Man Drowns In Lake After Beating Two To Death

"TAVARES, FL — Police said Tuesday they were still trying to determine what led a 32-year-old Tavares man to beat to death his live-in girlfriend and her mother—as well as how the suspect ended up dead in a nearby lake.

"Shannon Ratliff, 42, the suspect's live-in girlfriend, was found bludgeoned to death in the living room of their 905 Hibiscus Court home. Her mother, Mavis Ratliff, 66, died later at a hospital, according to Tavares police.

"Eddie Ratliff, 51, Shannon's brother and a Eustis sanitation worker, remained in critical condition at a hospital Tuesday, where he underwent surgery for injuries suffered in the attack.

"According to an investigative report, police responded to the home about 4:15 p.m. Monday to a call of Shannon being beaten by her boyfriend, 32-year-old James Earl Jones—a man who was forced into LifeStream Behavioral Center in December and who showed up at the facility twice within the last week.

"Officers arriving at the home discovered Jones near a van parked in front, holding a silver aluminum baseball bat and with blood on his shirt. Police confronted him with a stun gun. Jones allegedly dropped the bat, turned around, yelled `come on and Tase me, come on and Tase me,` then took off running through a grassy field in front of the duplex and toward Mansfield Road.

"Police then walked around the van and discovered Mavis lying there in the yard. Eddie, who had driven to the home to help his sister during the beating of Shannon, was found lying face down about 40 feet away from Mavis.

"What amounted to a gruesome scene inside the home, according to the investigative report, officers then found Shannon. The report adds all three sustained severe head injuries.

"Jones allegedly beat the three people with a bat. He was later was found dead, floating in nearby Lake Dora."

Read more at the Daily Commercial...

Bystander Rescues Mom, Kids From Watery Grave

"FLORENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ — Joann Smith drover her van down a boat ramp and into the Delaware River with her children inside.

"The three kids, ages 13 to 15 began screaming and trying to call 911 on their cell phones.

"Their father, Jeffrey Smith received a chilling call from his daughter at 6:30 p.m., but he was too far away to help.

"Luckily, Darnell Taylor and his wife were driving nearby and heard the screaming.

"Taylor jumped into the freezing water to help. `I couldn't get the window open because the window in the van was not a pop-out window,` he told [reporters].

"The three children struggled inside while Taylor tried to help.

"`I kept telling the young lady to kick the window out, and she kicked it out,` he said.

"The kids and their mother scrambled safely to shore.

"Police in Florence Township, New Jersey arrested Joann Smith and charged her with three counts of attempted murder and child endangerment. A minor cut to a leg to one of the kids was the only injury.

"Taylor downplayed his part of the rescue but did recall one thing he thought was odd.

"He said Smith `only said thank you` one time during the rescue. "

From KRMG...

Mom Drives Van Full Of Kids Into Ocean

"DAYTONA BEACH, FL — A family from South Carolina is safe after their minivan became submerged in the Atlantic surf on Daytona Beach.

"The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports the woman and her children—ages 3, 9, and 10—somehow ended up in the water around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

"Beach Safety Capt. Tammy Marris says the woman was already driving on the beach, where cars are allowed. It is not clear how the vehicle ended up in the water.

"Rescuers ran to the scene and got the woman and children out of the water. The family was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center for treatment. Their vehicle was towed.

"A witness told [reporters] that one of the children inside was screaming that their mom was trying to kill them."

From The State...

Four Dead In Shotgun Rampage

"HOUMA, LA — Police believe Houma resident Ben Freeman began his Thursday shooting spree by strangling his wife at their home [on Louis Drive]in Houma.

"Autopsy results indicated Denise Taylor Freeman of Houma died from asphyxiation and drowning. Her body was found in a bathtub inside the home late Thursday night. Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter said evidence points to Freeman as the killer and they believe Denise was his first victim.

"After killing his current wife, police believe Freeman then went to the Lockport home of Lafourche Parish Councilman Phillip Gouaux. Freeman was divorced from Gouaux's daughter Jeanne, who was not at the home.

"Once inside, police believe the shotgun-wielding gunman shot Phillip Gouaux in the throat, killed Gouaux's wife and shot his other daughter Andrea.

"The councilman was able to make the initial 911 call before he was rushed with Andrea to University Hospital in New Orleans. They are listed in critical, but stable condition.

"Immediately after, Freeman drove some 15 miles north to Raceland and the home of Bourgeois on the 2900 block of La. 308. Bourgeois was the CEO of St. Anne General Hospital since 1988 where Freeman worked as a registered nurse before being terminated in 2011, according to Webre.

"Inside the Bourgeois residence, police said Freeman killed Bourgeois with a close range shotgun blast. Bourgeois's wife Ann was also shot in the leg and is listed in stable condition.

"Parked along U.S. 90 sometime before 10:20 p.m., Freeman shot himself in the head with the same shotgun used in the slayings, police said.

"Court records illustrated a fractured relationship between Freeman and his ex-wife that she feared would turn violent."

From wwltv.com...

"Something Must Have Set Him Off"

"KAILUA, HI — A 36-year-old Kailua man allegedly attempted to take his 2-year-old daughter's life and his own late Christmas afternoon by jumping into his backyard pool.

"Police said the incident occurred between 5 and 5:15 p.m., leaving the man in critical condition. He is suspected of second-degree attempted murder and remained at an area hospital Thursday.

"The girl also survived but her condition was unknown.

"`The baby was OK,` said Ernest Burlen, 79, a neighbor. `EMS took her to the hospital with the father. He wasn't looking too good.`

"Burlen said the father, Thomas Morton, had his daughter on weekends and holidays and seemed to be a good father and a good uncle to his twin brother's three children, who lived in the downstairs portion of their two-story house at 1288 Kina St.

"At the time, Morton's brother and his wife had gone to the airport to drop off their children, who were going to catch a neighbor island flight to visit grandparents.

"Another neighbor, who lives on the adjacent hillside, said she heard loud moans before the incident.

"`It sounded like someone in a lot of pain,` said the woman, 59, who asked not to be named. `I couldn't see anybody. It went on for some time. It sounded like this person was in agony.`

"She then saw the next-door couple scale the fence. The husband `fished the child out of the water and handed her to the wife,` she said.

"The husband jumped back into the water and tried to pull the man out of the deep end, she said.

"But he struggled to bring Morton to the surface, so the hillside neighbor's husband, 58, ran down to help and managed to pull Morton out of the water. He remained unconscious.

"Burlen said Morton was wearing denim trousers, and the child was fully dressed.

"`I know he loved the baby,` Burlen said. `Something must have set him off.`"

From the Star Advertiser...

Fire And Water

"MARSHALL COUNTY, AL — Marshall County authorities released new information Sunday night into the deaths of an 8-year-old autistic boy and his mother.

"According to police, Randle Barrow, 8, was reported missing from his home Saturday after a house fire. Police found his body in the Tennessee River early Sunday morning. Authorities believe his mother, Delicia Barrow, 42, drowned him.

Delicia Barrow was found dead Saturday afternoon from an apparent suicide. Police found her after a welfare check to the home. Upon arrival, smoke was seen coming from inside the home. Barrow was transported to Huntsville Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

"The search for Delicia Barrow's son began Saturday evening. Randle Barrow was reported absent from school the previous two days, which sparked concern and authorities were notified. A note was found inside the burning home which led police to a possible location of the missing 8-year-old.

"Randle Barrow's body was found along the shoreline in the Honeycomb area near Sunrise Marina. Police say at this point in the investigation, they believe the mother drove her son to the river and drowned him, then returned to her home where she committed suicide."

From waaytv.com...

Girl Found Drowned In Bathtub, Father Dead In Garage

"RENO, NV — Reno police now say the deaths of two people found inside a home on Monday was actually a murder-suicide.

"Reno police say they were called to a home on 4940 Mountainshyre Road around 2:30pm on the report of a drowning. They say REMSA personnel arrived at the home first. When no one answered the open front door, they found a six-year-old girl submerged unconscious inside a bathtub. They immediately started CPR.

"Police say the girl's father, 46-year-old Adam Alexander Scott, was found dead inside the garage with a gunshot wound to the head.

"No one else was inside the home.

"Police say a suicide note was found inside the residence.

"An official cause of death for the girl is still pending and will require toxicology and laboratory tests. The results are not expected for a couple of months.

"The girl was the biological daughter of the father.

"The girl's mother and brother have been notified."

From ktvn.com...

Neighbor Finds Bodies Of Mom, Kids

"ZIMMERMAN, MN — Two young siblings found dead in their home were drowned and their mother likely committed suicide, sheriff's officials in eastern Minnesota said Tuesday.

"The Sherburne County Sheriff's Department said autopsies showed Josephine Shields, 7, and her brother, Nolan, 6, were drowned and that their deaths have been ruled homicides.

"The body of their mother, Stephanie Shields, 35, was found Sunday along with her children in the family's home in Zimmerman, sheriff's officials said. The mother's death has been ruled a probable suicide, pending toxicology tests, according to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office, which conducted the autopsies.

"A neighbor of the Shields family called 911 after discovering the bodies in their home about 10 a.m. Sunday, the sheriff's department said.

"Shields' husband and the children's father, Mark Shields, moved out of the family's home last week, said Sheriff Joel Brott. Mark Shields was a sergeant first class in the Minnesota National Guard, according to a statement the military released Monday.

"The children attended Zimmerman Elementary School where grief counselors were made available to students returning from spring break Tuesday.

"Zimmerman, a city of about 5,000 people, is about 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis."

From CrookstonTimes.com...

Divers Pull Killer From Bottom Of Quarry Hole

"HOPKINSVILLE, KY — The murder suspect of 24-year-old Autumn Rollings of Hopkinsville has been found dead of an apparent suicide. The suspect, 28-year-old TMarcus Hall of Hopkinsville, was found deceased overnight inside of a car at the bottom of a water-filled quarry.

"Hall was discovered at the quarry located in the 1000 block of North Main Street where the Rogers Group is located. Hall was being sought by police for the Sunday afternoon stabbing death of Rollings.

"The stabbing occurred at 208 East 17th Street around 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Hopkinsville Police were called to the scene and discovered that Rollings was deceased. Through their investigation, Detectives identified Hall as the suspect. They also learned through Facebook that Hall might be suicidal after the murder and thought he might drive his car off into a local quarry.

"The car Hall was driving was a Dodge Charger which belonged to Rollings. Hopkinsville Police were assisted at the quarry by Christian County Rescue and the West Kentucky Area 2 Dive Team."

From surfKY.com...

Killer Hooked During Suicide Bid

"WESLACO, TX — A double homicide suspect attempted to drown himself in a sewer pond Sunday night before authorities used hooks to pull him out and arrest him, Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino.

"Investigators had been searching for the unidentified Hispanic male after discovering two women stabbed and beaten to death Sunday morning in a home on Mis Padres Avenue just north of Weslaco.

"Authorities found the bodies after a driver noticed a 5-year-old and a 6-year-old wandering the neighborhood just before 10 a.m. and asked them why they were alone.

"The children answered they were going to grandma’s house, Treviño said, prompting the passer-by to ask where their parents were.

“`One of the children, I’m not sure which one, said, ‘My mother is dead,’` the sheriff said.

"After a daylong search, police eventually engaged the suspect in a pursuit about 7 p.m.

"Trevino said the man rammed his vehicle into a gate at a water plant on Milano Road and then jumped in a holding sewer pond, where he tried to drown himself.

"But U.S. marshals, Weslaco firemen and sheriff’s deputies used hooks to pull out the `very combative` suspect, Treviño added.

"He was then transferred to a hospital for a checkup before authorities booked him under suicide watch."

From The Brownsville Herald...

Bodies Found In Separate Locations

"POMPANO BEACH, FL — Police are investigating a murder-suicide after the discovery of a woman's body in a South Florida Walmart parking lot and a man's body in a nearby canal.

"A 35-year-old woman was found dead inside a black Nissan parked in the shade of a tree outside a Pompano Beach Walmart along Atlantic Avenue surrounded by bouquets of flowers.

"The Broward Sheriff's Office made the gruesome discovery on Saturday morning. `We have the body of a 35-year-old female that was found deceased inside a vehicle here,` said Keyla Concepcion of the Broward Sheriff's Office.

"Investigators say the death of the woman is linked to the discovery of another body in a nearby canal. `Around 10 a.m. in the City of Coral Springs there was the report of a man floating in a canal,` said Concepcion. `And at this time our detectives have been able to confirmed that they believe the two scene are linked.`

"Hours later, BSO confirmed the second body found floating in a canal behind the Lakewood Village Apartments is that of a man who knew the female victim in the Walmart parking lot and had killed her before taking his own life. A plastic bag was found floating nearby the man with an ID and a suicide note.

"Lakewood Village residents say they saw police remove a cinder block tied to a rope from the canal.

"According to police, the man and the woman had been in a relationship that recently ended."

From WSVN.com...

Man Drowns Himself After Stabbing Wife

"LOS ANGELES, CA — A man apparently tried to murder his wife by stabbing her in the neck and then drowned himself in the pool at the couple's Chatsworth home early this morning, police said.

"A domestic violence call from a home on the 20200 block of Lassen Street was received at 12:30 a.m., said Los Angeles police Sgt. John Kielbasa of the LAPD's Devonshire Station.

"Responding officers found a woman stabbed in the neck and a man drowned in the pool, Kielbasa said.

"The injured woman was transported to a hospital for treatment of her stab wound. Her current condition was unknown.

"The domestic violence case appeared to be an attempted murder/suicide, he said.

"The names of the woman and the deceased man were not immediately released by authorities.

"The investigation remains ongoing, Kielbasa said."

From Chatsworth.Patch.com...

Mother & Daughter Found Dead In Bathtub

"EGG HARBOR TWP, NJ — The bodies of a woman and her 9-month old daughter were found in the bathtub of a motel room in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey.

"The discovery was made early Thursday morning at the Econo Lodge Motel along Black Horse Pike.

"The victims were identified as 40-year old Tracy Marie Moody, a Pennsylvania mother of five and her infant daughter Isabella Ann Marie Moody.

"According to Atlantic County Prosecutor Ted Housel, Moody checked into the motel on July 18 and was expected to leave sometime Wednesday.

"When Moody did not check out, motel management went to her room, and made the discovery of the bodies.

"A preliminary autopsy from the Atlantic County Medical Examiner indicates that Moody drowned the young child, before drowning herself."

From WPVI-TV...

Victim "Not A Friend Of Law Enforcement"

"Polk City, FL - Jon Green, 70, had a reputation for helping the down-and-out, including people in trouble with the law.

"Green paid for that generosity with his life as one such acquaintance, John Palmer, 36, of Auburndale, shot him twice in the chest Tuesday night at Green's Polk City home, sheriff's officials said.

"Green `was not a friend of law enforcement,` said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd at a Wednesday afternoon press conference. `Whether or not Jon Green was a friend of law enforcement, he did not deserve to die.`

"Palmer apparently committed suicide by drowning himself in Lake Agnes near Fantasy of Flight Wednesday morning after a high-speed car chase with deputies, Judd said. He refused to come out of the lake to surrender and drowned in just four feet of water.

"Investigators have not yet determined a motive for the killing, he said."

More details at The Ledger...