NJ Priest Murdered in His Kitchen

He confesses, citing argument; cops probe possible relationship

(NEWSER) - A janitor and "second father" to kids at a New Jersey Catholic church has been charged in the murder of a beloved parish priest, who he rushed to halfheartedly give CPR when he and church workers discovered the body. Jose Feliciano told police he and Father Ed Hinds had argued before he beat and stabbed him 32 times; Feliciano said he then took the dead cleric's cell phone, along with bloody clothes and rags he used to clean the scene, and caught a ride home with his wife. More»

Two more wanted in connection with three execution-style murders

(NEWSER) - A teen wanted in connection with the slayings of three college students and the attempted murder of a fourth in Newark was taken into custody today, and authorities are seeking two more suspects implicated in the execution-style homicides. Another suspect, Jose Carranza, pleaded not guilty this morning; the third, a 15-year-old boy, is being held pending a detention hearing. More»

Newark crime rate sparks calls for idealist Booker's resignation

(NEWSER) - Jersey residents shocked by the shooting deaths of three students at a Newark schoolyard this weekend are lashing out at a young mayor who rode a wave of hope and idealism into office, the Times reports. Cory Booker, 38, is facing a wall of public hostility—and calls for his resignation—after the gruesome shootings and a homicide rate that refuses to fall. More»

Tape of U.Va lacrosse player's interview made public

(NEWSER) - As the black of May 2, 2010, faded into the gray of dawn, George Huguely—unaware that ex-girlfriend Yeardley Love lay lifeless in a morgue—sat down with Virginia cops to tell the story of the flowing booze, the heated emotions , and the violence of the night before. The tape was played publicly for the first time yesterday, and the Washington Post took notes:

• On how he got in: "Knock, knock, open the door, Yeardley. Actually, it might have been locked . ... I think I put a hole in the door. I think I broke the door . ...  pretty sure, actually. ... I wanted to talk to her."

Homicide drops out of the top 15

(NEWSER) - Some semi-encouraging news from the CDC's not-so-cheery annual report on death: For the first time since 1965, homicide did not make the top 15 causes of death in the US last year. But something had to take its place, and that was pneumonitis, a respiratory illness that mainly plagues older people, the AP reports. In addition to the number of murders dropping in 2010, the infant mortality rate also dropped to a record low of 6.14 deaths per 1,000 births. More»