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Airline worker stole plane, performed barrel roll before deadly crash: Inside final moments

This story is about suicide. If you or someone close to you is thinking about suicide, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline on 988 or 1-800-273-8255. Richard Russell spent his last moments alone, sick, disoriented and cracking jokes as he flew a plane he knew wouldn’t return. In August 2018, a Horizon Air agent clocked in, took off and landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport aboard a Bombardier Q400. He spoke to air traffic controllers for over an hour who urged him not to land. Then he crashed the plane on Ketron Island. Russell’s friends and family are speaking out for the first time. The film includes audio from air traffic control and is based upon available investigative records. “[Beebo] sounded just like guys I knew from home, especially when he talked about his work, minimum wage, and some of the frustrations that he felt around employment — and how he couldn’t speak about the difficult feelings he had. “It bewitched Gillespie,” he shared. “I couldn’t get it out of my head. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. “FOLLOW FOX TRUE CRIME ON XAs Russell was flying over the Olympic Mountains he made a confess in the recording which Gillespie said still haunts both her and his family. “I have a lot people who care about me and it will disappoint them to learn that I did this,” said Russell. “I apologize to everyone of them. [I’m] just a broken guy. I think I’ve got a few loose screws. I never knew it until now. “His last transmission indicated his fuel reserves were dangerously close. The time was running out. “Not for much longer,” he said. “I feel as if one of my engines has gone out or something. “Moments after, the Q400 crashed in the woods and ignited a 2-acre fire. The FBI stated that Russell died from “multiple traumatic injury”. Gillespie said, “There’s a line in which he says that he just wanted to talk with these guys but they are all business. “Those were the things that also stood out to me. He says at one point, “If you ask why I did it… blame it on me not making minimum wage. We’ll chalk it all up to that.” This might grease the wheels of the higher-ups. I heard this at dinner. Not just my male friends. “SIGN-UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER”He said some more controversial things during that call,” said Gillespie. “He made a statement that was extremely controversial on the internet. He said, “Do you think Alaska Airlines will give me a pilot’s job if I land this airplane?” They replied, “Oh, they’ll hire you for anything.” He was referred to as the poster boy of White supremacy by some really unsavory characters. “”People on the other end of spectrum said he was a domestic terrorist hell bent on destruction, but that turned out to not be accurate,” she added. “But, when I heard these words and saw how they were taken in context, i had a feeling that there was missing information. I didn’t have any idea what the information would be, but I felt compelled to investigate it. “During Gillespie’s sit-downs, she learned that Russell was born in the Florida Keys but raised in Wasilla in Alaska. He was goofy and deeply spiritual. Hannah, his future bride, was later met at a Christian youth programme. In 2012, they got married and moved to Washington. In a YouTube video, Russell shared pictures of his travels, and spoke about his job as a airport worker. “I lift a ton of bags,” said Russell. “Like a bunch of bags.” So many bags. “But this gig was not a dream job. Russell was unfulfilled at work and on social media. His social media posts gave no indication that he was suffering quietly. GET REAL-TIME UPDATE DIRECTLY ON TRUE CRIME HUB”He wasn’t making a statement about being oppressed as White guy,” Gillespie stressed. “It sounded like a statement made about something that was said to him at his workplace. It’s frightening to me that this story was rarely uncovered, because the internet machine was quick to politicize it rather than act with curiosity and ask how these words came out of this person. “”I think Beebo’s aunt puts it very well when she says, ‘This is the American dream – you can provide for you wife, have two cars in your driveway, a home, a white picket fencing — you can all do this on a single income.’ .'”” That’s not the reality that we live in anymore. “The truth is, they’re not failures. They have to figure out why the economy is failing. We don’t really talk about this stuff. These social pressures or, in Beebo’s case, the pressures to be a provider or a man, are not known by people. The pressure to succeed. The Associated Press reported that “people who knew Russell told FBI and other law enforcement officials they had no evidence to suggest they knew about Russell’s plans for stealing or crashing an airplane. Records cited by The Associated Press state that “contacts with Russell’s employers determined there were no staff issues.” “Russell is known as a quiet man who loves to read. Russell had a few absences that were not excused, but nothing significant. Records show that other witnesses told FBI agents Russell had “failed” to go to work on Aug. 3, and expressed a feeling of not living up what others expected from him. The witnesses reported that he tried to get a job on Aug. 4, but the following day, he “seemed odd.” The Associated Press reported that loved ones tried to intervene. The week of August 6, Russell appeared fine to friends and family. “Four days after that, Russell entered the aircraft and took off without authorisation. The FBI found evidence that he had scanned flight simulators prior to the incident. During Russell’s conversation, he stated he did not want to hurt anyone. He deliberately kept the plane far away from populated areas. Reports have noted that Russell had the option to cause much more damage if he chose to do so. Officials said that the incident was a serious threat to public safety, and revealed vulnerabilities in airport security. Russell performed acrobatics before the plane plunged through the dense forest. Nearly 17 years after 9/11, many wondered how someone could take a plane from a major U.S. Airport without authorization. Russell can be heard from the cockpit saying, “I’m going try to do a barrow roll and if that works, I’ll go down nose first and call it a day.” “The line which broke my heart was when his brother Phil, was asked about it,” Gillespie said. “He said ‘He could be anything he wants to be.'” This idea that if only he had believed in himself and believed he lived in an America where guys just like him can win, he could be anything he wants to be. He could have become a pilot. “The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled Russell’s suicide. Authorities concluded that Russell took the plane on his own, a decision that could have led to a significant loss of lives. Gillespie said that even eight years after the tragedy, the family is still deeply hurt. “You’ll never be able to get over this.” Suicide does not end pain. It can be passed on to your family. “But I also think that the family wants to use his story as a force for positive change in helping others like him to get the help they require so that other families do not have to go through the same thing.”

  

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2 US Army soldiers in Alaska injured in bear attack during training exercise

Two U.S. Army Soldiers were injured when a brown bear attacked them during a training drill in Alaska. The troops from the 11th Airborne Division were hurt Thursday while participating in a “land navigation training event” at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s Arctic Valley training area in Anchorage, Lt. Col. Jo Nederhoed, a spokesperson for the division, told the Anchorage Daily News. Nederhoed said that “the safety and well-being” of our personnel was our top priority. “The incident is being investigated, and we are working with local wildlife authorities to make sure that all personnel in the region are safe.” Nederhoed said that the soldiers, whose names were withheld until their next of kin were notified, were receiving “appropriate medical care” on Friday morning. TEACHERS CALLED HEROES AFTER REPELLING GRIZZLY BEAR THAT ATTACKED SCHOOL GROUP AND INJURED 11FoxNews Digital has reached out the 11th Airborne Division to get more information. Alaska Department of Fish and Game wildlife officials told the Anchorage daily news that the incident was a defensive attack, as the bear had just emerged from its den. Both soldiers carried bear spray and used them. AIR FORCE academie’s ‘CULEX,’ puts thousands of Cadets through realistic 24-hour combat simulation”We hope that both individuals will recover quickly and fully and our thoughts are with the them during this period,” Fish and Game regional supervisor Cyndi Wardlow said to the newspaper. She said that in this case, the bear spray they had with them on the field could have saved their life. The 11th Airborne Division has been nicknamed “Arctic Angels.” CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APP “The 11th Airborne Division executes Expeditionary Operations worldwide, conducts Multi-Domain Operations on the Indo-Pacific Theater and the Arctic and on orders decisively defeats any enemy in extreme cold weather and mountainous and high-latitude environment through large-scale combat operations,” the website states.

  

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Orange Crush festival returns to Tybee Island as police brace for 50,000 partiers after teen takeover, gunfire

You can now listen Fox News articles. Tybee Island, Georgia is preparing to welcome back its controversial “Orange Crush’ music festival this weekend as thousands of revelers flood the beach town. “THE BIGGEST BEACH BASH IS BACKWARDS!” Orange Crush’s Instagram page posted the following: “Official Dates April 17TH-19TH Tybee Island.” “Concerts, Greeks, Parties, Car & Bike Shows and Live Celebrities. Over 50k people expected. In 2024, there were 54 arrests during Orange Crush and 26 in 2023. In 2024, there were 54 arrests and in 2023, 26. “Rest assured we have heard you, and public safety will always remain our top priority,” Tybee Island Police Department Captain. Emory Randolph, when asked by Fox News Digital about residents’ concerns regarding the upcoming weekend festivities, said in a written statement. “This phenomenon struck home just over a month ago, when a beach party that was not permitted was interrupted by gunfire. As we near the return of Crush Reloaded members of our online and local communities have expressed their concerns. “CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE US NEWSBeginning Thursday, the police said that residents and guests will see “an abundance of law enforcement officers” from various state- and local-level agencies converge on the island. “To maintain order police will also launch a road safety checking point on Highway 80. They will also create emergency lanes along the main roads, and close the parking lots at 14th and 16th Streets. Randolph said. Residents and guests can play their part by being kind, obeying the laws, and following all instructions from emergency personnel. Together, we can make the island a safer place to live and work. “WATCH: Teen Takeover in Georgia captured on cameraORANGE CRUSH 2025: GEORGIA SURF TOWN APPROVES PERMIT for SPRING BREAK FESTIVAL UNDERTAKEN CERTAIN CONDITIONSThe decision came at a time when nationwide teen takeovers are spreading. The event was moved to Jacksonville in 2021, citing the event’s website, due to “lack of resources, limited parking and political injustices.” The event moved to Jacksonville, Florida in June 2021 “due to lack of resources, limited parking and political injustices,” according a story on Jacksonville.com citing the event’s website.

  

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Renowned physicist alarmed by ‘unheard of’ number of scientists dying or vanishing now on White House’s radar

NEWYou can now listen Fox News articles. A renowned theoretical physicist and bestselling author, as well as a physics professor, is alarmed at the documented trend of high level scientists, some of whom “If 10 scientists suddenly disappear or die, and they all have access to sensitive research with advanced security clearance, then this is a cause for concern,” Dr. Michio Kasku told Fox News Digital. “This is unprecedented,” he said. This has never happened. The next step will be to determine if their research has a common thread that ties it to a certain aspect of national safety. “MYSTERY CLOUD DEATHS, DISAPPEARANCES of SCIENTISTS with UFO RESEARCH TIES”: TIMELINEKaku has also been a popular television He has appeared in cable news, talk shows, late-night shows, and several episodes of History Channel’s “Universe”, “Ancient Aliens”, and “Universe: The History of the Universe”. In 2009, he started hosting a weekly TV series for the Science Channel called “Sci Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible”. “The most recent, and prominent example of this is the mysterious disappearance Air Force Maj. General William Neil McCasland. He left behind his phone, keys and glasses. He left behind his phone, glasses, and keys. RETIRED GENERAL WHO ONE LEAD AIR FORCE R&L GOES MISSINGMcCasland was the former commander and The lab was famous for developing nuclear weapons during WWII’s Manhattan Project. The search for a missing retired Air Force General enters its third week as investigators look for new clues. According to the Daily Mail, Anthony Chavez, aged 79, was employed there until 2017. He was last seen walking out of his Los Alamos home on May 8, 2025. His car was locked in the driveway. He did not have his phone, wallet, or keys with him on his walk. Melissa Casias also disappeared less than one month after Chavez. She dropped off lunch to her daughter the day before she vanished and was never The NNSA has received reports about employees at our labs, sites, and plants. It is investigating the matter. Like what you’re reading? He was only 61 years old, and his cause of death is unknown. He was only 61 years old, and the cause of his death is unknown. He designed a crucial instrument for a NASA mission called Surface Biology and Geology – Visible To Shortwave Infrared, which He was 47. A man named Freddy Snyder has been charged with his death.Grillmair, an astrophysicist and research scientist, was a renowned researcher at Caltech’s Infrared Processing and Analysis “FOLLOW FOX TRUE CRIME ON XSteven Garcia worked as a contractor for the Kansas City National Security Campus. This campus develops the majority of the non-nuclear parts that go He was a top-secret security clearance. Garcia, a Huntsville-based researcher and Institute for Exotic Science co-founder, Amy Eskridge, was 48 when he went missing in August. She said that her research focused on experimental propulsion concepts and what she called “antigravity” technology. She died in 2022 from a self-inflicted bullet wound. She was reportedly spooked just before her death. In a 2020 interview, she told YouTuber Jeremy Rys that “we discovered antigravity and our lives went (expletive). People started sabotaging” us. “It’s harassment, threats. It’s horrible.LISTEN TO ‘CRIME & Justice with Donna Rotunno’ PODCAST. “If you stick out your neck in public, someone will notice if your head is chopped off,” “If you stick out your neck in private, they’ll bury you. They will burn your house down while you are sleeping in bed and it won’t make the news. “UFO SECRET FILES AND DRONE SWARMS STUN EXPERTS In 2025News about the pattern of disappearances made its way to White House which addressed it on Saturday. In light of recent and legitimate concerns about these troubling case and President Trump’s commitment towards the truth, the White House actively works with all relevant agencies and FBI to holistically examine all of the cases and identify any possible commonal The White House will keep you updated on this effort. “CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPOn Friday, President Donald Trump stated that he had a discussion regarding the strange occurrences and described the situation a “pretty grave”. “There is no official connection between any of the deaths and disappearances.

  

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Air Force Academy’s ‘CULEX’ puts thousands of cadets through realistic 24-hour combat simulation

NEWYou can now hear Fox News articles.COLORADO SPRIRS, COLORADO – The U.S. Air Force Academy held its large-scale, annual “CULEX” or culminating training on Thursday. It gave cadets a realistic view of a combat situation. This year’s event runs from April 15 to April 18. The Air Force Academy, nestled at the foothills the Rocky Mountains, is 18,500 acres. But on Thursday, an enemy force attacked Hokkaido. “We’ve taken over USAFA to give all 4,000 cadets space to operate during the exercise,” said CULEX Director Col. Jennifer Hall. US AIR FORCE HOTEL’S FIRST FLIGHT SIMULATORS LET YOU ‘FLY YOUR OWN AIRCRAFT’ In the war scenario, Japan asked the U.S. for a defensive force. Hall said that in this scenario we have four airfields. “And that’s exactly what we’ve established, four joint operating zones that we have. “Each JOA has around 800 cadets defending an airport, two high-value assets, and a downed pilot. Cadets are also faced with real-world challenges such as injured officers or invasions from enemy targets, dubbed the “Red Force”. Hall said, “We pulled out a squadron to simulate Red Force. “Our cadets have been playing Red Force and are currently harassing our cadets in the field. They are doing an amazing job. They’re super-excited. Hall explained, “What I’m trying to do is get the cadets to prioritize through decision making. You’ll see that Red Force is doing everything they can to complicate the situation. AI TEST FLIGHT MOVES THE AIR FORCE CLOSER TO UNMANNED “WINGMAN” AIRCRAFT “And we have sleeping tents because we are staying overnight for the very first time. “Some cadets fly planes, while others deploy parachute in the air. Students in mission control use drones and mapping technology to solve real-world problems. The CULEX is a multi-domain tactical exercise designed to replicate the environments that future Space Force and Air Force officers may encounter. It’s a tactical multi-domain exercise designed to simulate the environments that future Space Force and Air Force Officers may encounter.

  

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Skeletal remains found by hikers in Washington state woods identified as woman missing since 2024

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Washington state authorities confirmed hikers had recently found the skeletal remains of a missing 33-year-old woman who disappeared nearly a year and a half ago in Rose Valley.

Two young men hiking in a wooded area on Sunday discovered skeletal remains and clothing in Rose Valley and notified authorities, according to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.

A photo of the bones was sent to a forensic anthropologist who identified them as human.

The following day, the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office coordinated with the sheriff’s office and multiple search and rescue teams to conduct an organized search of the area for additional remains.

MISSING PREGNANT WOMAN FOUND DEAD AFTER MYSTERIOUS TEXAS DISAPPEARANCE

Hailey Athay

One of the men who had found the bones led the search party to the area, and nearly complete skeletal remains were found as well as multiple items of clothing and personal belongings, according to the sheriff’s office.

The location was in the middle of an area that a detective had identified through investigation and interviews as an area of interest in the disappearance of Hailey E. Athay, 33, of Cowlitz County, who was last seen by her family in Kelso, Washington, in November 2024.

She was reported missing in January 2025, according to the sheriff’s office.

A friend of Athay said she was going mushroom picking with a man before her disappearance, local affiliate FOX 13 Seattle reported.

Prior searches had been conducted near the area, but the sheriff’s office said no evidence had been recovered.

On Tuesday, a forensic odontologist examined the recovered skull and compared the teeth to dental records for Athay, confirming a match.

Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office police car

Officials said Athay’s cause and manner of death remain under investigation pending an analysis by a forensic anthropologist.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

It is unclear if any suspects have been identified in Athay’s disappearance or if foul play is suspected.

Athay’s mother, Nicole Brooks, told local outlet KPTV Athay was a mother of three daughters.

  

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