National Roundup

Nevada 7-Eleven ups re ward for murde red Vegas store owner LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The 7-Eleven company is pitching in to raise the reward for information about the recent murder of a Las Vegas 7-Eleven convenience store owner. Dallas, Texas-based 7-Eleven is donating $2,000 to the Crime Stoppers of Nevada organization in honor of 31-year-old Amanpreet Singh Mander. They are also posting a separate $10,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction Mander was shot to death March 30 during a robbery outside the Wells Fargo Bank near Sunset Road and Eastern Avenue in Las Vegas. Police have said two men driving a white four-door Dodge Stratus are suspected of the crime. The suspects also may have used a silver Ford F-150. The total reward in the case is now $20,000. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555. Illinois Police: Body of Ill. girl killed in 1957 exhumed SYCAMORE, Ill. (AP) -- Illinois State Police say authorities have exhumed the body of a 7-year-old girl who was killed in 1957. ISP spokeswoman Monique Bond says the body of Maria Ridulph (RIHD'-uhlf) was exhumed Wednesday morning from a cemetery in Sycamore after the DeKalb County State's Attorney's office secured a court order to have it done. Seventy-one-year-old Jack Daniel McCullough of Seattle has been charged in Ridulph's death and will be returned to Illinois to face charges. McCullough waived his right to fight extradition last week in King County Superior Court in Seattle. Thousands of people joined in the search for the missing girl, and fearful parents kept their children locked indoors. The girl's remains were found the following April, about 120 miles away from Sycamore. Pennsylvania Police: Woman set fire with foreclosure docs CORRY, Pa. (AP) -- Police say a northwestern Pennsylvania woman tried to smother her adult son then attempted suicide after setting fire to her home with a foreclosure notice. The Erie Times-News reports 47-year-old Eve Shreve was arraigned Tuesday on charges including attempted homicide and arson in the March 18 fire in Corry. Police say Shreve's husband told officers his wife had admitted setting the fire using foreclosure papers received the day before and then attempted to kill herself. Investigators say medical records support their case. Corry Police Chief Fred Corbett says authorities also determined the two small fires were intentionally set. Shreve was released on $5,000 bail. A phone call to her attorney rang unanswered early Wednesday. Pennsylvania Philly archdiocese hit by ano ther abuse suit PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A man whose grand jury testimony led to charges against a high-ranking official in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and other two priests has filed a civil suit against the church. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the suit filed Monday alleges the church knowingly assigned an abusive priest to his Northeast Philadelphia parish. The now 23-year-old plaintiff claims he was raped by that priest, a second priest and a Catholic school teacher. The plaintiff's testimony was key to a grand jury's February recommendation of charges against Monsignor William Lynn, the former secretary for clergy; priests Charles Engelhardt and Edward Avery; and a former teacher. Lynn is the only U.S. church official to be charged in the sex-abuse scandal for administrative actions. An archdiocese spokeswoman declined to comment on the suit. Arizona Police say man lived with dead woman for 2 months MESA, Ariz. (AP) -- Police in suburban Phoenix say they have arrested a man suspected of killing his girlfriend and living with her body for more than two months. Thirty-five-year-old Erik Grumpelt was charged Tuesday with one count of second-degree murder. After receiving a tip from Grumpelt's father, Mesa officers went to the suspect's apartment Monday and discovered the body of 39-year-old Melinda Raya on a bedroom floor under several sheets. Investigators say the body was in an advanced state of decomposition and surrounded by air fresheners. Authorities say on May 19, Grumpelt struck Raya several times in the abdomen after learning she had cheated on him. When she became unresponsive, police say Grumpelt panicked and tried to hide her body. Florida Reputed mob boss appeals fraud sentence ATLANTA (AP) -- A reputed captain of the Gambino crime family's South Florida operations who prosecutors say is linked to the infamous hit that led to John Gotti's rise to power is asking a federal appeals court to overturn his nine-year prison sentence for real estate fraud. Vincent Artuso's attorneys asked the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday to reverse his conviction because prosecutors didn't have enough evidence to convict him of fraud and racketeering charges involving a lengthy scam that cost ADT Security Services Inc. at least $11 million. Federal prosecutors counter that video recordings, court testimony and audio tapes had more than enough evidence to prove Artuso was involved in the scheme. Prosecutors said Artuso was a "made member" of the Gambino family and directed a Palm Beach-based Mafia crew. Idaho Hearing set for Friday in standoff case TWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP) -- A preliminary hearing has been set for a man charged in connection with a standoff and shooting at a Twin Falls hotel. The Times-News reports that Clark Cleveland is scheduled to appear in Twin Falls County's 5th District Magistrate Court Friday. He's charged with aggravated battery on a police officer and eluding a police officer; prosecutors say he shot an Idaho State Police trooper in the leg after fleeing from a traffic stop. Prosecutors also say Cleveland also took a woman hostage during the July 15 standoff. Bystander Tracy Ivie of Lindon, Utah, was killed during the crisis. Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs said Cleveland was the only person who fired a gun during the standoff, but Cleveland has not been charged in connection with Ivie's death. Published: Thu, Jul 28, 2011