Henry County homicide under investigation
Virginia State Police, assisted by Henry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the homicide of a 79-year-old male found in the…
Month: July 2025
‘It’s a cover up’: Musk floods X with posts attacking Trump over Epstein
(WASHINGTON) — Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who earlier this month feuded online with President Donald Trump after stepping down as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, has been flooding his social media feed with criticism of Trump and his administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Using his X platform, Musk has been on a posting spree since Wednesday, posting or reposting criticisms of Trump’s handling of the Epstein files more than 35 times.
He’s even used his AI chatbot Grok — which just clinched a $200 million deal with the Trump administration — to address the issue.
The administration angered many of Trump’s supporters when it announced last week that it would not release any additional files on Epstein, the wealthy financier and convicted sex offender who died in jail by suicide in 2019, after earlier promising to do so.
Musk’s avalanche of attacks comes just weeks after he posted — but later deleted — a claim that Trump’s name appeared in the Epstein files, and that that was why more documents weren’t being released.
At the time he said the post “went too far.” Now, however, he’s returned to attacking the president.
In one post, Musk called the Trump administration’s actions “a cover up (obviously)” and claimed in another that “so many powerful people want that list suppressed.”
In response to Trump calling the matter the “Epstein Hoax,” Musk mockingly wrote, “Wow, amazing that Epstein ‘killed himself’ and Ghislaine is in federal prison for a hoax,” referring to former Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell who is serving a 20-year prison term for aiding Epstein in his sexual abuse of underage girls.
Musk also took a shot at how Trump has handled past issues, listing, “1. Admit nothing; 2. Deny everything; 3. Make counterclaims” — before adding, “But it won’t work this time.”
He also reposted a photo of the binders that Attorney General passed out to MAGA influencers at the White House in February that were labeled “Epstein files: Phase 1.”
“Where is ‘Phase 2’? Musk asked.
Addressing X’s AI chatbot, Grok, Musk asked, “Would that mean the government right now — as we speak — knows the names & ages of all those who traveled on Epstein’s plane?”
“Yes, the DOJ and FAA hold extensive passenger manifests and flight logs from Epstein’s jets,” Grok replied.
Though Musk slammed Trump’s handling of the Epstein files, his attacks themselves were riddled with false assumptions, including conspiracy theories about the existence of an Epstein “client list,” which is unsupported by evidence.
Responding to criticism from Musk earlier this month, Trump posted to his own social media platform, “I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely ‘off the rails,’ essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks.”
Musk, the top donor in the 2024 election who helped boost Trump’s path to victory, led the administration’s effort to slash the federal government before stepping down from the post in May.
A White House spokesperson, when asked for comment, directed ABC News to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s comments during Thursday’s press briefing. Asked if Trump has been in contact with any of the social media influencers who have challenged his handling of the Epstein files, Leavitt said, “The president and this team are always in contact with the president’s supporters, with voices of many kinds on both sides of the aisle.”
“But, ultimately, he has led this country not just over the past six months to historic success, but also through his first four years as president … and as I always say, the American people should trust in President Trump,” Leavitt said.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
22-year-old charged with murder in alleged killing of ‘American Idol’ music supervisor and husband
(LOS ANGELES, Calif.) — Murder and burglary charges were filed Thursday in the killing of an “American Idol” music supervisor and her husband at their home in Los Angeles.
The suspect — 22-year-old Raymond Boodarian — is accused of scaling a fence onto the Encino property and then shooting and killing the couple during a struggle when they arrived home, Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Guy Golan told reporters Tuesday.
Boodarian has been charged with two counts of murder and a count of residential burglary, according to Los Angeles ABC station KABC. He appeared in court on Thursday afternoon, where the judge set his next court hearing for Aug. 20. He is being held without bail.
The victims — Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Deluca, both 70 — were found shot to death in their Los Angeles home during a welfare check on Monday, authorities said.
It is believed the couple was killed four days earlier, on July 10, police said. That day, the Los Angeles Police Department said it received two calls about a possible burglary at the address after a person was seen jumping the fence onto the property.
Officers responding to the calls that day were unable to go into the home because it is highly fortified, with 8-foot walls with spikes, police sources said. Police flew a helicopter over and saw no signs of a burglary or any other trouble and cleared the scene, Golan previously told reporters.
Surveillance footage later reviewed by police showed the suspect scaling the fence and then apparently entering an unlocked door, Golan said. The victims arrived home about 30 minutes later, police said.
While responding for a welfare check on Monday, officers were able to make their way into the home and found the victims dead with multiple gunshot wounds, Golan said. They both had gunshot wounds to the head, police said.
Detectives have since found a gun at the suspect’s residence that will be tested to determine if it was the alleged murder weapon, LAPD homicide detectives said Wednesday.
Police were investigating a motive and working to understand what happened inside the house, Golan said Tuesday.
Police do not believe Boodarian knew the victims, and the house did not appear to be ransacked, Golan said. There is no camera footage from inside the house that shows what went on, he said.
The LAPD will look into how police responded to the initial burglary call last week to make sure it was handled appropriately, Golan said.
Kaye had been with “American Idol” since 2009, according to a spokesperson for the ABC television show.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Maurene Comey’s farewell after firing: ‘Fear is the tool of a tyrant’
(WASHINGTON) — Maurene Comey told colleagues in a farewell email that she was fired as a federal prosecutor without being told a reason but urged them not to succumb to the “fear” she said her termination could cause.
“If a career prosecutor can be fired without reason, fear may seep into the decision of those who remain,” Comey said in her email, a copy of which was obtained by ABC News. “Do not let that happen.”
Comey, daughter of former FBI director James Comey, was fired Wednesday after President Donald Trump vented to subordinates about having a Comey working in his administration, sources told ABC News.
“Yesterday was unexpectedly my last day in the Office. I was summarily fired via memo from Main Justice that did not give a reason for my termination,” Comey wrote in the email.
Comey was a highly regarded assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, where she worked on cases against Jeffrey Epstein and his convicted associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
“Every person lucky enough to work in this office constantly hears four words to describe our ethos: Without Fear or Favor. Do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons without fear of retribution and without favor to the powerful,” she wrote in the email.
“For the majority of my nearly ten years in SDNY, fear was never really conceivable. We don’t fear bad press; we have the luxury of exceptional security keeping us physically safe; and, so long as we did our work with integrity, we would get to keep serving the public in this office. Our focus was really on acting ‘without favor.’ That is, making sure people with access, money, and power were not treated differently than anyone else; and making sure this office remained separate from politics and focused only on the facts and the law,” the email read.
Comey urged her colleagues to continue to fight abuses of power, seek justice for victims and dedicate themselves to “truth above all else.”
“Fear is the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought,” Comey’s email said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt didn’t answer questions on the firing of Comey at the press briefing on Thursday.
Leavitt referred reporters to the Justice Department, saying that it was their decision to fire her.
The press secretary was later asked whether the White House had knowledge of the firing and whether Trump signed off on it. She again sidestepped, saying only that it was a decision from the DOJ.
ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
DOJ suggests ex-officer convicted in raid of Breonna Taylor’s home should get 1 day in jail
(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Justice recommended that the former officer who was found guilty of violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights during a botched Kentucky raid should receive one day of imprisonment in a sentencing memorandum filed Wednesday.
Brett Hankison was found guilty of one count of violating Taylor’s civil rights when the former Louisville police officer blindly shot into her apartment 10 times in March 2020. Hankison’s bullets did not hit anyone.
The Justice Department filing, which also recommended three years of supervised release, was signed only by department officials and none of the line prosecutors.
“This sets a dangerous precedent,” attorneys of Taylor’s family said in a statement on Thursday. “When a police officer is found guilty of violating someone’s constitutional rights, there must be real accountability and justice. Recommending just one day in prison sends the unmistakable message that white officers can violate the civil rights of Black Americans with near-total impunity.”
The sentencing for Hankison, which was scheduled to take place on Wednesday, has been delayed until July 21 after prosecutors asked for more time to file their sentencing memo. Hankison’s defense team did not object to the delay.
This comes after Hankison’s defense team filed a sentencing memorandum urging the judge for leniency, citing various factors.
In the sentencing memorandum, Hankison’s defense team argued, in part, that Taylor’s boyfriend first fired at police, which is what “provoked” the three officers, including Hankison, “to discharge their weapons.” They also argued that in prison Hankison could be “suspectable to abuse based on his status as a police officer” and the immense media coverage of this case.
The guilty verdict came in November, hours after the jury acquitted Hankison of a second count of violating the civil rights of three of Taylor’s neighbors, who lived in an adjacent apartment that was also struck by gunfire during the raid.
Taylor was fatally shot during the raid. The three officers fired dozens of rounds after her boyfriend fired one round at them, striking one of the officers.
Hankison fired 10 rounds through Taylor’s sliding glass door and window, which were covered with blinds and curtains, prosecutors said. Several of the rounds traveled into Taylor’s neighbor’s apartment, where three people were at the time. None of the 10 rounds hit anyone.
Prosecutors argued Hankison’s use of force was unjustified, put people in danger and violated the civil rights of Taylor and her three neighbors. The indictment alleged Hankison deprived Taylor of the right to be free from unreasonable seizures and deprived her neighbors of the right to be free from the deprivation of liberty without due process of law.
Hankison was initially set to be sentenced in April 2025, but the sentencing was delayed until June 2025 and then again until July 16 and now until July 21 after the judge partially granted the motion filed by prosecutors, who asked for a 14-day delay.
The Justice Department declined to comment beyond the filing. Hankison’s legal team didn’t immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
ABC News’ Alex Mallin, Meredith Deliso, Sabina Ghebremedhin, Jack Moore and Victoria Arancio contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Trump diagnosed with ‘chronic venous insufficiency’ after swelling: White House
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump underwent medical testing after he had been seen with deep bruises on his hand and swollen legs in recent days, and was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.
Leavitt said Trump noted “mild swelling in his lower legs,” which prompted the White House medical team to evaluate him. They concluded that Trump has chronic venous insufficiency — a condition in which there isn’t adequate blood flow in the veins in the legs. This can cause the blood to pool, causing swelling in the lower legs.
“The president underwent a comprehensive examination including diagnostic vascular studies, bilateral lower extremity intravenous doppler ultrasounds were performed and revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70,” Leavitt said in the Thursday White House press briefing.
While chronic venous insufficiency is not considered a serious medical condition and it is treatable, it can be uncomfortable or painful. The condition is very common in older adults. Treatment typically can include medication to increase blood flow, elevating legs, or minor procedures to improve blood flow, or surgery in more severe cases.
There was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease and an echocardiogram showed normal cardiac structure and function, Leavitt said, adding that all results from testing were “within normal limits.”
Leavitt addressed photos circulated online that show minor bruising on the back of the president’s hand, attributing the bruising to “minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin.”
“The president remains in excellent health,” Leavitt said.
Leavitt was later asked whether Trump had any discomfort relating to the condition, and she said that he felt none.
“Nope. No discomfort from the president at all. And you probably all see that on a day to day basis. He’s working around the clock,” Leavitt said.
The White House has released a memorandum from President Trump’s physician, Sean Barbabella, outlining the President’s recent health updates regarding his swollen legs and bruising on his hand — but it didn’t provide any additional details.
The president underwent his annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in April. The report from Barbabella, who performed Trump’s physical, stated that the president was “in excellent health” at the time.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Karl Urban stars as Johnny Cage in ‘Mortal Kombat II’ trailer
Johnny Cage is back for more.
Warner Bros. Pictures has released the official trailer for Mortal Kombat II.
The trailer, which debuted on Thursday, shows off what fans can expect from the next film installment based on the popular video game franchise. This time around, fan-favorite champions are pitted up against each other and joined by Johnny Cage himself.
Karl Urban stars as Johnny Cage in the film, which follows “the ultimate, no-holds barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders,” according to an official synopsis.
“I’m not some champion. I don’t have Transformer arms or shoot lightning bolts. This s***’s got nothing to do with me,” Johnny says in the trailer. “I’m an actor.”
Simon McQuoid returns to the franchise to direct the sequel to his 2021 film. Jeremy Slater wrote the screenplay based on the video game created by Ed Boon and John Tobias.
Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan and Damon Herriman also star in the film.
Mortal Kombat II arrives in movie theaters and IMAX screens on Oct. 24.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
‘Invincible’ scores early season 5 renewal, adds Matthew Rhys to voice cast
Invincible has earned an early season 5 renewal.
Prime Video has renewed the adult animated superhero series for a fifth season before its fourth season has even been released.
The announcement was made in a video shared to the official Invincible social accounts on Thursday.
“Season 5, Mark… this is GOOD NEWS,” the official Invincible account captioned the renewal announcement post.
Not only is season 5 confirmed, the cast has already finished recording their voices for it, according to the announcement video.
Additionally, Prime Video announced that Matthew Rhys will join the show’s voice cast in the upcoming season 4. Rhys appears in the renewal announcement video, alongside other cast members Walton Goggins, Steven Yeun, Gillian Jacobs, Sandra Oh, Seth Rogen, J.K. Simmons and more.
Goggins starts off the video during a session in the voice-over booth, where he celebrates the season 5 renewal.
“Season f****** 5, you know what that’s called? A success,” Goggins said in the video.
Invincible is based on the comic book by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley.
Season 4 of Invincible is set to debut in 2026.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Mike Pence calls for the release of the Epstein files: ‘I’ve always believed in transparency’
(WASHINGTON) — Former Vice President Mike Pence joined the chorus of Republicans calling on the Trump administration to release files about the case of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, telling CBS News in an interview that he believes the administration should release all of the files about Epstein — breaking with the president he once served under.
“I think the time has come for the administration to release all of the files regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s investigation and prosecution,” Pence said in the Wednesday interview.
Asked if he believes there should be an inquiry into if accomplices to Epstein should be exposed to criminal prosecution, Pence said, “I just think we ought to get the facts to the American people. I’ve always believed in transparency.”
“It’s important that we protect the names of the victims. They should be excluded from any disclosure. But whether or not the facts justify charges, I think that anyone who participated or was associated with this despicable man ought to be held up to public scrutiny.”
In recent weeks, many of President Donald Trump’s most prominent supporters and congressional Republicans continue to demand answers about the files.
Pence is more moderate ideologically than many of the high-profile names calling for the files to be released. More broadly, Pence has threaded a needle over the first six months of Trump’s second presidency, occasionally critiquing and occasionally praising the second-term policies or opinions of the president who he once served under.
Trump continued Wednesday to dismiss calls within his own party for more transparency into the Epstein investigation and made claims, without evidence, that the controversy was designed to undermine him.
In a lengthy social media post, which included references to the president’s previous claims about the 2017 Russian election interference probe, Trump blamed Democrats for creating what he called a “scam” and “hoax.”
Asked what Trump means when he says the Epstein controversy is a “hoax,” Pence didn’t answer directly, but said Epstein’s prosecution began during the Bush administration and continued during the Obama administration.
“I know of no reason why this administration, once the victims’ names are protected, should not release all the files on Jeffrey Epstein,” Pence added.
The Justice Department and FBI earlier this month stated they found no evidence the deceased financier kept a “client list” of associates whom he blackmailed or conspired with to victimize dozens of women.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Trump had vascular testing because of leg swelling: White House
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump underwent vascular testing after he had swelling in his legs, with all results within normal limits, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.
Leavitt said Trump noted “mild swelling in his lower legs,” which prompted the White House medical team to evaluate him.
“The president underwent a comprehensive examination including diagnostic vascular studies, bilateral lower extremity intravenous doppler ultrasounds were performed and revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70,” Leavitt said in the Thursday White House press briefing.
There was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease and an echocardiogram showed normal cardiac structure and function, Leavitt said, adding that all results from testing were “within normal limits.”
Leavitt also address photos circulated online that show minor bruising on the back of the president’s hand, attributing the bruising to “with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking.”
“The president remains in excellent health,” Leavitt said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.