Crimes, Homicides & Suicides

[phkrause]

AI courtroom showdown begins

Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios Jury selection began today in a high-stakes trial between AI leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman, promising grand theatrics rooted in the world's most disruptive industry. Musk's civil suit accuses Altman and his top lieutenant of straying from OpenAI's original altruistic mission of shepherding AI as a revolutionary technology. ChatGPT maker OpenAI has brushed off Musk's allegations as unfounded and aimed at bolstering xAI, a rival that Musk launched in 2023. ⚖️ The trial's outcome could sway the balance of power in the AI world. Altman-led OpenAI is now one of the world's foremost AI companies, valued at over $850 billion. Musk's xAI recently merged with SpaceX, which is worth even more and set to go public this summer in the biggest IPO ever. 💰 The latest: Musk abandoned a bid for damages for himself after pretrial rulings went against him. He's now seeking an unspecified amount of money to fund the altruistic efforts of OpenAI's charitable arm. The money would be paid primarily by OpenAI's for-profit side and Microsoft, which became OpenAI's biggest investor after Musk cut off his funding. OpenAI and Microsoft loosened their ties today, CNBC reports. 🥾 Musk's lawsuit also calls for Altman to be kicked off OpenAI's board. Go deeper.

[phkrause]

Inside the world’s largest art heist when over $500M of paintings were stolen from a Boston museum For decades, the 1990 theft of 13 artworks from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum has remained unsolved. It remains the largest art theft in history. In 2013, the FBI said it knew who was responsible for the Boston museum heist but declined to name them, fueling speculation that persists today. Read more.

Why this matters: Geoffrey Kelly, a former FBI agent who led the investigation for more than two decades, is now offering the first detailed account of how investigators reached that conclusion. In a new book, “Thirteen Perfect Fugitives,” Kelly traces how the artworks moved through criminal networks, where violence took the lives of key suspects and witnesses, and challenges long-circulating theories by revisiting key details. Kelly also  publicly identifies the men he believes were involved. Over the years, tips have pointed to notorious crime boss Whitey Bulger, the Irish Republican Army and others. The story of the heist also includes a triple murderer known as “Meatball.”

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: A former FBI investigator on chasing leads in the historic heist

[phkrause]

Ex-NBA player Damon Jones is 1st to plead guilty in gambling sweep that led to over 30 arrests

NEW YORK (AP) — A hot hand on the hardwood, former NBA player Damon Jones once proclaimed himself “the best shooter in the world.” As an assistant coach, he helped guide the Cleveland Cavaliers to their only championship in 2016.

https://apnews.com/article/damon-jones-nba-poker-betting-lebron-james-53b764b4be1f7d9d09ca480b42f14aa1?

Elon Musk

Elon Musk testified Tuesday in a case that could shape the future of artificial intelligence. Musk is accusing ChatGPT's parent company, OpenAI, and its leaders — CEO Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman — of misleading him and abandoning the company's original nonprofit mission. Musk said his lawsuit reaches beyond a single company, arguing it touches on the broader direction of a technology he warned "could also kill us all." Read more.

WATCH: Musk testifies: "We don't want to have a 'Terminator' outcome."

[phkrause]

Sackler Sentencing

OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma was sentenced yesterday in its long-running opioid criminal case, clearing the way for a settlement that includes a $225M forfeiture to the Justice Department and a broader deal that could reach $7B over 15 years.  Purdue will also be dissolved and replaced by a new company, Knoa Pharma. The sentencing follows years of litigation and a 2020 guilty plea in which Purdue admitted it failed to stop its painkillers from being diverted to the black market and used doctor-speaker programs to drive prescriptions. Under the settlement, the Sackler family, which owns Purdue, will pay state, local, and tribal governments, along with some individual victims, while family members who agree to the terms will be shielded from opioid lawsuits. Opioid overdoses killed about 806,000 people in the US from 1999 through 2023. In 2023, about 76% of US drug overdose deaths involved opioids—averaging 217 people daily. Purdue's portion is roughly 12.8% of national opioid settlements (see tracker). From ancient ritual to national crisis, listen to the history of opioids.

[phkrause]

⚖️ Elon's day in court

Axios AI editor Megan Morrone, reporting from a federal courthouse in Oakland, writes:

Elon Musk took the stand as the first witness in his billion-dollar lawsuit seeking legal limits on OpenAI's transformation from charity-backed research lab to AI superpower.

• Why it matters: A verdict against OpenAI could reshape who controls one of the most valuable private companies in the world.

Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 and now runs rival xAI, made his case simple: "It's not OK to steal a charity."

• His lawsuit accuses OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, president Greg Brockman and Microsoft of betraying the company's original nonprofit mission to benefit humanity.
• Jurors were shown a 2017 email from Musk that said: "Guys, I've had enough. … Either go do something on your own or continue with OpenAI as a nonprofit."

The other side: OpenAI says Musk donated $38 million to the OpenAI nonprofit, which was "spent exactly as intended and in service of the mission."

• Expect "a tale of two Elons," attorney William Savitt, representing OpenAI, said in his opening statement.

 

Disturbing timeline

As the suspect accused of killing two doctoral students in Florida faces murder charges, authorities revealed the grisly details surrounding their disappearance. ChatGPT and trash bags from Amazon appear to have played a role.

[phkrause]

Tupac Shakur Lawsuit

Tupac Shakur’s stepbrother filed a wrongful death lawsuit this week against Duane “Keefe D” Davis and dozens of unnamed co-conspirators.  Davis was charged in 2023 with first-degree murder in the rapper's death. He was one of four people allegedly present in the vehicle during the 1996 drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. Police say he planned the hit alongside his since-deceased nephew after a fight with Shakur in a casino. Davis has pleaded not guilty despite previously claiming to have been in the passenger seat; his criminal trial is set to begin in August. The new lawsuit claims Davis was part of a broader conspiracy and cites statements in a Netflix documentary suggesting Sean “Diddy” Combs offered Davis $1M to kill Shakur. Combs denies involvement and is not named in the lawsuit. Tupac Shakur was a six-time Grammy nominee with five No. 1 albums, including three released posthumously. Explore his legacy here.

[phkrause]

Stabbing at Washington state high school wounds 6, including suspect, police say

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A student at a Tacoma high school was booked on five counts of first-degree assault after four students and an adult security guard were wounded in a stabbing at the school Thursday, police said.

https://apnews.com/article/tacoma-washington-high-school-stabbing-25c81da405e358dae113f7891fd1c2ef?

[phkrause]

Scientists take soil samples outside home of a man convicted of killing Kristin Smart

ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. (AP) — Scientists specializing in human decomposition and soil took samples from the ground Thursday outside a home connected to the man convicted of killing 19-year-old college student Kristin Smart in 1996. Her body was never found.

https://apnews.com/article/kristin-smart-investigation-home-search-1766bd6cafd177750855b88c4db2bb00?

[phkrause]

Evidence of possible human remains found in Kristin Smart case. Authorities said yesterday that soil tests indicated the possible presence of human remains at a property belonging to the mother of the man convicted in the 1996 killing of California college student Kristin Smart. She was declared legally dead in 2002, but her remains were never found. In 2022, fellow student Paul Flores was convicted of first-degree murder. Authorities say his mother is a person of interest. (More)

The podcast series "Your Own Backyard" is credited with helping lead to the 2022 murder conviction.

[phkrause]

📉 Good news: Crime falls almost everywhere

Data: Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA). Chart: Russell Contreras/Axios Violent crime fell sharply across the largest U.S. cities in early 2026, extending a nationwide decline that began after the pandemic-era crime spike, Axios' Russell Contreras writes. Why it matters: Data from 67 major U.S. law enforcement agencies show violent crime fell across major categories during the first quarter compared with the same period in 2025. The declines show up across every major region — a systemic, nationwide trend. Explore city-by-city ... Go deeper.

[phkrause]

Man charged in White House correspondents’ dinner attack pleads not guilty

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man accused of storming the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner while armed with guns and knives pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges that he attempted to kill President Donald Trump and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer who tried to stop the attack.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-correspondents-dinner-allen-shooting-d9a2d4ddab8c6a48d3e365f72eea9a86?

[phkrause]

$4.8M settlement reached over Louisiana traffic stop death, AP sources say

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana officials have agreed to a tentative $4.8 million settlement with the family of Ronald Greene, a Black motorist who died during a violent 2019 roadside arrest carried out by five white officers, two people with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press.

https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-ronald-greene-517dc8355f7c15186c45a4c6d8a203ec?

[phkrause]

Prosecutors to retry Alex Murdaugh in deaths of wife and son after high court overturned convictions

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Alex Murdaugh’s murder convictions and life sentence for the deaths of his wife and son were overturned Wednesday by the South Carolina Supreme Court because the court clerk at his trial suggested he was guilty.

https://apnews.com/article/murdaugh-killings-appeal-overturned-65a2ea0610bdb80763b39838ab4fcdb6?

Prosecutors to retry Alex Murdaugh in deaths of wife and son after high court overturned convictions

Prosecutors said they plan to retry disgraced lawyer Alex Murdaugh on murder charges in the shooting deaths of his wife and younger son after the state Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned his conviction and life sentence. State Attorney General Alan Wilson said his office respected the court’s decision, but no one is above the law. Read more.

[phkrause]

Kouri Richins, author of a children’s book on grief, gets life sentence for killing her husband

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — A Utah mother who published a children’s book about grief after the death of her husband will serve a life sentence for his murder without the possibility of parole, a judge ruled Wednesday.

https://apnews.com/article/kouri-richins-murder-trial-sentencing-fa8c4b159827eef080cfa104a316454c?

[phkrause]

Unruly tourists

A tourist who drew widespread condemnation after allegedly hurling a coconut-sized rock at "Lani" — a beloved and endangered Hawaiian monk seal near a Maui beach — has been arrested. It follows a string of recent incidents worldwide involving unruly tourists, including vandalism at historic landmarks and violent behavior on flights. Read more.   Man known for racially derogatory livestreams charged with attempted murder after Tennessee shooting CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A man who goes by “Chud the Builder” and livestreams himself saying racially derogatory statements to Black people in public settings was arrested and charged with attempted murder after a shooting outside a Tennessee courthouse on Wednesday, authorities said. https://apnews.com/article/chud-builder-courthouse-shooting-1d456797ea8042c5846e93af87b95e87?

[phkrause]

⚖️ Musk-OpenAI goes to jury

OAKLAND, Calif. — Attorneys for Elon Musk wrapped up their case against OpenAI, with jury deliberations expected on Monday, Axios' Ina Fried reports from the courthouse.

• Why it matters: Musk argues OpenAI misused the $38 million he donated in its early days and violated its founding ethos by turning what was supposed to be an altruistic nonprofit into a tech behemoth.

💰 OpenAI's lawyers say Musk's money didn't have specific strings attached and the organization has continued to pursue its mission, albeit with some changes in structure.

• ❌ Musk wants CEO Sam Altman fired along with billions in damages, which he says he'd donate to OpenAI's nonprofit arm. His lawyer has repeatedly questioned Altman's trustworthiness.
• 🍇 OpenAI and Microsoft have called Musk's own behavior into question and argued this is all just "sour grapes" from a rival who never even cared about the nonprofit structure.

[Hanseng]

On 5/13/2026 at 8:53 AM, phkrause said:

pleaded not guilty on Monday

Another case to illustrate the absurdity of the American justice system. The Bible had a simple system, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established" and "The testimony of two men is true." This event was witnessed by numerous individuals. In ancient times, a class of what we might call "professional jurists" decided cases, not a jury of so-called peers. Same with Charlie Kirk's murderer. He turned himself in, confessed to the crime. No need for a trial. A bullet to the back of the head or the heart will suffice. He might get one in Utah. All of the condemned inmates in Utah have been there between 20 and 30 years, some more than 30, so it is unlikely execution will happen soon. 

Who’s on Utah’s death row and how did they get there? – Deseret News

In parts of Asia, TikTok like videos appear now and then, purporting to show executions. A bullet to the back of the head, at point blank range, appears to be quite effective. 🏴‍☠️

 

 

[phkrause]

Federal court rejects Elon Musk’s claims against OpenAI, saying he filed his lawsuit too late

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A federal court on Monday dismissed claims filed against OpenAI and its top executives by Elon Musk, who accused them of betraying a shared vision for it to remain a nonprofit dedicated to guiding artificial intelligence’s development for the good of humanity.

https://apnews.com/article/musk-openai-trial-verdict-0b9b0bfaffe96f2c930341f52dfe4f8c?

ps:He'll just look for another judge, until he gets one that goes his way!!

Minnesota county charges an ICE officer in a nonfatal shooting during Trump’s immigration crackdown

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota county prosecutor on Monday announced charges against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in the nonfatal shooting of a Venezuelan man during the Trump administration’s crackdown in the state.

https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-immigration-crackdown-charges-sosacelis-bd78efd7f341a9bd9c1acc2c0037a958?

[phkrause]

Judge allows gun and notebook as evidence at Mangione’s trial in UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killing

NEW YORK (AP) — A gun and notebook that prosecutors say link Luigi Mangione to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson can be used as evidence at his murder trial, a judge ruled Monday, rejecting a defense argument that they were seized illegally.

https://apnews.com/article/mangione-united-health-care-ceo-killed-3f6326b0a8fdf807622746a5d461742c?

[phkrause]

⚖️ Musk v. Altman's biggest loser

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photos via Getty Images

The biggest tech trial of the AI era — which ended anticlimactically on procedural grounds yesterday — revealed a sector consumed by the same power struggles and profit motives its leaders once warned would corrupt artificial intelligence, Axios' Madison Mills writes. Why it matters: The trial cemented a growing public fear about AI: that the people racing to control the world's most powerful technology are driven less by humanity-saving ideals than by money, power and personal rivalries. The big picture: OpenAI's founders originally cast themselves as an alternative to Google DeepMind, fearing one tech giant would monopolize transformative AI systems. But testimony and internal documents showed those leaders quickly became consumed by power struggles. OpenAI executives worried in 2017 that Elon Musk "could become a dictator" and sent him an email with the subject line "honest thoughts." Musk replied that he'd "had enough" and later suggested the company be folded into Tesla. Via X ⚡ What happened: Jurors unanimously ruled Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI, Altman, co-founder Greg Brockman and Microsoft was barred by the statute of limitations. Musk's side argued OpenAI abandoned its founding nonprofit mission by accepting billions from Microsoft and creating a for-profit arm. The trial ended with "a predictable whimper" over procedure, Ray Seilie, a tech and corporate trial attorney, told Axios. Musk vowed to appeal, writing on X that the verdict creates "a precedent to loot charities." Keep reading.

[phkrause]

Elon Musk

Billionaire Elon Musk and his legal team are planning to appeal the outcome of his lawsuit against OpenAI. On Monday, a California jury took under two hours to render a verdict in the massive case, finding that Musk waited too long to file the lawsuit against the maker of ChatGPT. Read more.

[phkrause]

San Diego mosque shooters met online and left writings expressing hate, FBI says

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Two teenagers who shot and killed three people in an attack on a California mosque were radicalized online where they first met and shared white supremacist views, according to authorities and writings they authored.

https://apnews.com/article/islamic-center-san-diego-shooting-mosque-hate-d81d87793aa3eea836d45a9d5b1f297b?

Officers who defended Capitol from rioters sue to block payouts from $1.8B ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two police officers who helped defend the U.S. Capitol from an attack by a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters sued on Wednesday to block anyone — including Jan. 6, 2021, rioters — from receiving payouts from a new $1.776 billion settlement fund for people who claim to be victims of politically motivated prosecutions.

https://apnews.com/article/irs-trump-settlement-tax-returns-police-capitol-riot-fc73eb5f35481bb6d8892ac1e14e98bd?

[phkrause]

Owner of ‘Peanuts’ music sues 3 companies and US government alleging illegal use of its catchy tunes

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The owner of the music of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and other “Peanuts” television specials filed four lawsuits Wednesday against defendants including the U.S. Department of the Interior, alleging they illegally used the jazzy ditties of pianist Vince Guaraldi in social media posts and a video game.

https://apnews.com/article/peanuts-guaraldi-music-charlie-brown-christmas-lawsuits-8c48d0109e872a3f3e8ebfb89a4e2c92?

[phkrause]

Minnesota Fraud Sentencing

The ringleader of a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme in Minnesota, Aimee Bock, was sentenced to over 41 years in prison yesterday. Bock siphoned more than $240M in pandemic-era food assistance via her Feeding Our Future network.  Officials have called the scheme the US’ largest case of pandemic-era fraud; collectively, the amount of stolen taxpayer money—including Bock’s food aid scheme, daycares, and other social service programs—reportedly exceeds $1B. Citing the fact that most of the defendants are of Somali descent, President Donald Trump launched an immigration enforcement operation this year that led to the deaths of two US citizens. He also froze roughly $10B in federal funding to Minnesota and four other Democratic-led states. See an explainer on the fraud and fallout here. More than 100 people have been indicted in ongoing investigations. That includes 15 people charged yesterday for allegedly defrauding more than $90M, much of it from Medicaid, via autism and home health clinics.

[phkrause]

Judge dismisses criminal charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal judge on Friday dismissed a human smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, finding that the Justice Department’s pursuit of criminal charges was designed to punish him for challenging his mistaken deportation to El Salvador last year.

https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-el-salvador-deportation-smuggling-035a2b2ded3ede65e77566cdf12b107f?