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(NEW YORK) — Ted Kaczynski, the convicted terrorist known as the Unabomber, was found dead in his prison cell Saturday morning, according to a Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesperson. He was 81.

Kaczynski was previously in a maximum security facility in Colorado but was moved to a medical facility in North Carolina in December 2021 due to poor health.

Kaczynski, who went nearly 20 years without being captured until his arrest in 1996, was considered America’s most prolific bomber.

Between 1978 and 1995, Kaczynski placed or mailed 16 bombs that killed three people and injured 23 others, according to authorities.

In 1995, before he was identified as the Unabomber, he demanded newspapers to publish a long manuscript he had written, saying the killings would continue otherwise. Both the New York Times and Washington Post published the 35,000-word manifesto later that year at the recommendation of the U.S. Attorney General and the director of the FBI.

If it hadn’t been for the suspicions of his brother and sister-in-law, Kaczynski might never have been caught. Kaczynski’s sister-in-law, Linda Patrik, was one of the first to identify Kaczynski as the Unabomber after reading the Unabomber’s writing.

In an interview with “20/20 on ID Presents: Homicide” in 2016, Patrik recalled the first time she suspected Kaczynski was responsible for the serial bombings.

“I’d thought about the families that were bombed. There was one in which the package arrived to the man’s home and his little 2-year-old daughter was there. She was almost in the room when he opened the package. Luckily she left, and his wife left. And then he died,” Patrik said. “And there were others. And so I spent those days thinking about those people.”

Patrik said she recognized familiar-sounding ideas in the manuscript from letters her husband David Kaczynski had received from his brother. The family eventually decided to contact the FBI, and on April 3, 1995, a 9-man SWAT team apprehended Kaczynski in his cabin in Montana.

“When she said, ‘Well, I think maybe your brother’s the Unabomber,’ I thought, ‘Well, this is not anything to worry about. Ted’s never been violent. I’ve never seen him violent,'” David Kaczynski said in the interview. “I couldn’t imagine that he would do what the Unabomber had done.”

Ted Kaczynski went on trial in Sacramento, California, where the key issue was not his guilt but his sanity and whether he would be spared the death penalty. He pleaded guilty to murder in exchange for life in prison without parole in 1998.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(MIAMI) — For the second time in two months, former President Donald Trump will be arraigned on criminal charges, this time in connection with his alleged mishandling of top secret documents after leaving office.

Trump was previously arraigned in April after he was indicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records by Manhattan prosecutors and is awaiting a trial that is expected to begin next year.

However, his pending case in a Florida federal court, which has been known to adhere to speedy trials, may be a swift one and have long-lasting effects on his bid for the White House and other investigations.

First court appearance in Miami

Trump is scheduled to be arraigned on his 37-count indictment on Tuesday and will appear before a judge in Miami.

He will surrender to the authorities, be processed and then be taken before the judge.

It is unlikely that Trump will be in handcuffs during this process.

The former president has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and decried federal prosecutors, and is expected to plead not guilty.

“The U.S. Marshals are responsible for the protection of the federal judicial process, and we take that responsibility very seriously. Ensuring that judges can rule independently and free from harm or intimidation is paramount to the rule of law, and a fundamental mission of the USMS,” a spokesman for the U.S. Marshal Service told ABC News in a statement.

Following his plea, the judge will have the right to remand Trump on bail or release him on his own recognizance before adjourning for a future date.

Trump was released on his own recognizance following his arraignment in a Manhattan criminal court in April.

‘Rocket Docket’ court sets timeline expectations

Following Trump’s plea, the federal judge will adjourn the case for another date and allow attorneys an opportunity to review the indictment charges and make motions regarding the case, including seeking to have the charges dismissed or evidence suppressed.

It’s unknown when the next hearing or the trial date will be, but legal experts say based the on venue of the case, the Southern District of Florida, it may be soon.

The district is known to be a “rocket docket” court, a term used by legal professionals for venues that adhere to the swift trials.

“You can expect a criminal case to be resolved within six months of an indictment issuing,” Walter Norkin, a former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of Florida, told ABC News. “The judges in the Southern District of Florida adhere very strictly to the Speedy Trial clock, which, with limited exceptions, requires trial or conviction to occur within 70 days.”

Special counsel Jack Smith also stressed that his office would push for a speedy trial “consistent with the public interest and the rights of the accused,” during a news conference Friday after the indictment was unsealed.

“It’s very important for me to note that the defendants in this case must be presumed innocent until proven guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” he said.

Trials clash with campaign schedule

Trump has maintained that he will continue to campaign for the GOP ticket as the court cases and investigations continue.

In fact, he has boasted about his probes at several rallies, campaign emails and statements. He is also raising money off the indictment.

The timetable of the federal could affect key campaign events. The GOP has currently scheduled its first presidential debate for August 23.

Trump hasn’t immediately indicated if he will attend the event.

He is also under investigation in Georgia over election interference during the 2020 race, but it is not known if or when charges could be brought against Trump.

Trump’s case in Manhattan is slated for their criminal trial to begin in March 2024, just as the presidential primaries pick up.

ABC News’ Jack Date contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — An aide to former President Donald Trump, Walt Nauta, has been charged by the special counsel as part of their probe into Trump’s alleged taking of classified information, sources tell ABC News.

Nauta, a former valet in the Trump White House who left his role to join the former president as a personal aide in early 2021, was indicted by the same grand jury in Florida that indicted Trump on Thursday, the sources say.

It is not immediately clear what the exact charges are and an attorney for Nauta declined to comment when contacted by ABC News.

A federal grand jury voted to indict Trump on at least seven federal charges late Thursday as part of an investigation into his handling of classified documents, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. The indictment comes after more than 100 documents with classified markings were found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in August 2022.

Trump praised Nauta in a Truth Social post on Friday afternoon, writing that he was a Navy veteran “who served proudly with me in the White House, retired as Senior Chief, and then transitioned into private life as a personal aide.”

“He has done a fantastic job!” Trump said.

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(HOUSTON) — More than a dozen teenagers from a church camp posing for a group photo were injured after a portion of a deck walkway collapsed at a seaside park in Texas, officials said.

The students were visiting Stahlman Park in Surfside Beach, Brazoria County, on Thursday with the Bayou City Fellowship when the incident occurred, the church said. Nearly 80 students from several campuses were on the trip, the church said.

Students from the Bayou City Fellowship’s Cypress campus were taking a group photo when a portion of the deck collapsed around 12:30 p.m. local time, according to the church.

Footage from the scene showed a section of a wooden walkway ramp that had partially detached, falling on the grass below.

Nineteen students between the ages of 14 and 18 suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the incident, according to Brazoria County officials. Five were transported to a Houston-area Memorial Hermann hospital via a helicopter, five were taken by ambulance to local hospitals, and nine were taken to hospitals by private vehicles, the county said.

Multiple police, EMS and fire departments responded to the scene.

“While this is a traumatic event, we are blessed to report that none of the injuries are life-threatening,” Bayou City Fellowship said in a statement. “We are thankful for the outpour of concern from our community and ask that the city and surrounding areas keep all that are affected physically and emotionally in prayer.”

The church said it is not releasing the names of the victims or the nature of their injuries due to privacy concerns.

The incident remains under investigation, the county said.

Stahlman Park is located on the Gulf of Mexico, about 66 miles south of Houston.

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(NEW YORK) — A Florida woman appeared at her first court hearing after she was arrested in the shooting death of her neighbor, a mother of four, after an alleged dispute with the neighbor’s children.

Susan Lorincz, 58, appeared in court via video from the Marion County Jail where she is currently being housed, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). The state attorney requested that Lorincz be held with no bond and said that the state would file a motion for pretrial detention.

Judge Lori Cotton said she will hold off on the bond hearing until the state files a motion for pretrial detention, which will be scheduled within five days. Cotton said Lorincz’s next court date will be on July 11.

“The fact that she has no job, no property kind of limits her ties to this community,” the state attorney said of Lorincz. “So we ask that, at least for the time being, she remain on a no-bond status.”

Lorincz, who is white, allegedly shot and killed Ajike Owens, who is Black, on June 2 in Ocala, Florida, on the doorstep of Lorincz’s home after Owens went to the suspect’s residence to question her about a dispute with Owens’ children, according to police documents.

Authorities say the suspect told police that she shot Owens, 35, in self-defense but through their investigation, the sheriff’s office said it was determined Lorincz’s actions were not justified under Florida law.

At a press conference Wednesday, Ben Crump, the attorney representing Owens’ family, claimed Susan Lorincz often directed racial slurs at Black children around the neighborhood and antagonized them to not play on the field near her home.

Lorincz’s attorney, the sheriff’s office and the state attorney’s office did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment on these claims.

Lorincz mostly gave one-word answers during the hearing Thursday. One exception was when Cotton asked Lorincz if she planned to find a job. Lorincz said she has been out of work for two weeks and had been employed in the medical field helping people set up doctor’s appointments.

“We set up appointments for people who have Medicare, Medicaid insurance,” Lorincz said to the judge.

“Are you intending on getting another job?” Cotton asked.

“Eventually,” Lorincz replied.

Lorincz was arrested this week and charged with first-degree manslaughter, punishable by up to 30 years in prison, if convicted, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. She was also charged with culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault.

In a statement, MCSO explained they conducted interviews with witnesses, Owens’ children and Lorincz.

“Ms. Lorincz’s fate is now in the hands of the judicial system, which I trust will deliver justice in due course,” Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said in a statement. “As I go to bed tonight, I will be saying a prayer for Ms. Owens’ children and the rest of her family. I’d ask all of you to do the same.”

Woods said there was an ongoing feud between Lorincz and Owens. The day of the shooting, the children were playing in a field on the property in which the suspect’s home is located. At that point, the suspect allegedly engaged in an argument with the children, the sheriff’s department said.

Lorincz allegedly threw a pair of skates at Owens’ 9-year-old son and hit the child in the toe, according to MCSO. Afterwards, the minor and his 12-year-old brother went to Lorincz’s home to speak to her. Lorincz swung an umbrella at them, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.

The children notified Owens, resulting in Owens going to the suspect’s home and demanding that she come out. That’s when Lorincz shot Owens through her closed door, striking her in the upper chest, according to MCSO. Owen’s 9-year-old son was beside her, police said.

“Our 12-year-old blames himself for the death of his mother because he couldn’t save her,” Pamela Dias, Owens’ mother, said at a press conference on Wednesday. “He couldn’t give her CPR. His words, ‘Grandma, grandma, I couldn’t save her! I tried to give her CPR! I tried to give her CPR!'”

According to police records, when officers arrived on the scene, they found Owens under a nearby tree with a gunshot wound. She had a faint pulse as the officers applied medical aid. Owens was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased later that evening.

In a press conference on Monday, Woods said that Florida Stand Your Ground laws made it harder to execute an immediate arrest. The sheriff’s major crimes unit was finally able to arrest Lorincz on Tuesday after gathering enough evidence, the sheriff’s department said.

“I pray that God gives me the strength, the wisdom and the ability to raise these children as our daughter would have us to do,” Dias said. “[They] witnessed their mother murdered in cold blood.”

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(SIOUX FALLS, S.D.) — Officials from the Transportation Security Administration in South Dakota stopped a passenger with a loaded handgun from getting onto a plane in the fourth such incident at the Sioux Falls Airport this year.

During the routine screening of carry-on luggage this past Tuesday, a TSA officer at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport spotted a silhouette of a handgun on the X-ray screen, the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement detailing the event on Tuesday.

Airport officials immediately alerted the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office who responded to the airport’s security screening area and discovered that the firearm was loaded.

This is not the first time this has happened at Sioux Falls Regional Airport. In fact, it is the fourth time this year that it has happened. A total of nine firearms were confiscated by authorities at the same airport in 2022.

“As summer travel picks up, these incidents present a danger to our dedicated workforce, and the traveling public,” Acting South Dakota TSA Federal Security Director David Durgan said. “We encourage all travelers to know the exact location of their firearm at all times and to pack their luggage starting with a completely empty bag to ensure no prohibited items are accidentally brought to the checkpoint.”

The TSA recently announced that the penalty for bringing weapons to an airport has increased with the fine being as high as $14,950 for a single infraction of the law, depending on the circumstances in each case, the TSA said.

“TSA will continue to revoke TSA PreCheck eligibility for at least five years for passengers caught with a firearm in their possession,” officials said. “Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hardback case and declared at the airline check-in counter.”

The TSA reminded people after the incident that firearm possession laws vary by state and that travelers should check for firearm laws in the jurisdictions they are flying to and from.

Details on how to properly travel with a firearm are posted on the TSA’s website and officials said that travelers should also contact the airline they are flying with to see if there are any additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

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(NEW YORK) — While the Northeast may be unfamiliar with hazy conditions caused by smoke from wildfires, which blew down from Canada, the West Coast is far more familiar.

On the West Coast, wildfires are common, but over the past few years, they have become larger and more widespread, causing more damage.

With Canada currently on track to potentially experience its worst wildlife season ever, meaning New York City and other areas, could see more smoky conditions over the next few months, there may be lessons to learn from how the West Coast handles large blazes.

“I grew up in upstate New York, so I have relatives there, actually talked to a couple of them,” Dr. Michael Coughlan, an environmental anthropologist at the University of Oregon who studies wildfires and fire management, told ABC News. “And one of the comments that one of them had was that, ‘Oh, well, you know, this has never happened before so it’s not gonna happen again.’ And I thought that was an interesting comment.”

He continued, “I do think there’s really a connection between the experience that people have and their preparedness, and their sort of acceptance of this being an issue.”

Reducing wildfire fuels

In the western United States, teams start preparing for wildfire season by removing small trees and shrubs that may fuel fire, Dr. Maureen Kennedy, an assistant professor at University of Washington Tacoma who studies wildfire issues, told ABC News.

They also thin trees from the canopy to reduce the density of the trees, as well as make more room between trees.

Although forests are different on each coast — Western being drier with more softwood trees and Eastern being wetter with more hardwood trees — Kennedy said the principle can be adapted to the local ecosystem.

“For example, in the southeastern U.S., in Florida, they have a really strong maintained prescribed fire regime where folks are doing those kinds of controlled burns to keep the fuels under control,” she said. “And so, I think there is some space for that kind of fuel reduction activity of prescribed fire.”

Coughlan said the concept of forest restoration, which makes forests more resilient, including to wildfires, could be implemented in the east.

“They’re not entirely transferable but the concept is similar,” he said. “The overall concept of forest restoration and building resilience towards wildfire is something that can be done, it is being done in some places, probably not to the extent as it is being implemented in the West, currently but we’re seeing that that could change soon, the need for that restoration could be changing.”

Making communities more prepared for wildfire smoke

Because the East Coast could be seeing similar conditions as Canada goes through its wildfire season, homes and communities could start being more prepared.

Coughlan said in West Coast states, and particularly California, local communities have begun implementing their own response programs to smoke.

“Those things include things like setting up clean air shelters for people to go to, but they also expand towards distributing HEPA air filters that you can put in your homes,” Coughlan said.

“And also just things like helping weatherize people’s houses to sort of seal off smoke, you can actually close your windows and doors, and keep a clean air space in your in your house for a good amount of time during these events, and then also setting up sort of networks of air quality sensors,” he added.

Coughlan said the experience of the Northeast could be a catalyzing event, where people start to pay more attention to how wildfires can have wide-ranging effects.

Paying attention to red flag alerts

While weather service stations and state government bodies have sent out alerts about air quality issues and smoke forecast, Kennedy said it’s also important to pay attention to what could be coming.

Because wildfires are more common in the West — be it from lighting, human activity or something — it is common to have red flag warnings about the increased risk of fire danger.

Several states were under red flag warnings Tuesday due to dry and hot conditions, according to the National Weather Service, but Kennedy said they might not be very well known on the East Coast.

“In the western U.S., we’ve become really familiar with what we call red flag conditions, which are weather service alerts, that are indicating that we have really low humidity and strong winds, which means a small spark can actually erupt into a massive conflagration,” she said. “And so really paying attention to those kinds of alerts, and then just being aware of controlling any activity you have that might actually cause a fire and ignition.”

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(NEW YORK) — Authorities are looking for two people after they allegedly approached and harassed a bison calf at a national park in Wyoming.

The incident occurred in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming at approximately 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 4, when two individuals were seen “approaching and touching a bison calf at the southern end of Elk Ranch Flats in Grand Teton National Park,” read a statement from the National Park Service describing the encounter.

Park rangers are now asking the public for help with their investigation and anyone with any information on the alleged individuals involved with the bison encounter is asked to contact park authorities immediately.

“Interference by people can cause wildlife to reject their offspring,” the National Park Service said. “In this case, fortunately, the calf was successfully reunited with its herd, but often these interactions result in euthanizing the animal. Approaching wildlife can drastically affect their well-being and survival.”

“Summer is a great time to see wildlife in Grand Teton National Park among wildflowers, sagebrush flats, and meandering creeks. It’s important to view wildlife safely, responsibly and ethically,” authorities continued. “Treat all wildlife with caution and respect as they are wild, unpredictable and can be dangerous. The safety of visitors and wildlife depends on everyone playing a critical role in being a steward for wildlife by giving them the space they need to thrive — their lives depend on it.”

The National Park Service took the opportunity to remind people to always be alert for wildlife and to keep a safe distance.

“Always maintain a distance of at least 100 yards from bears and wolves, and 25 yards from other wildlife. Use binoculars, a spotting scope, or a telephoto lens for a good view. Never position yourself between a female and offspring—mothers are very protective. Let wildlife thrive undisturbed. If your actions cause an animal to change their behavior, you are too close,” park officials said.

It is also illegal to feed any wildlife in national parks.

“Wildlife will depend on people for food, resulting in poor nutrition and aggressive behavior,” the National Park Service said. “If fed, any animal may become unhealthy, bite you, expose you to rabies, or need to be killed.”

Anybody with information on the individuals involved with this case should contact the park Tip Line 307-739-3367. Additionally, if you happen to see any harassment of wildlife happening in the park, authorities say you should immediately contact the park’s dispatch center at 307-739-3301 to report the incident.

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(WAKEFIELD, Mass.) — An 18-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly trying to raise money for ISIS through a gift card scheme on the dark web.

Mateo Ventura, from Wakefield, Massachusetts, was arrested for “knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources that he intended to go to a foreign terrorist organization, namely the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS),” according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Massachusetts released on Thursday.

Ventura allegedly provided multiple gift cards to an individual that he believed was an ISIS supporter with the intention that those gift cards subsequently be sold on the dark web for slightly less than their face value. The proceeds and resulting profits from those sales would then be used to support ISIS, authorities said.

“Ventura allegedly stated that he wanted the proceeds to go to ISIS “for war on kuffar,” (disbelievers),” the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Massachusetts said in their statement announcing the charges against Ventura. “In total, it is alleged that between January and May 2023, Ventura donated $705 intended to support ISIS.”

If convicted, the punishment for knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, authorities said.

Ventura appeared in federal court before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy on Thursday. It is unclear when Ventura will next appear in court.

“Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Massachusetts said. “The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”

The investigation is ongoing.

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(NEW YORK) — It’s been a year since one family’s dream trip quickly turned into a nightmare, when a woman was killed and two children were injured while parasailing on vacation. Now, the woman’s husband is speaking out for the first time with the hope of warning other families to stay safe ahead of summer vacation.

“She kept everything together and she’s always having a smile on her face,” Srinivasrao Alaparthi told Good Morning America of his late wife in an exclusive interview.

On May 30, 2022, Alaparthi’s wife, Supraja Alaparthi, 33, was killed and their young son and nephew were severely injured after the three went parasailing while vacationing in the Florida Keys. During the ride, the weather quickly deteriorated, “pegging” the parasail in a strong wind where it is controlled by the wind and not the speed of the boat, according to a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office incident report that was previously reported by ABC News.

Alaparthi claimed that the boat’s crew could not reel in the parasail because of the weather and alleged that the captain decided to cut the towline with the three passengers still on the parasail. The passengers then dropped to the water and were dragged by the inflated parasail across the water until they collided into a bridge.

“Whatever he was doing, it was concerning for all of us. I didn’t exactly see when he cut the rope,” said Alaparthi. “[It was a] terrifying and horrible moment.”

“Sri is holding the captain’s leg, begging him to please go out there and save them. And he goes ahead and tells ’em, ‘Don’t worry, the bridge will help,” Ricky Patel, an attorney for Alaparthi and his family, told GMA.

The boat’s captain, Daniel Couch, was charged with manslaughter and multiple boating violations last September. He has pleaded not guilty.

Alaparthi’s family has since filed a lawsuit against Couch, Couch’s colleague, the boat company and the marina. The suit alleges the company and marina did not check weather reports, which should have prevented them from sailing. It also claims they failed to provide enough safety equipment, including life jackets on board, and didn’t properly bring the parasail down after losing control.

“There were so many opportunities for them to stop this from happening but yet, there’s failure, after failure, after failure,” said Pedro Echarte, another attorney for Alaparthi and his family.

Echarte said it’s important to not rely on websites alone to book vacation activities and to be sure to know their policies, procedures, and safety equipment.

“Don’t rely upon the signage. Don’t rely upon the websites. Ask questions. ‘What are your policies? What are your procedures? What type of safety equipment you have?’ If it doesn’t smell right, if it doesn’t seem right, don’t go,” said Echarte.

ABC News reached out to the boat company, the marina, and Couch, but has not received comment at this time.

A year later, Alaparthi said that his only wish is that an incident like this never happens to another family and that the lawsuit can help bring about change within the parasailing industry as a whole.

“Having fun is not worth the cost of life. There should be enough safety measures,” he said. “Otherwise, they will end up in a miserable situation.”

ABC News’ Meredith Deliso and Will Gretsky contributed to this story.

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