Top Stories of the Week

Los Angeles Man Charged in Series of Murders, Including Three Unhoused Victims

Los Angeles, California - Jerrid Powell, a 33-year-old Los Angeles resident, was formally charged with four counts of murder and other related charges in connection with the killings of three unhoused individuals and another victim in San Dimas. The charges were announced on Monday by LA District Attorney George Gascón.

Powell faces four murder counts, one count each of residential robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon. The charges also include special circumstances allegations of multiple murders and murder during a robbery, along with suspected personal use of a firearm.

Brutal Murder of Gay Man in Phoenix Park Leads to Arrest of Four Suspected Gang Members

Phoenix, Arizona - Four suspected gang members have been arrested for the savage murder of Bernardo Pantaleon, a 30-year-old gay man. Pantaleon’s mutilated body was discovered in a city park on November 26, after being shot multiple times and desecrated with a knife.

Pantaleon’s family believes he was targeted because of his sexual orientation and his fondness for wearing glamorous clothing and makeup. “He was brutally attacked, and there was a trail of blood all over where they had found him, meaning that he had to run for his life and tried to get safe. He couldn’t make it,” his cousin Anai Pantaleon shared with the Arizona Republic.

Ex-Boyfriend Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of Amie Harwick

Mount Washington, Kentucky - Gareth Pursehouse, the ex-boyfriend of Amie Harwick, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Harwick. The sentencing took place in Los Angeles, California. Pursehouse was found guilty of first-degree murder with a special circumstance allegation in September after a jury deliberated for two days.

Prosecutors accused Pursehouse, 45, of breaking into Harwick’s Los Angeles home on February 15, 2020, and waiting for her to return before attacking her.

In Other Crime News

• Chowchilla, California - Chowchilla School Bus Kidnapping of 1976: A Comprehensive Look into the Shocking Crime. Read More.

• Las Vegas, Nevada - Former Professor Identified as Gunman in UNLV Shooting Tragedy. Read More.

• Padua, Italy - Nation Mourns as Italy Grapples with Rising Femicide Cases: The Tragic End of Giulia Cecchettin. Read More.

• Leander, Texas - Search for Suspects in Leander Mail Carrier Robbery; $150,000 Reward Offered. Read More.

• New York, New York - Sean “Diddy” Combs Faces Fourth Lawsuit Alleging Gang Rape. Read More.

• Calabasas, California - Santa Barbara Man Arrested for Assaulting Grandfather and Infant. Watch Video.

CrimeDoor Blog

From Booze to Bloodshed: The Prohibition Era’s Impact on the Criminal Underworld

The Prohibition era, stretching from 1920 to 1933, remains an unmistakably distinctive chapter in American history. During this span, the ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment and subsequent enactment of the Volstead Act led to the ban on the manufacturing, transportation, and sale of alcohol in the United States. While it was intended to reduce crime, improve health, and enhance societal values, Prohibition spurred a myriad of unintended consequences. A significant repercussion was the explosive growth of organized crime. This article delves into the complexities of the era, its profound impact on American society, and its correlation to the rise of high-profile crimes and criminals.

Crime History

DECEMBER 3, 1894 - Kitty Ging

A man on his way home from work on the evening of Dec. 3, 1894, discovered the body of Katherine “Kitty” Ging on Excelsior Boulevard in Minneapolis. Ging’s head had been crushed and she appeared to be a victim of the horse that had been pulling the buggy she was riding in. However, the coroner who examined the body discovered a bullet hole behind Ging’s ear.

Ging, 29, was a known associate of Harry Hayward, a local socialite whose parents owned the Ozark Flats apartment building where Ging lived. Hayward had an alibi for the evening; he’d been at the opera with another woman.

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