National Roundup

Montana
Men charged with illegal killing of 3,600 birds
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A federal grand jury in Montana has indicted two men accused of killing about 3,600 birds, including bald eagles and golden eagles, and selling them on the black market.

The indictment returned in U.S. District Court last week charges Simon Paul and Travis John Branson with 13 counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and one count each of conspiracy and violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits trafficking of illegally taken wildlife.

“The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act was enacted in 1940 to protect the bald eagle, recognizing that the bald eagle is not merely a bird of biological interest, but this country’s national symbol which reflects America’s ideals of freedom,” the indictment states. The act was extended in 1962 to include golden eagles.

Branson, Paul and others hunted and killed thousands of birds, including eagles, on the Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere, then illegally sold them for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere, the indictment states.

Investigators found messages from Branson and others describing the illegal taking of eagles, saying he was “committing felonies” and telling buyers he was “on a killing spree” to collect more eagle tail feathers for future sales, according to the indictment.

The indictment alleges that Paul and Branson conspired to kill and sell the eagles illegally near Ronan, Montana, from 2015 and 2021. From 2019 and 2021, Branson traveled from Washington state to the reservation to shoot the eagles, and Paul, who lived near the reservation, was a shooter and shipper for Branson.

“When Branson arrived on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Paul would meet and help kill, transport, and ship bald and golden eagles for future sales on the black market,” the indictment states.

Paul and Branson were issued summons to appear for arraignments on Jan. 8.

Court documents do not list attorneys for Paul or Branson.

Texas
Woman who fled to Cambodia ahead of trial guilty of murder
DALLAS (AP) — A Texas woman who cut off her ankle monitor and fled the country while awaiting trial last year was found guilty of murder on Wednesday in the fatal stabbing of a 23-year-old Seattle woman. She was sentenced to life in prison.

A jury in Dallas convicted Lisa Dykes of murder and tampering with evidence in the 2020 killing of Marisela Botello-Valadez following a seven-day trial. Dykes, 60, showed no emotion as a judge read the verdict aloud, according to KDFW-TV.

A lawyer for Dykes, Heath Harris, said his client maintains she is innocent and has already filed paperwork to appeal the verdict.

A spokesperson for the Dallas County District Attorney’s office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

The conviction comes days after prosecutors had dropped murder charges against two people who they’d previously accused of Botello-Valadez’s killing. The two, Nina Marano and Charles Anthony Beltran, still face trial on charges of tampering with evidence.

Prosecutors moved to dismiss the murder charges soon after Beltran took the witness stand.

The 34-year-old testified last week that he lived with Marano and Dykes. He said he met Botello-Valadez at a nightclub and the two went to his house, where they had sex. He said he fell asleep and awoke to screaming as Dykes stabbed Botello-Valadez. Under questioning by Harris, Beltran acknowledged that he initially lied to investigators about what had happened.

The three were arrested six months after Botello-Valadez went missing in October 2020. Her remains were found in some woods months after she was reported missing in Dallas.

The case drew international attention last year when Dykes and Marano, 52, cut off their ankle monitors while free on bond. Authorities said they eventually turned up in Cambodia, where they were arrested by local police with help from the FBI.

Pennsylvania
Off-duty police officer indicted in death of man he allegedly pushed at a shooting scene
MONACA, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania police officer has been indicted on involuntary manslaughter and other charges after prosecutors say he pushed and fatally injured a man at a shooting scene.

The state Attorney General’s Office announced the indictment Wednesday against John J. Hawk, 37, who served with the Center Township police department. Hawk also faces counts of aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment and perjury stemming from the November 2022 confrontation in the borough of Monaca.

The 48-year-old victim, Kenneth Vinyard, was a bystander who approached an officer about potential evidence he wanted to provide to police, prosecutors said. Hawk, who was off duty and wearing casual clothing, confronted Vinyard and pulled him away from the officer.

Hawk did not announce himself as an officer or display law enforcement credentials, prosecutors said, and was not heard or seen announcing that Vinyard was under arrest. A short time later, Hawk struck Vinyard in the chest while performing a leg-sweep maneuver, which knocked him to the ground, where Vinyard struck his head on the pavement, prosecutors said.

Vinyard was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. An autopsy determined that the blunt force trauma and accompanying stress inflicted by Hawk contributed to Vinyard’s death, prosecutors said.

The subsequent investigation revealed that Vinyard was compliant with orders to back away from the investigating officer, was not aggressive and did not pose a physical threat to Hawk or anyone else, prosecutors said. They also said Hawk was untruthful while testifying about the incident before the state grand jury that indicted him.

Hawk turned himself in Wednesday and a judge later set his bail at $200,000. It was not known if he has an attorney. The attorney general’s office didn’t immediately respond to an email or voicemail seeking further information.