Guilty plea in Indiana manhole murders

An Indiana homeless man has pleaded guilty to killing four other homeless men and stuffing their bodies down manholes because they had allegedly taken scrap metal that he'd planned to sell.

The Not-So-Great Escape

A convicted car thief escaped from a privately-run prison in Houston and was found hiding out behind the county jail, police said. A university police chief was running on a jogging trail there when he spotted the escapee. When the escapee noticed he was being watched, he started running ... right toward the jail, where he's now being held.

Police: Navy deserters hid out in Cape Girardeau

The two young men were caught after an anonymous tip. They left a frigate based out of Virginia several weeks ago, authorities allege. One of them is from Cape Girardeau, and they were staying at his family's house.

Update on Westport safety

One interesting tidbit from a meeting between KCPD and Westport residents: Security says the big crowds started showing up earlier than normal this year, in April. Police plan to start their typical summer crowd-control presence this weekend. They'll be going after noise violations in particular.

Where is Gloria Dunlap?

Kansas City police are looking for Gloria Dunlap, 55, who was last seen May 21 leaving Truman Med's emergency room at 24th and Holmes. She was wearing an orange tank top. Nobody's seen her since then. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Ross at (816) 234-5239.

Activists find porn on NJ police computers

Some community activists from New Jersey thought their local police were getting too much overtime, and they found an interesting way to prove their point. They went to a police auction and bought some of the department's old computers -- where they found porn, memos about golf tourneys and other non-work-related business.

Hat Tip: Thanks to Greg Peters!

Party Cove: Sexy Fun Time or Watery Grave?

From The AP: The no-holds-barred scene at Party Cove — technically known as Anderson Hollow Cove near the Grand Glaize Bridge — has helped make Lake of the Ozarks one of the Midwest’s top summer getaways, drawing visitors from Kansas City, St. Louis, Des Moines, Chicago and beyond.

Yet the alcohol-fueled excesses in one corner of the sprawling lake have some boosters fearful that the tolerant approach to public drunkenness could wind up tarnishing the place tourism types tout as “mid-America’s premier vacation, golf and fishing destination.”

... In 2006, the lake accounted for more than 73 percent of all drunken boating arrests by the water patrol, and more than half of all boating accidents statewide.

Fifty alcohol related accidents were tallied last year, the most in nearly a decade. Ten people died on the lake in 2006. This year, just days into the peak season for water recreation in Missouri, three have already lost their lives.

Man invites Big Brother to watch him

Wired has a great story about a guy who documents pretty much his entire life on the Web so the FBI won't haul him to jail. The guy, who was born in Bangladesh, is a little paranoid ever since he ended up on the watch list. He hopes his site, which includes photos and debit card transactions, will be the perfect alibi.

(The creepy part? He's checked his site's log, and the government really is watching him.)

Bicycling can't be that good for your health

A Brooklyn woman is accused of running over her boyfriend, who was riding a bicycle, then backing up and running over him again. After she pulled the ruined bike from under her SUV, she took off, witnesses told police.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Blondie!

Missing girl reported in KCK

From the KCK police statement: The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department on May 28, 2007 at about 7:50 p.m. received information  from Janda Gillespie (mother) that her daughter, Kynissan Gillespie, white female 11-17-1998, 8 years of age was not returned by her father Michael Gillespie white male, 12-03-1979 from his weekend visitation which began 05-25-2007 through 05-27-2007 at 5:30 p.m..

The female juvenile is 48 inches tall, weighs about 64 pounds, she has medium brown hair and blue-gray eyes, it is unknown what she was wearing at the time of her disappearance.

The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department Missing Persons Unit has issued a Wyandotte County Warrant for Mr. Gillespie. If anyone has any information of either individual listed please contact the Kansas City, Kansas Police Departments Missing Persons Unit at 913-573-6020/913-596-3000 or the TIPS HOTLINE at 816-474-TIPS.

Woman on oxygen dies after power company cuts electricity

Over $122 in unpaid bills! The story's from New Zealand. Her family said they got no cutoff notice and tried to tell the technician, even offered to show him the oxygen. Didn't do any good. Now the police are getting involved.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Blondie!

Monster Pig was not a hoax!

Remember the kid who shot the Honda-size pig in Georgia recently? Well, the family is speaking out against various naysayers (me, Blondie, most of the Open Thread) who suggested the photo was doctored. The animal's been turned into breakfast sausage already, but they say they've still got its skull. The family's site, www.monsterpig.com, says they're going to have video soon -- maybe that will help convince some of the doubters.

Seriously, don't break curfew, young people

A Connecticut teenager allegedlly sneaked out to meet her boyfriend ... and was shot in the knee when she tried to sneak back in. Her dad, a policeman, thought she was a home invader.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, onetime!

"It's not my time. I went head to head against a semi back in October and today I went up against a 9 mm and I'm here. I'm just a tough old bird."

A Colorado man who recently lost one of his legs fought off a burglar with one of his crutches and was saved from a bullet when the shot hit his cellphone first.

Devlin's old apartment up for rent

Michael Devlin's old landlord says he's ready to rent out the apartment where Devlin allegedly held two Missouri boys captive, one of them for several years. The landlord says he expects the apartment to rent pretty quickly, actually.

NJ couple allegedly let newborn drown in toilet

A New Jersey couple has been charged with aggravated manslaughter after they left their 16-year-old daughter's newborn baby -- their grandson -- in a toilet for almost two hours.

Authorities: Man cleverly hid child porn in "Child Porn" file

KSHB had one surprising detail on the retired Independence teacher accused of making kiddie porn. Authorities say a Best Buy technician, who was working on the man's machine, allegedly found the offending material in a file called "Child Porn." (It's not clear if there were any signs or neon lights pointing to the folder.)

Cable guy accused of stealing 1,500 pairs of shoes

He allegedly broke into schools to steal the girls footwear. "He liked to smell them," police said. Also? It happened in Wisconsin.

Hat Tip: Thanks, Doc!

Girl, 2, being treated for gunshot wound

A 2-year-old girl from Atchison is at Children's Mercy Hospital after she was somehow shot in the stomach, television station KQ2 reports. Police said a handgun fell and went off, hitting the toddler.

Immigrants admit to marrying so they could stay in America

Two Pakistani men have pleaded guilty to marrying two women simply so they could stay in the United States, U.S. Attorney John Wood's office reports. They also said they lied on immigration paperwork when they claimed to live with their wives.

Dad says Ray-Pec school was too slow looking into threat

A Raymore city councilman says his son's school, Eagle Glen Intermediate, didn't take a death threat against his son and other students seriously enough, KSHB reports. It took officials a few days to interview the alleged perp, which was too long, he said. In the future, he wants all threats to be completely investigated in one day.

From the school: "Threats occur in schools, I don't want to say on a daily basis, but they do occur," he said. "And those threats have to be evaluated as to their credibility in each instance. You can't make a blanket statement in that regard."

Quote of the day

"I don't feel like a hero. I feel like I did the right thing. I feel like the real heroes are the men and women overseas and the people in law enforcement." -- Brian Morganstern, the Circuit City clerk who turned an alleged terrorist video over to authorities. They say it was the break that helped them stop a terrorist plot aimed at Fort Dix.

(Photo of Morganstern via The AP.)

Open Thread ... Wednesday

Good morning, and welcome back to the Open Thread, the blog's clearinghouse for off-topic comments, socializing and what-have-you. If you've seen a cool story elsewhere, feel free to post a link.

Thanks for hanging out, and have a great day! If you need to reach me directly, my email is jhart@kcstar.com.

World's worst souvenir: Dead whale parts

Here's something I didn't know ... It's a federal crime to steal body parts off dead whales. We now know this because Oregon police are looking for whoever stole skin and baleen off a beached whale there. Baleen used to be used in women's corsets and buggy whips, so I'm not sure what the profit motive is here.

Policeman, 20, busted for underage drinking

You've got to feel a little bad for Matt Koch, a policeman in Carlisle, Iowa. Koch, age 20, just got busted for minor in possession; he pleaded guilty and was suspended for four days without pay. But a city councilman now wants him to lose his job.