This week’s headlines you may have missed cover the international ire from Iran toward America, a violent incident involving a former Cleveland Cavaliers player and evidence emerging in a serial killer case.
Here are the top headlines you may have missed:
IRAN — $3 million reward offered for Trump’s death
An Iranian lawmaker who represents the hometown of a top military leader killed in a U.S. airstrike earlier this month has called for the assassination of U.S. President Donald Trump, according to reports.
Ahmad Hamzeh, a representative of the hometown of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, offered a $3 million reward on Tuesday in a speech to parliament, saying the bounty on Trump was one of the few remaining options the country had to defend itself after the unraveling of Iran Nuclear deal.
“If we had nuclear weapons today, we would be protected from threats ... We should put the production of long-range missiles capable of carrying unconventional warheads on our agenda,” Hamzeh said, according to the news agency ISNA. “This is our natural right.”
»MORE: Iran's top leader eviscerates America in Friday sermon, calling President Trump 'a clown'
Soleimani was Tehran’s top general and the architect of its interventions across the Middle East before he was killed January 3 by an airstrike ordered by Trump.
American disarmament ambassador Robert Wood dismissed the reward as “ridiculous” and called it evidence of the “terrorist underpinnings” of Iran’s government.
CALIFORNIA — Death sentence in McStay family slaying
A 62-year-old man was sentenced to death Tuesday in the brutal killings of a one-time business associate and his family.
Charles "Chase" Merritt was convicted in June 2019, more than nine years after the beating deaths of Joseph McStay, 40, his wife, Summer McStay, 43, and the couple’s two children, Gianni, 4, and Joey Jr., 3.
Credit: Don Bartletti
Credit: Don Bartletti
The family vanished from Fallbrook, Calif., in February 2010. Not long afterward, the family vehicle was found abandoned in San Ysidro, near the U.S.-Mexico border.
The family's remains weren't discovered until nearly four years later, buried in the desert in San Bernardino.
Merritt became a suspect after his cellphone was found near the burial site. Officials said his DNA was also found inside the family's vehicle.
He was arrested in November 2014.
Before his sentence, Merritt cried and told the judge he was innocent.
“I don’t deserve this. I did not do this.”
MARYLAND — Former NBA star beaten up on video
Videos circulating on social media this week show 36-year-old former NBA player Delonte West being beaten up in the middle of a Washington, D.C. highway.
The videos show a man in a black jacket punching and slamming West to the ground before stomping his head.
One of the videos showing West seated shirtless on a curb with his hands cuffed behind his back was reportedly filmed by a police officer, who has since been suspended after it was released it to the public, according to Prince George's County Police Chief Hank Stawinski.
West played nine seasons in the NBA for the Boston Celtics, the Seattle SuperSonics, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Dallas Mavericks.
He was LeBron James' teammate with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009 and 2010.
West’s former agent Aaron Goodwin confirmed that West had been involved in the fight and said he was recovering from the attack.
NEW YORK — New evidence in serial killer case
Investigators revealed new evidence last week that they hope will lead to an arrest in the case of the so-called Long Island serial killer.
The case has remained unsolved since a disappearance in 2010 led to the discovery of 11 sets of human remains scattered along a suburban New York beach.
Authorities said a black leather belt left behind at one of the crime scenes may have belonged to an unknown suspect.
Credit: James Carbone
Credit: James Carbone
“We do believe that this item was handled by the suspect and did not belong to any of the victims,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart.
A previously unreleased photograph of the belt shows the initials HM or WH, depending on the perspective.
As the years have passed, investigators have said it's unlikely one person killed all the victims.
Netflix is planning to release a film about the unsolved killings on March 13.
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