By some counts the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) has been the target of over 80 various kinds of bomb threats since the first warning of a bomb hidden on campus was found scrawled on the wall of a women's restroom on February 13. The threats have continued to pour …
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“Sextortion,” a form of sexual exploitation wherein many times teenagers are tricked and later forced to share sexually explicit images of themselves on the Internet, is on the rise. The FBI recently arrested 39-year-old Richard Finkbiner in Indiana, charging h …
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While French authorities ponder the reasons why a 24-year-old al Qaeda-linked killer murdered seven people in that country in the past week, including three children as they entered their school, three members of the French military and the father of two of the murdered child, A …
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Last week a man described as having tattoos on his face, wearing a helmet and driving a black motor scooter killed three ethnic minority (North African) French soldiers in southern France at two different shooting scenes by use of a .45 cal firearm. In one, after shooting …
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While most couples experience some type of challenge during their relationship, a significant number also experience emotional and sometimes physical violence. In the case of two University of Virginia students, their stormy relationship ended in the death of one an …
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Los Angeles investigators continue to press their investigation concerning the believed murder victim whose head, hands and feet were found alongside a well-traveled hiking trail in Bronson Canyon Park within the Hollywood Hills area and within sight of the famed “H …
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What’s Joran van der Sloot Planning Next?
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Joran van der Sloot (24), scheduled today (1/6/2012) to be sentenced for the May 30, 2010 murder of then 21-year-old Peruvian college student Stephany Flores, swaggered into court and advised the three judge panel that he needed more time to consider or "reflect" on his p …
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Local authorities and the FBI in Ohio may be dealing with serial killers who used the Internet site "Craigslist" to lure their victims to a remote area where they were robbed and murdered. The bodies of at least three men in their 40's and 50's have been located in shallow …
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"I've always been terrified, still am, of water," said Natalie Wood shortly before her tragic death in 1981, one then ruled to be accidental due to drowning. Wood, born in San Francisco in 1938 to Russian parents, was originally named Natalia Gurdin. Her first major movie …
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"Why," many of us are asking ourselves, "didn't someone come forward with either their concerns" or, if they were a victim of Jerry Sandusky, "why didn't they tell somebody?" Should former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky be guilty of sexually assaulting eight or more yo …
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Most by now know the story of missing 28-year-old Utah mother of two, Susan Powell. Powell's husband, Josh, has steadfastly claimed that around midnight on December 6, 2009, he unexplainedly loaded his and Susan's two young boys, ages 2 and 4, into the family van …
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FBI Agents in Atlanta and Los Angeles are assisting Atlanta, GA authorities in their attempt to locate and arrest former 6'5" Georgia Tech basketball star and NBA player Javaris Crittenton. Crittenton, 23, is charged with the August 19 drive by shooting and murder of …
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While the FBI refuses to compare Lee Grace Dougherty (29) and her brothers Dylan (26) and Ryan (21) to any type of modern day Bonnie and Clyde (and Clyde), the comparison is hard to miss. The three siblings recently engaging in a shoot out with a Florida police office …
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Flash mobs were initially a group of people who agreed to meet at a given location at a given time to perform, sing, or otherwise entertain anyone who happened by. I saw one such “mob” action when they sang Handel’s just prior to Christmas. A very en …
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Newspaper headlines tell us of a recent new example of computer hacking and suspected computer espionage, allegedly by the Chinese government, that some suggest is tantamount to "an act of war." While surely a threat to this country, we still need to be careful in our …
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Edward Dylan Bryant has not been seen since 2001, when he would have been 9-years-old. His adopted brother Austin Eugene Bryant has not been seen since 2003 to 2005, when he would have been 7-years-old.
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Joran Van der Sloot (23), who many believe had a significant role in the disappearance and suspected murder of American teenager Natalee Holloway, has indicated he will plead guilty by reason of insanity for the violent murder of 21-year-old Peruvian student Stephany Flores.
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A 69-year-old Minnesota sexual predator who describes himself as "a recovering sex offender" is seeking release from that state's sexual offender treatment program, indicating "he was trying to build a relapse prevention plan to ensure that he never hurt anyone again." John Ryd …
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Virginia authorities continue to search for 21-year-old Bethany Anne Decker, who was last seen on January 29, but for reasons unknown not reported to police as missing for another three weeks (February 19).
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Somali pirates indicate they will kill their latest civilian captives, in this case a Danish couple and their three children between the ages of 12 to 16, if any attempt is made to rescue this family in peril.
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Just like the Nigerian Internet scams have evolved over the years, so have the love scams. As the song says, you're looking for love in all the wrong places," and the Internet is surely one of the worst places to find your true love.
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While speaking at a maritime security conference on Tuesday, I discussed the threat currently posed by Somali pirates, this in the face of reports that hostages taken by pirates have been tortured and in some cases murdered.
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You don’t need to be an FBI Profiler to know that any type of back room surgery is just wrong. Women who choose to have an abortion, notwithstanding the potential moral and personal consequences, can do so with relative ease in this country.
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New York investigators and the FBI have identified the remains of four women whose bodies were found in early December of last year, bodies apparently dumped on a remote Long Island, NY beach sometime before.
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Dear Mr. Van Zandt, I have seen you on TV many times and this past week I heard you call for a One Strike Law for pedophiles and I hope included rapist too. I want to know if you have started working on this law and if you need any help in making it happen?
I have never had anything bad happen to me or anyone in my family. But I do watch a good bit of news and I can't tell you how many tears I have cried over those that had to endure such awful situations like poor Jaycee Dugard and her precious daughters. To me this is the worst nightmare come true for all 3 of these poor girls. And practically every story listed above on your website is heart breaking. There are some real monsters out there and we seem to keep putting them back out on the street. I don't know what the first step is in making this "One Strike law" a real thing but I would love to help you make this happen. I would love to do something to make a difference in the world. This wouldn't stop someone from getting hurt/killed the first time but it will at least stop them from ever doing it again. The only thing that I would suggest is we go for the death penalty too because if we have DNA proof of the crime and we have a one strike law, there is no reason to keep them alive. If they have no chance of parole, then keeping them alive serves no purpose. Its a drain on the system and there is no need to keep monsters alive. I would really like to have that attached and make this a Federal Law. What can I do to help make this happen? I have started writing a law and heard you say this and thought maybe you have started the ball rolling already and I can help you get yours off the ground. I don't care who does it, I just think its time we send a message to those that do this that it won't be tolerated any more and there will be severe consequences to their actions. Please let me know if I can help in any way.
Thank you for all you do to help solve the many crimes you have worked on. We are blessed to have people like you that care enough to do the hard job that you have to do. I couldn't do it. I would cry all day. Dani G.
It is such a shame that parents have to be so vigilant these days. When I was a kid {born 1957},all of my new and old friends parents were "Mr.&Mrs. Cleaver". I was able to go door to door,in any part of town to sell whatever my school was sponsoring. I now have grandchildren,and even though I was aware of "the boogieman" as my own children were growing,it seems as though the problem has been compounded ten fold over the past several years. I do believe the splintering of the American psyche began when prayer,{God}was ruled against the law. Boy scouts are not allowed to be boys, ect.
I loved Clint Van Zandt's comments on David Shuster's 4 p.m. news segment re: the arrest of Professor Gates. What you said is exactly what everyone I know has been sharing... if this officer was trained in racial profiling (and I'm a white woman), why didn't he diffuse the situation once Professor Gates' identity was clear? Everyone I know feels that arresting Professor Gates for disorderly conduct was not only stupid but abusive. So, your clear, calm assertion that this police officer should have given Professor Gates his badge number with the suggestion that he file a complaint, is EXACTLY what should have happened. If Professor Gates was displacing some understandable anger toward his neighbor, this also should have factored into the officer's awareness. I'm appalled that a police officer didn't know how to diffuse the situation and instead inflamed it by arresting someone whose only crime was anger. As my mother taught me in the first grade, "sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never harm me." So, thank you for clearly laying out what this officer should have done but didn't do!
On The ramsy case. Has anyone checked how the knots were tied. Left handed people tie difrently than right. [Any left handed people supect] Same with the head wound. On the art supplies were the original supplies placed in the open or in a closit etc. It seems that the ransom note was not examened for source of paper pen or pencil? left handed person or right. Were the clothing of family members analized for dna traces? How tight was the strangulation knot tied [signifies man or woman] was the original rool of duct tape checked for prints? when and whare did the child last eat and what. in strangulation the body deficates who did the child last eat with how long ago. If the brush used was broken whare is the outher half. Was the family garbage investigated only complete pre meditation leaves clues. Thus family or onknown person. Please answer.
Would like to read your thoughts about the Sunday school teacher in Tracy accused of killing 8 year old girl. She was in a position of trust, her family acts as if the crime committed couldn't of been done by her hands yet she has a prior criminal history with similar instances of sexual abuse. Are they blind to this or forgiving of her sins?
— bennifer
Hey Clint,
Long time no talk. Hope all is well with you and family.
I see you on the Today Show quite often, but when you are on it is a sign there is trouble somewhere.
My love to Diane and family!
John
PS: Everyone on this end is great.