Images taken by Fox News Digital on Tuesday show crime tape around portions of Lynette and Brian Hooker's sailboat, Soulmate, as it's docked at the U.S. Coast Guard's station in Fort Pierce, Florida, after a source said it was seized over the weekend.

The source said investigators were processing evidence onboard the sailboat on Tuesday, which appears to have continued on Wednesday.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

Brian Hooker initially told Bahamian officials that his wife fell off a dinghy after leaving shore at Hope Town at around 7:30 p.m. on April 4, saying that Lynette fell off with the ignition key. Local authorities said that he arrived at a marina at Marsh Harbour at around 4 a.m. on April 5 after paddling to shore, roughly eight hours after his wife went overboard. Despite a weekslong search, authorities haven't been able to locate Lynette Hooker.

COAST GUARD SEIZES BRIAN HOOKER'S SAILBOAT AS IT LEAVES BAHAMAS AFTER WIFE’S DISAPPEARANCE: REPORT

Brian Hooker hasn't been charged with a crime. The Coast Guard Investigative Service is probing Lynette Hooker's disappearance.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

Kenneth Engerrand, an adjunct professor of maritime law at the University of Houston Law Center and shareholder in the Brown Sims law firm, told Fox News Digital that even if investigators aren't able to find Lynette Hooker's body, the Coast Guard's investigation could still result in criminal charges.

"They can't file charges without substantial evidence, but that's why they're on the boat. They're looking for evidence. And what will have to happen is the Coast Guard can develop the evidence that's necessary in conjunction with the U.S. attorney in Florida," he said. "Sometimes it takes more effort to develop evidence, and this is the case where that's the situation because you don't have the body."

SEND US A TIP HERE

"That's a much more difficult process without the body, but it's not impossible to do," Engerrand said.

Engerrand said that Coast Guard investigators didn't need a warrant to search Brian and Lynette Hooker's sailboat since it's American-flagged.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

"They have a specific federal statute for that, and the courts have upheld that, with just a few limitations and so the Coast Guard can conduct a complete investigation with respect to the boat and activity that occurred on the boat under that statute that's valid until they get to the point where they are doing a focused criminal investigation. They don't need a warrant for any of that and once they get to the point of focusing on him, all they need is reasonable suspicion," he said. "They don't even have to have a warrant then to do investigation in connection with activity on a vessel that is an American flagged vessel."

DAUGHTER OF MISSING AMERICAN IN BAHAMAS SAYS BRIAN HOOKER USING MOTHER'S ILLNESS AS 'EXCUSE' TO LEAVE COUNTRY

Brian Hooker was detained for five days by Bahamian police after his wife disappeared, but wasn't charged. His Michigan-based attorney previously asked Americans to give him the benefit of the doubt.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

"I would ask those watching to treat him the way you would want to be treated, to give him the benefit of the doubt, and to consider that not all of us, nor you, considering your own relationships, the way you speak to one another, we all handle things in different ways," Crystal Marie Hauser said.

Brian Hooker left the island for the U.S. to tend to his "very ill" mother, his Bahamian attorney previously said.

After Lynette Hooker went missing, Brian said in a Facebook post that he was "heartbroken."

"I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas," he wrote. "Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus."

"The Supreme Court, in its order today, basically laid the blame on this reversal on the shoulders of former Colton County Clerk of Court, Rebecca [Becky] Hill, and it was her conduct that has led to this decision today, not the conduct of anyone else," Wilson told Fox News Digital.

Wilson said the Palmetto State plans to retry Murdaugh and will push for a speedy trial as prosecutors evaluate next steps.

ALEX MURDAUGH'S DOUBLE MURDER CONVICTION UNANIMOUSLY OVERTURNED BY SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT

"We are disappointed in the court’s decision. We respect this court, we respect the members of the court, but we strongly disagree with their reasoning," Wilson told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum on The Story.

The South Carolina Supreme Court vacated Murdaugh’s 2023 convictions in the killings of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, ruling that misconduct by former Colleton County Clerk Becky Hill tainted the jury process.

At issue were allegations that Hill made improper comments to jurors during the trial, conduct the court said created a risk of influencing the verdict.

MURDAUGH COURT CLERK BECKY HILL RELEASED ON BOND AFTER ARREST ON PERJURY, MISCONDUCT CHARGES

The comments included that jurors said "that Hill told the jurors not to be fooled by the evidence Murdaugh's defense presented," saying "They're going to say things that will try to confuse you. Don't let them confuse you or convince you or throw you off." 

Wilson said prosecutors were not aware of the clerk’s conduct during the trial.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

"No, we obviously weren’t aware of any of this conduct until after. Obviously, it had occurred," he told MacCallum. "We never defended her conduct. We just believe that it wasn’t enough to warrant a reversal."

MURDAUGH LAWYER ‘CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC’ COURT CLERK’S MISCONDUCT COULD PAVE WAY FOR NEW TRIAL

WATCH: South Carolina AG on overturned Murdaugh conviction: ‘We have time to try him again’

Retrying the high-profile case will come with challenges, but Wilson said his office still has most of the original team in place and a clear road map from the first trial.

"So we had the benefit of having a road map for our case that we developed three years ago. Obviously, the defense knows what our trial strategy was. We know what their trial strategy is. And so it will be a different kind of trial because both sides have seen the hands we have to play," he told Fox News Digital.

SEND US A TIP HERE

CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO: DICK HARPOOTLIAN'S PLAN TO OVERTURN ALEX MURDAUGH'S CONVICTION

The attorney general said multiple legal options remain under consideration, including potential appeals.

"The state has 15 days on whether or not we want to petition the state Supreme Court for reconsideration of their decision. And we have up to 90 days to petition the U.S. Supreme Court to take this case up on appeal. All options, all legal options, are on the table," Wilson said.

"But regardless, it is my intention right now, assuming that nothing changes, to retry this case as quickly and expeditiously as possible. That is our goal," he said.

Wilson said his office is aiming to bring the case back to court within the next year, though he admitted that timeline is not guaranteed.

"Look, I'm being aspirational when I say this, but we would like to try to get this case up before January 2027. That would be our goal," he said.

Murdaugh, 54, was convicted of gunning down his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, at the family’s hunting estate in 2021. The case exposed a web of lies including Murdaugh’s opioid addiction and millions in stolen client funds.

Despite the legal win, Murdaugh will not be walking free. He remains behind bars serving lengthy sentences for a string of financial crimes that cemented his fall from power.

For his financial crimes, Murdaugh was sentenced in state court to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to 22 counts including money laundering and breach of trust. In federal court, he received a 40-year sentence for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which he is serving concurrently with his state time.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

Though his murder convictions and subsequent life sentences were overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday, he remains in prison to serve the financial sentences.

In an effort to connect its prison population with the outside world, California issued around 90,000 tablets to inmates as part of a multimillion-dollar program where incarcerated people could send and receive messages in real time to loved ones amid a push for digital equity.

The devices could also be used, in theory, for educational purposes. However, some have used the devices for more adult endeavors, The California Post reported.

PRISON OFFICERS INTERCEPT DRONE DELIVERING STEAK, CRAB LEGS WITH SEASONING TO INMATES IN CONTRABAND DROP

The newspaper spoke with several death row inmates who claimed that users can evade security controls on the devices. Robert Maury, a serial rapist who strangled and killed at least three women in the 1980s, told the newspaper that he viewed pornography on his taxpayer-funded digital tablet.

Inmates use the tablets to send nude images and watch porn, he said from a state prison facility in Stockton. Many watch through a video chat application where an inmate can call someone on the outside who can "put porn on their TV" for the inmate to watch.

In one instance, Maury said he received a topless photo from a 22-year-old German psychology student who was "hoping that I would share my story with her for her class project." He also claimed he "flirted" with her "for a while."

Samuel Amador, another serial killer sentenced to death, said porn videos are delivered in short 30-second clips and that inmates also have sexually explicit conversations through their tablets. "I watch porn and short clips of my family at the beach," he told the Post. "We get around their bullsh*t," he said regarding the explicit exchanges.

CALIFORNIA SERIAL CHILD RAPIST GRANTED PAROLE ADMITTED HAVING PEDOPHILIC FANTASIES AS RECENTLY AS 2021

Nathaniel Ray Diaz, a convicted child sex offender, allegedly made thousands of calls to a girl he was accused of sexually abusing and threatened her with a gun from inside Avenal State Prison, authorities said. Prosecutors said he told the girl to send him sexually explicit images, which he received through a third party.

Jamar Tucker, an inmate at High Desert State Prison convicted of killing three men, said he has received videos of women "dancing … in a thong," despite rules that prohibit such material. He uses racy photos for sexual pleasure, he added.

While the tablets themselves are provided at no cost to the inmates, usage fees apply; messages cost 5 cents per text and video calls cost 16 cents per minute, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

Sen. Josh Becker, a Democrat, is pushing for the state to make inmates' messages free. 

"It's the injustice of the whole thing," said Becker. "And not only injustice, but also the illogical nature of charging in a world where telecommunications costs are moving closer to free."

"It's the injustice of the whole thing," Becker told Cal Matters in March. "And not only injustice, but also the illogical nature of charging in a world where telecommunications costs are moving closer to free."

BLUE STATE ‘PRIORITIZING THE CRIMINALS’ WITH $239M TAXPAYER-FUNDED PRISON PROJECT, PROSECUTOR SAYS

"We created a pathway for them to reach out and groom folks," Douglas Eckenrod, former deputy director of California’s adult parole operations, told the Post. "There are going to be victims that didn’t need to have been victims because of these decisions."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the CDCR. The office of Gov. Gavin Newsom referred questions about the continuation of the tablet program to the corrections' agency.

The CDCR told the Post the tablets were "tightly controlled education tools" that provided inmates with "access to the Bible, education, and reentry resources that actually reduce crime."

California recently signed a contract with Securus Technologies that, with optional extensions, could cost taxpayers up to $315 million. The core contract is valued at $189 million over six years. Its contract with the state showed that it would charge less for those services than a former vendor. 

However, some inmates and the people they communicate with on the outside have said there are discrepancies in the cost of messages, which the company said would be a charge of 3 cents per message. Grace Coleman, who is incarcerated at the women's prison in Chino, had sticker shock upon learning the price to stream movies on prison-issued tablet. 

"All of the new movies, the ones that you would actually want to watch, you rent each of them individually," she told Cal Matters. "For example, Wicked: For Good is $8.99 -- and once you hit play, you only have 48 hours to watch it.

"They're making bank. These are like normal world prices," she added. Fox News Digital has reached out to Securus.

California has slowly moved toward the "California model," an initiative dedicated to improving the well-being of inmates, prison staff and visitors, according to a 2023 CDCR video. Taking a page from Norway's model of focusing on rehabilitation over punishment, the California model focuses on expanding employee wellness lowering recidivism rates and increasing job opportunities for released inmates.

"The victims I've spoken with about some of the programs that are going on right now… they're really impressed," Katie James, the CDCR's chief of the Office of Victim and Survivor Rights & Services, said in the video. "They know that probably won't change their circumstances because the crime’s already happened but they're really leaving with that peace of mind that it'll change somebody else's future and that really empowers them and it makes them very thankful to be part of any of that process that we can bring them in on, giving them that sense of balance that the person that went in that did this crime will not be the same person coming out."

In March 2019, Newsom issued a moratorium on the death penalty, halting all executions and closing the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison.

Paxton announced he is investigating Brown over what he described as "sanctuary policies" and sent a formal letter ordering her to pursue a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which would allow local deputies to carry out certain federal immigration enforcement duties.

The demand stems from Senate Bill 8, which took effect Jan. 1, 2026, and requires sheriffs in counties that operate jails to seek agreements with ICE to increase cooperation on immigration enforcement. Known as 287(g) agreements, the partnerships allow federal authorities to delegate certain immigration enforcement powers to local officers, including questioning inmates about their immigration status and serving administrative warrants. 

"I will not allow the people of Dallas County to suffer because the Sheriff refuses to work with ICE to keep violent illegals off our streets," Paxton said, adding that his office "will ensure" compliance with state law.

TEXAS BILL REQUIRING SHERIFFS TO COLLABORATE WITH ICE GIVEN INITIAL APPROVAL BY STATE HOUSE

In the letter, Paxton accused Brown of publicly rejecting the requirement after the law passed, citing her October 2025 statement that "no additional efforts" would be made to secure such an agreement. He said her office has not reported any attempt to comply, despite a state requirement that sheriffs show proof they have tried to enter into an agreement.

Paxton warned that failure to act could expose Brown to legal consequences and said his office has authority to bring action against sheriffs who do not comply with the statute. He has demanded that Brown report efforts to secure an agreement before June 1.

DALLAS MAYOR CONDEMNS POLICE CHIEF'S 'UNILATERAL' DECISION TO REJECT $25M ICE GRANT

He also pointed to other large Texas counties — including El Paso, Bexar, and Harris — that have either finalized agreements with ICE or are negotiating them.

Brown pushed back on Paxton’s claims, writing in a letter acquired by FOX 4 Dallas that his timeline is incorrect and that the Legislature set a compliance deadline of Dec. 1, 2026, not June 1.

ILLEGAL ALIENS ACCUSED IN DALLAS KILLING OF TEEN MOTHER'S UNBORN BABY CHARGED WITH CAPITAL MURDER

She also defended her department’s current practices, saying Dallas County already works with federal immigration authorities.

"Dallas County currently maintains an active working relationship with ICE and participates in operational coordination substantially similar to the jail-enforcement model contemplated by Chapter 753," Brown said in a statement. She added that her earlier remarks about making "no additional efforts" were taken out of context and reflected her view that existing cooperation already meets the law’s public safety goals.

The dispute sets up a potential legal clash between the state’s top law enforcement official and one of Texas’ largest county sheriff’s offices over how far local agencies must go in assisting federal immigration enforcement.

The case dates back to Feb. 11, when deputies with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in Katy, Texas, for reports of two children drowning. The victims, ages 2 and 3, were later found to have cocaine in their systems.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths have raised questions about how the children were exposed to the drug and what alleged role their mother, Laura Nicholson, 23, may have played, according to authorities.

Before being arrested Monday in Fort Myers, Florida, Nicholson was charged May 8 with two counts of injury to a child in connection with the deaths.

NEW HAMPSHIRE 6-YEAR-OLD TESTS POSITIVE FOR COCAINE, CANNABIS, AS MOTHER FACES MULTIPLE CHARGES

Under Texas law, injury to a child can include acts or omissions that cause serious bodily harm or place a child in imminent danger, though officials have not publicly detailed the specific actions that led to the charges in this case.

Authorities have not said when toxicology results confirmed the presence of cocaine or what specific evidence led to charges being filed nearly three months after the incident.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said its Violent Criminals Apprehension Team coordinated with the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force to locate Nicholson in Florida.

COLORADO MOM ACCUSED OF KILLING 2 CHILDREN AND FLEEING TO UK RETURNS STATESIDE TO FACE MURDER CHARGES

Nicholson was taken into custody Monday afternoon in Fort Myers, according to Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno.

Members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, who are also deputized as part of the U.S. Marshals Task Force, located Nicholson at a local mental health treatment facility around noon and took her into custody without incident.

She was transported to the Lee County Jail.

"This arrest highlights the strong partnership the Lee County Sheriff’s Office has with the U.S. Marshals Service and law enforcement agencies across the country, working together to locate and apprehend wanted fugitives," Marceno said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of two young toddlers — sisters — in our community," Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, wrote on X, announcing Nicholson's arrest. "May these little ones rest in peace."

FORMER NYC DAYCARE OWNER LEARNS FATE FOLLOWING TODDLER'S FENTANYL POISONING DEATH

Authorities have not said how the toddlers were exposed to cocaine or whether investigators believe the substance was ingested accidentally or through neglect.

It also remains unclear whether anyone else could face charges in connection with the case, and when Nicholson will be extradited to Texas to face the charges.

It was not immediately clear whether Nicholson has retained an attorney. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for additional details.

Investigators have not released further details about the circumstances surrounding the drowning deaths, and the case remains under investigation.

Kouri Richins received the sentence in a case that stunned observers with its mix of alleged greed, deception and deeply personal fallout.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Richard Mrazik said he considered the full scope of the case under Utah law, including the severity of the crime and its impact on those involved.

He noted that even under a lesser sentence of 25 years to life, Richins likely would not have been eligible for parole until around age 66.

UTAH CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR KOURI RICHINS CONVICTED IN HUSBAND’S MURDER

The judge said the sentence ensures Richins "will be unable to harm anyone for the next three decades or much longer," while acknowledging the long-term emotional toll on her children.

He said he has "genuine concern" for the boys in the decades ahead and could not predict how their views may evolve over time, expressing hope that those affected by Eric Richins’ death will eventually find peace.

The judge added that Kouri Richins is "simply too dangerous to ever be free."

Before the sentence was handed down, the judge warned those in the courtroom to remain composed.

CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR ACCUSED OF POISONING DEAD HUSBAND SPUN WEB OF TALL TALES: PROSECUTORS

"This is an emotionally charged situation, reasonably so, but no outward reactions," Mrazik said.

Richins sat at the defense table in a lime green jail uniform as her supporters filled the back rows, while Eric Richins’ family sat just feet away.

Prosecutors called victim witnesses, beginning with Eric’s father, Gene, who described a son devoted to his family.

"Eric was first and foremost an incredible father," he said. "To his three boys, his sons were his world."

UTAH MOM IN UPSCALE SKI COMMUNITY KILLED HUSBAND TO FUND ROMANCE AND LAVISH LIFESTYLE, DA SAYS

"The sports teams still break their huddle by saying, ‘1-2-3 Eric,’" he added. "Eric’s boys lost a father. I lost my son."

Eric’s sister, Katie, spoke next on what would have been his 44th birthday.

"Today is Eric’s birthday. I stand before you because he can’t," she said.

HOUSEKEEPER EXPECTED TO PLAY KEY ROLE IN TRIAL OF WIFE ACCUSED OF HUSBAND’S MURDER IN WEALTHY SKI TOWN

She accused Richins of cutting the boys off from family and trying to access their father’s assets.

"She used them as a bargaining chip," Katie said, adding Richins spent years fighting for control of trust funds.

Statements from the couple’s children were also read in court, describing fear and trauma.

UTAH CHILDREN’S AUTHOR KOURI RICHINS SAYS STATE THREATENED WITNESSES AHEAD OF TRIAL IN HUSBAND’S POISONING

"I woke up to sirens… I was scared," one child wrote.

"You took away my dad for no reason other than greed," another said.

In records obtained by PEOPLE, the children also expressed fear of their mother being released.

SUSPECTED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN’S LAWYER POUNCES ON WITNESS FLIP IN UTAH POISON MOM CASE

"I’m afraid if she gets out, she will come after me and my brothers," one wrote.

Prosecutors urged the court to hold Richins fully accountable.

"Kouri Richins earned this," Summit County Attorney Brad Bloodworth said. "Fathers are not meant to bury sons."

CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR AND ENGINEER HUSBAND EXPOSED FOR DOUBLE LIFE IN HOUSE OF HORRORS

The sentencing fell on what would have been Eric Richins’ 44th birthday.

During the hearing, prosecutors asked the judge to bar Richins from contacting her children unless they initiated it, but the judge said he could not legally grant that request.

"I don’t like what I’m about to say, but under the law, I cannot," Mrazik said.

The court scheduled a restitution hearing for July 31.

The defense presented letters asking for leniency, while a pastor described Richins as active in jail programs.

Richins became emotional as her brother addressed her directly.

"Little sister, I love you. I miss you," he said.

Richins then addressed the court, speaking directly to her children.

"My sweet baby boys," she said. "I know today you don’t want to speak with me… That’s OK."

She urged them not to let the case define them.

"Use those opportunities to grow and to learn. They do not define you."

Richins claimed she had tried to contact them but had been cut off.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

"I have been desperately trying to get in contact with you," she said.

She insisted she had not abandoned them.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

"I did not abandon you, regardless of what anyone tells you."

She also reflected on her marriage, acknowledging infidelity on both sides.

SEND US A TIP HERE

"I fell in love with someone who wasn’t your dad… Your dad fell in love with someone who wasn’t me."

"We forgave and moved on and we loved. Our love was enough. Your love is all you need to ignore the noise," she added.

Richins also denied killing her husband and said she will continue fighting the conviction.

"Murder? No. Absolutely not," she said. "I will not be blamed for something I did not do."

After sentencing, defense attorney Kathy Nester said Richins’ team plans to appeal and seek a new trial. The judge granted 28 days to file the appeal.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

Richins was convicted earlier this year of murdering her husband, along with multiple counts of fraud and forgery tied to what prosecutors described as a calculated plot to collect nearly $2 million in life insurance while drowning in roughly $7.5 million in debt.

Jurors heard she closed on a $2.9 million mansion the same day her husband died and later spent more than $1.3 million in insurance proceeds within months.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

Investigators testified that Eric Richins had more than five times the lethal amount of fentanyl in his system. Prosecutors also pointed to an earlier alleged attempt to poison him weeks before his death.

The case drew national attention not only for the allegations, but for what followed.

After her husband’s death, Richins published a children’s book about grief meant to help her sons cope with the loss — a detail prosecutors said underscored the calculated nature of the crime.

Luis Fernando Benítez-González, 26, a Mexican citizen, is linked to the murders of 34-year-old Alyssa Ann Rivera in Austin and 28-year-old Alba Jenisse Aviles in Bastrop County, authorities said. He was arrested in Dallas on April 27 by U.S. Marshals and other law enforcement agencies.

"This illegal alien from Mexico is accused of murdering two women in Texas," said DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. "He has also been arrested for charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of dangerous drugs.

SUSPECTED TEXAS KILLER IS AN ILLEGAL FROM MEXICO ACCUSED IN RASH OF 'EXTREME VIOLENCE' AGAINST WOMEN

"Alba Jenisse Aviles and Alyssa Ann Rivera should still be alive today," she added.

Benítez-González is charged with first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to jail records in Travis County, where he is currently being held. He also has a previous drug possession charge, according to DHS.

He was connected to the killings through DNA evidence, authorities said.

Aviles was murdered on April 14, 2018; her body was discovered by a passing motorist. She was last seen alive at Club Caribe in Austin with an unidentified Hispanic man. Bastrop County detectives found evidence that Aviles had been dragged, strangled, and assaulted, noting mud on her clothing and feet, bruising on her neck, chin, and lip, and blood on her face and the exterior of her car.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN CHEERLEADER'S MURDER 'KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING' DESPITE LATEST CLAIM, MOM SAYS

Detectives also found one of her earrings 10 feet away from the vehicle, Fox 7 Austin reported.

Benítez-González told detectives he was defending himself, claiming Aviles attacked him during an argument over drugs. He allegedly admitted to grabbing her by the neck from behind and strangling her for approximately seven minutes.

Rivera's body was found by Austin police in an abandoned home on June 21, 2024. She was discovered with an extension cord wrapped around her neck. Police also found a bloody rock, bloody handprints, and evidence that Rivera had been forcibly dragged into the house and assaulted.

PATEL TOUTS FBI DNA BREAKTHROUGH HE SAYS BUSTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT IN DECADE-LONG SERIAL RAPE CASE

A medical examiner determined Rivera had been struck in the head and nose. Surveillance footage showed her walking with a man shortly before she was killed. In that case, Benítez-González claimed Rivera tried to strangle him with a seatbelt, which he then turned on her, according to reports.

"There was DNA found at both scenes," APD Sgt. Nathan Sexton said in 2024. "Multiple sources of DNA at both scenes, but the same suspect links back in both cases."

The suspect, however, was not in the police database because he had no prior arrest record. In December 2025, Austin detectives were notified of two incidents where a man shot two women in separate attacks weeks apart. Authorities later received a tip that Benítez-González was the shooter and was attempting to sell firearms in an effort to flee the United States.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Dallas Police Department and the Dallas County Sheriff's Office for further comment.

The Chattanooga Police Department said Officer Rogers arrived at the scene on May 1, reaching the house before firefighters.

The Department stated that when Rogers arrived, he encountered a two-story structure with flames visible on the front door and the exterior and interior walls of a second-floor home. The fire was already extending into the attic space above.

FROM PROM NIGHT TO HEROIC RESCUE: HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SAVE FAMILY FROM RAGING FIRE

After neighbors informed Rogers that people were still inside, he "jumped into action" to rescue a woman and two children. He then returned with a fire extinguisher to suppress the flames on the front porch.

"Luckily, no injuries were reported," the department said in a Facebook post featuring bodycam footage. The department noted that while its officers are not trained in firefighting, they are "proud to have exemplary officers like [Rogers]" and thanked him for his dedication to the community.

TEXAS WOMAN CHARGED FOR APARTMENT FIRE AFTER ALLEGEDLY BURNING BOYFRIEND’S CLOTHES IN BBQ PIT

According to WTVC, Rogers carried 4-year-old Marlowe to safety while her mother, Rachel Blaylock, followed with her 10-year-old son, Charles.

"I keep thinking back: 'How was I going to get two kids down the stairs?'" Blaylock told WTVC. "He just grabs [Marlowe], and he was willing to go back in. I was trying to tell him that no one else was there, but he was already going back up."

The Chattanooga Fire Department confirmed the blaze was knocked down within 20 minutes and that the Red Cross is now assisting the residents. An online fundraiser noted that the Blaylock home was destroyed and the family lost all of their belongings.

Jovan Trevino, 38, apologized for her actions before the sentencing, saying she was not in her "right mind" at the time of the murders. Police in Henderson, Nevada, found Trevino's two children, Christopher Fox, 4, and Gihanna Fox, 1, dead inside the family's home in July 2021.

"On Monday July 19, 2021, my babies’ precious, innocent lives were taken at the hands of their mommy," Trevino told District Judge Carli Kierny, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

"I truly was not in the right mind, in the darkest place that I’ve ever been, which is evident by the horrific crime that I did commit," she added.

KILLER MOM SUSAN SMITH IS NOW 'COMPLETE NIGHTMARE' AFTER PAROLE WAS DENIED: REPORT

While handing down the life sentence, Kierny had a message for Trevino.

"I know that as you live out the rest of your life in a jail cell, you'll probably see them at night, you'll think of them," she said. "That's really the only tribute left that you can give them at this point." 

Kierny added: "I will remember your case forever."

Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney John Giordani called the murders an "unforgivable crime."

"This is one of the most extreme cases of matricide that I’ve seen in my 15-year career," Giordani said during proceedings.

Police said that Trevino told officers that she had drugged herself with a sleeping aid and alcohol before carrying out the murders.

The children’s father, Christopher Fox, and their grandmother, Shawna Fox, also testified before the court prior to Trevino's sentencing.

"The cruelty of what you did by leaving them floating dead in their bathtubs for their daddy to find them when he got home from work is unthinkable," Shawna Fox said.

"I just want the courts to remember my kids as joyous loving children. Nothing else," Christopher Fox said.

Prosecutors allege Changli "Sophia" Luo demanded as much as $1 billion, later reduced to $50 million, while threatening to "destroy" the billionaire investor with fabricated explicit images and reporting him to authorities.

She was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport last year with a one-way ticket to her native China, according to court documents.

FBI CAPTURES BANGLADESHI FUGITIVE EXTRADITED IN MASSIVE ONLINE CHILD SEXTORTION CASE

Bail filings show her $500,000 bond was secured by a man named Robin Mui, whom the New York Post identified Wednesday as an executive at a U.S.-based newspaper with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

But her defense team says she's not a flight risk after surrendering her passport.

Luo is the founder of One World Initiative, a New York-based nonprofit focused on "climate change, economic development, world health" and other topics, according to its LinkedIn. The nonprofit's website was not accessible Wednesday, but archived versions call for "net zero emissions by 2050" and describe climate change as "the number one challenge facing humanity."

Edens, 64, is a billionaire Wall Street investor and part owner of the Bucks.

COZY TIES BETWEEN TOP NEWSOM ALLY AND CCP OFFICIAL UNEARTHED ON NETWORKING SITE: 'SHE HELPED ME A LOT'

"In or about May 2024, LUO sent two letters to Victim-1 via iMessage, accusing Victim-1, among other things, of having 'misled' LUO in order to have sex with her, and, in the alternative, having sex with LUO while she was mentally incapacitated or mentally disabled," prosecutors wrote in court filings. 

"LUO stated in these letters that her 'home has cameras,' and that '[e]verything [Victim-1] did was caught on camera,' which LUO will expose to 'mass media,' if Victim-1 did not apologize."

The two initially reached a settlement for around $6 million before she discovered she'd contracted HPV from the encounter, according to a court filing from one of her defense attorneys, Arthur Aidala.

He filed a motion to dismiss the case last month, arguing her previous civil attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, mishandled settlement negotiations and made threats against Edens.

BLAKE LIVELY ACCUSED OF USING JOURNALIST 'AS A PAWN' IN JUSTIN BALDONI SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWSUIT

Luo used Blackburn to seek a new settlement with a much higher payout — more than $1 billion at first, later reduced to $50 million, according to the filing. Now, her criminal defense team claims that Blackburn's conduct during the settlement negotiations included threats to "destroy" Edens.

In the motion to dismiss, Luo's defense argued that Blackburn made the most aggressive statements but has not been charged.

In a fiery email to Fox News Digital, Blackburn disputed many of the defense team's claims.

"Sophia Luo's counsel is attempting to distract from the evidence by using me as a scapegoat for conduct that occurred before I was involved," he wrote.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

He claimed the most damaging evidence predates his involvement, including "fabricated AI videos, fake medical records, fake nonprofit claims, fake business websites, threats involving a person's children and family, and escalating monetary demands of $1 billion, $750 million, $500 million, $250 million, and $175 million."

Blackburn also said he warned Luo against her conduct.

"Her counsel may also want to ask their client about the many warnings I gave her, and the fact that I never filed the civil lawsuit against Mr. Edens — despite her relentless demands that I do so," he wrote.

He ended with a challenge.

BLAKE LIVELY DEMANDS JUSTIN BALDONI'S PHONE RECORDS TO EXPOSE METHODS ALLEGEDLY USED TO 'DESTROY' HER

"If her attorneys believe my conduct is relevant to their defense, they should subpoena me," he added. "I will gladly appear, testify under oath and answer every question truthfully."

During the second negotiations, Luo allegedly threatened the following:

"If Victim-1 does not take 'responsibility,' Luo was determined to 'destroy' Victim-1," prosecutors wrote. "LUO had multiple cameras in the apartment where the Sexual Encounter occurred and LUO had at least two videos and pictures of the Sexual Encounter, which she would provide to others absent a resolution."

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

Further, she's accused of threatening to report him to federal investigators for allegedly bribing government officials.

Federal prosecutors, however, are alleging a complex plot to not only shake down Edens but also to hide evidence from the FBI.

SEND US A TIP HERE

"On April 5, 2025, before the execution of the search warrants in May [2025], the defendant Googled the name of one of the Assistant United States Attorneys handling this case, suggesting that she was aware that federal law enforcement had been investigating her as early as that date," prosecutors wrote in a bail filing.

When agents arrived at her Manhattan apartment with a search warrant, she allegedly ignored their calls, texts and knocks on the door until a building maintenance worker let them inside. The search turned up multiple cellphones, one hidden in dirty laundry and another with sanitary pads and digital drives, and she allegedly had edited photos showing Edens' face on the body of another man during sexual activities.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

The two first met in 2022 after Luo reached out to Edens on LinkedIn, according to court documents.

They went on a couple of dates and then had sex at her apartment.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

After that, prosecutors allege she professed her love for him in a text message.

"I never told you I love you, and tonight I want to tell you that, I have been restraining my feeling for you," one excerpt, quoted in court documents, said. "As I do love you from the bottom of my heart!"

Edens did not respond. Several months later, she reached out again, and he ignored her. Then she allegedly showed up at his new girlfriend's job using a fake name and claiming he had forced her to get an abortion and "was a horrible and terrible person" she likened to Jeffrey Epstein, according to court documents.

The judge has not yet ruled on Luo's motion to dismiss the case.