BURN NOTICE: A DOZEN DEAD, THOUSANDS HOMELESS, SUSPECT FILMED FIRE FIGHTERS AFTER SETTING DEADLY PALISADES BLAZE

Breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow "Crime Alert Hourly Update" now on your favorite podcast app: https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert Here's some of our top stories this week: Man killed over sister's stolen car. Cassie Ventura testified at Sean Combs trial Stabbing victim plays dead while sleepy perp steals his big lottery win Mom busted for arming son for school massacre in bizarre babysitting deal Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

17 Touko 9min

Christina Formella, accussed of molesting a 15-year-old student claims the boy was a “stalker” and that new her husband knew. Her husband, however, says he was totally in the dark about the boy. The case unfolded after a Downers Grove, Illinois, mom comes across disturbing text messages while setting up her 15-year-old son’s new iPhone using a backup from his iCloud account. The contents prompt her to take her son straight to the police. It appears the teen is discussing a sexual encounter with a love interest—his married, 30-year-old teacher, Christina Formella. The student informs the police that Coach Formella began sending him flirty messages on the school’s chat system after she became his tutor in the fall of 2023. He explains that their conversations shifted to text after the teacher provided him with her phone number so they could play a game together. Records show numerous FaceTime calls between the two, with the victim stating that their relationship outside of school culminated in a rape in December. Formella denies raping the boy or having a romantic relationship with him, asserting that she is a “good person” and that “everybody” comes after her because of her looks. She admits to developing a close relationship with the student and claims that she “cares too much about him,” but simultaneously labels him a stalker. Formella insists she did not send the texts, arguing that her kindness towards the boy allowed him to break into her unattended phone, send the texts to himself, and then delete them from her phone to later use as blackmail. Joining Nancy Grace today: Eric Faddis - Partner at Varner Faddis Elite Legal, Former Felony Prosecutor and Current Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation Attorney; Instagram: @e_fad @varnerfaddis; TikTok: @varnerfaddis Dr. Shari Schwartz - Forensic Psychologist (specializing in Capital Mitigation and Victim Advocacy) and Author: "Criminal Behavior" and "Where Law and Psychology Intersect: Issues in Legal Psychology;" X: @TrialDoc Brian Fitzgibbons - Director of Operations for USPA Nationwide Security [leads a team of investigators specializing in locating missing persons]; Instagram: @uspa_nationwide_security Scott Eicher - A Founding Member of the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team (C.A.S.T); Historical Cellular Analysis Expert; Former FBI agent of 22 years; Former Police Officer and Homicide Detective with Norfolk,Virginia, Police Dept. Currently with Precision Cellular Analysis,Handling Criminal, Defense and Civil Case Anna Sonoda - Child Sex Abuse/Grooming Expert, Clinical Social Worker, Former Therapist for Convicted Sex Offenders, and Author of "Duck Duck Groom" Sydney Sumner - CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

17 Touko 42min

Cross-examination in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal sex trafficking trial resumed in Manhattan court today, Friday May 16. Combs' legal team continue to grill Cassie Ventura, Combs' ex-girlfriend, on what the defense call, her own history of domestic violence, as well as claims she was motivated by money to get back at him. And British royal family news reveals Prince Harry is named in the salacious legal filings against disgraced rap mogul Combs. The headlines are an unwelcome reminder of Prince Andrews troublesome involvement with dead alleged pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein. More celebrities like Chris Brown and Michael B.Jordan were mentioned as Cassie's Cross-Examination Continues. Follow Crime Stories with Nancy Grace for the latest on the Sean "diddy" Combs federal trial. Joining Nancy Grace today, Eric Faddis - Trial Lawyer and TV Legal Analyst, Founding Partner of Varner Faddis Elite Legal, former felony prosecutor and current criminal defense and civil litigation attorney Dr. Cheryl Arutt - Licensed Clinical and Forensic Psychologist specializing in Trauma Recovery, PTSD and EMDR, website: askdrcheryl.com, website: CreativeEMDR.com , IG: @askdrcheryl Robert Crispin - Private Investigator “Crispin Special Investigations”, Former Federal Task Force Officer for the United States Department of Justice, DEA and Miami Field Division. Former Homicide and Crimes against children investigator. CrispinInvestigations.com, Facebook: Crispin Special Investigations Inc. Brett Brown - Executive director of SASS Go (Surviving Assault Standing Strong) a nonprofit on a mission to eradicate abuse, trafficking and violence against women and girls globally, www.sassgo.org, @sassgoglobal FB, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok Lauren Conlin - Podcaster, Reporter, Host- Co-Host of "PopCrimeTV" on YouTube. Website: www.popcrime.tv & primetimecrimeshow.com X- @Conlin_Lauren, Instagram- @LaurenEmilyConlin, YouTube: @PopCrimeTV Sydney Sumner - CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

16 Touko 41min

Hero dog would not leave the spot where his owner died, helping to solve her murder. Thieves take odd items from a Tennessee church. For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

16 Touko 5min

Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, the government’s star witness, took the stand today for the first day of cross-examination and faced questioning by Sean "Diddy" Combs’ $10 million defense team. She previously spent two days detailing the alleged physical, emotional, and sexual abuse she says she endured during her decade-long relationship with the disgraced rap mogul. At the center of Combs’ defense today was the claim that Ventura was never coerced into participating in "freak offs," as she testified earlier. The defense pointed to text messages, including one Ventura sent to Combs in 2009 that read, “I’m always ready to freak off lolol.” Ventura remained composed and held her ground when confronted with the explicit messages. She testified that she eventually began to feel Combs was exploiting her. Combs’ defense team is expected to continue cross-examining Ventura through Friday morning. Follow Crime Stories with Nancy Grace for the latest testimony in rap mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex-trafficking trial Joining Nancy Grace today: Greg Morse - Criminal Defense Attorney of Morse Legal, author of “The Untested” found on Amazon; website: morselegal.com Dr. Bethany Marshall - Psychoanalyst, Author of "Deal Breaker: When to work on a relationship and when to walk away,” and featured in hit show: "Paris in Love" on Peacock; Instagram & TikTok: drbethanymarshall, X: @DrBethanyLive Chris McDonough - Director at the Cold Case Foundation, Former Homicide Detective [worked over 300 homicides in 25-year career and trained the first Native American Homicide Task Force] Host of YouTube channel, "The Interview Room." Lynn Shaw - Founder and Executive Director of Lynn's Warriors - an organization committed to ending human trafficking and sexual exploitation,  Host of Lynn's Warriors on YouTube,; X: @lynns_warriors Youtube: @LynnsWarriors Rob Shuter - Host: Naughty But Nice Podcast, Former Publicist of Sean Combs, and Author: "The 4 Word Answer", radaronline.com; IG: @naughtygossip Lauren Conlin- Investigative Journalist, Host of The Outlier Podcast, and also Host of "Corruption: What Happened to Grant Solomon; X- @Conlin_Lauren/ Instagram- @LaurenEmilyConlin/YouTube- @LaurenConlin4 Sydney Sumner - CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15 Touko 43min

Woman sentenced to 20 years behind bars for gas station shooting. Woman missing over 60 years is found living happily states away. For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15 Touko 5min

Casandra Ventura, known as Cassie, gives her second day of testimony as the prosecution’s key witness in the sex-trafficking trial of disgraced rap mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs. Cassie, the ex-girlfriend of the rapper, tells the court that Combs asked her to get into an inflatable pool filled with baby oil. She continues to describe the abuse she endured during events she called “freak-offs,” saying Combs later used video recordings of the encounters to blackmail her. Cassie alleges she repeatedly suffered from urinary tract infections as a result of the "freak-offs," to the point that she became immune to antibiotics. She testifies that Combs forced her to perform during her menstrual cycle and took away her possessions if she upset him in any way. Combs faces charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. The 55-year-old denies all charges. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. Follow Crime Stories with Nancy Grace for the latest on the government’s case against Sean "Diddy" Combs Joining Nancy Grace today: Neama Rahmani - Former Federal Prosecutor, Trial Attorney, President - West Coast Trial Lawyers, and Author: “Harvard to Hashtag;" INSTAGRAM: @Neamarahmani, X: @NeamaRahmani Dr. Bethany Marshall- Psychoanalyst, Author: "Deal Breaker," and featured in hit show "Paris in Love" on Peacock; Instagram & TikTok: drbethanymarshall, X: @DrBethanyLive Tom Smith - Former NYPD Detective for 30 years - Narcotics, Robbery Squad, Gang Investigations, and Co-Host of the GOLD SHIELDS Podcast; FB & Instagram: @thegoldshieldshow Rachel Fischer - Registered Nurse; Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE); Expert Witness; Private Investigator; Author: "Taking Back the Pen;" Forensic Nursing Consulting and Education LLC Lauren Conlin - Podcaster, Reporter, Host- Co-Host of "PopCrimeTV" on YouTube; X- @Conlin_Lauren, Instagram- @LaurenEmilyConlin, YouTube: @PopCrimeTV Sydney Sumner - CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Touko 44min

Uber Driver's dashcam captures last moments begging for her life when passenger pulls a gun. Historic cannon destroyed...to pay a drug debt? For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Touko 6min