Convicted

Louisiana Man Convicted of Gruesome 2020 Murder of Girlfriend Amid Alleged COVID-19 Accusation

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LACOMBE, La. — A Lacombe resident, Fernando Cortez, 30, was convicted of second-degree murder in the brutal killing of his girlfriend, Sandra Aldridge, in a case that shocked the community in April 2020. The verdict, reached after just 20 minutes of deliberations by a St. Tammany Parish jury, underlines a disturbing episode of domestic violence ending in a gruesome crime. In the early morning hours of April 17, 2020, Cortez made a chilling 911 call claiming both he and his wife were stabbed and near death. During police questioning, he confessed to killing Aldridge by … Read more

Man Convicted of Terrorist Act Appeals Murder Convictions in Attack on Muslim Family

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LONDON, Ontario – Nathaniel Veltman, the man responsible for the brutal murder of four members of a Muslim family in a terror-driven attack, has filed an appeal seeking to overturn his convictions, according to his defense lawyer, Christopher Hicks. The “inmate notice of appeal” was submitted within the required 30-day window after Veltman’s sentencing. In February, Veltman received a life sentence with no possibility of parole for 25 years after being found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. The charges stemmed from his deliberate act of driving his … Read more

Missouri Legislator Proposes Letting Juries Solely Decide Death Penalty for Convicted Murderers

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JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri – A proposed bill in Missouri is seeking to change the way the death penalty is implemented in the state. Currently, if a jury cannot come to a unanimous decision on a prison sentence for someone convicted of first-degree murder, the trial judge has the authority to decide whether the person should be sentenced to death. However, Representative Bishop Davidson, a Republican from Republic, is sponsoring a bill that would only allow juries to make this decision, excluding the role of the judge. The bill aims to address concerns about the fairness … Read more

Convicted Murderer Alex Murdaugh Receives 40-Year Sentence for Financial Crimes in Federal Court

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HAMPTON COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA – Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh was given a 40-year prison sentence on Monday by a federal judge, following his guilty plea to numerous financial crimes. These crimes included charges of conspiracy, fraud, and money laundering. The judge also ordered Murdaugh to pay over $8.7 million in restitution to his victims. This federal sentence will run concurrently with the 27-year sentence he is already serving for similar misconduct in state court. Murdaugh, a disbarred attorney, was found guilty in state court of defrauding his personal injury clients and law firm out of … Read more