U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents assigned to a region near the Canadian border in Washington found two backpacks left out in the woods containing an estimated $1.1 million of cocaine, officials said. Image via U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
(NEW YORK) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents assigned to a region near the Canadian border in Washington found two backpacks left out in the woods containing an estimated $1.1 million of cocaine, officials said.
The incident occurred when agents on patrol in the Blaine Sector of Washington, approximately 110 miles north of Seattle, discovered two black backpacks weighing 78 pounds lying on the ground in a wooded area near the border in Lynden, according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection released on Monday.
When the agents looked inside, they found “30 brick-like packages containing a white powdery substance,” officials said. The substance was later tested and determined to be cocaine.
“Thanks to the vigilance of Blaine Sector Border Patrol agents these dangerous narcotics were prevented from reaching our communities,” said Chief Patrol Agent Rosario “Pete” Vasquez. “Our agents work tirelessly day in and day out to protect this nation, and this seizure highlights that crucial commitment.”
The narcotics were immediately turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration, officials said.
Authorities did not reveal how the bags got there, who they might belong to or if any arrests have been made in connection to the case.
(KISSIMMEE, Fla.) — A pregnant woman who ordered pizza in Florida was stabbed 14 times by a delivery driver who police say was disgruntled over her $2 tip.
Osceola County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the Riviera Motel in Kissimmee, Florida, over reports of a home invasion and stabbing on Dec. 22, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by ABC News.
Arriving deputies located a victim, Melinda Irizarry, who was stabbed multiple times and was then transported to an area hospital.
She underwent emergency surgery for a ruptured lung and suffered stab wounds to the chest, arms, legs and abdomen, according to the affidavit.
Irizarry is currently in stable condition, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said in an update on Facebook.
Authorities identified 22-year-old Brianna Alvelo as the delivery driver and suspect in the case, according to the affidavit.
Officials say that Irizarry placed an order at Marcos Pizza Shop and 30 minutes later the suspect believed to be Alvelo arrived at their motel with the order, which totaled $33.10.
Irizarry handed the suspect a $50 bill and requested change, however, to which she was told it was store policy not to provide change, the affidavit said.
After getting smaller bills to fulfill the order, Irizarry ended up giving the driver a $2 tip. After the incident, Irizarry told deputies the driver “rolled her eyes and walked away without saying anything,” according to the affidavit.
Officials said Alvelo allegedly later returned to the victim’s motel room with an unknown male suspect — who was armed with a firearm — and “forced their way into the room.”
Alvelo, who deputies say was armed with a knife, attacked the victim and stabbed her 14 times, according to the affidavit.
Police say items were also taken from the motel room in the invasion.
Alvelo was arrested on home invasion with a firearm, attempted murder, kidnapping, and aggravated assault violations, according to the affidavit.
Officials say the unknown male suspect is still at large and request anyone with information regarding the case to contact Crimeline at (800) 423-8477.
(MICHIGAN) — Jennifer Crumbley, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting her son carried out at a Michigan high school, is asking to be released from prison as her appeal moves through the courts.
Dezsi said that Crumbley should be allowed to post bond, which would let her leave the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility while promising to appear at court dates.
“There’s no reason to keep her locked up,” Dezsi said. “She hasn’t hurt anyone, and she’s not a flight risk. This case is an overreach, blaming a parent for the problems of a whole nation.”
The trials were a rare case of parents facing criminal charges over their role in a shooting carried out by their child.
Dezsi called the sentence unfair and claimed the case was based on secret deals with two witnesses.
“Keeping Mrs. Crumbley in prison sets a bad example and rewards unfair prosecutions,” Dezsi said.
“We’re not just standing up for her — we’re standing up for all Americans who could face this kind of situation someday,” he added.
The court hasn’t decided yet whether she’ll be allowed to post bond. The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
The Crumbleys’ son, Ethan Crumbley, was 15 years old at the time he opened fire at Oxford High School in 2021, killing four students. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Prosecutors said Jennifer and James Crumbley ignored several warning signs in the days leading up to the shooting. The parents also bought their son the gun used in the shooting and failed to secure the weapon and limit their son’s access to it, prosecutors argued.
(SEATTLE, Wash.) — A month after a woman was caught stowing away on a Delta Air Lines flight headed to France, ABC News has confirmed another unticketed individual was caught on a flight headed to Hawaii, this time on Christmas Eve.
The recent stowaway was apprehended after boarding a flight from Seattle to Honolulu on Dec. 24, according to the airline.
Delta flight 487 was taxiing for departure when it returned to the gate after the crew learned of an unticketed passenger onboard. The identity of the individual has not been released.
“As there are no matters more important than safety and security, Delta people followed procedures to have an unticketed passenger removed from the flight and then apprehended,” Delta said in a statement to ABC News.
The flight was delayed more than two hours as TSA conducted additional security checks and rescreened all passengers, according to the airline.
Law enforcement responded to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport and detained the unticketed passenger.
According to the airport officials, the stowaway exited the plane after it returned to the gate, and the Port of Seattle Police located them in a terminal restroom with the help of video surveillance.
The passenger was arrested for trespassing and booked into South Correctional Entity jail, according to Seattle Tacoma International Airport authorities.
In their investigation, airport authorities found that the stowaway had gotten through a TSA security checkpoint the evening before the flight without a boarding pass but was properly screened otherwise.
TSA said in a statement to ABC News it is working with the Port of Seattle Police on this incident.
Additionally, Delta said the investigation is ongoing, but preliminary findings suggest the passenger boarded the plane without showing a boarding pass at the gate.
News of the second Delta Air Lines stowaway comes after Svetlana Dali, a Russian national, was caught stowing away on a Delta Air Lines flight from the United States to France in November.
Dali had snuck aboard Delta Flight 264, which departed from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and was bound for Charles-de-Gaulle International Airport in Paris.
According to a statement from the French Interior Ministry at the time, “She was not admitted to French territory due to lack of a valid travel document (visa) and was placed in the waiting area for the time necessary for her re-routing to the United States since she held a valid US residence permit.”
Just over a week later, Dali was arrested again on Dec. 4 after cutting off her ankle monitor and trying to sneak into Canada, law enforcement sources told ABC News at the time.
The person she was staying with in Philadelphia discovered the bracelet cut and alerted authorities.
Dali was apprehended in Buffalo, New York, while aboard a Greyhound bus trying to cross into Canada.
ABC News’ Aaron Katersky contributed to this report.
(SEATTLE, Wash.) — A month after a woman was caught stowing away on a Delta Air Lines flight headed to France, ABC News has confirmed another unticketed individual was caught on a flight headed to Hawaii, this time on Christmas Eve.
The recent stowaway was apprehended after boarding a flight from Seattle to Honolulu on Dec. 24, according to the airline.
Delta flight 487 was taxiing for departure when it returned to the gate after the crew learned of an unticketed passenger onboard. The identity of the individual has not been released.
“As there are no matters more important than safety and security, Delta people followed procedures to have an unticketed passenger removed from the flight and then apprehended,” Delta said in a statement to ABC News.
The flight was delayed more than two hours as TSA conducted additional security checks and rescreened all passengers, according to the airline.
Law enforcement responded to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport and detained the unticketed passenger.
According to the airport officials, the stowaway exited the plane after it returned to the gate, and the Port of Seattle Police located them in a terminal restroom with the help of video surveillance.
The passenger was arrested for trespassing and booked into South Correctional Entity jail, according to Seattle Tacoma International Airport authorities.
In their investigation, airport authorities found that the stowaway had gotten through a TSA security checkpoint the evening before the flight without a boarding pass but was properly screened otherwise.
TSA said in a statement to ABC News it is working with the Port of Seattle Police on this incident.
Additionally, Delta said the investigation is ongoing, but preliminary findings suggest the passenger boarded the plane without showing a boarding pass at the gate.
News of the second Delta Air Lines stowaway comes after Svetlana Dali, a Russian national, was caught stowing away on a Delta Air Lines flight from the United States to France in November.
Dali had snuck aboard Delta Flight 264, which departed from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and was bound for Charles-de-Gaulle International Airport in Paris.
According to a statement from the French Interior Ministry at the time, “She was not admitted to French territory due to lack of a valid travel document (visa) and was placed in the waiting area for the time necessary for her re-routing to the United States since she held a valid US residence permit.”
Just over a week later, Dali was arrested again on Dec. 4 after cutting off her ankle monitor and trying to sneak into Canada, law enforcement sources told ABC News at the time.
The person she was staying with in Philadelphia discovered the bracelet cut and alerted authorities.
Dali was apprehended in Buffalo, New York, while aboard a Greyhound bus trying to cross into Canada.
ABC News’ Aaron Katersky contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — The Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C, caused panda-monium on Christmas Day when it released a video of it’s newest celebrities, Bao Li and Qing Bao.
In the video, the giant pandas are seen rolling in grass, climbing trees and being “unbearably cute.”
The young pandas were brought to the zoo this past fall.
Bao Li, pronounced as BOW-lee, is a male and was born Aug 4. 2021. According to the National Zoo website, “Bao” means precious and treasure in Mandarin Chinese. The name “Li” refers to vitality and strength, and “Bao Li” means an active and vital power.
Qing Bao, pronounced ching-BOW, is a female and was born Sep 12. 2021. Her name means “green” and “treasure” in Mandarin Chinese. According to the National Zoo website, “Qing” describes the lush and mountainous habitat of pandas. “Bao” reflects how cherished and adored she is.
The pandas are set to debut to the public on Jan 24, 2025, in their renovated habitat on Asia Trail.
Infared image taken by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department heat-seeking drone shows location of a 78-year-old man who went missing on Dec. 23, 2024. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
(LOS ANGELES) — High tech and quick thinking are being credited in the rescue of a missing 78-year-old man after sheriff’s deputies deployed a heat-seeking drone and found the Southern California resident 80 minutes after his family reported him missing, officials said.
The Christmas week rescue unfolded in Malibu on Monday night as temperatures in the area plunged into the 40s, upping the urgency of finding the missing man quickly, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD).
A family called 911 about 7:30 p.m. Pacific time to report their elderly relative, who suffers from dementia, had vanished after leaving his residence around 4:30 p.m. to fetch his mail, sheriff’s officials said.
“The temperature was 48 degrees and dropping. Deputies swiftly initiated a search and rescue operation, broadcasting a description of the missing person over the radio and entering his information into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) missing persons database,” according to the LASD.
As the sheriff’s department’s homicide bureau and missing persons unit were notified, the deputies who arrived at the scene quickly deployed a drone, or an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), equipped with infrared technology to scour the area from the sky, the sheriff’s department said.
“At approximately 8:50 p.m., a UAS located the missing person lying in a field of thick brush about a quarter mile away from his residence. Fortunately, he had only sustained minor abrasions from a fall and was transported to a local hospital for treatment and further evaluation,” the sheriff’s department said.
Sheriff’s officials said the rescue operation highlighted “the importance of swift action, teamwork, and innovative technology in locating missing persons, especially those who are vulnerable due to medical conditions.”
The LASD has been using drones since 2017.
As of Dec. 18, sheriff’s deputies had deployed drones in nearly 60 incidents this year, including 12 search and rescue operations, according to online department records. Drones have also been used by the LASD in at least 45 high-risk tactical operations, including 13 incidents involving barricaded suspects.
(LUCASVILLE, OH) An inmate allegedly assaulted and killed a veteran corrections officer on Christmas Day at an Ohio prison, an attack authorities said was “beyond comprehension.”
Officer Andrew Lansing was attacked Wednesday at the Ross Correctional Institution (RCI) in Chillicothe, about 43 miles south of Columbus, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
The inmate suspected of killing Lansing was not immediately identified by prison officials, who said he had been transferred to the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in Lucasville, Ohio.
“The loss of a staff person is difficult, but to lose a family member on Christmas Day at the hands of someone in our custody is a tragedy beyond comprehension,” Annette Chambers-Smith, director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, said in a statement. “Instead of going home after his shift to be with his family on this holiday, Officer Lansing made the ultimate sacrifice, and our agency will never be the same.”
Chamber-Smith released few details on the attacks, including where in the sprawling 1,707-acre prison Lansing was assaulted and whether the inmate was armed with a weapon.
Lansing was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The prison, which houses more than 2,000 inmates, has been put on lockdown as the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigates the homicide.
Chamber-Smith described Lansing as “a long-time, well-respected employee” at the Ross Correctional Institution and added, that his “untimely death — on Christmas Day — is heartbreaking for his family, the entire Ross Correctional Institution family, and our agency as a whole.”
“Officer Lansing was loved by his colleagues and known to be a great support for his fellow RCI staff,” Chamber-Smith said. “He was a friendly, outgoing officer who treated everyone with respect and was always a professional.”
Kevin Winter/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
(NEW YORK) — As the world gears up for 2025, it leaves behind a year of war, political shifts, pop culture moments, sporting triumphs, lost stars and more.
ABC News was there to chronicle every moment and will look back at this year’s defining events in a two-hour special, “The Year: 2024,” which airs Thursday, Dec. 26 at 9 p.m. ET, and streams afterwards on Hulu.
“Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts, who hosts the special, will be joined “World News Tonight” anchor and managing editor David Muir, “Good Morning America”‘s Michael Strahan and Lara Spencer, “ABC News Live Prime” and “World News Tonight” Sunday anchor Linsey Davis, “Nightline” co-anchor Juju Chang, “20/20” co-anchor Deborah Roberts and ABC News correspondent Will Reeve.
The special also includes commentary from ABC News anchors, correspondents and contributors, including ABC News’ powerhouse political team, co-hosts from “The View,” and more.
The special, now in its 14th year, also includes interviews with Elton John, Teddy Swims, Lisa Ann Walter, Ilona Maher and Stephen Nedoroscik and more.Here’s a taste of the topics featured in the special.
Obsessions
Taylor Swift was on our minds again this year, having released new album “Tortured Poet’s Department” and embarked on another leg of her record-breaking Eras tour. Charli XCX also dominated the summer when she declared “Kamala is brat” as Vice President Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for president.
In addition to the music of the year, the special also features the social and fashion trends of the year, and the films breaking box office records.
Breaking News
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s contentious race for the White House dominated the news for much of 2024. President Joe Biden’s debate performance, the assassination attempt on Trump, and Harris replacing Biden as the Democratic Party’s nominee and Trump’s eventual victory were the stories to watch.
The horrific, ongoing war between Israel and Gaza stretched into its second year, drawing in Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The war in Ukraine also passed 1,000 days, with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signaling it’s time for peace talks with Russia.
Celebrity Romance
I do or I don’t? The special also explores how the love lives of some of our favorite stars evolved this year. Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck after two years of marriage, ending their kindled relationship. Natalie Portman also split from Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millipied after 12 years.
t wasn’t all bad news on the celebrity relationship front though — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship captivated the world, Hailey and Justin Bieber had a baby boy and “Golden Bachelorette” Joan Vassos got engaged to Chock Chapple.
Law & Justice
The once and future president wasn’t the only prominent figure in court this year. ABC News’ experts explore music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs’ not guilty plea on sex trafficking and other charges, the Menendez brothers’ infamous 1989 murder case coming back in front of a judge and doomsday author Chad Daybell being sentenced to death for the triple murder of his family.
Can’t Miss Moments
Did you try the “Dancing with the Stars” viral leg lift? This was just one of the moments that had everyone talking this year. Other moments include the stunning solar eclipse, the tweet from Elmo sparking a conversation on mental health and the woman rescued after her semi-truck was left dangling over the Clark Memorial Bridge in Kentucky.
Breakout Stars
Actor Glen Powell was in the spotlight for much of 2024, earning critical acclaim for his performances in “Anyone But You,” “Hitman” and “Twisters.” On the TV front, Anna Sawai’s performance in Hulu’s historical drama “Shogun” earned her a Lead Actress Emmy. Co-star Hiroyuki Sanada netted the Lead Actor award, while the series took the win for Outstanding Drama.
Musically, Chappell Roan got us all dancing at the Pink Pony Club, while Sabrina Carpenter had the world craving a (certified platinum) Espresso. Shaboozey also announced that there’s a party downtown near 5th St., and got five Grammy nominations in the process.
Politics
In an election year, politics was at the center of many conversations. ABC’s correspondents look at how Republican Donald Trump overcame legal woes and an assassination attempt to win a second presidential term.
His Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, may have had superstar celebrity endorsements from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, but it wasn’t enough to beat a resurgent Trump.
AI
The rise of artificial intelligence inspired fear in 2023, but 2024 saw the tech being integrated into the devices that we already have — the update likely added it into your phone, your laptop or your smart home.
AI has been used in myriad ways, from breakup texts to medical exploration and even driverless cars. The ABC team dives into them all.
In Memoriam
The world lost some of its shining stars this year. ABC News will celebrate the lives and legacies of Maggie Smith, Teri Garr, Carl Weathers. Donald Sutherland, Shelly Duvall, James Earl Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Quincy Jones, Liam Payne and more.
Champions
The 2024 Paris Olympics dominated sports over the summer. Swimmer Katie Ledecky became the most successful female Olympian in U.S. history and gymnast Simone Biles’ launched a comeback amid the other major successes of this year’s Games.
The special also highlights the triumphant story of the Hunter Woodhall and Tara Davis-Woodhall, the married couple taking home gold and capturing our hearts.
Beyond the Olympics, the Kansas City Chiefs won back-to-back Super Bowls, the New York Liberty took home its first championship title and the LA Dodgers became Major League Baseball’s World Series champions.
(NEW YORK) — Nine states are on alert for wind, snow, avalanches and high surf as new storms hit the west.
Parts of Oregon and Northern California could see 4 to 8 inches of rain over the next four days.
A high wind alert is in effect for the Pacific Northwest, where winds could gust near 70 mph.
A high surf warning was issued in Oregon, where waves could reach 35 feet, and a high surf advisory was issued as far south as Southern California, where waves could reach 15 feet.
Snow is also on the way.
A winter storm warning is in effect from Utah to Washington, where some areas could see up to 3 feet of snow. An avalanche warning was issued in Washington and Oregon.
These storms will continue to bring heavy rain and snow to the West Coast and the Rockies into the weekend. The West will get a break from the stormy weather early next week.
Meanwhile, in the South, a new storm system is bringing damaging winds, large hail and possibly tornadoes Thursday afternoon and evening.
The highest threat for severe weather will be in Texas, Louisiana and into Arkansas, including Dallas, Houston, Austin and Shreveport, Louisiana.
