A shooting in Pensacola, Fla. over the summer left a 19-month-old child dead and a suspect on the run. Pensacola Police say Dwayne Pinestraw is responsible for firing shots into the Pensacola Village complex on July 15. One other person was struck and injured during the incident.
Police say Pinestraw is charged with homicide, aggravated battery and a weapon offense. He’s short, only 5’5” and weighs about 130 pounds.
You can text your information to GCCS to 274637 (CRIMES) or call the Pensacola Police: (850) 435-1900
Investigators say Kelly Rothwell is a hard working police recruit at the Pinellas Police Academy in St. Petersburg, Fl. Authorities say Kelly was last seen on Saturday, March 12 around 3:30 p.m. and her 2007 Subaru Outback was located about two miles from her home.
Detectives said they checked Kelly’s home on Sunday when patrol deputies received a call to check the welfare of her at her home. There was a friend who reported concern for Kelly’s safety because of alleged domestic violence issues with Kelly and her boyfriend.
When investigators arrived, both vehicles were gone. In fact, Kelly’s boyfriend left the state of Florida and headed back to his home state of New York where he is a retired corrections officer. He is not corporating with officials.
Since Kelly began her police academy in November, she has not missed a day and her family said it is not like her to go missing or not be in contact.
If anyone has any information about this case they are asked to contact the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Robbery/Homicide Unit at (727) 582-6200
Makayla Joy Sitton was only 6-years-old when she was gunned down in front of her family on Thanksgiving Day. Her accused murderer, Paul Michael Merhige, is behind bars, and facing charges of not only killing his twin sisters, but his aunt and his little cousin Makayla. The murder rocked the Jupiter town in Florida for weeks while Merhige was on the run until his capture.
Now that the dust has settled, and many months have passed, Makayla’s parents Jim and Muriel Sitton launched her website and published a book in their daughter’s honor. “The Bear’s Castle” was Makayla’s idea before she was killed and now her own thoughts are available to purchase.
Makayla was extremely articulate, very creative and she loved to read. Muriel says one day Makayla told “The Bear’s Castle” story at their kitchen table, and thankfully there was a tape recorder to capture her beautiful words. A CD of Makayla’s voice telling the story is provided with each book. Inside the pages of the story you will find pictures Makayla made along with illustrations of her actual room and things that meant the most to her.
Investigators in Orlando, Florida desperately need your leads to find Jennifer Kesse. A few days ago, authorities announced to the Kesse family that they have exhausted all credible leads in this four year old case. Although investigators deem the case “active,” they have nothing more to move on at this time. Jennifer’s family will not give up until she is found dead or alive.
BACKGROUND: Police say Jennifer didn’t show up for work at Central Florida Investments on January 24, 2006. Early on in this investigation, her family told me that it was unlike her not to call if she was going to be late, or if something came up. Her boyfriend thought it was odd that he had not heard from Jennifer that morning on her way to work, and when he called her office, they said she had neverarrived. Police responded to her condo to find nothing out of the ordinary. Later that afternoon, Jennifer’s friends and family sprung into action by canvassing the area with fliers looking for their loved one.
UPDATE 8:00 a.m. This Amber Alert is canceled, thankfully Melvin was found. The abductor is in custody…
There is an active Amber Alert in Jacksonville, FL to find baby Melvin Duclos. He was born on February 8, 2010, and authorities believe he was abducted by a woman who is 20 to 22 years old, 5-feet tall, and 150 pounds. He was last seen at his home 7300 block North Ironside Drive around 4:45 p.m. The suspect is believed to have shoulder length natural black hair and a silver post in her nose. The abductor and Melvin could be traveling in a brown four door Honda Accord. There are reports that the suspect may have followed the family home from the hospital when the baby was born earlier last month, and could have been watching them ever since. Melvin was wearing a light yellow onesie and a blue t-shirt.
Race: Black
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
If you have any information concerning the whereabouts of this endangered person, please contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-487-4438 or 911
UPDATE 1 P.M. - I just spoke with Deputy U.S. Marshal Purri. He is one of the lead investigators who helped to put the pieces together for Saturday’s capture. USMS Purri says Merhige did not know more than 30 investigators descended on the motel’s location. Merhige was barricaded inside, a mattress and a dresser blocked the sliding glass door used to enter the room. U.S. Marshals threw a flash bang to break the glass open, and so they could enter. Merhige ran into the bathroom and was not listening to commands. Investigators on the scene had to tase Merhige to get him to listen, and to safely bring him into custody. Marshals on the scene were treating Merhige as being armed and dangerous since they know he was on the run with wepons, including a sniper rifle. “Since we had the element of surprise we took it,” says USMS Purri. I am also told that because of Merhige’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, he would shop for food for 30 days at a time, and close himself indoors and would not come out. The owners of the motel told authorities Merhige tried to pay for his room through February. Merhige did have his passport on him, but investigators say they knew he didn’t flee the country.
It’s been three weeks today since the deadly Thanksgiving shooting that took the lives of four family members in Jupiter, FL. Investigators believe Paul Merhige is the one responsible for the murders, and he is charged him with four counts of first degree murder. I spoke with Sgt. Scott Pascarella this morning, and he says investigators from his region, including the United States Marshals and the FBI are all on board to tracking Merhige. They’ve received well over 180 tips, and 90% of those leads are exhausted. Authorities even searched the pond behind the house where the shooting took place three times looking for evidence. “We don’t want the fire to burn out,” Sgt. Pascarella told me. He also says Merhige is traveling with four weapons, two handguns and a .308 Remington Rifle, and one other unknown gun. None of the weapons have been located, and neither has the 2007 Blue Toyota Camry Merhige was last seen driving. Merhige does posses a concealed weapons permit, and investigators know the handguns were purchased weeks before the shooting, and the rifle was bought the day before. Just recently, throughout Miami, investigators canvassed new posters in Spanish and Creole throughout to the public. Sgt. Pascarella says, “We were surprised just how many people didn’t know about this case.” It’s going to take leg work like this to keep getting the word out. Right now, there are digital billboards in place as far north as Atlanta, Georgia, and throughout many main cities in Florida. Sgt. Pascarellea says a new billboard company just contacted them this week to offer some space on their billboards in other area.
Residents in Chipley, FL are resting a little easier now that 7-month-old Shannon Dedrick was found alive. Shannon went missing on Halloween day from her Brown Street address, and wasn’t found until late last night. Investigators say they served a search warrant on Susan Baker’s home, and Baker is the child’s babysitter.
I just spoke with Kristen Perezluha, Public Information Officer, with the Florida Department of law enforcement and she says the baby was being kept in a box under Baker’s bed. Perezluha says the child was rushed to the hospital for evaluation, and thankfully the baby is doing well, and is very healthy. Right now, Susan Baker, and the child’s mother, Crystina Mercer are detained, and possibly facing charges. Susan’s husband was called in for questioning, but according to police, he’s since been released. There is a press conference scheduled later today, and I will bring you the latest then.
It was just before lunch on Halloween when 7-month-old Shannon Lea Dedrick went missing. Investigators knew there was a problem right away because a 7-month-old cannot get up and walk out of her home. This 11 pound baby went missing from her home in Chipley, FL. According to investigators, the baby disappeared between the hours of 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. Phone calls are being made to residents in the area; already 1,300 houses have received calls of Shannon’s disappearance. According to Andrea Gainey, “approximately 75 search and rescue personnel from Liberty, Gulf and Bay County as well as K-9 teams and volunteers from local fire departments have worked an extensive ground search effort which was activated non-stop from the time of the initial call through Sunday at approximately 1:30 a.m. The arm to arm ground search is covering approximately a ½ mile radius around the home and deputies are expanding that area each hour. Investigators with Washington County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of investigators with FDLE, Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Chipley Police Department, Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and Graceville Police Department are currently working an investigation into any and all leads at this time.”
Michelle Sigona is a crime fighting, victims advocate extraordinaire, but for Michelle -- the good fight doesn't stop there. In her spare time, she is a volunteer firefighter -- and now, she is tackling the issues and cases that mean the most to her....
