Los Angeles, CA —I took an early interest in the case because of my closeness to past and present UCLA students and alumni.  It was about 7:00 AM when LAFD emergency vehicles came screaming to the Scene midblock at 10900 Roebling adjacent to the UCLA Campus. It was a lucky break that some of the students there were awakened by screams and fellow residents were up trying to combat the fire with a fire extinguisher on the first floor, Eastern side of the complex.   That was the residence of UCLA Spanish and Psychology major, Andrea “Andy” DelVesco .     Andy was an active member of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority.   Some of the more observant kids present were able to tell the firemen that Andy was unaccounted for and they began an aggressive search.   They found Andy badly burned and beyond all medical aid.   Some 30 firefighters were able to contain the blaze within ten minutes. Thankfully no others suffered injuries considering this was early ...

Los Angeles, CA — Police had released the crime scene yesterday, however late this afternoon they returned serving a search warrant on yet another apartment.   That means that the police found enough probable cause to search the other apartment for evidence.   Only KNBC-TV 4’s camera was present and got the video! Additionally I’ve obtained a copy of a complaint in the L.A. Superior Court charging Andrea DelVesco with four counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance For Sale . The felony complaint details her arrest by officers of the UCLA Police Department last June.   In the meantime here is what I have on this very troubling case:

Photo courtesy of KNBC-TV News Los Angeles, CA —The City of Angeles was the scene of an overnight structure fire larger than I have ever seen before.  Reportedly over 250 firefighters battled the firestorm since it was reported at 1:20 AM.  The massive blaze was adjacent to the Harbor #110 Freeway at the 900 block of Fremont Avenue.  Additionally two nearby commercial high-rise buildings were severely damaged by heat, smoke, hundreds of broken windows and flooding from the sprinkler systems.  Broken glass and debris could be found all over the neighborhood.   By mid-morning the fire was nearly out but visibly smoldering.  I sent my drone up from the opposite side of the Harbor Freeway, which apparently was the only vantage point to see the ruins.  The structure itself, which incidentally is located adjacent to a fire station, was to become the Da Vinci Apartments .  At least one million square feet of prime property...

Town of Paradise Valley, AZ – Police Chief John Bennett announced the arrests of five suspects in connection with the gruesome murders of Glenna and Lawrence Shapiro. Bennett identified the suspect as: Michael Lee Crane, 31 Brittnay Beinhauer, 29 Kelly Steward, 29 Shawn Nicloy, 29 Danielle Rossman, 26 Michael Crane is charged with two counts of First Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Robbery, two counts of Kidnapping, one count each for Burglary and Arson. Others are charged with offenses from Hindering Prosecution to or including, Trafficking in Stolen Property Crane is an ex-convict serving time for drugs, weapons violations and promoting prison contraband, Every one of the suspects has a criminal history. Police said they have no evidence that the Shapiro’s were specifically targeted. Police also say they recovered property and the murder weapon. For now we must guess on just who snitched breaking this case. You will find court documents posted here as soon as they become av...

Town of Paradise Valley, AZ —Today's news from the police department on the gruesome Shapiro murders is that there’s no news. Last week a town council official and the mayor spread rumors that two or three arrests had been made in the case. Bringing people in for interviews does not an arrest make. Spreading misinformation is a poor way to put the town’s residents at ease. It became obvious when nobody was brought before a judge for initial appearance the town’s red-faced officials jumped the gun. Today a polite press release suggested that they are making progress with the investigation and will notify the media when it’s appropriate. The reality here is that the cops are not clairvoyant and these days most murders remain unsolved. If they make arrests they must be sure not destroy the life of anyone who is innocent. That’s easier said than done.

Town of Paradise Valley, AZ -I called it right when I said last night that the cops avoidance of the media was a sure sign they were moving in on suspects. The cops only go to the media when they need to reach out for tips and information. Of course they need to announce their victorious arrests on high profile cases. Sometime this morning the town’s council members and mayor were buzzing about the developments in this horrific and gruesome crime. It's all very unofficial right now. Reportedly they have at least three unidentified suspects in custody in connection with the murders. That information was passed on to neighbors by the town's mayor and at least one council member. If this is indeed true police would are putting the finishing touches on their investigation in preparation of a Probable Cause Statement for court booking purposes. The evidentry keys here are service of search warrants and the recovery of property taken from the Shapiros along with credit card transa...

Paradise Valley, AZ —In this tranquil and upscale community crime is rare. The people here generally have wealth and in our faltering economy burglaries and home invasions are bound to increase. As bank robber Willie Sutton once answered a reporter asking him why he robbed banks, “It’s where the money is!” Today gold, gems and a simple set of silver flatware will fetch record prices. Most people use banks and credit cards and don’t keep much cash on hand. The police department here is comprised of 25 sworn and certified officers. This department has a history of incompetence and became a place for otherwise unemployable cops fired from other agencies. This was the case in the 70's, 80's and 90's. I don’t want to leave anyone with that impression today because the troubled officers for the most part have faded off into the sunset with their substandard supervisors and chiefs. Commander Alan Laitsch has been around a long time and has proven himself to be contentious and...