Man who dressed as woman and used fake bomb to hold up bank identified

Braylon Lionell Marshall, 24, is charged with robbery.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Authorities have identified a man accused of dressing up as a woman and using a fake bomb to hold up a bank.

It happened at the First Convenience Bank inside a Kroger at 6350 N. Eldridge Parkway back on September 5.

According to court documents, Braylon Lionell Marshall walked in the bank wearing a women's wig and yellow capri pants, and carrying a drink shaker with a wire coming out of it. The robber handed the teller a note saying his boyfriend was waiting in the car and could remotely detonate the device.

Investigators arrested the alleged getaway driver near the scene who implicated Marshall. His fingerprints were also found on the demand note.

Marshall, 24, is charged with robbery.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Helicopter crash victims in NE Harris Co. identified

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused a deadly helicopter crash in northeast Harris County yesterday afternoon that killed two people.

The crash happened a little before 4pm in the 7800 block of Miller Road #3.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the helicopter is operated by Helicopter Services, Inc. out of Hooks Airport, and it's believed it was on a photography flight.

The pilot was identified as 40-year-old Christopher Yeager and his passenger as 60-year-old Joyce Ates.

Today, investigators will be back out on the scene to try to determine why the chopper crashed.

"We will do a complete wreckage examination and we will probably remove the wreckage," NTSB investigator Tom Latson said.

Good Samaritans with whom we spoke yesterday say they were traveling on Highway 90 when they saw the chopper circling.

"I was coming down Highway 90 and I saw a (helicopter) spinning out of control," said Jose Escamilla, one of several people who tried to rescue the victims. "And at that moment, we knew it was going to crash. We pulled over."

Eyewitnesses say the helicopter was circling unusually low around Beltway 8 and Highway 90. It crashed on the property of Oilfield Pipeline Company. A small group of men parked their cars and crawled under the fence, joining workers at the business who were trying to rescue the victims in the helicopter.

Unfortunately, they say the fire that damaged the aircraft was just too much to handle. But their efforts continued even when they knew those onboard didn't make it.

"When I looked at them, I knew they were gone," said Escamilla. "I was trying to save the bodies from being burned for the families. I would want someone to do that for me."

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Yeagar and Ates died on impact. The chopper, a Robinson 22B, had left Hooks Airport and refueled in Baytown just before crashing.

Eyewitnesses believe the pilot was doing everything he could to avoid hitting the highway.

"It's lucky that it didn't on the highway. It landed in the private pipeyard. Actually, it didn't damage anything other than the helicopter itself," DPS trooper John Sampa said.

Eyewitness News reached out to Helicopter Services, Inc. but a woman who works there hung up on us.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Serial burglary suspects identified, being sought

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police are searching for two suspects accused in a string of home burglaries, and police say they had a unique way of targeting their victims.

The burglaries happened over the past three months in the Magnolia Creek Subdivision.

Police have arrested Alton Simmons the third. He's charged with three counts of burglary. They're now searching for two other suspects: Jason Carswell and Rebecca Droher.

Investigators say the burglars would use a prepaid cell phone to blanket subdivisions with phone calls.

If no one answered the home phone, they assumed no one was home.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Victim identified in fatal shooting at rave party at southeast Houston house

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The victim killed at a rave at a house in southeast Houston has been identified. He was just 18 years old and about to graduate from high school.

The family of Ryan Spikes of Cypress told Eyewitness News they are just devastated right now and they want some answers. They tell us they want to know who shot the teen and left him to die on the street.

"We're not taking it good at all; not good at all. This is heartbreaking," said Tiffany Spikes, the victim's sister.

Tiffany's 18-year-old brother, Ryan, was killed early Wednesday morning. The Cypress Springs High School senior and athlete was shot outside a huge rave-style party at a vacant house in the 4400 block of Allison. The gunman is still on the run.

"We just hope in Jesus' name that somebody will come forward and just be truthful about it. If it's hindering their heart, come forth or turn themselves in, or if anybody know anything, call TIPS," Tiffany said.

We've learned between 300 and 600 teenagers and Spring Breakers attended the chaotic party which was highly advertised across social media sites. Houston police say officers responded to the scene after reports of loud noise. As police and security tried breaking up the huge crowd, police say they heard gunshots. Ryan's family told us he had no enemies.

"Lord Jesus, my brother was humble. He barely spoke or talk. He was never was in no mess, never fought," said Tiffany.

Witnesses say several people were shooting. Police say they tried chasing down one gunman, but he got away. Now Tiffany and her family are pleading for answers.

We checked with Houston police. They told us detectives are still interviewing witnesses. For now, police and Ryan's family are encouraging anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

In light of the shooting, there will be a community meeting on Monday night. It will be held at the Cullen Missionary Baptist Church at 6:30pm. Councilwoman Wanda Adams will be there along with Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland. The goal of the meeting is to talk about ways to prevent something like this from happening again in the community.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Police: Burning body tentatively identified

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Friends of a woman whose body was found burning at a local park are in shock, as police search for clues in this horrifying case.

The woman's body was found on fire at George Bush Park early Wednesday morning. We now know she was last seen at her job at a restaurant off the Katy Freeway near Fry. Police say clothing and other physical characteristics on the body have led to a tentative identification of Norma Angelica Tapia, 42. They are awaiting fingerprints and other forensics testing for further confirmation.

Houston police say Tapia's car was found Wednesday morning outside the restaurant where she worked as a cook, the Shish Kabob Cafe II off the Katy Freeway. Co-workers saw Tapia get in the car at about 10pm Tuesday. Her body was found three hours later, burning on the side of the road inside George Bush Park.

"Very sweet, she was like a family member to us," recalled co-worker Arshia Mohammadi. "Obviously what happened was a tragedy."

Mohammadi is the manager at the restaurant. He can't imagine anyone wanting to hurt Tapia.

He said, "She was a strong woman. She didn't have any enemies as far as I know."

Police say they have talked to Tapia's estranged husband and boyfriend, and both appear to have alibis. Investigators are now reviewing surveillance video from the cameras around the parking lot at the restaurant, hoping to find leads on a suspect.

"We believe that somebody could have been walking through this parking lot and saw what happened," said Houston Police Sgt. Warren Meeler. "If she was taken from this parking lot forcibly, more than likely somebody possibly saw it."

Customers at the restaurant are slowly hearing of the tragedy. They are saddened, and some are now concerned for their own safety.

"That just seems so odd," said customer Denise Rogers. "So I'm thinking, is it someone that she knew, or is it just a random act, or what?"

Tapia's body burned so badly that the medical examiner's office has yet to be able to determine the cause of her death. Police ask that you call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS if you saw anything suspicious on Tuesday night.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Woman's body found murdered in a barrel identified

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The body of a woman found murdered in a barrel in a northwest Harris County backyard has been identified.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has identified the woman's body as Stacie Lutz, of Houston. The cause of death is listed as homicidal violence. Lutz's body was found bound and stuffed inside a barrel in October 2010. The property owner who was wanted for questioning in the crime, 64-year-old Dennis Anderson, fled and was found dead in a motel room in Florida a couple weeks later. He was reportedly hanged. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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