth with questions. The justices will now consider the arguments presented and issue a ruling within 90 days.
https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/tiktok-influencer-ali-abulaban-new-trial/
Walton County, FL - Isabelle Johnson, a suspected murderer who authorities say had been using multiple disguises and identities, has been arrested and taken into custody, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.
“We got her,” officials said in a post on social media late Thursday. “Isabelle Johnson is in custody.”
Johnson, 38, has been charged with the murder of 43-year-old Jason Christopher Coulthart who was found dead in a shallow grave in June in Florida after he had gone missing in May, according to the Walton County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators say Johnson used multiple identities to evade authorities, calling her a "master manipulator."
Coulthart was reported missing on May 24 after he was last seen leaving the College Condominiums complex in Florida, according to the sheriff's office.
Unidentified remains were found on a Freeport, Florida, property on June 25 -- after investigators were able to identify where Coulthart's body had been buried, according to the sheriff's office.
A DNA match confirmed the remains were Coulthart's in July, the sheriff's office said.
Five others have been arrested and charged in connection with the murder, including two people accused of aiding Johnson evade investigators, the sheriff's office said.
Nick Reiner has been indicted on charges alleging he murdered his parents, renowned director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Reiner, by means of lying in wait, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
The indictment, which was returned on July 20 and unsealed Wednesday, charges Reiner with two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder by means of lying in wait, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Reiner also faces a special allegation that he used a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife, the office said.
Reiner, 32, pleaded not guilty to the indictment on Wednesday. He remains held on no bond and is next scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial hearing on Sept. 15.
Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home on Dec. 14, 2025. The night before their deaths, Nick Reiner -- who had been living on his parents' property at the time -- got into an argument with Rob Reiner at a holiday party and was seen acting strangely, sources told ABC News in December.
Nick Reiner was arrested and initially charged with two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, as well as faced a special allegation that he used a dangerous and deadly weapon.
The indictment, which added a special allegation of lying in wait, means the case will no longer have a preliminary hearing that had been scheduled to occur in the coming weeks.
https://abcnews.com/US/nick-reiner-indicted-charges-alleging-murdered-parents-rob/story?id=135587652
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jury selection began Monday in the trial of Mario Fernandez, the first of three defendants to head to court in the Jared Bridegan murder-for-hire case.
NOTE: News4JAX will live stream what we can from court during jury selection. What we can show from this stage is limited, and the stream may end abruptly. (Court is currently in recess)
Fernandez, along with his now-estranged wife, Shanna Gardner, is accused of hiring Henry Tenon, a former tenant of Fernandez, to shoot and kill Bridegan in Jacksonville Beach in February 2022.
Bridegan, a 33-year-old father of four, was Gardner’s ex-husband. They were in ongoing custody disputes over their twin children.
Gardner, Fernandez and Tenon are all under indictment for first-degree murder and other charges and have each pleaded not guilty.
Fernandez was back in court with his attorneys last week as Judge London Kite finalized some defense motions and settled on the wording of the juror questionnaire that will help narrow the jury pool, which begins with 50 jurors Monday morning and another 50 on Monday afternoon.
News4JAX spoke with Shannon Schott, a local attorney not affiliated with the case, about what can be expected from Fernandez’s jury selection.
“I don’t think it’s going to be difficult for them to empanel a jury,” Schott said. “I do have questions about the type of person that will be empaneled since they are going to have to have no connection to local news, local news media, social media.”
On Monday morning, Kite introduced the potential jurors to the parties involved in the case and read a list of witnesses to see if any of the jurors might have a conflict during the trial.
Only a few potential jurors said they knew about the case or the people involved. Judge Kite took those jurors aside, along with any who believed they might not be able to commit to the two-week trial, to question them privately with the attorneys.
In the meantime, has explained that the jurors that they can not look up anything about the case.
As part of the preparation for trial, Kite previously ordered that the seated jurors’ names be kept anonymous until 60 days after the trial, which is typical in high-profile cases.
RELATED | ‘A lot of decisions could be made’: Attorney weighs in on new evidence in Bridegan murder case
Despite initially being indicted on four charges, Fernandez will now be tried only on first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony in the case that has garnered national attention.
Prosecutors announced during a recent hearing that the other two charges Fernandez had been indicted on -- conspiracy to commit murder and child abuse -- had been dropped.
DUVAL COUNTY, Fla. — Trial looms for three people charged in connection with the death of St. Augustine father of four Jared Bridegan.
Bridegan was shot and killed on Feb. 16, 2022, while moving a tire out of the middle of a road in Jacksonville Beach. His murder sent shockwaves throughout the First Coast and beyond, as prosecutors allege it was committed as part of a plot devised by his ex-wife and her estranged husband.
Here's a look at the key players in the case, from the defendants to witnesses who could be called to testify.
Jared Bridegan, a father of four and Microsoft executive who lived in St. Augustine, was gunned down in Jacksonville Beach in February 2022 after leaving the home of Shanna Gardner, his ex-wife.
The shooting happened after Bridegan pulled over to move a tire out the middle of a road. At the time of the shooting, he was with his 2-year-old daughter, Bexley.
Shanna Gardner is the ex-wife of Jared Bridegan. She faces charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony and child abuse.
Mario Fernandez-Saldana is the now-estranged husband of Shanna Gardner. He faces charges of first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony.
Henry Tenon is the accused hitman who prosecutors allege was hired by Gardner and Fernandez-Saldana to kill Bridegan. He is charged with first-degree murder, child abuse, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, conspiracy to commit murder and accessory after the fact.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Christina Stifler and Alan Mizrahi of the State Attorney's Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit. Mizrahi handles court proceedings and pre-trial evidence hearings.
Shanna Gardner
Mario Fernandez-Saldana
Henry Tenon
Key witnesses who are expected to be called to testify during the three defendants' trials include Kirsten Bridegan, Jared Bridegan's widow, and Jared's brothers, Adam and Justin Bridegan.
DEFENSE STATEMENT: "The Prieto Law Firm and Puglisi-Carames, counsel for Courtney Clenney, can confirm that a plea agreement has been reached in State of Florida v. Courtney Clenney, the second-degree murder case pending in Miami-Dade County. The terms of the agreement are not final until accepted by the Court.
Ms. Clenney, 30, has been in custody since August 2022 in connection with the April 3, 2022 death of Christian Obumseli at the Miami apartment she rented. We will reserve further comment on the specific terms until they are placed on the record before the Court on August 10, 2026. The firm asks that the public and the media allow the legal process to conclude and refrain from speculation until the agreement is formally presented."
In the 14-page motion filed last month, Richins' defense attorneys said she deserved a new trial for a variety of reasons, including:
- Mrazik's "clear demonstration" of bias in favor of the State deprived Richins of a fair trial.
- The judge spoke in a "disparaging and condescending manner to the defense (and) would also reframe arguments in a way to help the prosecution."
- The judge was "demeaning and condescending to defense counsel and, in contrast, was friendly to the prosecution,
often helping them with both their objections and the framing of arguments."
Mrazik recused himself and the motion was assigned to District Judge Kara Pettit, who issued a ruling today.
Judge Pettit said the motion should have been filed within 21 days of the verdict.
"The last date of the trial was March 16, 2026. Thus, the motion filed on June 30, 2026 was filed more than 21 days after the defendant learned of the grounds upon which this motion is based, and it is untimely," Pettit wrote.
She also said she reviewed video and transcripts where the defense alleged that Judge Mrazik was "impatient, critical, hostile, disparaging and condescending.
"The court finds (the excerpts) do not demonstrate the level of extreme behavior or conduct reflecting a deep-seated antagonism toward defense, nor favoritism toward the prosecution...Even if Judge Mrazik's conduct could be considered as having shown anger or frustration with defense counsel, that is not grounds for disqualification," Pettit wrote.
Judge Mrazik will remain on the case and a hearing currently scheduled for Friday to discuss Richins' upcoming second trial and restitution she owes from the first trial.
The prosecution says Richins needs to pay over $1.3 MILLION in restitution -- $1,017,018.49 to Auto Owner’s Insurance and $352,562.61 to TruStage. Both were life insurance claims she cashed in after she killed her husband, Eric Richins.
Bryan Kohberger’s legal defense has cost Idaho taxpayers nearly $5.5 million so far.
And unlike most public expenses, there’s no detailed accounting available to the public of how that money was spent. Kohberger admitted to the November 2022 killings of four University of Idaho students and obtained taxpayer-funded legal counsel as an indigent defendant.
One of the most important principles of American government is that taxpayers should know how their money is spent. That’s why the Idaho Statesman pursued legal action to attempt to unseal the court records that would shine light on the expenses incurred by Kohberger’s criminal defense team.
As Kevin Fixler reported last month in his latest effort to show how much the quadruple-murder case has cost taxpayers, we prevailed in district court. Idaho 2nd District Judge Mark Monson ruled that at least some of the sealed files should be released. But Kohberger’s lead defense attorney, Anne Taylor, appealed to the Idaho Supreme Court, where the case is at the beginning of a likely lengthy process.
This has been a public records fight unlike any we’ve experienced before — and likely, unlike any in Idaho before.
When Kevin, who has been our lead reporter on the Kohberger case, tried to access spending details for Kohberger’s defense, he was directed to Monson’s court. Monson was appointed the “resource judge” for Kohberger — a judge otherwise unaffiliated with the case who provides oversight and approval for the use of public money by the defense team. Defense attorneys made requests of Monson behind closed doors, and all records were held under seal.
So when Kevin made his records request, it wasn’t as simple as asking for the documents he sought, as we do on a daily basis from government entities around the state. He had to request that the case files be unsealed, which sparked a monthslong (and ongoing) legal process. At the first hearing in October 2025, there was uncertainty among all parties of what this process would even look like.
And our efforts to obtain the records were held under court seal for several months.
Monson scheduled oral arguments for December. The Statesman’s attorney, Kersti Kennedy, argued that the records should be available to the public because Kohberger had pleaded guilty and accepted a sentence that included no right to appeal — ending his legal case and, in our view, ending the need to protect the records.
Taylor countered, saying records like these were never meant to be public and included privileged attorney/client information.
In January, Monson ruled in our favor with two caveats — that some records were clearly exempt with “highly intimate facts or statements,” and that Taylor would have 45 days to make arguments on why additional individual records within the file should be withheld or redacted.
An Idaho court rule “expressly requires that motions seeking public funds be filed ex parte, but it contains no provision declaring such motions permanently exempt from public disclosure, nor does it automatically seal filings made under the rule,” Monson wrote in his decision, referring to the legal term for situations in which only one party is involved.
He sealed the file based on “the need to temporarily seal the records to preserve the right to a fair trial,” he wrote. “Kohberger’s guilty plea and waiver of appeal render that basis moot.”
But before the process to unseal records could conclude, Monson granted Taylor’s request to appeal to the Idaho Supreme Court. Monson, in his original ruling, noted the “novelty” of this records issue.
Now it will be up to Idaho’s five justices to determine whether all of us have a right to know how $5.5 Million was spent in perhaps the highest-profile court case in Idaho history.
LINK:
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/crime/article316270015.html
MUSKOGEE COUNTY, Okla. (KJRH) -- Warning: this article contains details of rape and sexual assault.
A jury recommends that a Muskogee County woman should spend the rest of her life in prison after her 11-year-old daughter was raped and impregnated by her husband.
Cherie Walker was convicted on six counts of child neglect and one count of enabling child sexual abuse on July 17. She will be sentenced by a judge at a later date.
Walker's husband, Dustin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison last month.
Prosecutors say Cherie knew the abuse was happening and failed to protect her. The 11-year-old victim gave birth at home without receiving any medical care.
The victim's grandmother, Michelle Justus, is also charged with child neglect and will face trial later this month. Justus is scheduled for trial on July 23rd.
L&C - Mom Let Husband Impregnate Her 11-Year-Old Daughter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-DYqgukk6Q
NICEVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida woman wanted for murder is believed to be actively evading law enforcement, the Walton County Sheriff said.
Last month, human remains were found buried in a shallow grave on a property in Freeport after detectives with the Niceville Police Department identified the location during a missing person investigation.
Jason Christopher Coulthart, 43, had been reported missing on May 24, 2026, the sheriff’s office said. His body was discovered a month later, on June 25.
On July 9, a DNA test positively identified the remains as Coulthart.
“The next step in this investigation is to hold every single person involved in Jason’s death accountable,” Sheriff Michael Adkinson said. “If they knew, if they helped, or if they chose not to speak up, they will have to answer for their role in this.”
Three people have already been arrested in connection with the case, but an additional suspect is still evading law enforcement.
Isabelle Johnson, 38, is currently wanted for murder, the sheriff’s office said. She is white, 5 feet 3 inches tall, around 120 pounds, and has brown hair and hazel eyes.
The sheriff’s office said she has been known to use fake identities and could be using any of the following aliases: Harley, Jessica Elaine Bowman, Jessica Elaine Thrush, Jessica Dowdy, or others.
No additional information was released about the other arrests made or the nature of Johnson’s relationship with Coulthart.
Residents are advised not to approach Johnson and to immediately call 911 if they see her.
Anyone with information on Johnson’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 892‑8111.
Judge William F. Sullivan issues his response to a ruling in the Lindsay Clancy following a motion filed by Patrick Clancy.
He asked the judge to prevent autopsy photos of his children from being publicly displayed during the trial. Patrick Clancy also requested that the 911 call he made on the day his children died not be livestreamed or released to the public. Additionally, he asked that photos of his children not be shown during the trial livestream.
In his ruling issued Friday morning, the judge granted the request to not show the autopsy photos or play the 911 call. Jurors, the defense, prosecution and judge will see them during the trial, but the public livestream will not.
Opening statements in the trial will be held Monday. We anticipate Patrick Clancy will be one of the first witnesses.