Top Stories of the Week

Father, Stepmother, and Uncle Charged in Murder of 10-Year-Old Sara Sharif

London, England - Three relatives of a 10-year-old girl found dead in her Woking, UK, home appeared before Guildford Magistrates’ Court on September 15, facing charges of murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.

The deceased, Sara Sharif, was discovered on August 10 with extensive injuries. Her father Urfan Sharif, 41; stepmother Beinash Batool, 29; and uncle Faisal Malik, 28, were recently arrested in Pakistan and deported to the UK. During the hearing, they confirmed their identification details but did not enter pleas. They have been ordered to remain in custody until their next court appearance on September 19.

Six “Soldiers of Christ” Arrested in Connection to Gruesome Murder in Georgia

Duluth, Georgia - Gwinnett County police apprehended six individuals, including a minor, in connection with the murder of a woman, whose severely malnourished body was found in a car’s trunk outside a spa in Duluth, Georgia. The suspects, reportedly part of a religious group named “Soldiers of Christ”, are facing multiple charges including felony murder and tampering with evidence.

Authorities identified the adults as Eric Hyun, Gawom Lee, Joonho Lee, Juoonhyum Lee, and Hyunji Lee. The group allegedly detained and abused the victim for weeks before she succumbed to the brutal treatment. The investigation indicated the woman had been enduring starvation since August 3, although the exact date of her death remains unclear.

Breakthrough in 1979 Cold Case Murder: Oregon Man Charged

Boston, Massachusetts - John Michael Irmer, a 68-year-old Oregon resident, has been charged in the 1979 murder and rape of Susan Marcia Rose in Boston’s Back Bay area, as per the statement of Massachusetts prosecutors.

The arrest came about after Irmer voluntarily walked into the Portland FBI office last month, admitting to meeting a red-haired woman at a skating rink in Boston around Halloween in 1979. He confessed to leading her to a Beacon Street building under renovation, where he assaulted and subsequently murdered her with a hammer.

In Other Crime News

• Sacramento, California - California Legislature Passes Bill to Classify Child Sex Trafficking as Serious Felony. Read More.

• Tirana, Albania - Albanian Police Detain 233 People in Nationwide Operation Targeting Drug Dealing at Schools. Read More.

• Waukesha, Wisconsin - Convicted Slender Man Stabbing Perpetrator Anissa Weier to Have GPS Monitor Removed. Read More.

• East Lansing, Michigan - Michigan State Suspends Football Coach Mel Tucker Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations. Read More.

• Los Angeles, California - Police Pursuit in Atwater Village Ends with Standoff, Arrest, and Three Officers Injured. Watch Video.

CrimeDoor Blog

Exploring the Alford Plea: Controversies, Implications, and Its Role in True Crime Cases

In true crime, the Alford plea is a controversial and intriguing aspect of the criminal justice system. This type of plea allows defendants to maintain their innocence while acknowledging that the prosecutor has enough evidence to convict them. While many states have adopted this plea, and it is frequently used in plea bargains, the Alford plea remains a contentious issue. Critics argue that it undermines the justice system’s integrity, and supporters highlight its utility in expediting case resolution. This article delves into the history, use, and implications of the Alford plea, exploring its role in wrongful convictions, high-profile true crime cases, and the ongoing debate surrounding its impact on the criminal justice system. Join us as we unravel the complexities and controversies of the Alford plea and its place in the captivating realm of true crime.

Crime History

SEPTEMBER 15, 1963 - The 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing

A bomb exploded at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church on Sept. 15, 1963, killing four girls, Addie Mae Collins, 14; Denise McNair, 11; Cynthia Wesley, 14; and Carole Robinson, prior to Sunday services. At least 14 people were injured by the blast.

Four members of the United Klans of America, an Alabama group aligned with the white supremacist hate group the Ku Klux Klan, were linked to the bombing. Thomas Blanton Jr., Robert Chambliss, Bobby Cherry, and Herman Cash, planted a minimum of 15 sticks of dynamite under the steps near the church’s basement. At 10:22 a.m., an anonymous phone call was made to the church. The person on the call simply said “three minutes” to the woman who answered. The bomb went off less than a minute later.

The investigation identified the four men as the perpetrators of the attack. Chambliss was convicted of illegally possessing and transporting dynamite, but no charges were filed against him or any of the other men for the actual bombing. By 1968, the FBI closed the case. The case was reopened in 1971, and in 1977, Chambliss was indicted by a grand jury and charged with four counts of murder. He was found guilty of killing McNair on Nov. 18, 1977, and sentenced to life in prison. He died in a prison hospital in 1985. In 2000, Cherry and Blanton were each charged with four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the case. They were both convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Cherry died of cancer in prison in 2004. Blanton died in prison in 2020. Cash was never charged; he died in 1994.

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