Four University of Idaho students found dead in an off-campus home were targeted, and the killer or killers used a knife or other “edged weapon” in the attack, police said Tuesday.

The Moscow Police Department made the announcement in a news release, adding that investigators were working to establish a timeline to recreate the victims' activities before they were found dead Sunday. Police said the killings likely occurred in the early morning hours, and the bodies were found around noon.

The students' deaths were considered to be “an isolated, targeted attack and there is no imminent threat to the community at large,” according to police, who earlier said evidence from the scene led them to believe there was no broader risk. Police provided no information about that evidence or why they believe the victims were targeted.

Autopsies expected to be completed later this week could provide more information about how the victims were killed.

Investigators were “following all leads and identifying persons of interest” in the case, the news release said. Monday night, police Captain Anthony Dahlinger told the Idaho Statesman that officers were searching for a suspect.

Police discovered the students’ bodies Sunday as they responded to a report of an unconscious person at a home steps away from the campus.

The victims were identified as Ethan Chapin, a 20-year-old from Conway, Washington; Madison Mogen, a 21-year-old from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Xana Kernodle, 20, from Avondale, Arizona; and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, from Rathdrum, Idaho.

The university canceled classes on Monday, and said additional security staffers were available to walk students across campus if needed during the remainder of the week.

Still, the initial lack of information about the cause of the deaths — and the fact that police have said there is no one in custody — prompted many students to leave campus early, days before the Thanksgiving break was scheduled to begin.

A vigil for the slain students originally scheduled for Wednesday evening has been postponed until after Thanksgiving break, University of Idaho spokesman Kyle Pfannenstiel said in an email Tuesday.

In an earlier memo, University of Idaho President Scott Green urged university employees to be empathetic and flexible, and work with students who decided to leave classes to spend time with their families.

“Words cannot adequately describe the light these students brought to this world or ease the depth of suffering we feel at their passing under these tragic circumstances,” Green wrote of the slain students.

Police said anyone with information should contact the department and asked that people respect the privacy of the victims' family and friends.

Brian Nickerson, the fire chief of the Moscow Volunteer Fire and EMS Department, said police were the first to arrive at the home. The first responders from the fire and EMS department didn't go inside or transport anyone from the scene, Nickerson said.

The city of Moscow is a close-knit college town nestled in the rolling hills of north-central Idaho, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) southeast of Spokane, Washington.

The university said Chapin was a freshman and a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, and Kernodle was a junior majoring in marketing and a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. Mogen was a senior also majoring in marketing and a member of Pi Beta Phi, and Goncalves was a senior majoring in general studies and a member of the Alpha Phi sorority, the university said. The university also had different home town listed for Chapin and Kernodle than the towns listed in the Moscow Police Department release: The school said Chapin was from Mount Vernon, Washington, and Kernodle was from Post Falls, Idaho.

Shortly after Moscow police announced the homicide investigation, students at the University of Virginia were also told to shelter in place after police said a suspect gunned down fellow students on a bus as they returned from a school field trip. The shooting left three members of the school's football team dead and two other students injured. The shooting touched off an intense manhunt Sunday, and authorities announced Monday that a suspect, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., had been apprehended.

The homicide rate for older U.S. teenagers rose to its highest point in nearly 25 years during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the suicide rate for adults in their early 20s was the worst in more than 50 years, government researchers said Thursday.Video above: COVID-19 pandemic increases awareness about youth suicideThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report examined the homicide and suicide rates among 10- to 24-year-olds from 2001 to 2021.The increase is alarming and "reflects a mental health crisis among young people and a need for a number of policy changes," said Dr. Steven Woolf, a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher who studies U.S. death trends and wasn't involved in the CDC report.Experts cited several possible reasons for the increases, including higher rates of depression, limited availability of mental health services and the number of guns in U.S. homes.Guns were used in 54% of suicides and 93% of homicides among the age group in 2021, the most recent year for which statistics were available."Picture a teenager sitting in their bedroom feeling desperate and making a decision, impulsively, to take their own life," Woolf said. If they have access to a gun, "it's game over."Suicide and homicide were the second and third leading causes of death for 10- to 24-year-olds, after a category of accidental deaths that included motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings and overdoses. Other researchers have grouped the data by the method of death and concluded that guns are now the biggest killer of U.S. children.Earlier this year, Woolf and other researchers looking at CDC data noted dramatic increases in child and adolescent death rates overall at the beginning of the pandemic and found suicide and homicide were essential factors.The report also found:Suicide and homicide death rates remained far higher for older teenagers and young adults than they were for 10- to 14-year-olds.In 2021, there were about 2,900 suicides in youths ages 10 to 19, and 4,200 in 20- to 24-year-olds. About 3,000 homicide deaths were reported in the younger group, and nearly 3,900 in the adults in their early 20s.The homicide death rate jumped from 8.9 deaths per 100,000 teens aged 15 to 19 in 2019 to 12.3 in 2020. It rose to 12.8 deaths per 100,000 in 2021, the highest since 1997, according to CDC data.Homicide deaths became more common than suicide deaths among 15- to 19-year-olds, while suicide was more common in the younger and older age groups.While large increases were seen in homicide rates for young Black and Hispanic people in the U.S., there were no significant increases for their white counterparts, other CDC data shows.Among 20- to 24-year-olds, the homicide death rate jumped 34% from 2019 to 2020 — from 13.4 per 100,000 population to 18 per 100,000. It held stable in 2021, but the suicide rate rose enough in 2021 — to 19.4 per 100,000 — to surpass the homicide rate.Suicide death rates in children and teens were rising before COVID-19, but they jumped up at the beginning of the pandemic. Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, a psychiatrist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, said the reasons may be hard to pinpoint, but that isolation during COVID-19 lockdowns could be a factor."There is a misperception that if you talk to young people about depression, they'll get depressed. A don't-ask, don't-tell policy for depression is not effective," Trivedi said. "The earlier we can identify the ones who need help, the better chance we'll have at saving lives."

MOSCOW, Idaho —

Video above: Church holds memorial service for slain University of Idaho students

A suspect in the killings of four University of Idaho students was arrested in eastern Pennsylvania, a law enforcement official said Friday.

Arrest paperwork filed in Monroe County Court said Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, was being held for extradition to Idaho on a warrant for first degree murder.

A law enforcement official confirmed the arrest to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the official could not publicly discuss details of the investigation ahead of a formal announcement expected later Friday.

A Ph.D. student by the same name is listed in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University, which is a short drive across the state line from the University of Idaho. Messages seeking more information were left for officials at WSU.

The Idaho students — Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin — were stabbed to death at a rental home near campus sometime in the early morning hours of Nov. 13. The slayings initially mystified law enforcement, with investigators unable to name a suspect or locate a murder weapon for weeks.

But the case broke open after law enforcement asked the public for help finding a white sedan seen near the home around the time of the killings. The Moscow Police Department made the request Dec. 7, and by the next day had to direct tips to a special FBI call center because so many were coming in.

Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho; Mogen, 21, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Kernodle, 20, of Post Falls, Idaho; and Chapin, 20, of Mount Vernon, Washington, were members of the university's Greek system and close friends. Mogen, Goncalves and Kernodle lived in the three-story rental home with two other roommates. Kernodle and Chapin were dating and he was visiting the house that night.

Autopsies showed all four were likely asleep when they were attacked. Some had defensive wounds and each was stabbed multiple times. There was no sign of sexual assault, police said.

Police said Thursday the rental home would be cleared of “potential biohazards and other harmful substances” to collect evidence starting Friday morning. It was unclear how long the work would take, but a news release said the house would be returned to the property manager upon completion.

The stabbing deaths shook the small town of Moscow, Idaho, a farming community of about 25,000 people — including roughly 11,000 students — tucked in the rolling hills of the northern Idaho’s Palouse region.

The case also enticed online sleuths who speculated about potential suspects and motives. In the early days of the investigation, police released relatively few details publicly.

Fears of a repeat attack prompted nearly half of the University of Idaho students to switch to online classes for the remainder of the semester, abandoning dorms and apartments in the normally bucolic town for the perceived safety of their hometowns. Safety concerns also had the university hiring an additional security firm to escort students across campus and the Idaho State Police sending troopers to help patrol the city’s streets.

Monroe County is located in eastern Pennsylvania in the Pocono Mountains. The county seat, Stroudsburg, is about 100 miles north of Philadelphia.

___

Boone reported from Boise, Idaho, and Balsamo reported from Washington.

Authorities in California believe a Tesla, with four people inside, was intentionally driven off the Pacific Coast Highway in San Mateo County.

The vehicle was found hundreds of feet below a cliff on Monday. Officials who responded to the incident said the vehicle appeared to flip several times and land on its four wheels.

California Highway Patrol identified the driver as Dharmesh A. Patel of Pasadena. He was arrested for attempted murder and child abuse after investigators said they interviewed witnesses and collected evidence from the scene. However, they did not provide specifics.

"Mr. Patel is being treated for his injuries and will be booked into San Mateo County Jail upon his release from the hospital," a statement from California Patrol says.

Officials called it a "miracle" after discovering that the four individuals, including two children, survived the fall.

Emergency crews rappelled down the cliffside and pulled the two children from the vehicle.

A helicopter was called in to assist with the extrication and rescue of the two adults.

CINCINNATI —

A deadly shooting is under investigation in Norwood.

Norwood police said they were called to a home in the 5100 block of Hunter Avenue around 1 a.m., where they found a man who had been shot in the chest.

He was taken to UC Medical Center, where he died.

Neighbors said they heard people arguing, followed by one gunshot. Afterward, neighbors said people scattered from the home.

Rob Bolin has lived in the neighborhood for more than 40 years. He said that lately, there's been a lot of activity on the street.

"They just stop, pull up in the middle of the street, and do their little thing and take off," Bolin said.

Josh McCarthy also lives in the area.

"Hopefully, we can go off of this and rebuild chemistry together and get a neighborhood watch going, something along the lines of that to where we can get together and make this place better than it was before," McCarthy said.

Police have no information on the victim or suspect but said this does not appear to be a random shooting.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Across the country, many major American cities are reporting spikes in violence.

Nationwide, homicides are up more than 44% compared to where they were in 2019.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden will speak about the violence and provide some solutions to reduce the bloodshed.

RECORD HOMICIDES

The following cities set new records for homicides in 2021:

• Albuquerque
• Austin
• Colorado Springs
• Columbus
• Indianapolis
• Louisville
• Memphis
• Milwaukee
• Philadelphia
• Portland
• Tucson

In Tucson, there were 93 homicides in 2021. In 2020, the city reported 68 homicides.

In Milwaukee, there were 197 in 2021 compared to 190 the year before.

In Indianapolis, 271 homicides occurred in 2021. That's a rise from 215 in 2020.

Other major metropolitan areas like Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Denver and Cleveland didn't set records but they came close.

PRESIDENT SET TO SPEAK

Mayors and police chiefs all around the country have their own ideas as to what is needed to reduce violence. On Thursday, Biden will share ideas. Whether or not they will make a difference is still unclear.

The president will deliver his remarks from New York City, a city reeling from the deaths of two police officers who were killed in the line of duty last month.

Biden is expected to address efforts to provide more federal funding to hire more officers nationwide and improve community programs that are meant to prevent violence.

The president will also highlight ways for police to better engage suspects, especially those experiencing a mental health crisis.

Biden is also expected to talk about how well his newly-created “Strike Force” program is combating gun trafficking, which is the process of firearms being moved from one city to another.

GUN TRAFFICKING UPDATE

It's estimated 50,000 guns are moved around the U.S. each year through gun trafficking, usually from states where it's easier to buy a gun to places where it is tougher.

That's how many criminals around the country are getting their guns, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

“We know that new guns are arriving by car, by bus and by train every day," Adams said during a recent speech on gun violence.

Biden's visit to New York is tacit approval of the city's new approach of utilizing more police on the street, which is the opposite of what the "Defund the Police" movement called for in 2020 after the death of George Floyd.

Whatever specifics Biden lays out Thursday, the reality is that his power on the issue of guns is relatively limited. Efforts to pass comprehensive gun control and universal background checks in Congress remain stalled.

MILWAUKEE —

Six people were found dead in a Milwaukee home in what police are investigating as multiple homicides, authorities said.

Milwaukee police responded about 3:45 p.m. Sunday to assist with a welfare check at the residence where four men and one woman were found dead, Milwaukee Assistant Police Chief Paul Formolo said during a Sunday evening news conference.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office tweeted early Monday that the body of an additional person, a man, was recovered from the home. The identities of the dead were pending. Autopsies were scheduled for Monday.

A motive and information about any suspects was not immediately known, Formolo said. Police have not said what caused the deaths, but Formolo said there is no information to suggest that there is a threat to the community.

It's not clear how long the victims had been dead when their bodies were found. It's also not clear how old the victims were or how they may have died.

Police have not made any arrests or said how the victims were related. No suspect information was released.

So far, a weapon has not been recovered.

"The murders discovered today on a residential block in the heart of our city are horrific," Acting Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said in a statement. "First, I offer my condolences to the families and friends of the victims. Whatever the circumstances, we must share the grief of those who have lost loved ones.

"It is important not to feel numbed by the ongoing violence in our community. A horrible crime has again occurred, and it is not a movie or a fictional account. These victims died in our city, in one of our neighborhoods.

"We remain steadfast in our efforts to reduce violence. We will achieve that through strengthened and improved law enforcement, through community intervention, and through a renewed commitment to prevention. Again, we can never accept murderous violence as routine, and we must together recommit ourselves to our shared responsibility to find solutions and make our city safer."

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The death of an LGBTQ advocate and brother of a former Miami mayor is being investigated as a homicide, authorities said, after his body was discovered in a Florida landfill.

Jorge Diaz-Johnston, a plaintiff in a historic same-sex marriage lawsuit against Miami-Dade County in 2014, was found dead at a Jackson County landfill on Jan. 8, the Tallahassee Police Department said.

The body had been in trash collected from an Okaloosa County landfill that morning and transported to Jackson County by a garbage transportation company, according to a statement released by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.

The 54-year-old was last seen Jan. 3 in Tallahassee, police said.

Diaz-Johnston and his husband Don Johnston were one of six couples who filed a lawsuit in Miami-Dade County in 2014 challenging Florida's ban on same-sex marriage. A Miami-Dade circuit judge ruled in the couples' favor in 2015.

"There are just no words for the loss of my beloved husband Jorge Isaias Diaz-Johnston," Johnston wrote on social media Wednesday. "He touched so many people with his kind and generous heart."

Manny Diaz, chair of the Florida Democratic Party and the mayor of Miami from 2001-2009, released a statement thanking police and city officials who worked to locate his brother and investigate the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.

"I am profoundly appreciative of the outpouring of support shown to me, my brother-in-law Don, and my family after the loss of my brother, Jorge Diaz-Johnston. My brother was such a special gift to this world whose heart and legacy will continue to live on for generations to come," the statement said.

The investigation into Diaz-Johnston's death is ongoing, the Tallahassee Police Department said. Investigators asked for those with any information to contact detectives.

CLEVELAND — Cleveland Police Union President Jeff Follmer confirmed to News 5 that an off-duty Cleveland police officer was killed during a carjacking Friday evening.

The incident happened near the intersection of Fairway and Rocky River drives in the city's Kamms Corner neighborhood.

According to authorities, the officer, identified as 25-year-old Shane Bartek, was shot twice during the carjacking, and the shooter fled in his vehicle. Bartek was then transported to Fairview Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said the preliminary investigation indicates an individual approached Bartek in the parking lot of an apartment building with a gun and Bartek was shot after a struggle ensued.

Bartek was assigned to the 5th District and worked patrol, sources tell News 5. He was hired with the Cleveland Division of Police in August of 2019.

File Image

Following the shooting, the U.S. Marshals Service joined in the search for the shooter and Bartek's vehicle. Around 10:25 p.m., Richmond Heights police joined the pursuit of the stolen vehicle, continuing the pursuit to the Riviera Apartments on Lakeshore Boulevard in Euclid.

The individual driving Bartek's vehicle crashed into a fence and wedged the vehicle between the fence post and a tree behind the apartment buildings. Richmond Heights police took the driver into custody without incident and charged him with fleeing, receiving stolen property and numerous other traffic-related charges.

Police did not say the driver was charged with any crimes directly related to Bartek's death at this time, but his bond was set at $5 million at 10%.

On Saturday morning, authorities confirmed a female was taken into custody in connection with the incident, marking at least two people police have taken into custody.

Video below shows Bartek's vehicle being towed from the scene where the suspect was arrested.

Cleveland officer's car towed after suspect's arrest

City in mourning
Bartek was relatively new on the police force but a Northeast Ohio native, graduating from Berea-Midpark High School in 2015.

"The Titans community is deeply saddened by this senseless tragedy and our hearts go out to Shane Bartek's family, friends and fellow officers," Berea City School District said.

City leaders also addressed Bartek's death, sending condolences to his family and friends.

"This is a very sad day. My heart is aching for the family, for our officers," said incoming Interim Cleveland Police Chief Dornat "Wayne" A. Drummond during a news conference outside of the hospital. "It just doesn't make any sense."

Mayor-Elect Justin Bibb also spoke, asking for the public's support during a difficult time.

"I just ask the residents of Cleveland to keep the family in your prayers," Bibb said.

Meanwhile, current Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson issued his condolences to Bartek's family and fellow officers.

Cleveland Ward 17 Councilman Charles J. Slife issued a statement with his condolences:

"On behalf of the Ward 17 community, I extend our deepest condolences and sorrow to the victim's family and to the men and women of the division of police. Please keep the victim and them in your prayers," Slife said.

Cleveland City Council issued the following statement regarding Bartek's death:

Richmond Heights Mayor and Safety Director Kim Thomas issued a statement regarding the incident:

Police have executed search warrants in connection with the incident.

The Cleveland Police Department is accepting donations to its Heroes Fund, which supports families of officers killed or seriously injured while in the line of duty. The funds previously helped the families of Detective James Skernivitz and Patrolman Nicholas Sabo. To learn more or donate, click here.

A screen-printing shop in Berea is also selling t-shirts in honor of Bartek with all proceeds going directly to the fallen officer's family to help cover funeral costs.

CrimeStoppers has offered a $10,000 reward for information involving the successful prosecution of the case. Anyone with a tip is urged to call 216-252-7463. You can also CLICK HERE to submit a tip.

Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.

You can also catch News 5 Cleveland on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live and more. We're also on Amazon Alexa devices. Learn more about our streaming options here.

MILFORD, Ohio —

Police are investigating the death of a 75-year-old woman in Milford.

Police officers responded to a residence on Seminole Trail in Milford at 8:23 a.m. Wednesday morning to check on Mary Danbury.

When officers arrived, they found the 75-year-old woman deceased inside the home.

Officials said the death is currently being investigated as a homicide and it does not appear to be a random act, and there is no reason to be concerned for the safety of the community.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is assisting with the investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040 or email investigations@milfordohio.org.

SPRINGDALE, Ohio —

Springdale police asked for the public's help Tuesday. They're seeking leads in a two-year-old homicide.

Josue Lopez-Ramirez was a Guatemalan immigrant who police said came to the United States with his family for a better life.

His life came to an end when he was just 18 years old.

"When you stand there and see a mother who just watched her son be taken from her, you never forget that," said Springdale police Chief Tom Wells.

Wells was at this scene that night. It was the day before Thanksgiving, 2019.

Lopez-Ramirez had just picked up his mother from work and had returned to their apartment on Chesterdale Road.

"They pulled in to their parking stall in front of their apartment building, and before they were even able to get out of the car, a suspect car pulled in behind them, kind of blocking them in," said Springdale police officer Keenan Riordan.

A group of men got out of the car. Police said they first attempted to rob Lopez-Ramirez's mother and then him.

"And one of the suspect's shot him. He was shot one time, however, multiple shots were fired," Riordan said.

The suspects took off. Police collected evidence and followed several leads, but nothing has led investigators to the suspects.

Tuesday, police urged the public to help them get answers.

"Maybe the suspects spoke about the accident. Maybe they acted suspiciously," Riordan said. "Maybe they'll talk about it at Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe they talked about it at Thanksgiving dinner two years ago, and I'm hoping that will jar a memory or something like that now that the holidays are upon us again."

The hope is to bring closure to a family who is still suffering.

"It is our interest to see justice for people who are victimized in this community, and it's also our experience, people talk about crimes. They just do," Wells said.

Police said they don't know why Lopez-Ramirez and his mother were targeted. They said it was possibly a crime of opportunity. Another theory is that they were followed home.

The only description police have of the suspects is what Lopez-Ramirez's mother gave them. She said it was a group of either three or four black men wearing dark clothes and in a dark-colored car.

Anyone with information is asked to call Springdale police or Crimestoppers at 513-352-3040.

, Wis. —

Police in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, said they had made several arrests in connection with Mallery M. Muenzenberger's death but have not released any other information.

She was found dead last Thursday in a yard in the city of Milwaukee. Muenzenberger's son, 3-year-old Major Harris, was missing in the days following the murder.

On Thursday, though, the 3-year-old's body was found following the release of an Amber Alert. The boy's father told WISN 12 News on Saturday that the medical examiner did not notify him that his son's body had been released to a funeral home in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

And so, Carlton Harris said he stepped in and took custody of Major Harris' body, and the child will be buried in Madison, instead of with his mother in La Crosse.

"So being that that was done, I wish the Muenzenberger family ... All my condolences go out to those people because I did love their daughter. But they can worry about burying their daughter, and I'll worry about burying my son," said Carlton Harris, the father.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that Major Harris' body was transported to a Madison funeral home.

Harris said he will announce details when funeral arrangements are finalized.

Acting Milwaukee police Chief Jeffrey Norman heard concerns from city residents on Saturday as violence seems to increase in the area.

"What happened the other day in regards to our search for Major Harris. Unheard of the Milwaukee Police Department ever collaborated with our community in regards to asking for our community's help and being a part of a partnership in working to deal with an urgent and serious issue and concern. I truly believe in community engagement. That is at my core. I know we have a lot of work to do," Norman said.

Gabby Petito's disappearance and death have sparked many questions and stoked national attention, and on Tuesday a piece of the mystery could be revealed as authorities are scheduled to provide an update on her final autopsy report.

The Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue will discuss the ruling on 22-year-old Petito's autopsy at 12:30 p.m. local time (2:30 p.m. ET) and will follow up with a brief question-and-answer session, according to a news release from his office.

Blue previously ruled the manner of her death a homicide in his preliminary findings, but the cause of death remained pending further autopsy results, according to the FBI.

Petito had spent the summer traveling the Western U.S. with her fiancé, 23-year-old Brian Laundrie, and documenting their adventures on social media. But when Laundrie returned to the Florida home they shared with his parents in their van, Petito wasn't with him.

She was first reported missing by her parents on Sept. 11, and after an extensive search, her remains were found on Sept. 19 in Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Petito's body was found a five-to-10 minute walk from where her van was last seen in Wyoming, her mother Nichole Schmidt and stepfather Jim Schmidt said in an exclusive interview with Dr. Phil McGraw last week.

Her case has elicited heartbreak, outrage and intrigue in much of the public, but it has also highlighted the tens of thousands of missing persons' stories that do not garner such intense interest. There were nearly 90,000 active missing person cases as of the end of 2020, according to the National Crime Information Center. Few missing person cases are met with as much urgency and national attention as Petito's.

The mystery has deepened given the disappearance of Laundrie, who went for a hike in a local Florida nature reserve shortly after Petito was reported missing, according to his parents.

Laundrie has not been charged in the death of Petito, but he was indicted on charges of using two financial accounts that did not belong to him in the days following her death.

What we know about Petito's final days

From the posts on social media, Petito's final days looked idyllic. But after she was reported missing, accounts surfaced of rising conflict between the couple.

Petito called her mom regularly, and those conversations appeared to reveal there was "more and more tension" in Petito's relationship, according to a police affidavit for a search warrant of an external hard drive found in the couple's van.

On Aug. 27, an "odd text" from Petito worried her mother that something was wrong, according to a search warrant.

"Can you help Stan, I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls," the message read, according to the affidavit. Stan was a reference to Petito's grandfather, who her mother said Petito never referred to that way, according to the affidavit.

Along their travels, the couple was stopped by police after a 911 caller told dispatchers Aug. 12 he saw a man hitting a woman, according to audio provided by the Grand County Sheriff's Office in Moab, Utah.

"We drove by and the gentleman was slapping the girl," the caller said. "Then we stopped. They ran up and down the sidewalk. He proceeded to hit her, hopped in the car and they drove off."

CNN obtained dispatch audio recordings from the Grand County Sheriff's office last month that shed more light on what Moab police were told about "some sort of altercation."

And on Aug. 27, a witness described a "commotion" as they were leaving the Merry Piglets Tex-Mex restaurant in Jackson, Wyoming.

Petito was in tears and Laundrie was visibly angry, going into and out of the restaurant several times, showing anger toward the staff around the hostess stand, the witness Nina Angelo said. The couple's waitress was also visibly shaken by the incident, said Angelo, who told CNN she did not see any violence or physical altercation between Petito and Laundrie.

A manager at Merry Piglets, who declined to give her name, did see "an incident" at the restaurant and called the FBI, she told CNN. The manager declined to describe what happened and said the restaurant did not have surveillance video of the incident.

The search for Laundrie

Before he disappeared, police in North Port were surveilling Laundrie as best they legally could, a police spokesperson told CNN.

Investigators said Laundrie's parents told them on Sept. 17 that he had left home days earlier and was headed to the nearby Carlton Reserve — sparking a search of the nature reserve's 25,000 acres. Initially, his parents said he left on Sept. 14, but last week, Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino said, "We now believe the day Brian left to hike in the preserve was Monday, Sept. 13."

When he left, he didn't take his cell phone and wallet with him, and his parents were concerned he might hurt himself, a source close to Laundrie's family told CNN.

At the time, Laundrie was not wanted in connection with a crime, but North Port Police spokesperson Josh Taylor said Laundrie had an "enormous amount of pressure" on him to provide answers in Petito's disappearance.

The FBI searched the Laundrie home on Sept. 20, removing a number of items and towing away a Ford Mustang convertible.

Attention then turned toward the Carlton nature preserve, where authorities combed through swampland filled with snakes and alligators, utilizing drones, dive teams and bloodhounds.

After more than a week of searching for Laundrie, the FBI went back to his parents, asking for personal items of his to assist with DNA matching. They provided what they could, Bertolino, the Laundries' lawyer, told multiple news outlets.

Laundrie's father has participated in a search of the nature reserve for him, but he has no plans to assist in police searches and the couple will not take a polygraph test, Bertolino said.

Remembering Gabby

The identification of Petito's remains sparked mourning and memorials across the country — for those who knew her as well as those who felt connected to her.

Joseph Petito described his daughter in a eulogy as a "happy girl," who people would gravitate toward. She made others feel welcome, he said, and she loved being outdoors, scuba diving, hiking the Appalachian Trail or snowboarding down sand dunes in Colorado.

"I want you to be inspired by Gabby, that's what we're looking for," Joseph Petito said. "If there's a trip that you guys want to take, take it now. Do it now while you've got the time.

"If there's a relationship that you're in that might not be the best thing for you, leave it now," he said, an apparent reference to his daughter's relationship with Laundrie.

Petito's stepfather, Jim Schmidt, also gave a eulogy, telling those gathered, "Parents aren't supposed to bury their children. That's not how this is supposed to work."

Petito provides "an example for all of us to live by," Schmidt said, "to enjoy every moment in this beautiful world, as she did — to love and give love to all like she did."

MILWAUKEE —

Milwaukee Police said a man was shot and killed on Christmas Eve, just after 10:00 p.m., while he was trying to prevent a domestic violence situation.

Police said they have not arrested the shooter.

Police said the victim was a 48-year-old man.

Police and neighbors told sister station WISN there had been a domestic dispute earlier on Christmas Eve in an apartment building in Riverwest. The victim was reportedly inside the suspected shooter's girlfriend's apartment upstairs, trying to protect her, when the suspect walked in and shot him.

Police said the man died on the scene.

Milwaukee Police said the case is still under investigation.

According to the Milwaukee Health Department Office of Violence Prevention, this Christmas Eve incident marks 189 homicides in Milwaukee in 2020. This time last year, there were 96 homicides.

Their data, which has tracked domestic violence through July of 2020, also shows domestic violence cases spike significantly during the holidays.

Reggie Moore, director of the Office of Violence Prevention, said the pandemic, and stress that has gone along with it, has led to a large increase in domestic violence cases in 2020.

HAMILTON, Ohio — An 18-year-old woman is dead and two male victims were injured after a shooting Friday morning in Hamilton, according to the Hamilton Police Department.

Officials said officers responded around 12:30 a.m. Friday to a home on Second Street for a shooting. Once on scene, officers found the three people who were shot. The woman killed was identified by the Butler County Coroner as Mikina Riley, 18, of Hamilton. Police said she died on scene.

Officials said the two male victims were taken to the hospital, and one was released from the hospital Friday morning. There's no word on the second victim's condition.

Police haven't said if there are any suspects or arrests made in this incident.

Richard Hawk, the rapper better known as Silento, was arrested on Monday in Georgia on felony murder charges. According the DeKalb County Police Department, Hawk was booked at 6:35 p.m. ET local time on Monday.

Hawk’s claim to fame was producing the hit dance song “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," which became a viral sensation in 2015. The YouTube video of the song has been seen over 1.7 billion times.

Hawk is being accused of killing his cousin, Frederick Rooks, 34, the DeKalb County Police Department said.

The DeKalb County Police Department said that it began an investigation into Rooks’ death on Jan. 21 in Decatur, Georgia. A spokesperson for the police told Variety that Rooks was found dead on the morning of Jan. 21 at 3:30 a.m. in a driveway.

“After a thorough investigation, DKPD detectives identified Hawk as Rooks’ cousin, and the person responsible for Rooks’ murder,” the DeKalb County Police Department said in a statement to Variety. “Investigators are still working to uncover the motive for the shooting.”

CINCINNATI — President Joe Biden visited the Tri-State Wednesday to talk about infrastructure and the economy among other things, but a few of the president's statements were outright wrong or factually false.

One of the things the president discussed was gun violence in the Tri-State.

Biden said, "You've had a lot of gun violence here in Cincinnati. I think it's up to what, how many dead? Five hundred over a period? Don't hold me to the number whatever it was."

However, according to Cincy Insights, there haven't been 500 shootings in Cincinnati so far in 2021. There have been 191 reported shootings in the city, and 39 of them were deadly. Even if the time frame is extended to the last five years, the data shows there have been 278 deadly shootings.

While one deadly shooting is too many, the president saying there have been 500 deadly shootings is wrong.

The president also said, "We're not in a position where we think that any virus, including the delta virus, which is much more transmissible and more deadly in terms of non- unvaccinated people... the various shots that people are getting now cover that. They're, you're okay. You're not going to, you're not going to get COVID if you have these vaccinations."

That's false. Vaccinated people can still get COVID-19. A couple from the Tri-State were both vaccinated, but they both contracted the delta variant.

"A lot of folks I know got the vaccine, and they're like, 'OK. It's all over,' but, clearly it's not," Rachelle Caplan said. "We still should be being cautious for ourselves and other people."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in July that 5,492 people who died or were hospitalized with COVID-19 were vaccinated. However, the CDC also said more than a quarter of hospitalizations were asymptomatic or not related to COVID-19, and about a quarter of those who died were found to be the same.

Finally, Biden commented on bridges and infrastructure.

"Take a look at Ohio and Kentucky," Biden said. "Combined, there's well over, there are thousands of bridges that need repair."

According to the Federal Highway Administration, there are about 42,000 bridges in Ohio and Kentucky and 2,400 of them are in "poor condition." The maligned Brent Spence Bridge actually falls into the "fair" category per the administration.

CINCINNATI — Three years after a homicide in Over-the-Rhine, a family finally has some answers.

Eric Johnson, 23, was charged Monday for his alleged involvement in the death of 21-year-old Thomas Maul Jr. in 2018.

Maul’s family said they never gave up hope; they knew justice would come.

“I just miss him,” Thomas Maul Jr.’s aunt, Eunice Maul, said. ”We fought really hard. I want to thank that detective.”

Police believe Johnson was the man who pulled the trigger, killing Maul in the courtyard of the apartment complex in the 200 block of East Clifton Avenue a little over three years ago.

“It still hurts. It hurts,” Eunice said. “We’re happy in our hearts that it happened. That they caught him. He’s behind bars. He’s no longer out here living his best life when my nephew isn’t.”

For Maul’s father, Thomas Sr., the arrest doesn’t bring closure – instead he chooses to focus on the son he loved.

“Thomas was a wonderful kid,” he said. “Always playing little jokes on everyone. Kept everyone with a smile on their face. He had one of the best smiles you’ve ever seen. He was a very helpful child. Helpful son."

The family held pictures of Thomas Maul Jr. close to their hearts so they would never forget him.

“We were brought up to stick together as brothers and sisters,” Thomas Sr. said. “That’s how our mom and dad raised us. We just miss him. We never stopped fighting for him."

In 2019, the family offered a $10,000 reward for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person who shot Thomas Maul Jr.

Johnson is currently being held in the Hamilton County Jail and is awaiting his first court appearance.

KENNESAW, Ga. —

Authorities have charged and arrested Bryan Rhoden in the July 3 triple homicide at the Pinetree Country Club, in which golf pro Gene Siller was killed, Cobb County Police Chief Tim Cox said in an evening press conference on Thursday.

He has been charged with three counts of murder, three counts of aggravated assault and two counts of kidnapping, the chief added. Cox said Rhoden was the lone shooter in the killings.

Rhoden was arrested in the Chamblee, Georgia, area and "has ties to the metro Atlanta area," Cox said.

"We literally had detectives that have worked around the clock and some have literally slept in their offices since July 3 trying to clear this case," he added.

What police said about the killings

Police previously said they were called to a report of a person shot on Saturday afternoon and found Siller — who was the club's director of golf — shot in the head near the green of the course's 10th hole.

A truck was on the green, and officers found the bodies of the two other men in the truck's bed — both of whom also had been shot, police said. One of the slain men was Paul Pierson, 76, of Kansas — the registered owner of the Ram 3500, police said.

Police identified the third victim as Henry Valdez, 46, of California, and said he and Pierson appeared "to have no relation to the location at all."

Someone had driven to the green in the truck — a white Ram 3500 pickup — and shot Siller when Siller arrived to see what was going on, a member of the club told CNN affiliate WXIA. The shooter then fled, WXIA reported.

On Tuesday, police said they believed Siller was killed "because he witnessed an active crime taking place."

"It does not appear he (Siller) was targeted," but instead was killed because he "happened upon a crime in progress involving the unknown suspect and the two deceased males," the Cobb County police said in a news release.

The Georgia State Golf Association expressed its condolences for Siller's death. "All of us at the GSGA are deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred earlier today at Pinetree CC. Our thoughts and prayers are with Gene Siller's family and friends," the association tweeted on July 3.

Siller, 46, leaves behind a wife and two children, ages 6 and 7, according to the Pinetree Country Club.