Henderson roundup

Photo courtesy of the KCPD, sent out with this evening's release. (One of the blog's regular commenters points out this is an older photo; a couple of the stations had a more recent image with her hair down. So apparently, Shauntay did not shave her head.)

Updated: Alonzo Washington says the money did it.

From KSHB: I caught their newscast; the police spokesman said Henderson went quietly.

The case against Henderson

Though police have said Henderson is at the center of the recent gang violence, she's specifically been charged in a case from last September -- a man who was shot in a convenience store parking lot, next to the International House of Prayer in south Kansas City. It was broad daylight, a sunny, clear Saturday afternoon; I remember going out to the scene that day.

Anyway, here's the probable cause statement in that case.

Link to The Star's initial report on the arrest.

KCPD statement on Henderson case

The official KCPD press release from Sgt. Tony Sanders on Henderson's arrest:

The KCMO Police Department Fugitive Apprehension and Arraignment Section along with KCMO Tactical Units have advised that they have arrested Shauntay L. Henderson, black female, 10/19/1982 of KCMO.

At about 7:45pm (on today’s date) the above listed officers responded to 511 NW 55terr Apt. 8 (Sycamore Hills Apartments) to arrest a known associate of Ms. Henderson.

Once that person was arrested officers conducted a check of his apartment by knocking on the door. The person inside responded to the door and was taken into custody by tactical officers.

That person identified herself to the officers and as Shauntay L. Henderson. Ms Henderson was transported to Police Headquarters where through fingerprints, a positive identification was made.

She is currently being held a Jackson County second degree Murder Warrants with a $250,000 cash bond. More information will be released as it becomes available. Nothing Further.

More on Henderson arrest

This from WDAF: Henderson was booked into custody about 8:39 p.m. Saturday. She was arrested in the Northland.

Updated: AMW's already updated their site.

An anonymous tipster alerted the FBI that Henderson may have been in contact with local police in a suburb of Kansas City over the past several months, and the FBI directed local cops to AMW.com where they read her bizarre story, looked at mug shots, and confirmed that the girl they had known was -- in fact -- Shauntay Henderson. Henderson was arrested at about 8 p.m. Saturday just minutes before she was to be named to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.

WDAF's interviewing one of the AMW correspondents -- he says a tipster called police about two days ago. She was arrested about 8 p.m.

The really weird thing, the part we don't have a lot of details on, is that Henderson was stopped somewhere in the suburbs several weeks ago, but was let go.

Henderson arrested

Holy crap ... She's already been arrested. That's what Fox 4 is reporting. More details soon.

It's official: Shauntay Henderson joins the FBI's Most Wanted

America's Most Wanted just announced that Shauntay Henderson is being placed on the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted -- one of the very few times that a woman has been added to the list. (The FBI's got some good detail on Henderson, including her aliases, Rasheda Smith and Rasheda Washington.)

AMW didn't get too deep into Henderson's case, but they spent a lot of time talking about Sauntsye Love, who's accused of killing Selvin Cano at Quality Hill in Kansas City on July 4, 2005. This was the case where the murder literally happened on camera. There was a big party, and somebody was filming when Cano, who was trying to break up a fight, was fatally shot.

But the video quality was really poor. I didn't know this, but a couple of experts -- including a NASA scientist -- helped go over the tape and clean up the details. Everett Babcock, a Kansas City police detective, was featured pretty prominently on the show.

Critical shooting at 45th and Virginia

From The Star: A man suffered critical, life-threatening injuries this afternoon when he was shot near 45th Street and Virginia Avenue. Police said they received a report of the shooting about 12:45 p.m. When they arrived, they found shell casings and blood but no victim.

Capt. Robert Zimmerman said two acquaintances of the gunshot victim, who was not identified, had loaded him into a pickup truck to take him to a nearby hospital. The truck ran out of gas near 55th Street and Troost Avenue and a ambulance had to finish the trip to the hospital.

Zimmerman said no witnesses had come forward.

Police: Mom let drifter babysit

From Pennsylvania ... A woman has been charged with child endangerment because she let a homeless man babysit her kids and he allegedly molested one of them, a 5-year-old, police there said.

Hat Tip: Thanks, Blondie!

KCPD arrests 12 for DUI

Kansas City police arrested 12 people for DUI during a sobriety checkpoint late Friday through early Saturday at Emanuel Cleaver II and Oak Street. They checked about 410 cars. Other arrests included one for a hazardous moving violation and one for another traffic charge.

Worst school ever?

From Louisiana ... Officials are investigating claims that two fifth-graders had sex in a classroom while two others made out. It allegedly happened while most other students were attending a school assembly. The assembly, by the way, wasn't for a pep rally or guest speaker. It was being held because a 15-year-old student reportedly stabbed another student to death over the weekend.

(Hat Tip: Thanks, aqua!)

Police: Man leads cops on chase, claims to be Dick Cheney

From The AP: A man was taken to Bridgeport Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation after he led authorities on a high-speed chase and then claimed to be Vice President Dick Cheney, police said.

John Spernak, 42, later admitted he wasn't Cheney but said he was actually "Charlie's Angels" star Jaclyn Smith, police said. He also claimed to be the husband of Paris Hilton's sister.

Police said Spernak, driving at more than 90 mph Monday night, hit a patrol car and was shocked with a stun gun before they could arrest him. He was charged with attempted first-degree assault, engaging police in a pursuit, reckless driving, criminal mischief, interfering with police and being in a town park after dark.

(Hat Tip: Thanks, Doc!)

Open Thread ... Weekend Edition

Doc, one of the blog's regulars, suggested putting up an Open Thread for weekend use, and it sounded like a good idea. So here we are! I might try to post a few quick items, but we'll be back with full postings on Monday morning. Thanks, and have a great weekend!

The $25,000 question

Where is Shauntay Henderson? The authorities have increased the reward money to $25,000.

Fatal wreck at 10th and Chestnut

Bad wreck at 10th and Chestnut in Kansas City this afternoon ... A pickup, a car and a school bus crashed there about 5:15 p.m. The truck's driver was ejected and died at the scene, but everybody else, including nine kids in a Operation Breakthrough bus, didn't suffer any serious injuries.

It seemed like an unusual place to have a wreck -- a side street just off Prospect and Ninth, which are much busier roads. The gray truck was on its side, lying practically on the stoop of an old brick apartment building, and its windshield looked like it had been peeled back from one corner. (Police and firefighters took the kids out the back of their bus, so they didn't see anything.)

I saw a fair amount of bystanders, neighborhood people on their way home from work. I talked to one guy who didn't see the wreck itself, but shot some video and stills of the aftermath on his handheld. He showed it to me, and I'm thankful everything was too blurry to be recognizable.

Husband kills wife's lover; wife gets indicted

From The AP: Darrell Roberson came home from a card game late one night to find his wife rolling around with another man in a pickup truck in the driveway.

Caught in the act with her lover, Tracy Denise Roberson - thinking quickly, if not clearly - cried rape, authorities say. Her husband pulled a gun and killed the other man with a shot to the head.

On Thursday, a grand jury handed up a manslaughter indictment - against the wife, not the husband.

18-year-old charged in KCK slaying

From KSHB: Albert Estrada, 18, has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Antonio Olvera, 21, who died Thursday in the 900 block of South Mill Street.

OP credit union robbery

From The Star: Overland Park police worked a robbery that occurred about 10:30 a.m. Friday at CommunityAmerica Credit Union, 6280 W. 135th St.

It was reported that two men with handguns entered the business and demanded cash. One jumped over the counter. He was described as black, 6 feet tall, slim, wearing a blue jumpsuit and green ski mask. No injuries were reported.

Was Indiana church too forgiving?

After one of its elders was accused of molesting a 3-year-old girl, an Indiana church gave money to the girl's family, but has also offered assistance to the elder. He's still allowed in the building, but only with an escort.

The girl's family is furious. From the Indianapolis Star: "It's a disgrace that the church would embrace a criminal and turn its back on the victim, especially one that's a young child," the father said.

Church leaders say they're just doing their religious duty:

Doug Pabody, counseling director at College Park, said officials of the nondenominational Christian church would be shirking their duties if they didn't attempt to help "both the crime victim and the victimizer." "I've been in churches where things like this would happen and no attempt would be made to minister (to the accused), which is a shame," Pabody said. "They're pushed out the door and made to go away, and I, for one, am very proud to be part of a church family that isn't afraid to go into the trenches."

Hat Tip: Thanks, Jewwells P!

Indy woman scammed Health Midwest health plan

An Independence woman defrauded Health Midwest's employee health plan of $120,000, so now she'll do three years and four months in prison, U.S. Attorney Bradley Schlozman's office reported. Cheri Smith, 37, worked for the claims department at Health Midwest Comprehensive Care. From the press release:

Smith accessed the computer database containing the names of employees covered by the pharmacy benefits program, and changed valid member names to those of her own family members, friends, and other persons who were not Health Midwest employees and not entitled to receive benefits. Smith then entered false pharmacy claims for those bogus employees and caused checks to be issued to them. After cashing the checks, the persons in whose names they were fraudulently issued typically provided a portion of the proceeds back to Smith.

Montgomery enters plea

Lisa Montgomery was back in court Friday, pleading not guilty in the Bobbie Jo Stinnett murder case. Her lawyers said they will use an insanity defense when the trial opens next month.

Nude photos of governor's aide stolen

From The Star: Nude photos of a top aide to Gov. Matt Blunt have made their way to the Internet three years after her husband took the photos to document her pregnancy.

The governor’s office sent a memo to all 197 lawmakers Thursday explaining how the photos of press secretary Jessica Robinson were stolen from her computer, apparently by a hacker, sometime in 2004. Personal financial information also was stolen at the time.

Robinson, who was spokeswoman for the Department of Revenue at the time, learned of the theft when viewers of a Web site where the photos were posted began calling her at the office.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the incident, but were unable to determine the identity of the thieves, the memo said. However, authorities were able to force the Web sites to take down the stolen photos.

Fleeing suspect charged with attempted murder

From The AP: A man who police say drove head-on into oncoming traffic during a police chase has been charged with attempted first-degree murder. Paul Stotts, 18, of Hutchinson, was being chased Sunday when he tried to drive at high speed into several vehicles, including a police car and a semitrailer, according to an arrest record.

“The suspect clearly and intentionally drove his vehicle into oncoming traffic and drove head-on into an innocent victim’s vehicle at approximately 50 mph," the arrest report says.

Stotts also was charged Thursday with attempt to manufacture methamphetamine, possession of lithium batteries, anhydrous ammonia and pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture, and five alternative counts of attempting to flee and elude.

Burglars vandalize Olathe North, steal jersey

While Olathe North High was on spring break last week, somebody broke into the school and did $20,000 worth of damage and loss, police said. The burglars stole a few things, including a San Diego Chargers jersey signed by Darren Sproles, who used to go to school there.

Charges are pending for three guys -- two men and a juvenile. The jersey has been recovered.

Flush with success: Police recover ring in suspect's toilet

From The AP:  After four suspects in a jewelry store robbery were arrested, police surmised one of the men may have swallowed a missing two-carat diamond ring worth $30,000. The theory proved correct, police said, when the ring was found Wednesday in the toilet inside Dandre Turk's jail cell.

"We did suspect him of swallowing the ring," said Maj. Dave Zink of the Jackson Township Police Department. "We were going to X-ray. Instead, we alerted both jails that whenever he had a movement to scrutinize it."

How could authorities be sure the diamond ring, in an 18-karat white gold setting, was taken from the jewelry store in the robbery Tuesday? It still had a price tag, according to the county sheriff's office.

On the rise: Attacks on homeless people

Three youths -- two of them age 10! -- are accused of brutally beating a homeless man near Daytona Beach. One of the 10-year-olds actually hit the man, age 58, with parts of a concrete wall. These two are the youngest who've ever been accused of a crime like this.

I can't tell you how many stories I've seen like this over the last year. Turns out, there's actually been a big upswing in the number of attacks on homeless people, especially by teens. The National Coalition for the Homeless says there were 142 such attacks and 20 murders in 2006. CNN has a good report on the topic.

The National Coalition says the number of attacks jumped 65 percent from 2005 and increased more than 170 percent since 2001. The group says these cases should be considered hate crimes. No word on how prevalent this is here in Missouri and Kansas. But Florida seems to be a hot spot. (Photo is via CNN. The 10-year-olds are the ones in the white jumpsuits.)

Hat Tip: Thanks, BS Steve!