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Teacher of the Year finalist gets 14 years for sexual relationship with student she kept contacting

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. A former Colorado teacher and a 2025 state Teacher of the Year finalist was sentenced to 14 years in prison after authorities say she engaged in a sexual relationship with a student and reportedly continued contacting him after being criminally charged.. Tera Johnson-Swartz, a 45-year-old writer and former STEM School Highlands Ranch educator, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of cybercrime, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office announced on March 19. Officials indicated that the cybercrime charge stemmed from her continued contact with the student.. The former teacher was accused of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old, which was discovered around January 2025 when the student’s parents found texts containing sexually explicit content, according to The Denver Post.. Johnson-Swartz, who had been recognized as one of seven finalists for Colorado’s Teacher of the Year just five months before the investigation, was ultimately charged in two separate cases. The first stemmed from a grand jury probe into the relationship in early 2025 and the second tied to her continued contact with the student.. NEW JERSEY TEACHER WHO SLEPT WITH STUDENTS AT FAMILY BAGEL SHOP LEARNS PRISON SENTENCE. Documents show the relationship started with texting but quickly escalated, with Johnson-Swartz giving the student cigarettes, letting him use her marijuana vape pen, and eventually engaging in a physical relationship, the local outlet reported.. She was reportedly suspended from the school once the allegations surfaced and was later fired and banned from campus.. Less than a month later, the involved student was caught on camera leaving campus and getting into a car that matched Johnson-Swartz’s vehicle, according to CBS. The teen reportedly admitted to investigators that his former teacher had picked him up and driven him to a nearby neighborhood.. The incident sparked an investigation, and in February 2025, detectives with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit arrested Johnson-Swartz on charges of kidnapping and contributing to the delinquency of a minor in connection with an inappropriate relationship with a student.. WEST VIRGINIA TEACHER FIRED AFTER ARREST ON CHILD SEX ABUSE CHARGE. Johnson-Swartz secured a $100,000 bond with the assistance of a professional bondsman and was released the following day, the outlet said.. However, over the Fourth of July weekend that year, authorities were alerted by the student’s parents, who reported that the two were still in contact, according to CBS.. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP. The two reportedly encountered one another for two consecutive nights and Johnson-Swartz began calling and texting in the days that followed.. Johnson-Swartz was arrested again. In addition to her prison sentence, she was reportedly ordered to complete six years of sex offender probation after her release, which inclu  

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UsaLocalNews

Florida Supreme Court keeps ex-cop’s execution on hold after DNA test fails to give a clear answer

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. The execution of a former police officer convicted of murdering and raping a young girl nearly 40 years ago will remain on hold after the state Supreme Court on Monday denied the state’s request to lift the stay, according to court documents.. James Duckett, a former Mascotte police officer accused of preying on 11-year-old Teresa McAbee in 1987, was scheduled for execution on Tuesday.. The motion comes after DNA testing of biological material from the victim’s underwear, which the defense argued could prove Duckett’s innocence, came back inconclusive Friday, court documents stated.. Because the results failed to exonerate Duckett, Florida’s attorney general swiftly moved to lift the stay, urging the state Supreme Court to allow the execution to proceed as scheduled.. VIRGINIA PROSECUTOR’S RECORD ON VIOLENT OFFENDERS SCRUTINIZED AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN MOM’S MURDER. The high court, however, denied the request on Monday, with six of seven justices opting to keep the execution on hold while giving the lower court time to review “successive claims” tied to the DNA evidence and requiring status updates on any outstanding issues by Thursday, April 2.. The case against Duckett — who has spent nearly 40 years on Florida’s death row — has drawn intense scrutiny due to his former role as a police officer and his longstanding claims of innocence.. DEM SENATOR WARNS DEPORTATION COULD LET VIRGINIA WOMAN’S ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT KILLER ‘ESCAPE ACCOUNTABILITY’. On May 11, 1987, then-29-year-old Mascotte police officer James Duckett was seen questioning a young girl at a convenience store near Orlando before ultimately placing her in his patrol car, arguing that it was past curfew.. The 11-year-old reportedly went to the convenience store that night, but never made it home, according to Fox 35 Orlando. Her body was reportedly found the next morning in Knight Lake, less than a mile from the store, and she had been sexually assaulted, strangled and drowned.. Duckett was identified as the last person to see her.. At the time, an FBI expert testified that a pubic hair found at the scene matched Duckett’s, although hair microscopy has since been discredited as an unreliable forensic method.. Fingerprints from both Duckett and Teresa were reportedly found on the hood of his patrol car, and tire tracks at the lake matched the Mascotte police department’s “mud and snow” tires.. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP. In addition, Duckett’s radio logs showed a mysterious gap of more than one hour on the night of the murder.. Duckett represents one of the few former law enforcement officers on death row. The case currently hinges on whether 1980s-era forensic evidence, such as hair matching, is enough to uphold a death sentence when modern DNA testing fails to provide a definitive answer.  

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UsaLocalNews

Wisconsin mother stabs teen daughter to death to ‘protect’ her from Elon Musk: authorities

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. A Wisconsin mother on drugs allegedly stabbed her 14-year-old daughter to death and told police she ended the child’s life to protect her from billionaire tech executive Elon Musk.. Tyiece Oninski, of the Town of Turtle in Rock County, contacted authorities on March 20 and confessed to killing her daughter, Kuren Rein, the night before and that she then attempted suicide, according to a criminal complaint, WMTV reported.. During the call, which lasted about 13 minutes, Oninski said she killed the girl to “protect her from somebody else,” later saying she wanted to protect her daughter from Musk, according to the complaint.. PENNSYLVANIA MAN ACCUSED OF STABBING 3-MONTH-OLD BABY AFTER TALKING ‘SACRIFICE’. When she was asked if she needed an ambulance, Oninski said she needed a hearse instead.. “She’s dead, honey. She needs a hearse,” Oninski explained on the call.. Police responded to the home and found the teen girl dead from multiple stab wounds inside the home, and a knife and sheath were found nearby.. Oninski also had cuts to her neck and wrists from her suicide attempt.. REPEAT OFFENDER ALLEGEDLY KILLS 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL, HAS CRIMINAL HISTORY DATING BACK TO 2000: OFFICIALS. Investigators also reported discovering a partial bare footprint inside the home, later finding that Oninski’s left foot was stained with what appeared to be blood.. Oninski was transported to the hospital and tested positive for benzodiazepines, amphetamines, and THC in her blood.. At one point, as she was in the hospital, she asked a deputy if her name was in the news, and was disappointed when she was told it was not.. A GoFundMe page started to support family members after the loss of the 14-year-old girl has raised more than $17,000 as of Tuesday night.. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP. “We are coming together to support a young man who has just lost his sister in a devastating and unthinkable way at the hands of their own mother,” the fundraiser reads. “No one should have to face something like this, especially at such a young age. As he navigates this overwhelming grief, we want to ease the burden of funeral expenses so he can focus on healing and remembering his sister.”. “She was loved deeply and will be missed beyond measure. Her life mattered, and she deserves to be honored with dignity and care,” it added.  

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UsaLocalNews

Man charged in ‘particularly heinous’ killing of DC resident found bound and set on fire in ritzy area: police

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. A man has been arrested in the killing of Syed Hammad Hussain, a 40-year-old Northwest Washington resident found dead inside his condominium in the city’s ritzy Logan Circle neighborhood in February, in what police describe as a “particularly heinous” case involving a robbery, a violent assault and a fire set after his death.. Rico Rashaad Barnes, 36, of Northwest D.C., was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree murder while armed in Hussain’s killing, authorities said. Police have identified a second suspect, who is already in custody on unrelated charges and is expected to be charged in the case.. The killing occurred in the 1400 block of Rhode Island Avenue NW, a well-trafficked area in the Logan Circle area known for its restaurants and high-end residential buildings.. “This was a particularly heinous case,” Interim Metropolitan Police Chief Jeff Carroll said during a Tuesday news conference. “Mr. Hussain was found suffering from blunt force trauma and thermal injuries inside of his apartment.”. CLICK HERE FOR MORE US NEWS. Firefighters responding to reports of smoke around 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 11 entered Hussain’s apartment, extinguished a small fire and found him unconscious and not breathing. He was pronounced dead at the scene.. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later ruled the death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma and strangulation. Investigators determined the fire had been set after Hussain’s death.. Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital detail the violent sequence of events.. According to a 27-page affidavit reviewed by Fox News Digital, surveillance footage shows Hussain entering his apartment building around 1:30 a.m., followed closely by two men.. “The video shows two suspects appearing to follow Mr. Hussain into the building,” Commander Kevin Kentish of the department’s Criminal Investigations Division said Tuesday. “Shortly thereafter, the suspects knocked on the door, and Mr. Hussain allowed them inside.”. Once inside, investigators say, the encounter escalated.. Video and witness statements, police said, revealed that Hussain was assaulted in the building’s lobby, struck and knocked to the ground before being forced toward his apartment. Detectives believe he was then dragged or carried inside, where the attack continued out of view of cameras.. When emergency crews later entered the apartment, they found Hussain lying face down with his wrists and ankles bound. Blood was visible on floors, walls and furniture, according to investigators.. The autopsy found multiple blunt force injuries, including skull fractures, as well as evidence of ligature strangulation. Burns to Hussain’s body were determined to have occurred after his death. Investigators allege the killing took place during a robbery.. The apartment had been searched, with drawers opened and items missing, including electronics, jewelry and cash. Authorities said that $50,000 worth of it  

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UsaLocalNews

Family ramps up search for missing coffee shop owner, mother of two, urges public to check cameras

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. The family of a missing Oakland business owner is ramping up search efforts across the East Bay, calling on residents to review security footage as volunteers and law enforcement widen the hunt.. About 60 people from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office joined the search, which began around 8 a.m., with mutual aid teams from Contra Costa and Marin counties also assisting, as well as volunteers, according to KTVU.. Amy Hillyard, 52, disappeared March 25 around 2 p.m. after she was seen walking along Radnor Road in Oakland’s Cleveland Heights neighborhood, according to authorities. Nearly a week later, her whereabouts remain unknown.. “The search to bring Amy home continues, and we remain hopeful,” family friend Sarah Wachs told Fox News Digital. “We’ve had hundreds of people come together to look for Amy.”. BELOVED COFFEE SHOP OWNER, MOTHER OF TWO DISAPPEARS NEAR HOME, URGENT SEARCH UNDERWAY. Oakland police said Monday Hillyard’s family had asked for another search, SFGate reported.. Authorities have classified Hillyard as an at-risk missing person due to a medical condition. Wachs told Fox News Digital she is dealing with a health condition that may leave her disoriented and in need of help but declined to share further details to protect her privacy.. According to Wachs, search efforts now include Oakland police, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and neighboring search-and-rescue teams. Volunteers have been combing hiking trails, canvassing neighborhoods and checking in with local businesses in hopes of finding any trace of Hillyard.. The family is now urging residents, particularly in Cleveland Heights, Lake Merritt, the Lakeshore District and Crocker Highlands, to check home surveillance systems for possible sightings beginning the afternoon she vanished.. Hillyard is described as 5-foot-4 and about 120 pounds with blonde hair. Police recently clarified she was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, light blue jeans and white sneakers with a black stripe, updating an earlier description of different clothing.. Authorities have classified her as an at-risk missing person due to a medical condition and issued an endangered missing alert Sunday evening, sending notifications to mobile phones across the East Bay days after her disappearance.. A neighbor told KTVU that Hillyard left without her cellphone and has not been heard from since.. NANCY GUTHRIE DISAPPEARANCE SPARKED HARROWING 12-HOUR ODYSSEY FOR SAVANNAH. As concern grows, missing-person flyers have spread throughout Oakland and San Francisco, appearing near Jack London Square, along Grand Avenue and at the Powell Street BART station, SFGate reported. Posters have also been displayed at Farley’s East coffee shop, the East Bay café Hillyard co-owns with her husband.. Despite the expanding search, her husband said the family is still searching for answers.. “Missing since 2 p.m. Wednesday. That’s all we know,” Chris Hillyard said in a me  

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UsaLocalNews

NYC rideshare driver reportedly forced out of his own SUV at gunpoint after refusing four masked men rides

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. A New York City rideshare driver was reportedly carjacked at gunpoint last week in a terrifying late-night encounter when four masked men brazenly demanded a ride, according to the authorities.. The incident happened March 23 at 1:30 a.m. when the 51-year-old driver was inside his Toyota Highlander SUV in Lower Manhattan.. Authorities said when the driver refused to take them to a specific location, one of the men allegedly brandished a gun and forcibly removed him from the vehicle.. The hijackers then sped off in the SUV, driving it all the way to Newark, New Jersey, where it was later recovered, according to the New York Post.. WANNABE BURGLARS STORM REAL HOUSEWIVES STAR’S MANSION – ONLY TO GET SPOOKED BY ALARM, CRASH GETAWAY CAR: COPS. The suspects were last reported at large, with police continuing their search for the brazen crew.. Officials released video showing the masked suspects entering what appeared to be a bodega, all wearing black hooded sweatshirts pulled up and black face masks.. GAS THIEF CREEPS INTO LEARNING CENTER, DRAINS VAN SERVING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. It was not immediately clear whether the victim worked for a specific rideshare company, but the vehicle had TLC plates, specialized license plates issued by the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission required for any ridesharing vehicles, including Uber and Lyft, the Post reported.. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP. Police confirmed the driver was not injured in the ordeal, the outlet added.. Fox News reached out to NYPD Crimes Stoppers for more information.  

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