Florida man digs up 1.95-carat diamond
MURFREESBORO - A Florida man found a 1.95-carat brown diamond at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State park, the second-largest diamond found there this year.
Park officials said Wednesday that Doug Lay, 40, of Hernando, Fla., found a coffee-colored gem about the size of a pea. Lay has unearthed 30 other diamonds over the past four years, but Tuesday’s find was his largest.
About 500 diamonds have been found this year at the park in southwestern Arkansas. A 1.99-carat yellow diamond was found in March by a Texas ninthgrader.
In 1975, a visitor discovered a 15.33-carat white diamond.
The Crater of Diamonds State Park is the world’s only diamond-producing site open to the public. On average, two diamonds are found each day at the park, and more than 75,000 have been unearthed.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Corning man, 53, shot dead in Drasco
DRASCO - A Corning man was shot to death at a home in the Cleburne County town of Drasco, authorities said Wednesday.
Kenneth Hilburn, 53, was pronounced dead at the scene after Cleburne County deputies responded to a report of a shooting shortly after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
“At this time the circumstances surrounding Mr. Hilburn’s death are under investigation,” the release added.
Sheriff Marty Moss said no one had been arrested as of late Wednesday afternoon. He said the shooting took place at a home but declined further comment.
- ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTEPolice kill man, 44,
say he wielded gun
TULSA - Tulsa police said officers shot and killed a man who reportedly confronted police with a shotgun early Thursday.
Authorities said police were trying to serve a warrant on Donald Hallett, 44, about 1:45 a.m. Thursday when Hallett allegedly pointed the shotgun at officers and ran away.
Tulsa police said officers fired several shots and Hallett was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said Hallett was wanted in last week’s shooting of Lucas Knight at a Tulsa motel. Tulsa County prosecutors charged Hallett with shooting with intent to kill Tuesday.
Police said four officers were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation. - THE ASSOCIATED PRESSJanuary trial set
in killing of parents
POTEAU, Okla. - An Oklahoma man accused of shooting his elderly parents to death is set to go to trial next month.
The Southwest Times Record reported that prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Kevin Paul Statham, 51, of Muldrow. Attorneys said a Jan. 3 pretrial hearing will give Statham the opportunity to enter a plea if he wants to avoid trial on Jan. 14.
Statham is charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shootings of his parents, Helen Ruth Statham, 69, and PaulEverette Statham, 70.
A bill of particulars filed by prosecutors alleges that Statham planned the killings methodically.
Statham was arrested in North Dakota a few days after the July 2011 killings. He has pleaded innocent.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Reward is offered for pet kangaroo
SHAWNEE, Okla. - The search continues for a missing pet kangaroo that disappeared from a Shawnee home on Thanksgiving.
The Menhusen family believes that their pet, named Lucy Sparkles, hopped off Thursday after being spooked by the family’s visitors on Thanksgiving. Shayla Menhusen said there was an unconfirmed Lucy Sparkles sighting in east Oklahoma City on Saturday. She said the pet was also spotted Sunday closer to home in Shawnee.
Menhusen said her 4-year-old daughter Layla named the kangaroo. The family is offering a $1,000 reward for Lucy Sparkles’ safe return.
Menhusen told the Shawnee News-Star that the kangaroo is 11 months old and is about 2 feet tall when standing. She said Lucy Sparkles is gentle and likes to be held - and is fond of Cheetos.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Judge orders a trial for ex-church worker
TULSA - A judge said a former Tulsa megachurch employee should be bound over for trial on a charge of making a lewd proposal to an underage girl.
But the judge on Thursday dismissed a second charge against Israel Castillo that accused him of using a computer to facilitate a sex crime, finding that both charges against Castillo relied on the same evidence.
Parts of the preliminary hearing were closed to the public as the underage girl testified.
Castillo is the second employee of Victory Christian Center church to be accused of a sex crime against children. Chris Denman pleaded guilty last month to raping a 13-yearold girl in a stairwell on church property. He could face life in prison when he’s sentenced in December.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Coroner’s jury clears
sheriff in shooting
AVA, Mo. - A coroner’s jury has found that a southwest Missouri sheriff’s fatal shooting of a man whose companion he was trying to arrest was justifiable homicide.
KYTV reported Tuesday’s verdict leaves it up to the Douglas County prosecutor to decide whether to pursue criminal charges against Sheriff Chris Degase.
Degase shot 41-year-old David Phillips, of Hillsdale, Ill., on Aug. 30 along a rural road. The sheriff said he was trying to arrest a woman with Phillips on drug charges when Phillips attacked him with some kind of weapon.
Missouri Highway Patrol investigators later said the weapon was a large pair of pliers.
The six-member coroner’s jury heard from several witnesses and deliberated about 30 minutes before returning its verdict.
Degase was re-elected Douglas County sheriff earlier this month.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 12 on 11/30/2012