Convicted rapist seeks sentence reduction; MD teen brutally assaulted at school; man kidnapped in DC
WASHINGTON - FOX 5 is keeping an eye on crime in your community. Here's a look at some of the most notable stories from across the DMV this week.
Man serving life for 1982 murder of Stephanie Roper seeks sentence reduction
A man convicted for his role in a deadly kidnapping and rape of a Frostburg State University student could have his sentence reduced.
Jerry Beatty, now 59, is serving two concurrent life sentences and a concurrent 20-year sentence for the 1982 kidnapping, rape, and murder of 22-year-old Stephanie Roper.
Beatty entered a guilty plea, while his co-defendant, then 26-year-old Jack Jones, was convicted by a jury for the same offenses. He was 17 years old at the time of the offense.
Brutal school assault caught on video: Parents demand justice for Maryland teen
A 14-year-old student at Potomac High School in Oxon Hill, Maryland, was brutally attacked last Thursday, and some of the assault was captured on cell phone video. The girl’s parents are demanding justice, and are now calling on police to arrest the teenage suspects involved in the attack.
The incident took place in a utility room on school property, where the girl was ambushed by seven other students. After the assault, the girl was found in the utility closet, seriously injured and unresponsive in her own blood. Her parents say it took about 30 minutes for school officials to locate her.
Bitcoin for ISIS? Feds say Virginia man bankrolled terrorists with crypto
A Virginia man accused of funneling tens of thousands of dollars to ISIS is on trial in a federal court in Alexandria, with prosecutors alleging he used cryptocurrency to support the terrorist organization. Mohammed Chhipa, 35, of Springfield, is charged with sending funds earmarked for the Islamic State through a Turkish intermediary.
Prosecutors claim Chhipa converted more than $74,000 into Bitcoin and transferred it to accounts intended for an Islamic State member in Syria, known as Umm Dujanah.
Police find additional evidence linking suspect Luigi Mangione to murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO
The gun found on the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson matches shell casings found at the crime scene in New York City, police said. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said lab results matched Luigi Mangione's prints to a water bottle and protein bar wrapper found near the scene of Thompson's killing outside a Hilton Hotel on Dec. 4, the Associated Press reports.
Mangione, a Maryland native, is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. While in court Tuesday, Mangione contested his extradition back to New York where he faces murder charges. His defense lawyer Thomas Dickey is asking for a hearing on the extradition.
Maryland man kidnapped in Northwest DC, 12 suspects arrested: police
A man has been arrested and charged with kidnapping and multiple arrests for unlawful entry in Northwest, D.C. Police responded to the 4000 block of Kansas Avenue, Northwest on Thursday, December 12, around 6:30 a.m. where they found 13 individuals inside. Police say one of the individuals, an adult man, was found with broken zip ties on his arms and legs and injuries to his back and leg.
Police determined that on Wednesday evening, Dec. 11, the suspects kept the victim at the above location, against his will and assaulted him throughout the evening. The suspects made several attempts to extort money from the victim and were unsuccessful.