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Sketch of 1970s Sex Assault Suspect

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Police in Montgomery County have released a sketch of a man sought in sex assaults during the mid-1970s, hoping the image will jog someone's memory of events four decades ago.

Detectives from the Montgomery County Cold Case Unit re-released the composite drawing Friday. The man shown is suspected in sexual assaults in Wheaton, Silver Spring and Takoma Park.

Detectives in the 1970s had spoken to a witness who described the man seen near an incident in Wheaton. The composite was created 30 years ago.

Detectives believe that there may be additional victims and say they hope any victims come forward.

The man was described (in the mid-1970s) as a white male, in his late teens or early-20s, 5 feet 11 inches tall, and weighing about 140 pounds. He had acne scars on the left side of his face.

Anyone with information regarding the identity of the subject is asked to contact the Cold Case Unit at 240-773-5070.


Fake Cop Sexually Assaults Woman

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A man impersonating a police officer sexually assaulted a woman in the back of his car on Interstate 35E on Thursday morning, Carrollton police said.

Carrollton police said a dark-colored, four-door vehicle with dark tinted windows and blue lights pulled over a female driver between the Valley View Lane and Valwood Parkway exits between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.

The man handcuffed and put her in the back of his vehicle, where he sexually assaulted her. He did not display a gun, police said.

The vehicle, which may have been a Ford Crown Victoria, had blue lights on the interior of the windshield. The victim does not remember seeing lights on the outside of the vehicle, police said. The car had vinyl seats but no prisoner cage.

The man is described as a white man in his 30s or 40s who is between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall with a medium build. He has gray or white short hair and a dark-colored shorter beard.

Police said the fake officer was wearing sunglasses, a dark-blue, long-sleeved uniform with no patches, a gold star-shaped badge, a gold name tag with numbers on it and a "police belt" with handcuffs and a baton with a handle, possibly a PR-24 style. The victim did not see a radio or gun on the belt.

Carrollton police are asking drivers to be look out for the vehicle. Drivers who believe they are being pulled over by someone who may not be a police officer should call 911 and drive to a well-lit location before stopping, police said.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Officer Slain After JFK Honored

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Law enforcement from all across Texas came to Dallas to pay tribute to the other man killed in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.

Every day, Marie Tippit thinks about him. Her husband, Dallas Police Officer J.D. Tippit, was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald in Oak Cliff shortly after President John F. Kennedy had been shot.

"You still remember, and you still think about him every day," she said. "It's part of history. He was killed trying to apprehend the killer of the president, so this is history."

Her husband was 39 years old when he spotted Oswald walking near East 10th Street and North Patton Avenue 45 minutes after the president had been shot. Tippit started questioning Oswald when the other man pulled a gun and killed him.

"They both had a job to do that day," his wife said. "President Kennedy was being the president and J.D. was doing his job as a policeman."

At Dallas Police Association headquarters, officers and deputies from all over Texas gathered on Friday to honor Tippit. A large wreath with Tippit's badge number was displayed. Bagpipers played music, and a choir sang hymns.

And 50 years later, Marie Tippit finally received the last honor that was accidentally forgotten about at her husband's burial.

"One tradition in law enforcement was never carried out at J.D.'s funeral," Police Chief David Brown said. "It was the presentation of the flag to the widow and, today, we are righting that forgotten tradition."

Brown put on his hat, was handed a folded flag, walked over to Tippit's widow, took a knee, took off his hat and presented the flag to the 85-year-old woman.

Weekend Events for Nov. 21 -24

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From food to football, cars to crafts, that’s what fall weekends are made of. Here’s some of what San Diego has to offer this weekend.

Thursday, Nov. 21

San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival
Starting at 11:30 a.m. at various locations
Can’t wait until Thanksgiving to enjoy a fabulous feast? You’ll get that and more than the 10th annual San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival. From cooking classes to celebrity chefs, this event is a must for any foodie. Check out a list of participating restaurants here. The festival runs through Sunday.

Event Picks: San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival

Friday, Nov. 22

Good Guys’ Car Show
8 a.m.-4 p.m. in Del Mar
Calling all car enthusiasts. Here’s your chance to see more than 1,500 hot rods and muscles cars in one place.

Saturday, Nov. 23

SDSU vs. Boise State
7:30 p.m. at Qualcomm Stadium
Cheer on the home team as the Aztecs take on the Boise State Broncos. Will SDSU keep up its three-game winning streak?

Sunday, Nov. 24

Encinitas Fall Festival
9 a.m.-4 p.m. in Encinitas
Get a jump start on your holiday shopping at the 23rd annual Encinitas Fall Festival. Hundreds of crafters and vendors will have unique gifts for sale. The event also features live music and  activities for your kids (and even your dogs.)



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Ruby Shot Oswald on Impulse: Rabbi

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Jack Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald on an impulse, according to the rabbi who visited him regularly after the shooting.

Special Section: JFK 50

Now retired and living in San Diego, Rabbi Hillel Silverman said he was shocked and stunned to learn a member of his Dallas congregation had shot and killed President John F. Kennedy's assassin almost 50 years ago.

Over the years, many believed Ruby was connected in some way to Oswald and may have been trying to silence him from talking about the assassination.

On Friday, the 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination, Silverman talked with NBC 7 San Diego about his memories of the man many say destroyed the chance for Americans to learn why Oswald did what he did.

Silverman visited Ruby the day after he shot Oswald and remembers asking, "Jack, why did you do it?"

Ruby answered that did it for the American people, Silverman said.

The two men visited many times while Ruby was imprisoned. Silverman would bring Ruby religious prayer books and keeps a sketch of one of those meetings.

"He was belligerent, strange, volatile, bad-tempered and thought he was doing the right thing," the rabbi recalls of Ruby.

Silverman said he asked Ruby many times if there were any conspiracy involved, but Ruby always denied it.

“'I was angry. It was a fit of passion. I thought I was doing the American people a great deed, and I did it,’” Silverman recalls Ruby answering.

Read: "Ruby Thought He Was Going to Be a Hero," Niece Says

To this day, a clear majority of Americans still believe that Oswald didn't act alone and that there was a conspiracy behind Kennedy's assassination, according to a survey taken this year.

The Warren Commission, appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson and led by Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, concluded that Oswald was solely responsible for the president's death.

But according to an Associated Press-GfK survey conducted in mid-April, 59 percent of Americans think multiple people were involved, 24 percent think Oswald acted alone and 16 percent are unsure.

That's down from the 75 percent of Americans who believed in a conspiracy in 2003, according to a Gallup poll taken that year.

Remains of McStay Kids ID'd

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Officials have confirmed the remains of two children found in the desert in Victorville, Calif., are, in fact, the missing McStay children of San Diego County.

At 3:30 p.m. Friday, the California Department of Justice DNA Lab notified the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Coroner Division that the remains have been positively identified as 4-year-old Gianni McStay and 3-year-old Joseph Mateo McStay.

Last week, the remains of the children’s parents, Joseph and Summer McStay, were positively identified through dental records.

The remains of the family of four were found on Nov. 11 in and around two shallow graves in the high desert outside of Victorville. A motorcyclist reported finding the skeletal remains in a very remote location approximately 50 yards from the nearest road.

Officials said it appeared the remains had been there for “an extended period of time.”

The family, who lived in San Diego County’s Fallbrook community, had been missing since Feb. 4, 2010, leaving few clues behind in a case that baffled San Diego law enforcement and captured international attention.

TIMELINE: The McStay Family Mystery

A group of four people resembling the McStays was captured on grainy surveillance video crossing into Mexico at the San Ysidro border crossing on Feb. 8, 2010. This was the same day a white Isuzu Trooper belonging to the family was found illegally parked at a nearby strip mall.

At the time, detectives felt it was “a very high probability” that the footage was of the missing family.

When officials showed the video to relatives of the McStay family, some recognized the white jacket the woman in the video was wearing. However, other relatives said they weren’t sure it was the McStays due to the poor quality of the video.

Since the family’s sudden disappearance, the McStays hadn't used their bank accounts, credit cards or cell phones, investigators have repeatedly said.

In April 2013, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department announced they were transferring the case of the McStay family to the FBI.

The sheriff’s department said they had “conducted an exhaustive missing person investigation in an attempt to locate the family” and hundreds of tips had been investigated without success. At that point, the sheriff’s department said they had reached a consensus that the family went to Mexico of their free will.

Until last week, there had been no major breaks in the mysterious case.

Now, the investigation has turned from finding the McStay family to figuring out what exactly happened to them.

At a press conference last week, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said investigators had not yet determined the cause or motive behind the victims’ deaths, including if the family may have fallen prey to Mexican cartels.

“It’s too early to tell if it’s cartel-related or any other suspects,” said McMahon.

Earlier this week, friends, family and strangers gathered at the desert site where the family’s remains were found and planted four crosses in remembrance of the McStays.

Over the years, Joseph McStay’s brother, Michael McStay, has managed and updated a website documenting the case and search for his relatives.

On Tuesday he posted a message titled “Broken and Grieving,” in which he discussed the shock his family has been experiencing, and upcoming funeral arrangements.

On Friday, minutes before San Bernardino officials confirmed the ID of the McStay children’s remains, Michael McStay posted the following message on his Facebook page:

“Coroner office called. It was confirmed. It’s the boys.”

At last week’s press conference Michael McStay vowed to find the person who caused his relatives' deaths.

“We’re going to find this individual, or individuals. I know the sheriff’s department, the FBI, everybody wants to bring this to justice. And, if it’s the last thing I do – I just want to know when it’s over,” he said.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

RFK Killer Moved to New Prison

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Exactly 50 years to the day of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, his brother’s assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, was moved to a prison in San Diego County.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed Friday that Sirhan was moved from Corcoran State Prison in central California to the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County’s South Bay area.

“As a routine matter of housing allotments, Sirhan Sirhan was moved from Corcoran State Prison to the RJ Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County today,” said Luis Patino, spokesman for the California Department of Corrections.

“The date of the move is simply an unfortunate coincidence. Any number of inmates are moved from institution to institution on any given day as necessary,” Patino added.

Sirhan – now 69 years old – shot Robert F. Kennedy on Jun. 5, 1968 in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles after Kennedy won the California Democratic presidential primary. Kennedy had just finished addressing supporters in the hotel’s ballroom when he was fatally shot multiple times by Sirhan.

RFK died from wounds sustained in the shooting.

Sirhan was originally sentenced to death for the assassination of RFK, but the sentence was commuted to life in prison after the California Supreme Court declared the death penalty law in effect at the time, in 1972, as unconstitutional.

In 2011, Sirhan was denied parole for the 13th time.



Photo Credit: California Department of Corrections

Woman Killed on 1st Walk

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Sally Ann Okuly survived cancer. And she survived a motorcycle crash six months ago, feeling well enough to leave the house last weekend for the first time in half a year.

But her determination was no match for a car Sunday morning. Okuly was struck by a car and killed as she left her Woodbridge, Va. home for the first time, to cross the street to her favorite convenience store and buy a newspaper and cup of coffee.

Police say a car driven by Amanda Styles-Mays, 24, crashed into Okuly as she crossed at Opitz Boulevard and Montgomery Avenue. Okuly was crossing with the light and was in the crosswalk.

Styles-Mays has been charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian and reckless driving.

"One of her favorite things to do was to walk over across that street to the Wawa gas station," said her husband, Bill Okuly, who still struggles with his emotions when he discusses his wife.

Sally Ann was also a mother of two. The couple -- who were members of the Rolling Thunder motorcycle club -- was set to celebrate their 41st anniversary Monday.

"She's the most giving person ever," Bill Okuly said.

But, he said, he feels his wife will always stay with him. "Oh yeah, she'll always be there," Bill Okuly said.


JFK's Estate on Market for $10.9M

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Left virtually unchanged since the days of Camelot, Wexford Estate in the rolling hills of Virginia horse country served -- briefly -- as a weekend home to President John F. Kennedy and his family.

Half a century after his death, it's back on the market.

The Kennedys designed the place from the ground up, but visited just twice after its completion: on Oct. 25, 1963, and again on Nov. 10, less than two weeks before the president's death.

Jacqueline Kennedy sold the property a year later. The current owners have used it as a weekend getaway since 1991 and have listed it at a cool $10,995,000

About an hour from Washington, D.C., the estate includes 167 acres (expanded from 39 in the JFK era), the original stables, a three-car garage and the four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom house.

Details speak to the times: original parquet floors, space for Secret Service agents, and even a bomb shelter.

From the listing:

This one story 5050 square foot home home, rich with character, features original parquet floors, his and her dressing rooms, multiple fireplaces, a formal dining, built-in cabinets and bookcases, nine foot ceilings and alternate power generators.

The surroundings include natural stone landscaping, flagstone pool deck with an outdoor cooking area, vine covered trellises, stone patio and a tennis court. The basement space under the house conceals equipment and utilities.

This equestrian property has stables for horses that include water, electrical, storage for hay and two separate living areas. There is also a separate three car garage with bath and second floor studio/office exists as well. The property still contains an underground bunker and dependencies used by Secret Service personnel.

A video on the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library website shows 1963 footage of the home and property, and the family during their first visit. Jacqueline Kennedy pauses to pose outside the yellow stucco home; children frolic on the lawn. Inside, his-and-hers twin beds are made up carefully and pushed close together.

Like nearly everyone within memory's reach of Nov. 22, 1963, Patricia Burns knows exactly where she was when the news broke of Kennedy's death.

She was sitting in her 8th grade glass in Omaha when her teacher left the room. "She didn't come back for some time, and all of a sudden, she came back and looked very upset and asked us to look out of the window at the flag, which was at half-staff," Burns recalled.

Her teacher delivered a stunning message: "I want you to know that President Kennedy has been assassinated."

Now, half a century later, Burns is the real estate agent commissioned with selling Kennedy's historic property in Middleburg, Va.

"I'm of that age where I remember where I was that day, and it's so ironic to me that here I am, 50 years later... listing this property. I get the chills when I go up there," she said. "And it's so beautiful."

She and several agents from Middleburg Real Estate planned to mark the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's death Friday by visiting Wexford around 1:30 p.m., the time he was killed.

With a hefty price tag, the estate's only had one prospective buyer visit in the month it's been on the market. Burns says she emailed Caroline Kennedy to see if anyone from the family is interested in buying the estate, but hasn't heard back.

Either way, Burns hopes the next buyer will honor the history of the place.

"If somebody could put it on the national historic registry to save someone from developing it, that would be my preference, as the listing agent, and maybe donate it to the Kennedy library," she said. "It's such a special, historic iconic place. They were there just before they went to Dallas."

Photos courtesy of Middleburg Real Estate.



Photo Credit: Middleburg Real Estate

Man Found After Going Missing

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A man who went missing while walking his dog that was found with a bloody leash was set to testify in a burglary case involving a break-in at the home of actor Nicholas Cage's ex-girlfriend, and the man's former employer, police said.

Darwin Vela went missing while walking his dog and was found safe Friday.

The man's family realized Vela, 22, was missing when the dog returned home alone with a bloody leash earlier this week.

Vela had cuts and bruises when he was found in West LA when he flagged down a motorist, used the person's cell phone and called police to tell them he was the missing person, police said.

Police then located Vela and questioned him first at the LAPD 's Wilshire Station before moving him to the Southwest Station. The reason for the move was not clear. He was finally reunited with his family Friday evening.

"Darwin is doing just as expected for someone in this situation," Vela's fiancée, Kelly McLaren, told NBC4 Friday night. "He is glad to be reunited with his loved ones. We are happy to have him back with us."

Vela was set to testify in a criminal case, which involves a break-in at the home of actor Nicholas Cage's ex-girlfriend, also Vela's former employer, police said.

"The circumstances caused us concern and caused his family concern, so we are looking into that," LAPD Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese said.

Police said they were looking into three people in connection to Vela's disappearance.

He went for the walk Tuesday about 9 p.m. in the 2900 block of South Redondo Boulevard in Los Angeles, east of Culver City, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Vela took his dog Coco for a walk, and the 3-year-old, 90-pound chocolate Labrador retriever came home without Vela, dragging a bloody leash, police said.

"His tail was between his legs and he was hunched over crying," McLaren said. "I grabbed the leash and looked down and there was a thumbprint-size spot of blood."

A lab test on Thursday confirmed the blood on the leash was human blood, but it was not clear Friday whose blood was on the leash.

Survey: LEGO, Barbie Still Top Toys for Kids

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Although we’re living in the digital age, it seems parents can’t go wrong this holiday season by putting some classic toys under the tree, including a LEGO set or a Barbie doll.

According to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) 2013 Top Toys survey, the No. 1 toy for boys this holiday season is LEGOs, while Barbie reigns supreme as the top toy for girls.

In order, the NRF survey says other 2013 Top Toys for boys include: video games; generic cars and trucks; Hot Wheels; Xbox One; PlayStation 4; the Skylanders video game; remote controlled vehicles; action figures; a bicycle; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

For girls, after Barbie, the 2013 Top Toys include: generic dolls; Monster High dolls; Disney princesses; a tablet or Apple iPad; American Girl; Lalaloopsy; Furby; LEGO or LEGO Friends; Elmo or Big Hugs Elmo; Hello Kitty; My Little Pony; PlayStation 4.

Though classic toys take the lead, the NRF says gadgets such as the iPad still managed to make their way onto the holiday wish list. However, this is the first time iPads have been ranked among the most popular gifts for both boys and girls in this survey.

It seems adults are looking forward to toy shopping, too.

The NRF says 44.3 percent of consumers plan to buy toys as gifts this holiday season.

In an unrelated Thanksgiving shopping survey released last week, the NRF reports that up to 140 million people plan to shop over Thanksgiving weekend this year – a slight decrease from the 147 million consumers who planned to do so last year. Of those shoppers, 23.5 percent plan to hit stores on Thanksgiving Day, while 69.1 percent plan to shop on Black Friday.
 



Photo Credit: AP

PB Package Deemed Harmless

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Dozens of law enforcement officials were called to Pacific Beach Saturday to investigate a suspicious briefcase left behind near a coffee shop.

By 2 p.m., however, authorities determined the briefcase was harmless.

The investigation into the possible suspicious device began around 11:30 a.m. in the 600-block of Diamond Street, near Mission Boulevard and Ocean Boulevard.

Bomb Squad officials were called to the scene to investigate. Police set up a perimeter for hours until the briefcase was deemed harmless.

During the investigation police advised nearby residents to stay indoors and away from windows. Police also advised guests at the Diamond Head Inn to evacuate as a precaution.

A large law enforcement presence remained in the area throughout the investigation.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

First Snowfall of the Season

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The first snowfall of the season hit San Diego's Mount Laguna area. The fresh powder covered the trees and ground -- and brought visitors to the area to check out the closest thing to a "winter wonderland" near sunny San Diego.

Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Company Patents Flying Cars?

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A "stealth company" in Mountain View has applied for a patent for what appears to be flying cars -- and the company may be related to Google, according to reports.

Mountain View-based Zee.Aero published in August a patent for a "personal aircraft" that is shown "parked in... a grocery store parking lot," according to reports.

The aircraft takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter, and also is battery powered. Ergo, it's a "flying car," exclaimed the San Francisco Chronicle

It may also be Google's flying car, the newspaper speculated.

Zee.Aero is based within a stones throw of the Googleplex, leading to speculation that it is Google that's developing the flying car, the newspaper's tech blog reported.

The company's honchos did not respond to questions related to Google's involvement.

 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Body Found in Oceanside

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The body of a dead man was found in Oceanside Harbor on Saturday morning, according to Oceanside police.

Police said the discovery was made at around 8 a.m. in the harbor near the Oceanside Yacht Club located at 1950 N Harbor Dr.

The body is said to be that of a 56-year-old man.

Officials are withholding the man's identity pending notification of his family.

Police said they did not suspect foul play, though an official cause of death will be released once the body has been seen by the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

 


Missing Woman Found in Mexico

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An El Cajon woman missing since Tuesday was found safely in Mexico overnight, her husband told NBC 7 San Diego on Saturday morning.

Anne Louise Terhune, 61, has returned home, her husband, Brian Moon, and the El Cajon Police Department confirmed.

Moon said Terhune was found in Tijuana. She’s now home, resting comfortably.

According to the El Cajon Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials at the San Ysidro checkpoint notified police that they had located Terhune around 1 a.m.

An El Cajon police officer met with Terhune and gave her a ride home.

Police say Terhune appeared to be in good health and did not request any type of medical treatment. She told the officer she went into Mexico by mistake after becoming stuck in southbound traffic on the freeway.

Terhune had been missing since Tuesday evening. Her family told police Terhune left to go to the library, but never came home. On Thursday, police said Terhune’s car had been seen crossing the border into Mexico on the night she disappeared.

On Friday, El Cajon police detectives said they believed Terhune may have been involved in a non-injury traffic collision in Tijuana. According to detectives, Terhune was alone at the time of the crash, but stated she was lost and provided her personal information. Detectives said she indicated she would be home the following day, and did not appear to be under any duress.

The El Cajon Police Department said they were working with the San Diego County Sheriff’s International Liaison Unit to locate Terhune and determine if she needed help.

On Friday, NBC 7 spoke with Moon, who said his wife planned to come home the night she vanished and didn’t even take a jacket with her when she left the house.

Moon said Terhune had been depressed about her mother-in-law’s recent death and other personal issues.

“The whole family noticed that she was having some problems lately, but it didn’t seem this serious at all,” said Moon.

Officials have not released further information on Terhune’s whereabouts, which is protocol in a missing persons case.



Photo Credit: El Cajon Police Dept.

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