Oakey woman Trudy Wright Dodd has been remembered as a “beautiful soul” with a “smile that would light any room” after she died in an alleged hit and run.
Key points:
Trudy Wright Dodd’s body was found near Oakey on Saturday
Ms Dodd was remembered as a “beautiful” person
Police are speaking to a driver suspected to be involved in Ms Dodd’s death
Ms Dodd’s body was found on the side of 4AK Road in the town, north-west of Toowoomba, on Saturday morning.
Investigators believed she was struck by a car sometime between midnight and 8am.
A tip off from a member of the public led police to the vehicle suspected to be involved in the incident.
The driver was assisting police with their inquiries and police were yet to lay any changes.
Ms Dodd’s work colleagues remembered the 47-year-old for her generosity.
She worked at Distributors TCW, a confection wholesaler in Toowoomba, and was recently recognized for more than five years’ service with the company.
“Trudy Wright Dodd, my good work colleague, supervisor and friend, you were and always will be in my thoughts,” Rodney Bugeja wrote on social media.
“Thank you for all your generosity and understanding towards me whilst I worked at TCW, you were an absolute pleasure to work under.”
A police officer at the site of the suspected hit and run which resulted in the death of Ms Dodd near Oakey.(ABC News: Lucas Hill)
Another colleague said Ms Dodd was “nothing but a beautiful soul” and she had a “smile that would light any room.”
Ms Dodd was also a longtime supporter of the local Oakey Bears rugby league club.
“Our football community has been rocked by this tragedy,” the club said in a statement.
“The Oakey Bears Senior RLFC are shocked and deeply saddened by news we have lost one of our great longtime supporters Trudy Dodd.”
The Forensic Crash Unit is continuing to investigate Ms Dodd’s death.
Detectives say a man arrested over the death of a woman in north Queensland had been in a relationship with the victim for several months.
Key points:
Police say there were no domestic violence orders in place between the pair
Autopsy results are set to be released tomorrow
Authorities say the man was arrested at a service station in Proserpine
Mother of four Tania Trickey, 44, was killed at Bluewater, near Townsville, some time on Saturday morning.
A group of teenagers riding quad bikes discovered the body on a sandy track in bushland that afternoon.
Police arrested a 38-year-old Deeragun man at a service station in Proserpine around 8:30pm on Sunday after his car was spotted by patrolling officers.
“Police were basically able to take him by surprise,” Detective Inspector Jason Shepherd said.
Police have seized the man’s vehicle, which will be subject to forensic examination.
“We hope to obviously find evidence that will link our person of interest and the vehicle to the crime scene [at Bluewater],” Detective Inspector Shepherd said.
Pair allegedly drove to remote area together
Police believe the woman died on Saturday.(ABC News: Lily Nothling)
Police said the man and Ms Trickey had been in a relationship for a few months.
The pair allegedly drove to the remote area at Bluewater together on Saturday where the woman was later found dead.
Detective Inspector Shepherd said they were able to identify the man after his vehicle was captured on dash-cam footage near the scene.
“If he’s charged, it would be linked to what we call a domestic violence offence,” he said.
‘But at this stage there was no current domestic and family violence orders between the person of interest and the victim and police had never attended any domestic and family violence incidents between the victim and the person of interest,’ he said.
Police would not confirm how Ms Trickey died but said an autopsy would be carried out on Tuesday.
Detective Inspector Shepherd said both she and the person of interest were known to police.
The man remains in custody in Mackay, where he will be questioned by detectives.
Detectives have launched a homicide investigation after a suspicious house fire in north Queensland claimed a woman’s life.
Key points:
Police believe the fire that killed a 47-year-old woman was deliberately lit
Detectives are yet to speak to her seriously injured partner
The Ethical Standards Command is reviewing the couple’s interaction with police before the blaze
Acting Chief Superintendent Chris Lawson said detectives believed the fire was deliberately lit.
The 47-year-old woman suffered severe burns and died in hospital after the blaze in the rural town of Ayr on Tuesday morning.
The woman’s partner, a 65-year-old man, remains in a serious condition in the Royal Brisbane Hospital and police have been unable to speak with him.
Police attended the home for a welfare check just hours before the blaze broke out and spoke to the couple.
The burnt-out home was declared a crime scene.(ABC North Qld: Baz Ruddick)
Acting Chief Superintendent Lawson said that interaction was now the subject of an internal police review.
“We don’t want to rule anything out at this stage and we don’t want to speculate — until we actually speak with this male [it] it is difficult for us to establish exactly what the reasoning behind the whole incident was,” he said.
“The man and woman were in a domestic relationship and there was a current domestic violence protection order protecting the 47-year-old female.
“We’re working closely with the staff at the hospital to ensure that as soon as [the man] is able to, he will be speaking with the police.”
Acting Chief Superintendent Lawson said the domestic violence order had been in place since 2018 and did not prohibit the couple from living together.
He said they had lived at the property in Ayr for about a year before the fire and were known to police.
Acting Chief Superintendent Chris Lawson in Townsville.(ABC North Qld: Lily Nothling)
He said officers had been called to the property before the fire.
“We received a call for a request for service and we attended the scene,” he said.
“At that stage, police received assistance from the Queensland Ambulance Service to conduct investigations into the matter that was before them, and as a result of that they left both parties at the address.
“It’s not a great result and that’s why we have the Ethical Standards Command and the CCC [Crime and Corruption Commission] overviewing the investigation into that initial interaction with the couple.”
Police have been doorknocking residents in Ayr and have urged anyone with relevant CCTV or dashcam footage to contact them.
“The Queensland Police Service has launched a homicide investigation, codenamed Operation Uniform Turmeric, in relation to this investigation,” Acting Chief Superintendent Lawson said.
“Our investigators will be looking to glean as much information from the community around the couple and what their interactions were with them.”
For Samantha Barrass and her family, the loss of their golden labrador Pepper this week has been made even harder by the knowledge it may have stemmed from a deliberate, malicious act.
Key points:
Sunshine Coast Council has received reports of seven dogs poisoned at Buddina
The council, police and RSPCA investigators are working to determine the cause
Coast dog owners are in shock and taking extra precautions
“It’s unbelievable… it just makes you sick to the stomach… there’s no words,” Ms Barrass said.
“I don’t know how you could harm let alone kill an innocent, defenseless animal and a dog… that provides so much joy.”
Pepper was one of five dogs to die after visiting Buddina beach — a popular off-leash area on the Sunshine Coast.
Pepper exhibited poisoning symptoms several hours after her walk.
Ms Barass said her dog died at the vet clinic on Tuesday
Breaking the news to her five-year-old daughter was one of the hardest things she’d had to do.
“She just wants Pepper to be home and can’t kind of comprehend what’s happened,” Ms Barass said.
“She was the happiest dog…stupidly happy…she was the brightest of all of us.”
Pepper’s family are devastated after she succumbed to poisoning symptoms on Tuesday.(Supplied: Samantha Barrass)
Dog bowls removed
Sunshine Coast police and the RSPCA are investigating, with at least seven dogs affected, including the five that have died.
Sunshine Coast Council has removed a dog drinking bowl from beach access 210.(ABC Sunshine Coast: Jessica Ross)
Several of the owners told authorities their dogs had drunk from water bowls at Buddina, near beach access 210.
Sunshine Coast councilor Joe Natoli said portable drinking bowls had been removed while fixed bowls had been sealed to prevent further contamination.
“We’ll increase our surveillance of the area,” Mr Natoli said.
“Council is actually asking people that if they if they have their dogs, and they’re in off leash areas, to be very vigilant to make sure that they keep an eye on their dogs.”
Joe Natoli says water bowls have been removed or sealed.(ABC Sunshine Coast: Kylie Bartholomew)
Kawana Waters police officer-in-charge Mark Cordwell encouraged pet owners to make an official report.
“We would like to try and pinpoint the location where all these dogs were may have frequented, as well as the times,” Senior Sergeant Cordwell said.
If found to be a deliberate act, those responsible could face up to seven years in jail.
“It is concerning enough for us to commence an investigation.”
Billy the beagle is one of five dogs that have died after a spate of suspected poisonings.(Supplied: Doggie Adventure Playhouse)
dog lovers in shock
The news has rocked the Sunshine Coast community, particularly dog park regulars.
Many took to social media to say they wouldn’t be visiting the area until the source of the poisoning had been found.
Buderim resident Gary, who didn’t want to give his full name, didn’t take his dog I went to the park on Wednesday but spent the morning warning other walkers.
“I thought I’d come down here and sit for half an hour and anyone with a dog coming along, I would mention to them just in case they hadn’t heard the news,” Gary said.
“So that they can be wary and maybe keep their dog on the leash and prevent them from eating something, if there’s something around.”
Gary, from Buderim, didn’t want to walk his dog I went after hearing of suspected poisonings.(ABC Sunshine Coast: Kylie Bartholomew)
Meanwhile, Ms Barrass said she was determined to help with the investigation into the dog deaths to ensure there was justice for the animals lost.
“Pepper was only four… it would be different if she went from old age or she developed a health complaint,” she said.
“For someone… an individual or a group of people… to be part of the death… that’s just viciousness.”
NARAGANSETT, RI (WFSB) – The Block Island ferry in Rhode Island was a crime scene on Tuesday morning.
Police boarded the boat on Monday night after eyewitnesses reported that a major fight broke out on it.
Some dramatic video from the scene was shared with the media.
Nani Santiago recorded video of police boarding a Block Island ferry the evening of Aug. 8.
Nani Santiago was on the ferry and captured the footage late Monday night as the incident unfolded. Officers could be seen jumping from a transport boat right onto the moving ferry.
A short time later, law enforcement agents rushed through the scene with their guns drawn.
It happened near the Port of Galilee, which is in the Point Judith section of Narragansett.
Eyewitnesses told Channel 3 that the ferry was packed because of a reggae festival. They said a huge fight between two groups of people threw the boat into chaos and that multiple people were hurt.
Police have not confirmed that information. However, reporters captured video of several ambulances leaving the scene.
The situation became a massive investigation.
Channel 3 learned on Tuesday morning that the Narragansett Police Department ceded primary control of the investigation to Rhode Island State Police, although multiple other departments are assisting them along with several K9 units.
A massive investigation was underway at the Block Island ferry terminal at Point Judith.
Law enforcement will be searching areas in Tilton and Northfield on Saturday in connection to the ongoing investigation into the triple homicide of a mother and her two sons. Officials said Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and her two sons, Benjamin Sweeney, 4, and Mason Sweeney , 1, each died of a single gunshot wound. Autopsies by the chief medical examiner revealed that the manner of each death was homicide. The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office said New Hampshire State Police and other law enforcement agencies will be in Tilton and Northfield in the areas of Shaker Road, Laconia Road, Wethersfield Road , Tilton Road, and the ramp areas entering I-93. The search is for physical evidence and is part of the investigation and not the result of new information in the case. The search poses no danger to the public, the Attorney General’s Office said. Officials asked the public to stay off properties of the search area, allow investigators to complete their work and for the public to respect the privacy of residents in the area. The bodies of Sweeney and her sons de ella were discovered Wednesday at their home de ella on Wethersfield Drive. Senior Assistant Attorney General Geoffrey Ward stressed that officials believe there is no danger to the public and the killings were not the result of a random event. Ward said that while officials believe all parties have been identified in the case, “I have not said we know who did it.” He said no arrests have been made in the case, and no one has been charged. Sources told News 9 that Northfield and state police were called to the address just before 11:30 am Wednesday after someone reported that several people might have been injured. When officers arrived, they found the bodies of Sweeney and her two sons of her. A silver Ford F-150 was taken away on a flatbed truck Thursday morning, but there was no word as to why it was removed. K-9 units were also seen going in and out of the home, and officers began searching a wooded area near the home later in the day. Ward said the investigation is active and ongoing. A GoFundMe was launched for the family to help with funeral expenses.
NORTHFIELD, NH—
Law enforcement will be searching areas in Tilton and Northfield on Saturday in connection to the ongoing investigation into the triple homicide of a mother and her two sons.
Officials said Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and her two sons, Benjamin Sweeney, 4, and Mason Sweeney, 1, each died of a single gunshot wound. Autopsies by the chief medical examiner revealed that the manner of each death was homicide.
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office said New Hampshire State Police and other law enforcement agencies will be in Tilton and Northfield in the areas of Shaker Road, Laconia Road, Wethersfield Road, Tilton Road, and the ramp areas entering I-93.
The search is for physical evidence and is part of the investigation and not the result of new information in the case. The search poses no danger to the public, the Attorney General’s Office said.
Officials asked the public to stay off properties of the search area, allow investigators to complete their work and for the public to respect the privacy of residents in the area.
The bodies of Sweeney and her sons were discovered Wednesday at their home on Wethersfield Drive.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Geoffrey Ward stressed that officials believe there is no danger to the public and the killings were not the result of a random event.
Ward said that while officials believe all parties have been identified in the case, “I have not said we know who did it.”
He said no arrests have been made in the case, and no one has been charged.
Sources told News 9 that Northfield and state police were called to the address just before 11:30 am Wednesday after someone reported that several people might have been injured. When officers arrived, they found the bodies of Sweeney and her two sons of her.
A silver Ford F-150 was taken away on a flatbed truck Thursday morning, but there was no word as to why it was removed.
K-9 units were also seen going in and out of the home, and officers began searching a wooded area near the home later in the day.
Ward said the investigation is active and ongoing.
A GoFundMe was launched for the family to help with funeral expenses.
Law enforcement will be searching areas in Tilton and Northfield on Saturday in connection to the ongoing investigation into the triple homicide of a mother and her two sons. Officials said Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and her two sons, Benjamin Sweeney, 4, and Mason Sweeney , 1, each died of a single gunshot wound. Autopsies by the chief medical examiner revealed that the manner of each death was homicide. The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office said New Hampshire State Police and other law enforcement agencies will be in Tilton and Northfield in the areas of Shaker Road, Laconia Road, Wethersfield Road , Tilton Road, and the ramp areas entering I-93. The search is for physical evidence and is part of the investigation and not the result of new information in the case. The search poses no danger to the public, the Attorney General’s Office said. Officials asked the public to stay off properties of the search area, allow investigators to complete their work and for the public to respect the privacy of residents in the area. The bodies of Sweeney and her sons de ella were discovered Wednesday at their home de ella on Wethersfield Drive. Senior Assistant Attorney General Geoffrey Ward stressed that officials believe there is no danger to the public and the killings were not the result of a random event. Ward said that while officials believe all parties have been identified in the case, “I have not said we know who did it.” He said no arrests have been made in the case, and no one has been charged. Sources told News 9 that Northfield and state police were called to the address just before 11:30 am Wednesday after someone reported that several people might have been injured. When officers arrived, they found the bodies of Sweeney and her two sons of her. A silver Ford F-150 was taken away on a flatbed truck Thursday morning, but there was no word as to why it was removed. K-9 units were also seen going in and out of the home, and officers began searching a wooded area near the home later in the day. Ward said the investigation is active and ongoing. A GoFundMe was launched for the family to help with funeral expenses.
NORTHFIELD, NH—
Law enforcement will be searching areas in Tilton and Northfield on Saturday in connection to the ongoing investigation into the triple homicide of a mother and her two sons.
Officials said Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and her two sons, Benjamin Sweeney, 4, and Mason Sweeney, 1, each died of a single gunshot wound. Autopsies by the chief medical examiner revealed that the manner of each death was homicide.
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office said New Hampshire State Police and other law enforcement agencies will be in Tilton and Northfield in the areas of Shaker Road, Laconia Road, Wethersfield Road, Tilton Road, and the ramp areas entering I-93.
The search is for physical evidence and is part of the investigation and not the result of new information in the case. The search poses no danger to the public, the Attorney General’s Office said.
Officials asked the public to stay off properties of the search area, allow investigators to complete their work and for the public to respect the privacy of residents in the area.
The bodies of Sweeney and her sons were discovered Wednesday at their home on Wethersfield Drive.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Geoffrey Ward stressed that officials believe there is no danger to the public and the killings were not the result of a random event.
Ward said that while officials believe all parties have been identified in the case, “I have not said we know who did it.”
He said no arrests have been made in the case, and no one has been charged.
Sources told News 9 that Northfield and state police were called to the address just before 11:30 am Wednesday after someone reported that several people might have been injured. When officers arrived, they found the bodies of Sweeney and her two sons of her.
A silver Ford F-150 was taken away on a flatbed truck Thursday morning, but there was no word as to why it was removed.
K-9 units were also seen going in and out of the home, and officers began searching a wooded area near the home later in the day.
Ward said the investigation is active and ongoing.
A GoFundMe was launched for the family to help with funeral expenses.
A punch-up between brothers has ended in tragedy, with one dead and the other set to remain in custody for now, after being denied bail.
Key points:
Peter Kinthari’s brother had flown in from the remote community of Wadeye before the pair became entangled in a fight
Judge David Woodroffe described the matter as “simply too serious” to allow for bail
The court heard the accused would likely face family retribution while in prison
Peter Kinthari, a 39-year-old father-of-six, has been charged with a manslaughter after the death of his brother in the northern Darwin suburb of Jingili on Wednesday night.
Northern Territory Police have described the death as a “domestic violence incident”.
During a bail application on Friday afternoon, the court heard the brothers, who hailed from the remote community of Wadeye, had “engaged in a fair fight” during a prolonged drinking session.
Lawyer John Blackley, from the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency, said the accused’s brother and his wife had “flown in from Wadeye that day”, before they met with their family members and started drinking heavily.
The two brothers began arguing, with witnesses alleging that verbal taunts soon spilled over into physical violence, with an ensuing altercation lasting at least two hours.
Mr Blackley said, at one stage, the fighting was interrupted by an “intermission” where “both the accused and the deceased were hugging each other and were in good spirits”.
A witness statement alleges they saw Peter Kinthari “absolutely belt” someone else during the altercation.(ABC News: Che Chorley)
Accused could face retribution in prison, court hears
The then escalated once more, with the court hearing allegations read by the prosecutor from a “sober, independent” eyewitness that the accused king had hit his brother to the face.
“I saw the father fellow [Peter Kinthari] absolutely belt the skinnier guy, knocking him from a standing position to the ground,” the witness statement read.
Crown prosecutor Marty Aust said the witness had watched the victim “completely out of it, sitting on the road by himself” when he was approached by his brother, who was yelling at him aggressively.
“I then saw the shorter, fatter bloke strike the skinnier bloke very, very hard. It was hard enough to send the skinny bloke flying backwards … it was so hard I immediately assumed he’d been kicked in the head,” the eyewitness statement said.
“It was a bit hard to see, but it could’ve been a very hard kick or punch to the face, chest, or guts.”
The court heard the 41-year-old brother, whose name is withheld for cultural reasons, is believed to have died from a ruptured pancreas, which the prosecution will allege was caused by blunt force trauma inflicted during the fight.
The defense team said questions remained over the cause of death, citing an incident where the victim fell over in the shower in the immediate wake of the punch-up.
Judge David Woodroffe described the death as a “tragic incident” but refused bail to the accused on the grounds that it was “simply too serious” to do so.
Mr Blackley, who had pushed for bail so his client could look after his children, including two infants, said there was a chance Mr Kinthari would face threats of retribution from family members while on remand.
The accused will next face court in Darwin on September 28.
A 25-year-old woman and her two sons were found shot and killed in their Northfield home, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. Officials said Kassandra Sweeney, and her two sons Benjamin Sweeney, 4, and Mason Sweeney, 1, each died of a single gunshot wound. Autopsies by the chief medical examiner revealed each of their manner of deaths was homicide. The bodies of Sweeney and her sons de ella were discovered Wednesday at their home at 56 Wethersfield Drive. The investigation continued through Thursday. Sources told News 9 that Northfield and state police were called to the address just before 11:30 am Wednesday after someone reported that several people might have been injured. When officers arrived, they found the bodies of Sweeney and her two sons. The state police Major Crimes Unit returned to their home just before 9 am Thursday. A silver Ford F-150 was taken away on a flatbed truck Thursday morning, but there was no word as to why it was removed. K-9 units were also seen going in and out of the home, and officers began searching a wooded area near the home later in the day. “Investigators believe they’ve identified all individuals involved at this point and they don’t believe there’s any danger to the public,” said Geoffrey Ward, Senior Assistant Attorney General. Ward would not comment specifically on any suspects in the case. The attorney general’s office said no arrest warrants were issued, adding the investigation remains active. This is a developing story. It will be updated as more information comes in.
NORTHFIELD, NH—
A 25-year-old woman and her two sons were found shot and killed in their Northfield home, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.
Officials said Kassandra Sweeney, and her two sons Benjamin Sweeney, 4, and Mason Sweeney, 1, each died of a single gunshot wound. Autopsies by the chief medical examiner revealed each of their manner of deaths was homicide.
The bodies of Sweeney and her sons were discovered Wednesday at their home at 56 Wethersfield Drive.
The investigation continued through Thursday.
Sources told News 9 that Northfield and state police were called to the address just before 11:30 am Wednesday after someone reported that several people might have been injured. When officers arrived, they found the bodies of Sweeney and her two sons of her.
The state police Major Crimes Unit returned to their home just before 9 am Thursday.
A silver Ford F-150 was taken away on a flatbed truck Thursday morning, but there was no word as to why it was removed.
K-9 units were also seen going in and out of the home, and officers began searching a wooded area near the home later in the day.
“Investigators believe they’ve identified all individuals involved at this point and they don’t believe there’s any danger to the public,” said Geoffrey Ward, Senior Assistant Attorney General.
Ward would not comment specifically on any suspects in the case. The attorney general’s office said no arrest warrants were issued, adding the investigation remains active.
The investigation is ongoing and more information will be released as it becomes available, officials said.
This is a developing story. It will be updated as more information comes in.
Investigators have released autopsy reports on the victims and the suspect in the triple homicide at Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground. Officials say 42-year-old Tyler Schmidt died from a gunshot wound and multiple sharp force injuries. His wife, 42-year-old Sarah Schmidt, died from multiple sharp force injuries. Their daughter, 6-year-old Lula Schmidt, died from a gunshot wound and strangulation. All three family members’ deaths have been ruled homicides. The family’s 9-year-old son Arlo Schmidt survived the attack. The family is from Cedar Falls. Many there have paid tribute to them in recent weeks. Investigators report that 23-year-old Anthony Sherwin, of LaVista, Nebraska, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His death has been ruled a suicide. Investigators report that the woman who first called for assistance at the campgrounds was Sherwin’s mother.”He did run just to the first set of adults and it ends up being Sherwin’s mother who called 911,” Mitch Mortvedt with Iowa DCI said. Officials say all evidence collected points to Sherwin as the perpetrator. They believe he acted alone. Iowa DCI isn’t releasing some details out of respect for the family. “You try to wrap our rational minds around a very irrational behavior and I don’t mean to be that simple about it but sometimes you can’t understand or fathom what’s going on with someone,” Mortvedt said. Previous coverage:
ANKENY, Iowa —
Investigators have released autopsy reports on the victims and the suspect in the triple homicide at Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground.
Officials say 42-year-old Tyler Schmidt died from a gunshot wound and multiple sharp force injuries. His wife, 42-year-old Sarah Schmidt, died from multiple sharp force injuries.
Their daughter, 6-year-old Lula Schmidt, died from a gunshot wound and strangulation. All three family members’ deaths have been ruled homicides.
The family’s 9-year-old son Arlo Schmidt survived the attack. The family is from Cedar Falls. Many there have paid tribute to them in recent weeks.
Investigators report that 23-year-old Anthony Sherwin, of LaVista, Nebraska, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His death of him has been ruled a suicide.
Investigators report that the woman who first called for assistance at the campgrounds was Sherwin’s mother.
“He did run just to the first set of adults and it ends up being Sherwin’s mother who called 911,” Mitch Mortvedt with Iowa DCI said.
Officials say all evidence collected points to Sherwin as the perpetrator. They believe he acted alone.
Iowa DCI isn’t releasing some details out of respect for the family.
“You try to wrap our rational minds around a very irrational behavior and I don’t mean to be that simple about it but sometimes you can’t understand or fathom what’s going on with someone,” Mortvedt said.
