Qikai “Ben” Chen, a former math teacher at Scottsdale’s Basis Charter School, pleaded not guilty today to a felony charge of child abuse. The arraignment comes after a second arrest for Chen following an indictment, and also after his former employer gave the alleged child-beater the boot. Chen, if…
A Phoenix man — with a lengthy rap sheet for domestic violence — was arrested yesterday for the murder of his girlfriend, during which he allegedly bit off her nipple.Paul Lavon Hamilton’s been charged with one count of second-degree murder in the beating death of Stephanie Joyce, his girlfriend of…
The Arizona Supreme Court has issued a stay in the execution of kid-killing rapist Donald Beaty because of a last-minute switcheroo in one of the drugs used to put him down and a clerical error made by state officials.Beaty’s attorneys reportedly objected to the last-minute substitution of the sedative pentobarbital…
A former teacher/cheerleading coach at a Tucson high school pleaded guilty this morning to charges that she had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old student at the school for which she formerly worked.Christie Elliot, a now-former English teacher and cheerleading coach at Empire High School in Tucson, pleaded guilty to assault…
The search is on for two men who police say robbed a guy earlier this year, and now authorities want your help. They’re even making it worth your while.Silent Witness is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspects, one of whom is pictured to…
When confronted by two women as he had sex in his car, Christopher Nader Shahin told them that the girl involved was his “baby mama” and that “she fine.” Turns out, the girl wasn’t his “baby mama;” she was a 14-year-old he’d just kidnapped from a grocery store, and she…
CBS’ Phoenix affiliate KPHO has been sued by a Mesa doctor the station accused of being a pervert in terms of how he treated a few female employees.According to Doctor Khalid Shirif, the medical director of Creative Health Care Services (Sunrise Health & Hospice), KPHO falsely reported that he fired…
Daniel Gukeisen, a former attorney convicted of fatally stabbing Arizona State University student Garrett Hohn, was sentenced to five years in prison this morning after he was found guilty of manslaughter last month.He actually showed up for court this time.When the verdict was read last month, Gukeisen wasn’t present. Apparently anticipating a…
Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley has escaped a second criminal case leveled at him by Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former County Attorney Andrew Thomas. Gila County Attorney Daisy Flores has decided not to charge Stapley for his alleged wrongdoing in a case that new records show was manufactured in part for…
An outbreak of horse herpes has forced the closure of a Queen Creek Park.Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Centre will be closed through at least June 2 to prevent the spread of the horse herpes, which is currently spreading throughout the Southwest…
There’s still no date set for a hearing regarding ethics complaints filed against former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and two of his former deputies, but the judge presiding over the case says it probably will take place this fall.Meanwhile, Thomas hasn’t wasted any time blowing through the $100,000 in taxpayer money…
An unidentified man threatened a 12-year-old girl with a knife last month, and if you know who he is, you could get a thousand bucks.The suspect is described only as a Hispanic male, 25-40 years old, about 5-foot-5 or 5-foot-6, and 160-180 pounds.On April 13, at about 6 p.m., police…
Cody Beck is a 19-year-old college student from Prescott whom we wrote about last year in regard to his sexual attraction to horses — and he better start wrappin’ it up; horse herpes has hit Arizona.The Arizona Department of Health Services just announced that an Arizona horse has tested positive for…
Convicted serial rapist Timothy Boles thought petitioning authorities to test his DNA would clear him of one of the four sexual assaults of which he’s been convicted. Not only didn’t the testing clear Boles’ name, his DNA linked him to yet another rape.Oops.Boles was convicted in 1993 of multiple charges…
An Arizona judge has refused to block the death sentence of a man convicted of the 1984 rape and murder of 13-year-old Christy Ann Fornoff.Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Janet Barton ruled today that Donald Beaty’s claims that he didn’t have effective legal counsel in prior court proceedings wasn’t convincing…
One of two men accused of using Craigslist to arrange a sexual tryst with a dog has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bestiality.Maricopa County Superior Court officials tell New Times that 47-year-old Keith Kiefer changed his plea this morning.Kiefer was arrested in February after an investigation by the Maricopa…
When a cop is busted stealing something from an evidence room, it’s often drugs or cash. Not Tempe police Officer Elliot Campbell — he stole a refrigerator, a washing machine, and various other household items.Campbell, an 11-year veteran, was arrested yesterday after an investigation revealed he looted the department’s evidence…
There’s a new candidate for mother of the year: 25-year-old Vanessa Tsinajinnie.With an open bottle of Southern Comfort in the car, Tsinajinnie drove her two daughters — ages 2 and 4 — from Surprise to Mesa and finally to Tempe on Sunday night so she could “have a good time”…
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords continues to make tremendous progress in her recovery after getting shot through the brain during the January 8, Tucson shooting rampage, and her closest friend in Congress, Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, says the wounded congresswoman will return to Congress. “I do think she’s going to come…
A 57-year-old California man convicted of brutally murdering a Phoenix woman was sentenced to death today by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Arthur Anderson.In addition to the death sentence, Anderson added 42 years in prison to Stephen Douglas Reeves’ term for armed robbery, assault, kidnapping, and theft charges stemming from the…
Charges against an Arivaca woman who admitted to violations of the Endangered Species Act for her role in the death of “Macho B,” the nation’s last known wild jaguar, will be dropped — as long as she stays out of jaguar or large-cat studies for a year and does not…
A Phoenix woman apparently wanted a little cuddle time after having sex with a man at the apartment of 19-year-old Paul Katoa over the weekend. The friend, Andrew McConnell, however, just got up and left the room — which caused her to return to the apartment with a friend carrying…
