(LARIMER COUNTY, Colo.) — A female hiker was killed by a mountain lion on the Crosier Mountain trail in Larimer County, Colorado, on Thursday, according to state officials.
The victim’s identity has not been revealed, but her death marks the first fatal mountain lion attack in Colorado since 1999, Colorado Parks and Wildlife noted.
A group of hikers reported throwing rocks at a mountain lion on the trail after spotting it near the body of the victim, causing the animal to flee, CPW said in a press release. Officers euthanized two mountain lions in the area, as CPW policy dictates that wildlife that attacks humans must be euthanized.
“Mountain lions are more visible in winter as they follow deer and elk to lower elevations. If lions are spotted, make noise to scare them from the area, hold objects overhead to appear bigger and start backing away from the animal. Pets should be kept on-leash and not interact with wildlife,” the release reads.
It is unknown how many animals were involved in the attack, as authorities are looking for a potential third mountain lion associated with the incident, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Kara Van Hoose told ABC News.
Kellie Mahoney, who owns a cabin near the site of the attack, said in a video shared with ABC News that she previously saw a family of four mountain lions in the area.
“I couldn’t believe it. When I saw the one big cat and then all of a sudden all you see are eyeballs coming down off the mountain and there were the four of them together, which I’ve never seen before,”Mahoney said.
The Estes Park Police Department, who responded to the scene of the attack, offered their condolences to the victim’s family on social media.
“The Town of Estes Park is deeply saddened by the tragic news of a suspected fatal mountain lion attack that occurred,” the Facebook post read. “Our hearts go out to the victim’s family, friends, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. We offer our sincere condolences to all those grieving this heartbreaking loss.”
Mountain lions are also known as cougars, pumas, panthers or catamounts, and there are projected to be 3,800 to 4,400 mountain lions currently in the wild in Colorado, the CPW noted.
This is a screengrab from a video released by the FBI on Jan. 2, 2024, with new information given in the hunt for the Jan. 6 pipe bomber. FBI
(WASHINGTON) — A federal magistrate judge ordered Friday that the Virginia man charged with placing pipe bombs outside of the headquarters of the RNC and DNC the night before the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol remain detained pending trial.
Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh said in the court filing Friday that the government’s evidence amassed thus far against Brian Cole established that there were no conditions he could place on him that would ensure the safety of the general public.
Cole was arrested by federal authorities earlier last month following a massive probe that had stymied investigators for almost five years.
“Although home incarceration and a GPS monitor would provide some check against Mr. Cole’s ability to carry out any menacing or dangerous conduct in the community, the Court is simply not satisfied these conditions rise to the necessary level for the reasons explained,” Sharbaugh said.
“This is particularly true based on the severity of the potential danger Mr. Cole is alleged to pose, given his alleged persistent acquisition and retention of so-called ‘bombmaking parts’ and given his reported penchant and capacity to create explosive devices and deploy them in public settings,” the judge added.
Cole, who has not entered a plea, allegedly told investigators in a lengthy confession that he wasn’t targeting the joint session of Congress that was convening to certify former President Joe Biden’s election win, according to a previous court filing from the Department of Justice.
Sharbaugh’s ruling followed a detention hearing earlier this week, where he appeared to waver over whether he could put in place heavy restrictions on Cole and release him on bail under the supervision of his family.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Jones urged Sharbaugh to reject arguments made by Cole that he would pose no danger if released and remained under house arrest — noting such a setting was similar to where he had carried out his alleged planning to plant the pipe bombs in the first place.
Jones said that on the morning of his arrest, Cole allegedly wiped the memory from his phone for the 943rd time since December 2020, just days before he allegedly planted the devices.
After Cole saw himself on the news in videos released by the FBI seeking tips on his identity, he said in the interview that he discarded all of his bomb-making materials at a nearby dump and said he never told anyone about his actions in the nearly five years since Jan. 6, according to a court filing.
Cole’s attorneys are expected to again seek his release when the case is ultimately assigned to a federal district judge, after prosecutors revealed in court that they secured a two-count indictment of Cole in D.C.’s Superior Court on Monday.
Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel speaks during the daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on November 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — The FBI said it “thwarted a potential” New Year’s Eve terror attack in North Carolina.
“The subject was directly inspired to act by ISIS,” the FBI said in a post on X.
“Thanks to our great partners for working with us and undoubtedly saving lives,” FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on social media.
Additional information was not immediately available. The FBI is expected to share more details at a news conference.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — After a New Year’s Day filled with heavy rain and flash flooding, more rain is heading to drenched California.
On Thursday, the rain was focused on Southern California.
The heavy rain soaked the Rose Parade in Pasadena for the first time in 20 years, canceling the on-field pregame show. More than 2 inches of rain was recorded in San Diego, prompting flash flooding and some water rescues.
The next round of rain moves in Friday evening, concentrating on the northern half of the California coast and western Washington and Oregon.
By Saturday morning, most of the West Coast, except for Southern California, will be getting scattered rain and mountain snow. Some pockets of rain could be heavy enough to cause flash flooding in northern and central California. The rain will reach Southern California by Saturday afternoon.
Saturday night into Sunday morning, the rain and mountain snow will be focused on central and northern California up to through the Pacific Northwest.
Through Monday, rain totals of 2 to 4 inches are expected from western Washington to central California, while Southern California will see about 1 to 2 inches of rain.
Wind advisories are in effect in parts of northern and central California, including San Francisco, where gusts could reach 50 mph this weekend.
The Sierra Nevada mountains are under a winter storm warning, with 55 mph winds and 1 to 4 feet of snow expected.
Meanwhile, the lake effect snow machine continues to churn in the east.
In Buffalo, New York, the airport has already recorded 8 inches of snow this week, while Syracuse, New York, has seen more than 2 feet of snow.
That lake effect snow will continue through Saturday morning.
Syracuse is under a lake effect snow warning, with 2 to 5 inches total expected in the city and 6 to 12 inches of heavy lake effect snow expected north of Interstate 90.
Then Saturday night into early Sunday morning, a quick clipper system will slide down the Great Lakes and across the Northeast, bringing a light burst of snow to much of the region, but accumulation isn’t expected.
(SEATTLE) — Police in Seattle have arrested a 21-year-old man armed with a shotgun, pistol, and carrying multiple rounds of ammunition near the Space Needle during Seattle’s New Year’s Eve celebration, authorities said.
On New Year’s Eve at approximately 7:20 p.m., patrol officers in Seattle responded to reports of a man sitting on a bench near the Pacific Science Center holding a partially concealed shotgun, according to a statement from the Seattle Police Department.
“Witnesses saw him holding the gun by the grip, causing alarm, while facing the area where spectators were gathering for the fireworks display,” police said. “The suspect, wearing all black clothing and a red hat with “WAR” written on it, cooperated with police.”
Officers safely recovered the shotgun and the suspect, who was also armed with a handgun, had a valid concealed carry permit, police said.
Police assigned to the event center arrested the man without incident, authorities said.
Seattle Police Department’s arson bomb squad were able to locate the suspect’s vehicle and swept the car for potential weapons or explosives, though none were found and it was determined the vehicle did not pose a threat, officials confirmed.
Police subsequently booked the suspect into the King County Jail for unlawful use of weapons and detectives reviewing the case referred criminal charges to the City Attorney’s Office, authorities said.
The investigation into the incident is currently ongoing.
(NEW YORK) — Florida State University law professor Dan Markel’s last day alive began like many others.
He dropped off his two young sons at preschool and went to the gym, authorities said. But things took a dark turn.
After pulling into his driveway on the morning of July 18, 2014, Markel was shot in the head multiple times and rushed to a hospital where he died the next day, authorities said.
Markel had been having custody issues with his ex-wife Wendi Adelson.
Over the next 11 years, two members of Adelson’s family, including most recently her mother Donna Adelson, would be revealed as the center of a stunning murder-for-hire plot against him that would span several criminal trials.
A new “20/20” episode, “Meddler or Murderer?,” airing Friday, Jan. 2, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu, examines the case.
You can also get more behind-the-scenes of each week’s episode by listening to “20/20: The After Show” weekly series right on your 20/20 podcast feed on Mondays, hosted by “20/20” co-anchor Deborah Roberts.
Wendi Adelson came from a prominent dentistry family in South Florida. Wendi’s father, Harvey Adelson, and brother Charlie Adelson, were lead dentists at the practice, called the Adelson Institute, according to authorities.
Wendi married Markel in 2006 after previously connecting on a Jewish dating service. However, a controlling figure emerged in their relationship — her mother, Donna.
Sarah Katherine Dugan, who prosecuted Donna Adelson, said in court that the family matriarch was very involved in all aspects of Wendi’s life and relationship with Markel.
“She was extremely controlling. She had very strong opinions about all the decisions in Wendi Adelson’s life, whether it be about her career, her relationships, or even purchasing a home,” she said.
Wendi Adelson and Dan Markel eventually moved to Tallahassee, where they both got jobs at Florida State University’s law school. However, their marriage deteriorated.
“Our marriage dissolved after the children arrived, as the loneliness of being married to someone that didn’t view me as an equal crept in,” Wendi Adelson said in a 2015 podcast.
The couple went through a bitter divorce, and at the center of both of their lives post-separation was the issue of where their two children would live.
Donna Adelson began a fierce campaign against Markel to relocate the children and Wendi down to South Florida with her, but Markel remained insistent on keeping the kids in Tallahassee, 500 miles away, according to authorities.
Markel became increasingly distrustful of Donna Adelson due to her desire to move the children away from him, even filing a motion to prevent her from having unsupervised visits with the children in 2014. However, it would be the last motion he would ever file before he was shot to death.
Some two years after the killing, investigators arrested two individuals named Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera in 2016, charging them with first-degree murder. The duo was alleged to be hired hitmen who were paid to take out Markel, per prosecutors.
In exchange for a lesser sentence of second-degree murder and 19 years in prison, Rivera gave investigators the name of the woman he claimed hired them to carry out the hit on Markel — Katie Magbanua, the mother of Garcia’s child and the ex-girlfriend of Adelson’s brother, Charlie.
Police then arrested Magbanua in 2016 and later Charlie Adelson in 2022, charging them with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation to commit murder for Markel’s death.
Prosecutors alleged that Donna and Charlie orchestrated the hit on Dan Markel due to his custody issues with Wendi, and they used Magbanua, Garcia and Rivera to execute their plot.
Magbanua and Charlie Adelson both pleaded not guilty but were ultimately convicted of all charges in 2022 and 2023, respectively, and sentenced to life in prison with an additional 60 years for their conspiracy and solicitation convictions.
Garcia was also convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to life in prison in 2019. He had pleaded not guilty.
After Charlie’s conviction, investigators learned that Donna Adelson was planning to leave the country with a one-way ticket to Vietnam — a country that has no extradition agreement with the U.S.
Police arrested her at the Miami International Airport in 2023, also charging her with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation to commit murder in Dan Markel’s killing.
Donna Adelson pleaded not guilty, with her defense claiming that she was not involved in the murder plot.
Adelson, 75, was convicted of all counts against her in 2025 and sentenced to life in prison with an extra 30 years for the solicitation and conspiracy charges to be served consecutively.
“Never in a million years would I have wanted Danny to be harmed or killed, nor could I ever do something that would leave these two small boys to grow up without him,” she said at her sentencing.
In an exclusive new interview with “20/20,” Evan Higginbotham, a juror at Donna Adelson’s trial, spoke out.
“The prosecution had a long list of evidence,” he said. “I think it was how they presented that evidence in the trial that laid out everything to finally land me a guilty verdict at the end of it.”
Dan Markel’s mother, Ruth Markel, told “20/20” that she was most proud of her son for being a good dad.
“Danny was a great father,” she said. “With all his accomplishments, to me I’m the proudest of him as a father.”
Donna and Charlie Adelson have filed appeals for their convictions. Magbanua and Garcia’s appeals were both denied in 2025.
(SEATTLE) — Police in Seattle have arrested a 21-year-old man armed with a shotgun, pistol, and carrying multiple rounds of ammunition near the Space Needle during Seattle’s New Year’s Eve celebration, authorities said.
On New Year’s Eve at approximately 7:20 p.m., patrol officers in Seattle responded to reports of a man sitting on a bench near the Pacific Science Center holding a partially concealed shotgun, according to a statement from the Seattle Police Department.
“Witnesses saw him holding the gun by the grip, causing alarm, while facing the area where spectators were gathering for the fireworks display,” police said. “The suspect, wearing all black clothing and a red hat with “WAR” written on it, cooperated with police.”
Officers safely recovered the shotgun and the suspect, who was also armed with a handgun, had a valid concealed carry permit, police said.
Police assigned to the event center arrested the man without incident, authorities said.
Seattle Police Department’s arson bomb squad were able to locate the suspect’s vehicle and swept the car for potential weapons or explosives, though none were found and it was determined the vehicle did not pose a threat, officials confirmed.
Police subsequently booked the suspect into the King County Jail for unlawful use of weapons and detectives reviewing the case referred criminal charges to the City Attorney’s Office, authorities said.
The investigation into the incident is currently ongoing.
Ohio authorities are searching for a suspect after a dentist and his wife were found murdered inside their home earlier this week.
Columbus Police Patrol officers responded to the home of Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, on Tuesday morning after a welfare check was requested, according to an incident report viewed by ABC News.
When officers arrived, they found the couple suffering from apparent gunshots wounds. Paramedics arrived and the pair were declared dead shortly after, police said.
Spencer Tepe had multiple gunshot wounds while Monique Tepe had at least one gunshot wound to the chest, according to local ABC News affiliate WSYX.
Police did not find obvious signs of forced entry and no firearms were recovered at the home. Currently, the deaths are not believed to be a murder-suicide, WSYX reported.
Two small children were also found in the residence unharmed, according to the incident report.
The welfare check was requested after Spencer Tepe did not show up for work at Athens Dental Deport. The owner, Dr. Mark Valrose, called 911, telling dispatchers Tepe was always on time for work.
“I’m on vacation, but this individual, Spencer, works with me, and he did not show up to work this morning. And we cannot get a hold of him or his family,” Valrose told dispatchers, according to audio of a 911 call reviewed by ABC News. “He’s been reliable, and we cannot get in touch with him, his wife, his family, anybody that lives in that house.”
Police records indicate that authorities were initially contacted at 9:03 a.m. and that an officer responded to the home at 9:22 a.m. but received no answer and left, WSYX reported.
A person called police at 9:58 a.m., reporting that they heard children inside and nobody was answering the door, according to audio reviewed by ABC News.
A third 911 call was placed after the same person reported that they could see Spencer Tepe’s body inside the home and that he appeared dead, according to the audio call.
Columbus Police scanner audio shared by Broadcastify indicates that the 911 caller believed they heard one of the children yelling before calling again to report the body in the house.
The Tepes were married in 2021 and were one month shy of celebrating their five-year anniversary, Spencer Tepe’s brother-in-law, Rob Misleh, told WSYX.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at (614) 645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477).
(WASHINGTON) — For weeks, President Donald Trump has said that he received an MRI at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in October, but when asked about the procedure by the Wall Street Journal in an interview published Thursday, Trump and his doctor said that he actually got a CT scan instead.
“It wasn’t an MRI,” Trump told the Journal. “It was less than that. It was a scan.”
Last month, Trump maintained that he got an MRI, telling reporters on Air Force One that he would “absolutely” release the results.
The White House has not specifically said why Trump received the scan. In November, Trump claimed the MRI was part of his yearly physical.
Trump’s physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella told the Journal that the president had received a CT scan — not an MRI. Barbabella said Trump’s doctors initially told him they would perform either an MRI or a CT scan.
Both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans are imaging methods used by health care professionals to look at organs and structures inside the body to help diagnose a variety of conditions. While an MRI scan uses a large magnet and radio waves to generate a picture, a CT scan uses X-rays.
On Dec. 1, the White House released the results of Trump’s advanced imaging tests, describing them as “perfectly normal.” Barbabella said then that the imaging helps confirm Trump’s overall health and identifies any early issues before they become serious.
Barbabella told the Journal that the CT scan was done “to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues” and showed no abnormalities.
Barbabella told ABC News in a statement on Thursday that the president remains “in exceptional health and perfectly suited to execute his duties as Commander in Chief.”
In late October, Trump first said he had an MRI as part of the “advanced imaging” tests he received at Walter Reed.
“I got an MRI. It was perfect,” Trump said at the time. “I mean, I gave you the full results. We had an MRI and the machine, you know, the whole thing, and it was perfect.”
Even though Trump said multiple times that he had received an MRI, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told ABC News on Thursday that Trump’s “physicians and the White House have always maintained the president received advanced imaging.”
Although the advanced imaging was taken as a preventative measure, according to the White House and Barbabella, Trump told the Wall Street Journal that he now regrets getting it done, saying in the interview that it’s being used as “ammunition” against him.
“In retrospect, it’s too bad I took it because it gave them a little ammunition. I would have been a lot better off if they didn’t, because the fact that I took it said, ‘Oh gee, is something wrong?’ Well, nothing’s wrong,” Trump said.
In his Wall Street Journal interview, Trump said that the large dose of aspirin he takes daily has caused him to bruise easily, adding that he’s refused his doctors’ advice to take a lower dose, adding that he has taken that specific aspirin for 25 years.
“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump said told the Wall Street Journal. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
In the Wall Street Journal article, Trump pushed back against criticism that he has struggled to keep his eyes open during several White House events, appearing to fall asleep.
“I’ll just close. It’s very relaxing to me,” Trump said to the Wall Street Journal about not falling asleep at White House events. “Sometimes they’ll take a picture of me blinking, blinking, and they’ll catch me with the blink.”
One of the most notable recent examples of this occurred during Trump’s Cabinet meeting in December and his November announcement to reduce the cost of weight-loss medication.
The Wall Street Journal reports that staff has counseled Trump to try to keep his eyes open during public events and that White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has urged Cabinet members to shorten their presentations.
The Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Mehmet Oz, who was at the November event where Trump appeared to doze off, told the Journal he believes Trump became bored.
(New York) New Year’s Day was met with snow and cold temperatures from the Northeast to the Great Lakes while much of California braces for heavy rains.
Rochester and Buffalo received six inches of snow while Pittsburgh received four inches and Cleveland up to two inches.
A snow squall quickly moved through the Northeast and parts of the I-95 corridor earlier this morning, bringing heavy snow and gusty winds that briefly reduced visibility down to a quarter mile.
While the clipper system has mostly moved out, coastal New England from Cape Cod up to Bangor, Maine, could see snow continuing into this afternoon.
An additional inch of snow is possible for Cape Cod up to Boston, while parts of southern Maine could get an additional three inches to nine inches through this afternoon.
Behind the snow squall is a blast of arctic air that will sweep through and bring blustery conditions. It will be in the teens in New York City and around the mid-20s for Washington, D.C.
Detroit, Michigan, is expecting a windchill of 7 degrees and in Alpena, in northern Michigan, a windchill of 2 degrees.
Single digit to near zero wind chills are expected further north tomorrow.
Lake-effect snow is expected to briefly slow down Thursday morning but pick back up later in the afternoon and continue through the rest of week.
Through Friday, Oswego and Watertown in upstate New York could see between 12 inches and 24 inches. Buffalo and Erie, Pennsylvania, could see six inches to 12 inches and Bangor, Maine, could see three inches to six inches.
Cold weather is also expected to hit the south with temperatures in the 30s possible Thursday morning from the Florida Panhandle into southern Georgia.
Warmer temperatures are expected to return slowly this weekend for the Southeast and by Monday temperatures should be back above average.
Meanwhile, in Southern California, more than 17 million Americans are under a flood watch through Thursday night due to heavy rains.
In the Los Angeles area, heavy rain showers are expected between 3 a.m. and 10 a.m., with a possibility of flash flooding. No flash flood alerts have been issued so far.
The 137th annual Rose Parade in Pasadena — California’s famed New Year’s Day tradition known for its flower-covered floats — will see rain Thursday morning for the first time since 2006.
A flood watch is also in place in northern and central California over the weekend.
Rain will spread inland and north over much of the western U.S. on Thursday with mountain snow falling across the southern Sierra Nevada into parts of the southern Rockies.
The National Weather Service said excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
ABC News’ Kenton Gewecke and Dan Peck contributed to this report.
