PA's Former Chief Justice, Decorated Vietnam War Hero Dies At 82
A decorated Vietnam War hero who lost his leg in combat before becoming Philadelphia's district attorney and Pennsylvania's chief justice has died, state officials announced.
Ronald D. Castille, 82, died on Wednesday, Nov. 4, according to a release issued by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on Thursday, Nov. 5.
Castille, who served as Pennsylvania's 55th chief justice from 2008 until 2014, spent decades in public service after surviving a devastating battlefield injury on his 23rd birthday.
On March 16, 1967, Castille was leading a Marine rifle platoon on a search-and-destroy mission near…
Kimmarie Johnson Dies: 'Beverly Hills, 90210' Actress, Former Pageant Winner
Kimmarie Johnson, whose career took her from Pennsylvania’s pageant stage to “Beverly Hills, 90210,” has died.
Johnson died Wednesday, Nov. 4, her niece, Rhonda Scott, told TMZ. The actress and model was 50.
Scott said Johnson suffered a cardiac event at her Los Angeles home on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Doctors diagnosed a heart aneurysm condition, according to Scott’s account to TMZ.
Her career included television appearances, movie roles, international modeling, and a skincare business.
Johnson had strong western Pennsylvania ties. In a Pittsburgh …
Murder-Suicide: Family ID'd After Dad Pushes His Children Off Parking Garage, Then Jumps
A father pushed his two children off a Pennsylvania parking garage before jumping in a murder-suicide that prompted two elementary schools to close, officials said.
Patrick Lynch, 42, and his children, James Lynch, 8, and Caroline Lynch, 6, were identified as the three people found dead in Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny County, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, officials said.
Caroline had Williams syndrome, her mother, Anna DeMase Lynch, shared in a 2024 Facebook fundraiser for the Williams Syndrome Association.
“Our beautiful daughter, Caroline, has Williams syndrome and the WSA nonprofit is our greatest supp…
Democrats Flip 3 PA House Seats: Ex-TV Anchor Ousts Perry, Stock-Trading Rep Loses
A former television news anchor, a Scranton mayor, and a retired firefighter are projected to unseat three Republican members of Congress in Pennsylvania as Democrats make major gains in the U.S. House on Election Night, Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Democrats Janelle Stelson, Paige Cognetti, and Bob Brooks are projected to defeat Republican U.S. Reps. Scott Perry, Rob Bresnahan Jr., and Ryan Mackenzie, respectively, flipping three congressional districts, according to NBC News.
A fourth Republican incumbent, U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, was trailing Democratic Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie by mo…
Josh Shapiro Projected To Win Second Term As Pennsylvania Governor
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is projected to win a second term, defeating Republican challenger Stacy Garrity in the closely watched battleground state, according to NBC News.
The Democratic incumbent was marked as the projected winner Tuesday night, Nov. 3, with approximately 6.8% of the expected vote counted.
At that point, Shapiro had 294,225 votes, or 81.4%, compared with Garrity’s 64,590 votes, or 17.9%. Ken Krawchuk had 2,826 votes, or 0.8%.
Those early returns do not represent the final margin of victory, with millions of ballots still expected to be counted.
First elected govern…
'I'm Suicidal, Not An Idiot': New Twists In Pocono Great Wolf Lodge Mom's Double Homicide Case
Four developments have emerged in the case against a Pennsylvania mother accused of stabbing her husband and 3-year-old son to death during a family vacation at Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos, including a correction to her chilling statement to investigators.
Metallica Rose Harrison, 27, of Towanda, waived her preliminary hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 3, as prosecutors sought to amend three details in the original affidavit of probable cause concerning the Monday, Oct. 12, killings of her husband, Charles "Chaz" Harrison, 36, and their son, Tristan, at the resort in Scotrun, Monroe County.
The …
21-Year-Old Killed In Bethlehem Shooting, Juvenile In Custody As Homicide Charge Planned
A Pennsylvania shooting has turned deadly, and investigators are working to add a homicide charge against a juvenile already in custody, police announced on Monday, Nov. 2.
Jose Yapur De Los-Santos, 21, of Bethlehem, was shot in the 1100 block of Maple Street in the Northampton County portion of Bethlehem at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, authorities said.
He was taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem, where he was pronounced dead at 1:09 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio said.
His death resulted from a gunshot injury and was ruled a …
Lebanon Bell Customer Sent Explicit Image To Juvenile Worker, Doused Manager In Soda: PD
A Taco Bell customer sent a sexually explicit image to a juvenile worker after being warned employees were minors, doused a manager with soda, and threatened staff at a Pennsylvania restaurant, police said.
Nicholas Jerome Wennik, 33, of Womelsdorf, was being held in Lebanon County Prison after failing to post $40,000 monetary bail, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Monday, Nov. 2.
Wennik was a customer who repeatedly visited the drive-through at the Taco Bell at 2100 W. Cumberland Street in North Cornwall Township, Lebanon County, according to the affidavit.
He repea…
Motorcyclist Killed In Route 30 Crash In Pennsylvania ID’d
A motorcyclist killed in a collision with a sedan on Route 30 in Pennsylvania has been identified, the coroner’s office announced Friday, Oct. 30.
Richard Pieper, 62, of Paradise, PA, originally of New York, was pronounced dead at the scene on Lincoln Highway at Simmontown Road in Salisbury Township, according to the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office.
The crash happened around 3:53 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, emergency dispatchers said.
The coroner’s office responded at 4:56 a.m., and a coroner investigator pronounced Pieper dead, according to the release.
Pieper was transported to the Lancas…
Seafood Recall Alert: Potentially Deadly Illness Risk Prompts Warning
A seafood recall is prompting an urgent warning for shoppers: The fish could pose a life-threatening risk even if it looks and smells normal.
Haifa Smoked Fish, based in Queens, New York, is recalling approximately 560 pounds of cold smoked sprats because of potential contamination with Clostridium botulinum, according to its announcement posted by the FDA.
The bacterium can cause botulism, a potentially fatal illness. The recall includes all lots, and the company initiated it Tuesday, Oct. 27.
The fish went to retailers, restaurants, wholesalers, and food service customers in New York, Ne…
Pets Dumped In Landfill In $650K Pennsylvania Cremation Scheme; Owner Pleads Guilty
Thousands of grieving Pennsylvania pet owners paid for cremations and burials, but many of their animals were dumped in a landfill and replaced with ashes from unknown animals — a scheme the business owner has now admitted to, authorities announced Thursday, Oct. 22.
Patrick Vereb Sr., 72, owner of Pittsburgh-based Eternity Pet Memorial, pleaded guilty to all charges involving the theft of more than $650,000 from customers between 2021 and 2024, according to Attorney General Dave Sunday.
His bail was revoked Thursday, and he was committed to prison.
More than 6,500 victims across Allegheny…
PhD Student Who Killed Infant, Abused Twin Baby Brother In PA Sentenced
A former PhD student from New Jersey who killed her friend’s infant son and abused his twin brother was sentenced in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, Oct. 28, court records show.
Nicole Elizabeth Virzi, 32, of Saddle Brook, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, aggravated assault, and endangering the welfare of children in the death of 6-week-old Leon Katz and injuries to his twin brother.
Leon was alert, behaving normally, and had no head injuries when his parents left him with Virzi at their Pittsburgh apartment, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Thursday, Oct. 29.
His p…
Lancaster Man Flipped Table, Charged Toward Judge During Hearing: DA
A Pennsylvania man flipped over a courtroom table, nearly injured his own attorney and charged toward a judge during a hearing on allegations he burned, struck and strangled a woman, authorities announced on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Fletcher Morton, 57, of the 600 block of East King Street, Lancaster is accused of charging toward Magisterial District Judge Andrew LeFever during a preliminary hearing on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 21, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.
A Pennsylvania State Constable restrained Morton before anyone was injured inside the courtroom in the 7…
Ephrata Hospital Worker Struck In Face By Woman: Police
A woman struck a health care worker in the face at a Pennsylvania hospital, police announced on Monday, Oct. 26.
Tataityanna Mati Harris, 23, of Harrisburg was arrested following the assault at WellSpan Hospital, 169 Martin Avenue in Ephrata Borough, police said.
Officers responded at 11:17 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, after the assault was reported. They interviewed the health care worker and reviewed hospital security footage, which showed Harris striking the worker in the face, according to the Ephrata Police Department.
Harris was charged with one count of second-degree felony aggravated assa…
