Two Minutemen Leaders Held in Ariz. Slayings

Staten Island pooch helps scare off home invader

(NEWSER) - A courageous dog saved the day in Staten Island when he helped scare off a home invader and survived a bullet to the head, reports the New York Post . The drama began when a burglar disguised as a FedEx deliveryman tried to break into Justin Becker's apartment. Becker threw the man to the ground and wedged him into the doorway. Kilo, Becker's 12-year-old pit bull, then leaped into action. That's when the would-be burglar shot him and fled. More»

Shawna Forde plotted home invasion turned murder

(NEWSER) - Shawna Forde, the self-styled border vigilante convicted in the deaths of a 9-year-old Arizona girl and her father, was sentenced to death yesterday. Forde’s attorney had asked jurors to spare Forde’s life because repeated childhood abuse had left her a “broken person,” but the DA noted that even after the shooting, Forde talked to an FBI informant about having more “targets” in mind. She joins two other women on Arizona’s Death Row, the Arizona Daily Star reports. Two others allegedly involved in the crime, including the accused gunman, go on trial in March and June. More»

(NEWSER) - Michael Jackson was "murdered" by a shadowy entourage of handlers who were after his money, says his angry sister La Toya. "I believe Michael was murdered. Not just one person was involved, rather it was a conspiracy of people," she tells the Daily Mail. "Michael was worth more than a billion dollars. When anyone is worth that much money, there are always greedy people around them." She says he died in his personal physician's bedroom, surrounded by oxygen tanks and an intravenous drip stand. More»

Hudson murder suspect had abusive mother, imprisoned father

(NEWSER) - William Balfour grappled with depression and rage for years before his arrest in the Jennifer Hudson family killings, the Chicago Tribune reports. The son of a convicted killer, Balfour lived in and out of correctional facilities, suffering physical abuse at home and smoking dope to quell his anger. After serving 8 years for attempted murder, he tried to turn his life around—by marrying Jennifer Hudson's sister. More»

Murders mar run-up to Sunday's election

(NEWSER) - Der Spiegel travels to Guatemala, where this Sunday's elections present an eye-opening array of candidates, from Nobel Prize winner Rigoberta Menchú to a less savory slate of cartel leaders, convicted murders, weapons smugglers, and at least one man accused of genocide. Guatemala's crime rate is sky-high, and now the candidates are criminals themselves. More»