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Alleged burglar rescued after reported break-in failure leaves him stuck inside wall for 10 hours
California officers rescued a suspected burglar Sunday morning after a reported break-in failure left a man trapped inside the walls of a business for roughly 10 hours.
The suspect was identified as Isaac Valencia, who was later booked into jail, the Salinas Police Department (SPD) said Monday.
Local outlet KSBW reported the 29-year-old allegedly slid at least 22 feet after falling from the roof of an adjacent theater around 9 p.m. the previous night.
Authorities said the incident was only discovered when overnight officers inside a coffee shop heard a faint call for help, according to the police.
FIREFIGHTERS CUT OPEN PLAYGROUND SLIDE TO RESCUE 40-YEAR-OLD MAN STUCK INSIDE
Video shared by SPD shows Salinas Fire crews tearing through the walls in an effort to reach and rescue the man.
According to police, the incident began as officers were nearing the end of their overnight shift and stopped inside Brewjee Coffee Co for a morning coffee.
While inside, they reportedly heard "faint calls for help coming from somewhere nearby."
FAMILY MAKES TERRIFYING DISCOVERY IN BASEMENT FOLLOWING GROWING SUSPICIONS
At first, the source was difficult to locate, police said. Employees also noted they heard similar noises earlier, but it had suddenly stopped.
Officers then searched outside the entrance,where the trail of sound led to what they described as "yelling" coming from inside a wall between the coffee shop and the adjacent theater.
The Salinas Fire Department responded and began cutting through multiple sections of the structure in an effort to locate and rescue the man.
During an initial attempt to breach the coffee shop wall, crews reportedly encountered a layer of cinderblock and cement behind it.
Firefighters ultimately shifted to the adjoining exterior wall, cutting through a large section to free Valencia.
The man was medically evaluated at the scene before being booked into the Monterey County Jail on burglary charges. His bail was set at $10,000, according to KSBW.
The rescue operation lasted roughly two and a half hours, the outlet reported.
Police praised responding officers for continuing to investigate despite how minor the situation initially appeared.
"Most people probably would have chalked it up to the building making noise. These officers did not. The officers continued checking the area, including the nearby Maya Cinemas offices," SPD said.
Slayings rock quiet town after alleged Tom Selleck catfish targeted woman before couple found dead: friend
Authorities in California are carrying out a homicide investigation after deputies say an elderly married couple was found dead in their home on Friday, May 15.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that 80-year-old Donald Whitaker and 79-year-old Karen Whitaker were found dead with "traumatic injuries" in their Bermuda Dunes, California, home.
Fox News Digital spoke with Joy Meidecke, who has been a close friend to the Whitakers for more than a decade. Miedecke is the president of the East Valley Republican Women Patriots — which is how she became acquainted with the couple.
She said Karen, who was a volunteer at EVRWP, may have fallen victim to an online scammer posing as famous actor Tom Selleck.
Their relationship stemmed from an exchange in Facebook comments that turned to daily messaging.
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Karen had commented on a post regarding the passing of a dear friend, Miedecke said. The scammer then started replying to Karen's comments to where the two began a conversation, which flourished into a secret relationship, she said.
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"He romanced her, he told her all these things," she said.
FLEETWOOD MAC BACKUP SINGER LOST MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN ROMANCE SCAM
Eventually, the scammer then began requesting money and monopolizing Karen's time — Miedecke said it's possible that Karen may have sent hundreds of dollars to the Selleck poser.
Over time, Miedecke said she reported the possible elder abuse to Riverside County Adult Protective Services. The agency eventually visited the Whitakers' home, to which Donald ultimately found out about the relationship, she said.
"Her husband tried to talk to her. She wouldn't listen. So they cut up all of her [credit] cards," Miedecke said.
The Sheriff's Department is investigating the couple's death as a homicide; however, investigators have not revealed a suspect, nor have they announced any charges.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Riverside Adult Protective Services.
DHS touts millions of illegal immigrant departures as border crossings drop 94% under Trump
President Donald Trump’s first year back in office has seen more than 3 million illegal immigrants leave the United States, including an estimated 2.2 million "self-deportations," according to figures shared with Fox News Digital by the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS said the administration has also deported nearly 900,000 illegal immigrants and arrested more than 900,000 others as of May 17, framing the numbers as evidence Trump’s immigration crackdown is reshaping migration patterns after record illegal crossings during former President Joe Biden’s administration.
"In President Trump’s first year back in office, more than 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S. because of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration including an estimated 2.2 million self-deportations," a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
The administration has increasingly promoted self-deportation through the CBP Home app, which allows migrants to voluntarily leave the country with travel assistance and financial support.
DHS says the program costs significantly less than traditional deportation proceedings and is designed to encourage migrants in the country illegally to leave voluntarily.
The figures come as the administration touts dramatic declines in illegal crossings and what officials describe as the end of "catch-and-release" policies at the southern border.
Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Border Patrol had gone a full year without releasing illegal immigrants directly into the U.S. interior after apprehension at the border.
SOUTHERN BORDER APPREHENSIONS PLUNGE MORE THAN 90% FROM YEAR AGO IN APRIL, CBP SAYS
CBP said Border Patrol recorded 8,943 apprehensions at the southwestern border in April, a 94% drop from the Biden administration’s monthly average and 96% below the December 2023 peak.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said last week that "the days of catch and release are over," arguing the administration’s enforcement policies are deterring migrants from attempting to enter the country illegally.
The administration has also pointed to increased ICE operations, tighter asylum restrictions and expanded interior enforcement as factors contributing to what officials describe as a broader deterrence effect.
Immigration analysts say the administration’s tougher enforcement posture has clearly reduced illegal crossings, though some dispute how DHS characterizes some of the figures tied to migrant releases and removals.
Fox News Digital's Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
Democrats revolt over 'biological' wording in women's history museum bill
House Democrats unanimously rebelled against legislation Thursday directing the construction of a new women’s history museum on the National Mall.
Democrats sought to defeat the bill after Republicans limited the institution to biological women and excluded transgender individuals.
The measure came up short in a vote of 204-216 after a handful of conservative GOP lawmakers joined Democrats in tanking the legislation that would secure a site for the forthcoming Smithsonian American Women's History Museum on the grounds of the Mall.
The defecting Republicans objected to the measure over concerns about whether a women's history museum was necessary and because the bill did not include protections against left-wing content from appearing in the institution," a source familiar told Fox News Digital.
WATCH: DEMS GO SILENT, PULL WOMEN'S MONTH RESOLUTION AFTER GOP ASKS FOR SIMPLE DEFINITION
"American women are already proudly honored across the Smithsonian—from pioneers and patriots to scientists and leaders," the source said. "We don't need another taxpayer-funded museum that risks becoming a shrine to abortion activists like Margaret Sanger or the latest progressive cause."
It was not immediately clear whether Republican leadership would attempt to bring the legislation up for a vote at a later date. Eight Republicans did not vote.
Democrats' widespread opposition to the legislation came after the Democratic Women’s Caucus issued a statement last month accusing Republicans of targeting "transgender women and girls" with an amendment defining the museum around biological women.
The female lawmakers argued the anticipated museum is long overdue, but said they could not support the legislation with the biological women language added, which many characterized as a "poison pill."
"The Museum shall be dedicated to preserving, researching, and presenting the history, achievements and lived experiences of biological women in the United States," the amended measure, authored by Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., states in part.
The museum may not depict "any biological male as female," it continues, which codifies language in a Trump executive order issued in 2025 barring the inclusion of transgender individuals in the forthcoming museum.
"The addition of the word biological made them all run for the hills," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said during a news conference Wednesday. "If that's controversial in the Democratic Party, we're in serious trouble. The party that purports to support women, demanding that the museum include biological men."
Democrats’ decision to withdraw support for the museum measure comes as the party has continued to advocate for transgender rights despite questions over whether those views contributed to its poor performance in the 2024 election. Many Democrats also continue to face GOP scrutiny about providing a definition for "woman."
DEMOCRATS REFUSE TO DEFINE 'WOMAN' WHEN PRESSED ON CAPITOL HILL: 'COMPLICATED QUESTION'
Democratic lawmakers also slammed amended language in the bill granting the president the authority to choose an "alternative site" within 180 days of the measure's enactment.
"They amended the bill to give Trump and his allies unregulated power over what content and which women can be included in the museum, and the museum’s location," Democratic Women's Caucus Chairwoman Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., said in a joint statement earlier this week with other female Democratic lawmakers. "A museum about women, fought for and supported by women, should not be controlled by one man."
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., the sponsor of the museum measure, accused Democrats of "hiding behind" that rationale to avoid addressing the transgender provision.
"A women's history museum is supposed to be dedicated to women, period," Malliotakis told Fox News. "And the fact that they're going to pull their support after overwhelmingly co-sponsoring this bill because the word biological was inserted, to me, is ludicrous."
"They're going to have to explain to their voters why they believe this museum should not be built and why they believe that there should be transgender exhibits in it," she added.
Congress previously authorized the women’s history museum in 2020, along with a museum for American Latinos. Some Democrats justified their opposition to the measure over objections that the women’s history museum is advancing without the planned Latino institution.
Spencer Pratt calls Jesus Christ his political role model
Los Angeles mayoral candidate and former reality TV star Spencer Pratt revealed in a new interview that Jesus Christ would top his list of political role models.
During an interview published Wednesday, CNN's Elex Michaelson asked Pratt, "Who is your political role model?"
Pratt, a Republican who launched his campaign for mayor in January to unseat Democrat Karen Bass, responded, "Jesus Christ."
CELEBRITY BLOGGER PEREZ HILTON SAYS HE FOUND GOD AMID MEDICAL SCARE IN EMOTIONAL CONFESSION
Michaelson smiled, and then asked Pratt, a former star on "The Hills," if there are any modern politicians he views as role models.
"No, I'm not a politician," Pratt said. "I don't want to be a politician. I want to be a fighter for the people."
Pratt then acknowledged that he is "the most similar to Obama."
Speaking about the interview with Pratt afterwards, Michaelson said that Pratt meant that he was the most similar to former President Barack Obama because "they are both community advocates."
Asked by Michaelson what word separated him from his competitors, Pratt responded, "Truth."
Pratt and his wife Heidi Montag lost their home in the Pacific Palisades in the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, which destroyed thousands of homes across the area. The fires, and Bass' alleged mismanagement of what happened in their wake, were drivers in Pratt's decision to run for mayor.
While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, President Donald Trump wished Pratt well in his race against Bass.
"Oh, I'd like to see him do well. He's a character," Trump said.
The primary for the mayoral race is June 2. If, as expected, no candidate in the crowded contest surpasses 50 percent of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to the general election in November.
While its mayoral position is officially nonpartisan, Los Angeles has not had a Republican mayor since Richard Riordan from 1993 to 2001.
Fox News’ Robert McGreevy contributed to this report.
Fox News Poll: Voters see welfare fraud as common, still mostly favor protecting benefits over crackdowns
As federal authorities continue to crack down on welfare fraud, the latest Fox News survey finds voters are concerned about program abuse, but still also want to protect access for legitimate recipients.
The survey was conducted before the Department of Justice announced charges against 15 defendants on Thursday in the ongoing Minnesota welfare fraud investigations, one of multiple inquiries into welfare abuse across the country.
A majority of registered voters, 71%, believe fraud in government welfare and social service programs is extremely or very common, and nearly half, 45%, think it has increased over the past two years. Just 19% say decreased and 35% believe it has stayed the same.
FOX NEWS POLL: 30% THINK RECENT TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT WAS STAGED
Yet when weighing enforcement against access, voters prioritize eligible recipients: 56% say ensuring benefits for eligible people should be the higher priority, even if some fraud occurs, while 43% prioritize fraud prevention, even if some eligible people lose benefits.
"The data demonstrates what populist candidates understand intuitively," says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps conduct the Fox News Poll with Democratic partner Chris Anderson. "Voters think corruption and incompetence are rampant in government, and stories of program fraud from Minneapolis and California reinforce this notion. And articulating this belief plays well with the public. The policy implications are trickier: do you risk restricting aid to the truly vulnerable to ensure taxpayers aren’t being ripped off?"
Voters are split on who bears more responsibility for fraud: individuals misrepresenting eligibility or organizations and contractors misrepresenting costs (50% each).
FOX NEWS POLL: AS ECONOMIC PAIN DEEPENS, DISAPPROVAL OF TRUMP HITS NEW HIGH
On fraud prevention, more voters trust their state governments (60% a great deal or some confidence) than the federal government (51%).
There is notable bipartisan consensus on the existence of welfare fraud. To varying degrees, Democrats, Republicans, and independents agree fraud is common, and it has increased in recent years. But beyond that, partisan divisions become much sharper.
Majorities of Democrats are more likely to blame organizations and contractors for fraud and to prioritize ensuring eligible people receive benefits. By contrast, Republicans are more likely to blame individuals who misrepresent eligibility and favor stronger fraud prevention measures.
Independents are split on whether individuals or contractors are more responsible for fraud (50% each) but more prioritize access to benefits (57%) than fraud prevention (43%).
Confidence in state governments cuts across party lines, with majorities of Democrats (65%), independents (59%), and Republicans (56%) trusting their state to prevent fraud.
Views of the federal government are more polarized. Nearly two-thirds of Republicans (63%) express confidence in the federal government’s ability to combat fraud, compared to 42% of Democrats and 47% of independents.
Congressional Approval
Only 3 in 10 voters approve of the job Congressional Democrats (30%) and Republicans (31%) are doing.
Approval for Congressional Democrats is up 1 point since February (29%, a record low approval). Support for Congressional Republicans has fallen 5 points (36%), and much of that comes from a 10-point drop among Republican voters themselves.
Still, more Republicans approve of their lawmakers (67%) than Democrats do theirs (58%).
"Voters’ unfavorable views of Democratic lawmakers is one of the most fascinating and important factors affecting the midterms," says Shaw. "Negative assessments of the Republicans are expected; they hold power at a time when the public mood is sour. But to capitalize on this, the Democrats must convince voters they might actually do better."
Redistricting
Six in 10 voters are extremely or very concerned about redistricting ahead of the 2026 midterms.
More Democrats than Republicans are concerned (71% vs. 51%) and more than twice as many Democrats say they are extremely concerned (39% D vs. 15% R). Independents are split, with 50% concerned and 49% not concerned, including 22% extremely concerned.
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The Supreme Court
Voters were also asked how they feel about increasing the number of justices on the U.S. Supreme Court and 45% favor the idea while 55% oppose it. Support is unchanged from 2022 and up from a 35% low in 2021. Overall, voters have generally opposed packing the court.
More than half of Democrats (55%) favor expanding the high court, while majorities of independents (56%) and Republicans oppose it (64%).
Conducted May 15-18, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,002 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (109) and cellphones (635) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (258). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch tragically dies at 41 after hospitalization
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch died Thursday afternoon, sending shockwaves through the garage and the racing world.
Busch, 41, was hospitalized Thursday due to an undisclosed but "severe illness," according to a statement put out by the Busch family.
NASCAR, the Busch family and Richard Childress Racing announced the death Thursday evening, but did not offer a cause of death.
"On behalf of the Busch family, everyone at Richard Childress Racing and all of NASCAR, we are devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch," the statement said. "Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch. A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans.
"Throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR’s highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series. His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation.’
"Our thoughts are with Samantha, Brexton and Lennix, Kyle and Samantha’s parents, Kurt and all of Kyle’s family, Richard and Judy Childress, everyone at Richard Childress Racing, his teammates, friends and fans. NASCAR lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon.
"During this incredibly difficult time, we ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy and continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Further updates will be shared as appropriate."
Busch was a two-time Cup champion and undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer. He'd been in the Cup Series since 2004, making 762 career starts with 63 wins. Busch won the championship in 2015 and 2019, and had 234 victories across all three NASCAR national series.
RACING WORLD REMEMBERS FORMER NASCAR DRIVER GREG BIFFLE AFTER DEADLY PLANE CRASH
Busch is the all-time record-holder for wins in both the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series (102) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (69). His most recent win came last weekend at Dover, when he led 147 laps in a dominating Truck Series victory.
Busch made his mark in NASCAR during his time with Joe Gibbs Racing, where he spent the majority of his career and won the two championships. He left JGR for Richard Childress Racing after the 2022 season, and won three times during his first season.
His last Cup Series win came in June 2023. While he struggled for much of this season, Busch did start on the pole in February's Daytona 500 and was coming off a season-best finish of eighth two weeks ago at Watkins Glen.
Busch’s stunning death is the second tragic loss for NASCAR in the past six months. Former Cup driver Greg Biffle died in a plane crash last December, along with his wife and two children.
Busch leaves behind wife, Samantha, and two kids. He is the first active NASCAR Cup Series driver to die since Dale Earnhardt passed away on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.
Steve Sarkisian reverses basket weaving comments with Ole Miss, while sounding alarm on college athletics
Steve Sarkisian found himself in the crosshairs of Ole Miss fans last week after implying that getting a degree from Texas is a whole lot harder than some other schools across the country.
Yes, you might remember the Texas football coach bringing up "basket weaving" classes at Ole Miss, which drew plenty of pushback and jokes from across the country.
Honestly, Sarkisian enticed me to sign up for one of these basket weaving classes that I will still take next week because I found the entire conversation intriguing.
Geaux Tigahs, again: Ed Orgeron returns to LSU, joining Lane Kiffin’s chaos crew on the Bayou
But on Thursday, while speaking at the Houston Touchdown Club, the Longhorns coach made it a point to say that his quote was taken out of context and that he only used Ole Miss because of his relationship with Lane Kiffin, along with the current head coach Pete Golding.
"The only reason the Ole Miss thing came up is because two of my best friends were there, Lane Kiffin and Pete Golding," Sarkisian noted. "So, I know when we would compete with them they were able to take kids, and then they were able to graduate them. I probably shouldn’t have used basket-weaving as my example for the class, ok. Microeconomics, I don't give a damn, whatever the class is. Yoga, we have yoga at UT.
"The last part was irrelevant. The point I was trying to make is that at UT, you have to complete half of your degree at the University of Texas. You have to do those 60 hours at UT to get a degree from Texas. At a school, like Ole Miss, they can take one class and get a degree. Maybe that one class is basket-weaving, maybe that one class is macroeconomics, I don't know."
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But, even though basket weaving is an interesting topic, a bigger issue is brewing right now in college athletics that could have a major impact on what this entire model looks like in five years.
One of the biggest issues facing conferences across the country centers on the absent guardrails when it comes to schools abiding by the rules.
In reality, there are no rules at the moment, judging by the amount of money being spent on rosters across different collegiate sports.
And, a good chunk of this stems from the House settlement that has led to pure chaos around campuses, thanks to a competition between programs over who can spend the most money on trying to win a championship.
Obviously, this is one of the reasons why college commissioners are imploring Congress to agree on some type of legislation that would at least set up a governance system. A perfect example would be the different types of contracts offered to players, depending on which state the school you sign with resides in.
"The contracts we can offer our players are different than what you can offer in California, Louisiana or Florida, because there are 39 different state laws. We're not governed by one thing," Sarkisian noted. "That's why we're striving so hard for federal intervention that we're struggling to get, so we can police these things we have in place.
"Because if not, any time somebody does something that's against the rules, and for a group we all signed up to be part of in the NCAA..But then when we break the rule, we want to run to a judge in our hometown and get an injunction against that rule to get that player eligible. That doesn’t make sense to me. That's why there's been all this talk about breaking away. It's not breaking away so we can get away from everybody, its breaking away so we can govern the rules that are in place.
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I think just about everyone in college athletics would agree, but some of these presidents and athletic directors have to stop acting as if revenue-sharing or NIL came out of nowhere. Take this interesting quote from University of Georgia President Jere Morehead for example.
"If we don't get federal legislation in my opinion, we're going to have do this conference by conference because we can't allow the wild west to continue any longer," Morehead said Thursday. "I'm prepared next week in Destin to be ready to vote on creating an SEC mechanism, SEC rules that we have to do if Congress isn't going to be act as they should. We just cannot continue down this current path, We have waited months after months for congress to act and it hasn't occurred yet."
While he may be acting a bit overdramatic, Morehead isn’t entirely wrong. But, until these leaders realize Congress can't save them all, the conversation will shift toward how a conference like the SEC or Big Ten can start governing themselves.
Sounds a bit tougher than basket weaving, though I'll be the one to judge that next week.
F1 driver has a hilarious reason he knew reports about a team feud were totally wrong
Formula 1 had a few weeks off between the Miami Grand Prix earlier this month and the Canadian Grand Prix coming this weekend, and one of the big stories in that time had to do with Haas and driver Esteban Ocon.
Despite the team performing well so far this season, there were reports and rumors of a rift between the French driver and the American Formula 1 team, including team boss Ayao Komatsu.
However, that isn't the case according to Ocon, and he had a very funny reason for not believing the reports.
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"The stories have been fabricated with no foundation. There were no real sources in there. I've joined this team because of Ayao, because I've known him for so long," Ocon said on Thursday in Montreal, per Formula 1. "He's been my first race engineer in F1, and he's going to set the record straight later in the media.
"There was no dispute in Miami, but when I read the article that kicked it all off, they call him 'Ryo Komatsu,' so as soon as I read that, I stopped reading."
Ocon butting heads with his team or teammates wouldn't be a new thing, but yeah, goofing up one of the key players' names so badly is one hell of a credibility killer.
While there may not be a full-on rift, according to Ocon, the pressure is still going to be on him. One of the biggest measuring sticks in F1 is your teammate, and through four Grand Prix and two Sprints, Ocon's teammate Ollie Bearman has scored 17 of the team's 18 points.
Clearly, the team has a car that is capable of competing toward the front of the midfield, but they'll need both drivers scoring regularly to keep up with an Alpine team that has performed really well this season (it's amazing what ditching that lousy Renault power unit and replacing it with a Mercedes can do, huh?).
Alpine currently leads Haas for P5 in the constructors' standings 23-18, but, of course, there's a long way to go.
Husband, mother-in-law busted in woman's cold-case murder amid backyard dig: police
More than three decades after Kentucky woman Anna Lee Manning disappeared, authorities have arrested her husband and his mother in connection with what investigators now believe was her murder.
Anthony Blaine Manning, 59, of Harrodsburg, was indicted May 18 on charges of murder, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse, according to Boyle County court records and the Boyle County Sheriff’s Office.
His mother, Barbara Ann Manning, 76, was also indicted on charges of complicity to murder, complicity to tampering with physical evidence and complicity to abuse a corpse.
Jail records show both were booked into the Boyle County Detention Center on May 19 and are being held on $2 million cash bonds.
Anna Manning was reported missing on Feb. 25, 1994, though investigators believe her death dates back to 1992.
The arrests mark a major breakthrough in one of Boyle County’s longest-running cold cases.
On May 19, Detective Ray with the Boyle County Sheriff’s Office announced the indictments, saying the investigation into Anna Manning’s disappearance remains ongoing.
COLD CASE BREAKTHROUGH SOLVES TEEN KILLING AFTER SUSPECT LIVED FREE FOR DECADES: 'BETTER BE AFRAID'
Authorities spent Wednesday digging behind a home on Spring Valley Road belonging to Barbara Manning, searching for evidence connected to the case.
Investigators have not confirmed whether human remains have been found.
Anna Lee Manning was just 23 years old when she disappeared from Junction City, Kentucky, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).
The database states Manning was last seen on Nov. 19, 1992, standing outside Chinn’s Jewelry Shop on North Third Street.
Her aunt, Elsie Williams, later recalled seeing Anna that day.
"She shouted out to her aunt and said she had something to tell her," the NamUs case file states.
Williams never learned what Anna wanted to say. She never saw her niece again.
BODY OF MISSING WASHINGTON STATE GRANDMOTHER FOUND BURIED UNDER SHED PARTIALLY ENCASED IN CONCRETE
NamUs records show Anna was 5 feet tall and weighed about 108 pounds at the time of her disappearance. Her case was entered into the national missing persons database in 2013.
Family members told local outlet LEX 18 they have believed for decades that Anna Manning’s body was buried on the property.
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"I’ve been praying every night for the last few months that they would find her," Williams told the outlet.
Williams, who said she is battling cancer, told the outlet finding her niece before she dies has become deeply important to her.
"I wanted to find her before I died," she said. "There ain’t nobody left."
MAN ACCUSED OF TIMED BEATINGS NOW CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER WOMAN FOUND DEAD IN RIVER: REPORT
Williams also alleged Anthony Manning had been abusive during his relationship with Anna and said she had concerns about him early on.
"He was a nice looking boy, but I knew a lot about the family," Williams told LEX 18. "I didn’t want her with him."
According to the outlet, Williams said Anna endured a difficult childhood and struggled with mental health challenges as a teenager.
This was not the first time investigators searched the Spring Valley Road property. Detectives also excavated areas there in 2016 after leads again pointed authorities to the location.
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One volunteer assisting investigators, Crystal Williams, told reporters she remembered there being an old well on the property years ago.
"I was trying to help them locate where that well’s at," she said.
When asked whether she believed investigators were close to finding Anna, she responded, "Yes."
The Boyle County Sheriff’s Office thanked several agencies assisting in the investigation, including the Danville Police Department, Junction City Public Works, Boyle County Public Works and Danville/Boyle County Emergency Management.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the Boyle County Sheriff's Office and Williams for additional comment but did not immediately receive a response.
The Boyle County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information related to the case to contact investigators at 859-238-1220.