Girls on Delphi trail on day of murders speak out: ‘That was the man I had waved at’
(DELPHI, Ind.) — A pair of teenage girls who were on the Delphi, Indiana, hiking trail the same day two younger girls were murdered are speaking out about their recollections of the “bridge guy.”
Railly Voorhies testified Tuesday at Richard Allen’s murder trial that she was on the small-town trail on Feb. 13, 2017, with a friend and two sisters.
Voorhies, who was 16 at the time, said she passed a man near Freedom Bridge on her walk home.
When asked to describe the man, Voorhies said he was a Caucasian man with his face covered. She said he was overdressed for the weather, had on dark clothes, was wearing a hat and had his hands in his pockets.
The prosecution pulled up a photo of the “bridge guy” — the grainy image of the suspect walking on the bridge near where the girls were last seen — and Voorhies said, “That was the man I had waved at on the trail.”
During cross-examination, defense attorney Jennifer Auger noted that Voorhies gave a different description of the man when interviewed earlier. Voorhies first described the man as in his early 20s or 30s with a bigger build, brown eyes, dirty blonde curly hair, a square jaw and a wrinkly face. She also said he was wearing black jeans, a black hoodie, black boots and a black mask.
During redirect, prosecuting attorney Stacey Diener asked Voorhies if she had ever given a statement to police or asked to give a statement about estimating someone’s height or weight.
Voorhies said, “No. I was certain that was the man that I saw. I can say with confidence the person in the picture is the person I saw.”
Auger then asked Voorhies if the photo of the “bridge guy” influenced her memory, and Voorhies responded, “Possibly, yes.”
Breann Wilber, who was on the trail that day with Voorhies, testified that she also noticed the man who was overdressed for the warm weather.
She said the man was walking with a “purpose,” didn’t respond when Voorhies said hello and gave off “weird vibes.”
Wilber said that, when she saw the picture of the “bridge guy,” the “first thing I thought is — that is the person I saw on the trail.”
During cross-examination, Wilber was also pressed on how her description of the man she saw on the trail changed over the years.
Best friends Libby German, 14, and Abby Williams, 13, were walking along the trail when they were killed on the afternoon of Feb. 13, 2017.
Libby posted a photo of Abby on Snapchat as they walked over the Monon High Bridge. After crossing the bridge, they saw a man behind them, and Libby started a recording on her phone at 2:13 p.m., prosecutors said.
The man pulled out a gun and ordered the girls to go “down the hill,” prosecutors said. The girls complied, and then the video on Libby’s phone stopped recording, according to prosecutors.
The eighth graders’ bodies were discovered the next day.
Allen, a Delphi resident, was arrested in 2022 and has pleaded not guilty to murder.
Voorhies noted in court that she was friends with Libby and Abby on Snapchat, while Wilber said she knew Libby’s older sister and was friends with Libby on Snapchat.
(NEW YORK) — Luigi Mangione, the accused killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is expected to waive extradition when he appears in court in Pennsylvania on Thursday, sources told ABC News.
In Pennsylvania, Mangione faces charges including allegedly possessing an untraceable ghost gun.
In New York, he faces charges including second-degree murder. Mangione has hired Karen Friedman Agnifilo, a former member of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, as his lawyer in New York.
His court appearance is set for 9 a.m. Thursday.
Mangione was apprehended at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 9 after nearly one week on the run. He’s accused of gunning down Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4 as the CEO headed to an investors conference.
“Just a cold-blooded, horrible killing,” President-elect Donald Trump said at a news conference Monday.
Thompson’s murder ignited online anger at the health insurance industry. Many people online have celebrated the suspect and some have donated to a defense fund for Mangione.
“It’s really terrible that some people seem to admire him, like him,” Trump said.
“It seems that there’s a certain appetite for him. I don’t get it,” Trump added.
Sources said writings police seized from Mangione suggest he was fixated on UnitedHealthcare for months and gradually developed a plan to kill the CEO.
Among the writings recovered from Mangione was a passage that allegedly said, “What do you do? You whack the CEO at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention,” according to law enforcement officials.
Neither Mangione nor his parents received insurance through UnitedHealthcare, the company said.
FBI agents and NYPD detectives spoke to Mangione’s mother the day before his Dec. 9 arrest after San Francisco police informed them she had filed a missing persons report and Mangione’s photo seemed to match the suspect photo, law enforcement sources told ABC News. Mangione’s mother told the New York investigators that the person in the widely shared surveillance images could be her 26-year-old son, sources said.
(TALLAHASSEE, FL) — Hurricane Milton, now a powerful Category 4 hurricane, is taking aim at Florida’s west coast. Landfall is expected late Wednesday night, possibly as a Category 3 hurricane.
Milton is closing in as Floridians are still recovering from the devastation unleashed by Hurricane Helene.
Hurricane warnings extend to Florida’s east coast
Hurricane warnings are in effect in Tampa, Fort Myers and Orlando as Hurricane Milton closes in.
Hurricane and storm surge warnings have now also been issued for parts of Florida’s east coast, including Daytona Beach, Cape Canaveral and Melbourne.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
DeSantis: Use today to finalize and execute your safety plan
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday urged Floridians to “use today as your day to finalize and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family” from Hurricane Milton.
Landfall is expected around 11 p.m. Wednesday and the Tampa Bay area is forecast to face a record-breaking storm surge of 10 to 15 feet.
About 1,200 truckloads of debris left by Hurricane Helene have been removed over the last 24 hours, and that removal will continue until it’s no longer safe to do so, DeSantis said.
The governor said 37,000 linemen are either in Florida or on the way to help with power outages.
Twenty-seven fuel trucks were escorted by Florida Highway Patrol overnight to help gas stations running out of fuel, he said.
-ABC News’ Darren Reynolds
Counties issue mandatory evacuation orders
Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued in parts of counties along Florida’s west coast and even Florida’s east coast, including in Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Volusia.
“If you live in a storm surge evacuation zone and you’re asked to leave by your local officials, please do that,” Michael Brennan, the director of NOAA’s national hurricane center, told ABC News Live on Sunday. “You don’t have to drive hundreds of miles to get to a safe place, often just tens of miles to get inland, out of that evacuation zone, to a shelter, a friend or loved one’s home.”
Brennan also urged Floridians to prepare a disaster kit with several days’ worth of nonperishable food, water, medicine and batteries.
Latest forecast
Milton is now a Category 4 hurricane located about 545 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida.
Milton’s outer bands will start lashing Florida’s west coast by Wednesday morning.
Landfall is expected around 11 p.m. Wednesday between St. Petersburg and Sarasota, possibly as a Category 3 hurricane.
Tampa Bay is forecast to face a record-breaking storm surge of 10 to 15 feet.
Storm surge in Fort Myers could reach 6 to 10 feet.
As Milton moves over Florida, winds ahead of the system could push storm surge up to 5 feet in Jacksonville and up to 4 feet in Savannah.
Up to 18 inches of rain is possible by the end of the storm.
Tornadoes are also possible in South Florida on Wednesday and Thursday.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
Milton becomes ‘powerful’ Category 4 storm
Hurricane Milton’s maximum sustained winds were at about 155 mph early Tuesday, classifying the storm as a “powerful” Category 4 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said
“While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida,” the center said in a 1 a.m. ET update.
-ABC News’ Jessica Gorman
Hurricane Milton still Category 5, but winds slow to 165 mph
As of its 11 p.m. ET update, the National Hurricane Center said that Hurricane Milton now has wind speeds of 165 mph, slowing down by 15 mph from earlier Monday.
The storm still poses an “extremely serious threat” to Florida, the NHC said.
It’s currently moving toward the Northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, per the NHC.
It is still forecast by the NHC to weaken to a Category 3 before making landfall late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.
-ABC News Senior Meteorologist Melissa Griffin
President Biden speaks with Gov. DeSantis ahead of Milton hitting Florida
With Hurricane Milton inching closer to Florida, President Joe Biden spoke with Gov. Ron DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor Monday night, the White House said.
“This evening, the President had separate calls with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to get a firsthand report on recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene, and to discuss preparations for Hurricane Milton,” the White House said in a statement. “He asked the Governor and the Mayor to call him directly if there is anything that can be done to further support the response and recovery efforts.”
Biden also spoke with director of the National Weather Service Kein Graham, who briefed him on the “expected impacts” of Milton on Florida.
Graham emphasized that “this hurricane could have major impacts and that people in the storm’s path should evacuate now while there is ample time to do so,” according to the White House.
-ABC News’ Molly Nagel
Milton strongest hurricane in Gulf in nearly 20 years
Milton is now the strongest hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, by both wind and pressure, in nearly two decades, ABC News has determined.
As of 8 p.m. ET, Hurricane Milton’s winds were holding steady at 180 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane Hunters report that Milton’s pressure has fallen to near a new record low of 897 mb. It is currently 650 miles southwest of Tampa, the NHC said.
-ABC News Senior Meteorologist Melissa Griffin
Orlando, Tampa airports among those closing
The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, just outside of Tampa, Florida, will close at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and stay shut on Wednesday and Thursday.
“The airport is in a mandatory evacuation zone and is not a public shelter,” airport officials tweeted. “Prepare and stay safe.”
Tampa International Airport will suspend operations beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday and stay closed “until it can assess any damage after the storm,” airport officials said.
The Orlando International Airport will close Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. and reopen as soon as it’s safe, officials said. Orlando Executive Airport (ORL) will cease operations at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport will close at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Homeland Security secretary tells those with evacuation order to ‘leave NOW’
Those currently under an evacuation order due to the threat of Hurricane Milton should leave now, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tweeted Monday evening.
“Hurricane #Milton is intensifying to record strength. If you’ve received an evacuation order, leave NOW,” he tweeted. “@DHSgov, the Biden-Harris Admin, and local and state partners are prepositioning life-saving resources. Stay informed via @FEMA or the FEMA app.”
FEMA outlines preparations for Milton, talks ‘extremely damaging’ misinformation
Keith Turi, acting director of response and recovery for FEMA, outlined on Monday the agency’s preparations for Hurricane Milton and urged anyone in the storm’s path to take it seriously.
“We’re urging anyone that is in an evacuation area, anyone that is told to evacuate, to please do so,” Turi said.
He also hit back against misinformation and conspiracy theories about the storm, calling it “extremely damaging.” In Georgia on Friday, former President Donald Trump pushed the baseless claim that FEMA had diverted disaster funds towards cities with an influx of migrants.
“It’s unfortunate, because these individuals have been through extremely traumatic times,” Turi said. “They’ve lost loved ones, they’ve lost their home and now they’re being influenced by information that just isn’t accurate.”
Milton storm surge forecast grows, winds now 180 mph
The storm surge forecast for Hurricane Milton has been revised higher by the National Hurricane Center.
Florida’s west coast can expect a maximum of 10-15 feet in some areas, according to the NHC. Milton poses an “extremely serious” threat, the NHC said.
Winds are now clocking in at 180 mph, the NHC reported.
Helene debris removal will continue until Milton’s winds reach tropical storm strength
The removal of debris from Hurricane Helene will continue until Hurricane Milton’s winds reach tropical storm strength in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said, noting that 663 total truckloads of debris have already removed.
Schools in at least 20 counties will be closed on Tuesday and many more will be closed on Wednesday as Hurricane Milton moves in.
There’s no fuel shortage in Florida, DeSantis said. Some gas stations have run out of fuel, but more is coming, he said.
-ABC News’ Darren Reynolds
Latest forecast
Milton, currently a Category 5 hurricane with 175 mph winds, is located about 700 miles southwest of Tampa.
Hurricane Milton strengthened from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 5 hurricane in just 10 hours.
Milton now ranks as the third-greatest 24-hour hurricane intensification by wind speed in the Atlantic Basin. (Records are based on data since the satellite-er began in the 1960s.) The only other hurricanes to intensify faster were Wilma in 2005 and Felix in 2007.
Milton is expected to remain a powerful Category 5 hurricane through Tuesday.
It’s forecast to weaken to a Category 3 on Wednesday before making landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast late Wednesday or early Thursday.
Hurricane watches are in effect in Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Naples and Orlando.
Storm surge will be one of the biggest threats from Milton.
Hurricane Helene just brought a record 6 to 8 feet of storm surge to the Tampa Bay area, and Hurricane Milton is now forecast to smash that record with 8 to 12 feet of storm surge. Fort Myers could see 5 to 10 feet and Naples could get 4 to 7 feet of storm surge.
Milton will also bring very heavy rain, adding to the rainfall a separate system is dumping on Florida now.
A widespread 5 to 10 inches of rain is possible by the end of the week, with local amounts up to 15 inches, which could cause considerable urban and river flooding.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
DeSantis refuses call from Harris ahead of Hurricane Milton
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has refused to take a call from Vice President Kamala Harris about Hurricane Milton because his team believes the call is politically motivated, according to a source close to the governor.
DeSantis staffers also said the governor has not spoken to President Joe Biden in at least the last few days.
The governor did speak with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell on Sunday, and federal officials are continuing to work with state emergency managers to prepare for Hurricane Milton’s landfall.
DeSantis’ refusal to take Harris’ call was first reported by NBC News.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie and Jay O’Brien
Disney World remains open
Walt Disney World Resort is currently open and operating as normal.
“We are closely monitoring the path of the projected storm as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members,” the resort said on its website.
Disney is the parent company of ABC News.
-ABC News’ Yi-Jin Yu
Counties issue mandatory evacuation orders
Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued in parts of counties along Florida’s west coast, including in Charlotte, Citrus, Hillsborough, Lee and Manatee.
“If you live in a storm surge evacuation zone and you’re asked to leave by your local officials, please do that,” Michael Brennan, the director of NOAA’s national hurricane center, told ABC News Live on Sunday. “You don’t have to drive hundreds of miles to get to a safe place, often just tens of miles to get inland, out of that evacuation zone, to a shelter, a friend or loved one’s home.”
Brennan also urged Floridians to prepare a disaster kit with several days’ worth of nonperishable food, water, medicine and batteries.
Milton strengthens to Category 5 hurricane
Milton rapidly intensified to a Category 5 hurricane late Monday morning.
Within hours, Milton strengthened to a Category 2, then a Category 3, then a Category 4 and finally a Category 5.
University of Florida cancels classes
The University of Florida is canceling classes on Wednesday and Thursday due to Hurricane Milton. The school plans to reopen on Friday morning, officials said.
Biden approves Florida emergency declaration
President Joe Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Florida to allow federal assistance to begin supplementing local efforts ahead of Hurricane Milton.
-ABC News’ Justin Ryan Gomez
Milton expected to strengthen to Category 5 hurricane
Milton — currently a high-end Category 4 hurricane with 155 mph winds — is forecast to strengthen in a few hours to a Category 5 hurricane with 160 mph winds.
The storm will then weaken slightly as it approaches Florida on Wednesday night.
Milton is forecast to make landfall Wednesday night into Thursday morning as a Category 3 hurricane with 125 mph winds.
Counties issue evacuation orders
Evacuation orders have been issued in counties along Florida’s west coast, including Charlotte, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota.
DeSantis: ‘Time is going to start running out very, very soon’
Fifty-one out of Florida’s 67 counties are under a state of emergency as the state braces for Hurricane Milton, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday.
The governor urged residents to pay attention to evacuation orders.
“Time is going to start running out very, very soon,” he warned.
“Please, if you’re in the Tampa Bay area, you need to evacuate,” Kevin Guthrie, executive director of Florida Emergency Management, urged at a news conference.
“Drowning deaths due to storm surge are 100% preventable if you leave.”
Waste removal trucks are urgently trying to get debris from Hurricane Helene off the streets of coastal communities before Milton hits.
DeSantis said debris will continue to be cleared until it’s no longer safe to do so.
Nearly 500 truckloads of debris from the barrier islands and Pinellas County have been moved to debris landfills in the last 24 hours, he said.
St. Pete-Clearwater, Tampa airports to close
The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, just outside of Tampa, Florida, will close at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and stay shut on Wednesday and Thursday.
“The airport is in a mandatory evacuation zone and is not a public shelter,” airport officials tweeted. “Prepare and stay safe.”
Tampa International Airport will suspend operations beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday and stay closed “until it can assess any damage after the storm,” airport officials said.
Milton strengthens to Category 4
Milton rapidly intensified to a Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds Monday morning.
Within hours, Milton strengthened to a Category 2, then a Category 3 and then a Category 4.
Latest forecast: Landfall expected Wednesday night
Hurricane Milton is forecast to make landfall Wednesday night or early Thursday morning as a Category 3 hurricane. Landfall is expected anywhere between just north of Tampa to south of Sarasota.
A record-breaking storm surge of 8 to 12 feet is forecast for the storm surge-prone city of Tampa. This comes just after Hurricane Helene brought a record storm surge of 6 to 8 feet to Tampa Bay.
A hurricane watch was issued for Tampa Bay and Fort Myers, while a tropical storm watch is in effect from Apalachicola to Key West.
Water inundation from Fort Myers to Tampa could be higher than the record-breaking 7 feet recorded during Helene.
Flooding is also a threat since a separate storm has dumped rain on Florida for the last several days.
Milton strengthens to Category 3
Hurricane Milton early on Monday strengthened to a major Category 3 hurricane, with wind speeds of about 120 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
Milton strengthens to Category 2 hurricane
Hurricane Milton strengthened rapidly early Monday, with wind speeds climbing to 100 mph, making it a Category 2 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said.
A hurricane watch was issued for the area around Tampa Bay, along Florida’s western coast.
The storm, which is in the Gulf of Mexico, is forecast to become a major hurricane on Monday, meaning its winds are expected to reach or exceed 111 mph.
Landfall is expected on Wednesday night, with the storm expected to be a Category 3 storm with winds of about 125 mph.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
Milton forecast to be major hurricane
Hurricane Milton, which strengthened on Sunday into a Category 1 storm, is forecast to make landfall as a “major” hurricane on Florida’s west coast this week, the National Hurricane Center said.
“While it is too soon to specify the exact magnitude and location of the greatest impacts, there is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning early Wednesday,” the center said in a late Sunday advisory.
(SEATTLE) — Five people were stabbed in Seattle on Friday, marking the latest incident in a string of stabbings over the past two days in the same area, police said.
A suspect was taken into custody following Friday’s stabbing attack, which appeared to be random, Seattle Police Deputy Chief Eric Barden told reporters at a press briefing.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, is believed to be linked to several of the recent stabbing incidents, police said.
The latest stabbing incident occurred Friday afternoon in the 1200 block of South Jackson Street, in the Chinatown-International District, Seattle police said.
Four of the victims were transported to a local hospital in various conditions, including one who still had a knife in them, Barden said. A fifth victim was treated and released at the scene, police said.
A man matching a description given by witnesses was located nearby and arrested without incident, Barden said. A weapon was also recovered near the suspect, he said.
“This is a horrific tragedy, a mass casualty event,” Barden said.
In addition to the five victims in this incident, five other people have been stabbed in the area in a roughly 38-hour period, according to Seattle police.
The suspect is believed to be linked to four of those stabbings, while one is still being investigated, police said.
The first incident occurred early Thursday, in which a 52-year-old woman was stabbed eight times, police said.
Three other stabbing incidents involving male victims occurred on Thursday, police said. Two of the victims were stabbed multiple times. The other victim told police the assailant tried to stab him in the chest but he managed to block the assault, though sustained a cut to his hand, police said. The victim’s cellphone was also stolen, police said.
Another stabbing occurred early Friday, where a victim was found bleeding “heavily from the neck” and transported to a local hospital in serious condition, police said.
Barden said that beyond the robbery incident, the stabbings appeared to be “just random attacks.”
“This incident was apparently one individual over a 38-hour period of time committing random assaults. That is an aberration. That is not at all the norm,” Barden said. “With a suspect in custody, I think we are returned to normal.”