Man charged in murder of Richmond police officer found dead in cell - Fort Wayne news - NewsLocker (2024)

PENDLETON, Ind. – The man charged in the murder of Richmond police officer Seara Burton was found dead at Pendleton Correctional Facility.Phillip M. Lee was being held at the facility as he awaited trial in Burton’s murder. Indiana State Police said Lee was found unresponsive in his cell around 12:46 a.m. Thursday. Emergency aid was rendered, but Lee was pronounced dead.Richmond Police Officer Seara Burton dies from injuriesIndiana State Police are investigating Lee’s death wi

Community Harvest Food Bank set to host a free community event to celebrate Juneteenth

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – Community Harvest Food Bank, CHFB, is hosting a Juneteenth Community Event with free food, festivities and fun.0Juneteenth, a holiday which celebrates the official end of African American slavery in the United States, was recently proclaimed a federal holiday in 2021. Dearllean Walker, an organizer of the event, said this event is a way to keep the history of the holiday alive and help pass this tradition onto younger generations."It's a way for us to ensure that

Delphi murders: Defense wants Judge Gull to testify

CARROLL COUNTY, Ind. – Defense attorneys for Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen fired the latest salvo in a contentious legal back and forth involving the defense, prosecution and the judge assigned to oversee the high-profile case.Richard Allen is charged with four counts of murder in connection with the February 2017 deaths of Abby Williams and Libby German near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi. Indiana State Police announced his arrest in October 2022, more than five years after the kil

Central Indiana police arrest parents for leaving kids in hot car

LAWRENCE, Ind. (WTTV) - Two children were found locked in an SUV Monday night during this week's heat wave, according to the Lawrence Police Department (LPD.) The crime is inexcusable and could have easily been deadly, according to police.A man and woman walked inside the Walmart on Pendleton Pike and allegedly left their two young children alone inside an SUV for more than 40 minutes. LPD claims a passerby noticed the kids locked in the SUV, which wasn't running, and called 911.Police found one

Advertisem*nt

Morning headlines Wednesday, June 19

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Here are your morning headlines for Wednesday, June 19.

The beginner's guide to celebrating Juneteenth

For more than one-and-a-half centuries,the Juneteenth holidayhas been sacred to many Black communities.It marks the day in 1865 enslaved people in Galveston, Texasfound out they had been freed— after the end of the Civil War, and two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.Since it was designated a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth has become more universally recognized beyond Black America. Many people get the day off work or schoo

Heat humidity and isolated showers/storms

A few scattered and isolated showers and storms this morning and redeveloping this afternoon. The clouds stick around for much of the afternoon with steamy conditions and it will feel like over 100 with even more sunshine temperatures get even hotter on Thursday and Friday. The first real break from the heat will be late in the weekend.Humid conditions through the rest of this week with a slight break over the weekend15 Fury Alert Days: When do we issue them?The excessive heat warning and heat

Heat and humidity create a dangerous combination today

The clouds stick around for much of the afternoon with steamy conditions and it will feel like over 100 with even more sunshine temperatures get even hotter on Thursday and Friday. The first real break from the heat will be late in the weekend.Humid conditions through the rest of this week with a slight break over the weekend15 Fury Alert Days: When do we issue them?The excessive heat warning and heat advisory continue with another hot and humid morning with temperatures increasing into the upp

Advertisem*nt

Warning signs, symptoms and tips: How to stay safe in the heat

(WGN) -- Extreme heat doesn’t just zap our energy, it can also damage vital organs in our bodies, including the brain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.To help you stay safe amid scorching temperatures this summer, here are a few things you should know:Drink plenty of fluidsDr. Andrew Costello, an emergency medicine physician with Endeavor Health in Chicago, said it's important to drink fluids, like water and sports drinks, before your summer activities.
“I

Volunteers needed for summer heat study

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - As we reported in April, a global heat study is coming to Fort Wayne this summer! The city of Fort Wayne is now looking for volunteers to complete the study.The city will be one of 14 United States cities, along with four international cities, participating in an urban heat island mapping project. An urban heat island is when select areas in a city are warmer than surrounding rural areas, due to the replacement of natural land cover with pavement, buildings, and other s

Mayor Tucker, City Council behind Fort Wayne web upgrades

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — It's not often the mayor shows up to Fort Wayne City Council, but the Summit City's Chief Executive is looking to change that.Mayor Sharon Tucker attended Tuesday night's City Council meeting, remarking to councilmembers that she wants to make it a monthly visit to open up communication about projects the mayor backs - and on Tuesday, that meant backing upgrades to the city's website."I was here tonight as a commitment to the council that I want to stay engaged an

Willie Mays, Giants’ electrifying ‘Say Hey Kid,’ has died at 93

NEW YORK (AP) — Willie Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, has died. He was 93.Mays' family and the San Francisco Giants jointly announced Tuesday night he had “passed away peacefully” Tuesday afternoon surrounded by loved ones.The center fielder was baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer. His signature basket catch and his dashes aro

Allen County Sheriff's Department asks for help finding woman last seen in Detroit

ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) -- The Allen County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help in finding a woman who was last seen in Michigan June 10.According to the Allen County Sheriff's Department, 22-year-old Eryahna L. Giles was last seen leaving a vehicle repair shop in the 8000 block of Michigan Avenue in Detroit, Michigan after being involved in a crash.
Eryahna L. Giles (Photo provided by the Allen County Sheriff's Department)Eryahna L. Giles (Photo provided by the Allen County S

Fort Wayne man uneasy after finding bullet from weekend shooting inside his home

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE)— A Fort Wayne man lost any sense of security he had in his home after discovering a stray bullet from Sunday's fatal shooting on the city's northeast side wound up in his kitchen.Shortly before 5 a.m. on Sunday, Fort Wayne Police responded to a reportedshootingin the 6000 block of Melan Cove.Officers at the scene found two men with gunshot wounds. The first victim was said to be in fair condition, but another was pronounced dead at a hospital.Now, 28-yea

Examining the frequency of heat alerts in our area

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - 15 Fury Alert Days are in effect this week as a result of an Excessive Heat Warning being issued for part of our area.15 Fury Alert Days this week for excessive heatAs of Tuesday evening, an Excessive Heat Warning is in place until 8 PM Friday for most of our area, while a Heat Advisory is in effect until 8 PM Friday for our northwestern areas not included in the Excessive Heat Warning.An Excessive Heat Warning is in place until 8 PM Friday for most of our area.Some nor

More hot, humid days

The dangerous combination of heat and humidity continues with high temperatures in the 90s and heat index values close to, and slightly above 100°, each day through Friday. The high humidity doesn't allow your body's sweat to evaporate, so your body temperatures elevate more quickly. This can cause heat exhaustion and, even worse, heat stroke. Be sure not to over-exert yourself and drink plenty of fluids.Triple-digit heat index values come our way the next few afternoons.15 Fury Alert Days:

Monday was the hottest day in years

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - It was a very hot and sticky day across the area on Monday. In fact, it was the hottest day we have experienced in a few years in Fort Wayne.Fort Wayne is no stranger to June heatWe climbed up to 97° Monday in Fort Wayne, which was only one degree shy of our June 17th record high temperature of 98° set back in 1994. Our high temperature this year was good for the second warmest June 17th ever, ahead of the third warmest June 17th of 95° set back in 2018.We

SACS Board of Trustees officially approves district's superintendent pick

ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) -- Starting July 1, Southwest Allen County Schools (SACS) will officially have its new superintendent at the helm.The SACS Board of Trustees unanimously approved Kent DeKoninck as SACS' new superintendent during the district's school board meeting Tuesday evening."Together, we will continue to advance and enhance SACS' already strong foundation of excellence," DeKoninck said.DeKoninck has over 33 years of experience in public education and grew up in the Fort Wayne area

Fort Wayne's fourth Chick-fil-A proposed for Dupont Road

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) -- Allen County planning documents indicate a fourth Chick-fil-A could be coming to the Summit City in the near future.The proposed Chick-fil-A would be located at 4851 Dupont Road on the city's north end.Currently, Fort Wayne has three Chick-fil-A locations: one inside Glenbrook Square Mall, another in the parking lot outside the mall along Coliseum Boulevard and a third at Apple Glen Crossing.According to planning documents, construction on the new location is expected

Lutheran ER doctor offers tips to avoid heat-related illnesses

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) -- The director of the emergency department at Lutheran Downtown Hospital told WANE 15 they've seen an increase in heat-related illnesses recently.Dr. Nick Leonowicz says the Lutheran emergency department is staffed appropriately with physicians that have special training this week because of the heat wave our area is experiencing.He said people really need to avoid excessive heat exposure by finding shade or air conditioning often. He added that wearing lighter clothing

Lutheran ER doc offers tips to avoid heat-related illnesses

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) -- The director of the emergency department at Lutheran Downtown Hospital told WANE 15 they've seen an increase in heat-related illnesses recently.Dr. Nick Leonowicz says the Lutheran emergency department is staffed appropriately with physicians that have special training this week because of the heat wave our area is experiencing.He said people really need to avoid excessive heat exposure by finding shade or air conditioning often. He added that wearing lighter clothing

Late afternoon headlines Tuesday, June 18

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Here are your late afternoon headlines for Tuesday, June 18.

Judge drops battery charge against former Huntington U. track coach; felony trial still on track

HUNTINGTON COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) -- The upcoming criminal trial for a former Huntington University track coach accused of sexual battery will have one less charge attached to it after a judge dismissed a misdemeanor battery charge in the case.Huntington County prosecutors filed a motion Monday to dismiss the battery charge -- which is a Class B misdemeanor -- against 34-year-old Nicholas Johnson.Johnson still faces a single count of sexual battery, a Level 6 felony, and a jury trial is scheduled t

Dirty Dough introduces the West Coast to Fort Wayne with its new drink 'Dirty Sodas'

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) Dirty Dough introduces a unique drink to their Fort Wayne location this Friday. This Dirty Dough location is the very first to include Dirty Sodas on its menu.The sweet shop offers “one-of-a-kind” cookies that feature filling inside the dough along with layers and “mix-ins,” making the cookies “proudly unique, inside and out.”
Recently, they have added shakes and coffees to the menu. Now introducing Dirty Soda, which originated from the

Detroit man sentenced for trafficking drugs to Fort Wayne

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A Michigan man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl and other drugs to Fort Wayne, the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District of Indiana announced Tuesday.Vorheese D. Zanders Jr., 32, was charged with possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. After pleading guilty, he was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release by a U.S. Distri

Fort Wayne man accused of assaulting stranger charged with rape, strangulation, more

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A man faces a slew of felony charges including rape, strangulation and armed robbery after allegedly forcing his way into a woman's room Sunday.Christopher Dyrell Applewhite, 34, is preliminarily charged with rape, burglary, strangulation, armed robbery, intimidation with a deadly weapon, criminal confinement, unlawful carrying of a handgun, and being a serious violent felon in possession of a handgun, all felonies. He's also charged with resisting law enforcement by fl

Dangerous heat and humidity continue

The dangerous combination of heat and humidity continues with temperatures in the 90s today and heat index values close to 100°. The high humidity doesn't allow your body's sweat to evaporate, so your body temperatures elevate more quickly. This can cause heat exhaustion and, even worse, heat stroke. Be sure not to over-exert yourself and drink plenty of fluids.15 Fury Alert Days: When do we issue them?It will feel like it's close to 100° with the combination of heat and humidity.
Anoth

Minnesota law could help those with medical debt

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) - People facing mounting medical debt could soon catch a break thanks to a new law. A new tool could help keep Minnesotans from financial ruin.Walt Myers's bills for hospice care started piling up. His wife died from cancer with bills reaching $135,000."I panicked. Not knowing how I could ever pay that out of pocket. I mean who has that kind of money? And no one should face financial ruin while grieving the loss of their spouse," said Myers.Myers shared his story Monday wi

LaGrange County driver kills 7-year-old while allegedly under the influence

LAGRANGE COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) - A 7-year-old died Monday after a driver believed to be under the influence hit the girl as she tried to cross the road.Eric Estrada, 26, now faces a charge of operating while intoxicated causing death.According to a release from the LaGrange County Sheriff's Department, the Ligonier man was under the influence of a controlled substance when his Mercedes-Benz hit the girl, who was trying to cross CR 600 South with another child.The girl was pronounced dead at the sc

Man enters plea deal over beating of woman with ties to witness in 2023 homicide

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A man accused of battering a woman who happened to know a witness in a 2023 homicide entered a guilty plea Tuesday.According to records filed in Allen Superior Court, 30-year-old Kyle Williams pleaded guilty to a Level 3 felony count of aggravated battery.According to court documents in the case, the victim had gone to Williams' house on Feb. 9. Over the course of their conversation, Williams apparently learned the woman knew a witness connected to the killing of a loca