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- This Week in Crime: July 20 - 26, 2024
This Week in Crime: July 20 - 26, 2024
Top Stories of the Week
Arsonists Paralyze French High-Speed Rail Network, Disrupting Olympic Travel
Paris, France - Arsonists launched a coordinated attack on the French high-speed rail network, causing widespread disruption and paralyzing travel to Paris from across France and Europe. The attacks affected approximately 800,000 people, including Olympic athletes who were en route to the Games' opening ceremony. French officials condemned the criminal actions, although they did not find any direct link to the Games.
Prosecutors in Paris have initiated a national investigation into the incidents, stating that the crimes, which include property damage threatening the nation's "fundamental interests," could carry severe sentences of 10 to 20 years. The attacks have shadowed the long-awaited Olympics, with travelers expressing frustration and disappointment.
Tribal Violence Escalates in Papua New Guinea as Gang Kills 26 in Remote Villages
East Sepik, Papua New Guinea - Tribal violence in Papua New Guinea has reached a new level of brutality as a gang consisting of approximately 30 young men attacked three remote villages in the country’s north, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 men, women, and children. The horrific incident, which occurred earlier this month, has left the remaining villagers terrified and seeking refuge at a local police station.
According to James Baugen, a provincial police commander in East Sepik province, the attack was a gruesome act of violence. Crocodiles took some of the victims’ bodies into the nearby swamp, while others were found with their heads brutally severed. The assailants remain at large, hiding from authorities, and no arrests have been made thus far.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, confirmed that the attacks, motivated by a dispute over land and lake ownership and user rights, took place on July 16 and July 18. Turk expressed deep concern over the escalating death toll, which could potentially surpass 50 as authorities continue to search for missing individuals. Shockingly, among the victims, 16 were children, and over 200 villagers were forced to flee their homes as the attackers set fire to their houses.
Historic Sinaloa Cartel Leaders Arrested by U.S. Authorities in Texas
El Paso, Texas—In a significant development, U.S. authorities have apprehended Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López, two prominent leaders of Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa cartel, in El Paso, Texas. The U.S. Justice Department confirmed the arrests on Thursday, marking a major blow to one of the world’s most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations.
Zambada, a long-standing figure within the Sinaloa cartel, had been a key player in the cartel’s smuggling operations while maintaining a lower profile compared to his more flamboyant counterpart, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to Zambada’s capture.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the significance of the arrests, stating that both Zambada and Guzmán López face multiple charges related to leading the cartel’s criminal operations, including the manufacturing and trafficking of deadly fentanyl. Garland further highlighted the Justice Department’s commitment to holding accountable all those responsible for the distribution of fentanyl, which is considered the deadliest drug threat to the United States.
In Other Crime News
Paris, France - Former Russian Reality TV Chef Arrested in France for Alleged Plot to Disrupt Paris Olympics. Read More.
Washington D.C. - Secret Service Director Resigns Following Assassination Attempt on Donald Trump. Read More.
Oakland, California - Arrest Made in Connection with Killing of Rising Rapper Tan DaGod. Read More.
Cambridge, MA—A Decrease in Body Donations to Harvard Medical School is Linked to an Alleged Morgue Manager Scheme. Read More.
Brooklyn, NY—Former “Jeopardy!” Winner Arrested for Allegedly Catfishing Minors for Explicit Photos. Read More.
Crime History
July 24, 1968 - Debbie Spickler
Debbie Spickler and her cousin headed to Henry Park in Vernon, CT., to swim on July 24, 1968, when they realized they had forgotten to bring towels. While Spickler’s cousin, 13, returned to her Foxhill Drive house to retrieve some towels, Spickler pressed on to the pool. When her cousin made it to the park, Spickler was nowhere to be found. She has not been seen since.
There are few details available in Spickler’s disappearance. Her mother received a birthday card from her the same day she disappeared. In the card, Spickler wrote she was being good and helping her aunt. There were two other unsolved abductions in Tolland County around the same time Spickler disappeared. Investigators theorized her case may be related to those. A $50,000 reward is still being offered for information about what happened to Spickler, who remains missing.
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