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Albany County, NY

Convicted Killer Executed Neighbor, Dumped Body On Woodridge Rail Trail, Jury Finds Convicted Killer Executed Neighbor, Dumped Body On Woodridge Rail Trail, Jury Finds
Convicted Killer Executed Neighbor, Dumped Body On Woodridge Rail Trail, Jury Finds A Hudson Valley man already serving time for murder was found guilty of killing his neighbor and concealing the body. Jonte Wunner, 27, of Monticello, was found guilty of second-degree murder and related charges in Sullivan County Court on Friday, Sept. 19, in the 2024 killing of Jose Rodriguez. Jurors determined that on Oct. 4, 2024, Wunner intentionally beat and shot Rodriguez, 42, to death inside a home on Lakewood Avenue in Monticello. They found that he then wrapped Rodriguez’s body in a tarp and transported it to the Woodridge rail trail, where it was discovered by investigators. Evi…
First West Nile Virus Case Confirmed In Albany In 7 Years; Here's How To Protect Yourself First West Nile Virus Case Confirmed In Albany In 7 Years; Here's How To Protect Yourself
First West Nile Virus Case Confirmed In Albany In 7 Years; Here's How To Protect Yourself Health officials have confirmed the first case of West Nile virus in Albany County in seven years. The Albany County Department of Health confirmed the contraction Thursday, Sept. 18, but declined to provide further details, citing patient privacy policies. It marked the first case of West Nile virus in Albany County since 2018. "News like this is a reminder that while cases of West Nile Virus are rare, we must remain vigilant,” said Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy. “Our health department is monitoring the situation closely, and we will continue to keep the public informed.” West Ni…
Woman's Murder Triggers Manhunt In Cohoes (DEVELOPING) Woman's Murder Triggers Manhunt In Cohoes (DEVELOPING)
Woman's Murder Triggers Manhunt In Cohoes (Developing) A multi-agency manhunt is underway after a woman was found murdered inside her Albany County home. Cohoes Police responded to a residence on Earl Lynn Court around 9:15 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, where they found a deceased woman inside, police said. She has since been identified as 41-year-old Amanda Rodriguez. An official cause of death had not been released as of Monday, Sept. 15. Investigators quickly zeroed in on Rodriguez’ boyfriend, 53-year-old Anthony Bechand, according to police. He fled the home in a white Chevrolet Silverado. The truck was located unoccupied later Sunday on Count…
Cornell Students Skin 120-Pound Black Bear In Dorm Kitchen After Killing It Off Campus Cornell Students Skin 120-Pound Black Bear In Dorm Kitchen After Killing It Off Campus
Cornell Students Skin 120-Pound Black Bear In Dorm Kitchen After Killing It Off Campus Two students skinned and butchered a legally hunted black bear in a campus dorm kitchen at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, prompting outcry but no charges. On Thursday, Sept. 11, university and state officials confirmed the hunt and the on-campus processing but said no laws were broken. NBC News reported the pair killed the 120-pound black bear over the weekend and brought the carcass into a residence hall to process it on Saturday, Sept. 6.  The students held valid New York State hunting licenses, a Cornell spokesperson said, adding that a police report was filed after a comp…
Previously Deported Man Raped Child In Cohoes, Police Say Previously Deported Man Raped Child In Cohoes, Police Say
Previously Deported Man Raped Child In Cohoes, Police Say A Brazilian national who was previously deported from the US is accused of raping a minor in Albany County. Marcio Martins-Rodrigues, 35, was arrested Sunday, Aug. 24, following an investigation into a sexual assault involving a minor, Cohoes Police said. He was charged with first-degree rape involving forcible compulsion and second-degree rape following allegations that he engaged in sexual intercourse with a victim younger than 15, police said. Martins-Rodrigues had previously been deported from the United States and is in the country illegally, according to Immigration and Customs Enfor…
Heroic Colonie Paramedic, Model Stabbed While Saving Women From Attackers In Germany Heroic Colonie Paramedic, Model Stabbed While Saving Women From Attackers In Germany
Heroic Colonie Paramedic, Model Stabbed While Saving Women From Attackers In Germany An EMT and model from upstate New York is fighting to recover after he was brutally stabbed while protecting two women from a tram assault in Germany. John Rudat, 21, of Colonie, – who recently completed paramedic school and works as an EMT in Albany County – intervened after seeing two women being attacked in Dresden on Sunday, Aug. 24, according to a GoFundMe campaign. In the struggle, he was slashed in the face with a six-inch blade, leaving him with severe injuries that required emergency surgery overseas. Photos from the aftermath show blood across the tram floor as passengers used ti…
Rotterdam Spa Owner Ran Prostitution Ring Across NY, DOJ Says Rotterdam Spa Owner Ran Prostitution Ring Across NY, DOJ Says
Rotterdam Spa Owner Ran Prostitution Ring Across NY, DOJ Says A New York woman is accused of running a multi-county prostitution ring at her massage parlors. Qingqin “Coco” Xie was charged with racketeering in Albany federal court on Wednesday, Aug. 20, following a two-year investigation involving the FBI, New York State Police, IRS, and Homeland Security Investigations. The probe culminated in a multi-agency police raid on Xie’s massage spas in Saratoga, Schenectady, Albany, Rensselaer, and Ulster counties, as Daily Voice reported. According to the criminal complaint, obtained by Daily Voice, online sex advertisements directed customers to Xie’s Moo…
Farm-to-Table Flair, Craft Cocktails Await Patrons Of New Slingerlands Restaurant Farm-to-Table Flair, Craft Cocktails Await Patrons Of New Slingerlands Restaurant
Farm-to-Table Flair, Craft Cocktails Await Patrons Of New Slingerlands Restaurant With fresh-from-scratch cooking, seasonal cocktails, and a cozy-yet-modern vibe, Mint is the area’s newest farm-to-table hot spot. The Albany County eatery – located at 5 Vista Boulevard in Slingerlands – opened its doors in late April. It marks the second location for owner Johanna von Geldern, who also runs the original Glens Falls restaurant. The new space carries forward Mint’s mission of connecting community with sustainable, locally sourced food and drink. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mint 518 (@mint.restaurant) Mint’s…
Trooper Injured After Vehicle Strikes Patrol Car On Thruway In Bethlehem Trooper Injured After Vehicle Strikes Patrol Car On Thruway In Bethlehem
Trooper Injured After Vehicle Strikes Patrol Car On Thruway In Bethlehem A New York State Trooper was hospitalized after her patrol vehicle was struck during a traffic stop on I-87 in Albany County. Trooper Kristen Sullivan was conducting a northbound traffic stop around 8:44 a.m. Friday, Aug. 8, when a 2017 Subaru Forester hit the driver’s side of her vehicle, New York State Police said. Sullivan suffered minor back and neck injuries and was taken to Albany Medical Center, where she was expected to be released later the same day. An initial investigation found that the Subaru was traveling in the left lane when the driver swerved onto the left shoulder to avoi…
Suspect Kills Himself After Firing On Police During Hourslong Standoff In Cohoes: Cops Suspect Kills Himself After Firing On Police During Hourslong Standoff In Cohoes: Cops
Suspect Kills Himself After Firing On Police During Hourslong Standoff In Cohoes: Cops A suspect opened fire on police before taking his own life following an hourslong standoff in upstate New York, authorities said. Police responded to a Cohoes residence on Remsen Street for a domestic dispute early Wednesday, Aug. 6, according to New York State Police. Following an hourslong standoff, the male suspect fired two rounds at a trooper's shield at around 7: 40 a.m. and the trooper returned fire, police said. A short time later, the man fatally shot himself inside the home, according to Cohoes Mayor Bill Keeler. No officers were injured, and there is no ongoing threat to the …
Air Quality Alert Issued for Hudson Valley, Capital Region Amid Wildfire Smoke Air Quality Alert Issued for Hudson Valley, Capital Region Amid Wildfire Smoke
Air Quality Alert Issued for Hudson Valley, Capital Region Amid Wildfire Smoke Weather officials have issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for a large swath of eastern New York, including the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, and parts of the Adirondacks, due to elevated levels of fine particulate matter in the air.  The advisory is in effect until midnight tonight, Tuesday, August 5, with air quality index (AQI) levels expected to exceed 100, indicating potentially unhealthy conditions for sensitive individuals, according to the National Weather Service and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.  Fine particulates, also known as PM…
Air Quality Alert Issued For Hudson Valley, Long Island Due To Canadian Wildfire Smoke Air Quality Alert Issued For Hudson Valley, Long Island Due To Canadian Wildfire Smoke
Air Quality Alert Issued For Hudson Valley, Long Island Due To Canadian Wildfire Smoke New Yorkers are under an air quality health advisory Monday, Aug. 4, as wildfire smoke and ozone pollution push levels into the unhealthy range. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Department of Health (DOH) issued updated advisories for both fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone pollution, warning residents to limit outdoor activity and take precautions. The updated advisory, issued Monday morning, includes potential visible smoke and hazy skies statewide due to drifting wildfire smoke from Canada. Residents may experience temporary spikes in smoke-rel…
9-Year-Old's Death Under Investigation In Watervliet 9-Year-Old's Death Under Investigation In Watervliet
9-Year-Old's Death Under Investigation In Watervliet Authorities are investigating the death of a child in Albany County. Officers from the Watervliet Police Department and New York State Police responded to a Watervliet residence on 2nd Avenue on Saturday, Aug. 2, for a report of an unresponsive 9-year-old. The child was pronounced dead at Samaritan Hospital, according to State Police. There is no perceived threat to the public, the agency added. Watervliet Police transferred the investigation to the New York State Police. The child’s cause and manner of death will be determined by the medical examiner’s office.
Fugitive Wanted On Several Warrants Apprehended In Poughkeepsie, Police Say Fugitive Wanted On Several Warrants Apprehended In Poughkeepsie, Police Say
Fugitive Wanted On Several Warrants Apprehended In Poughkeepsie, Police Say A 34-year-old woman wanted on multiple felony warrants in another Hudson Valley county was taken into custody after officers spotted her in Dutchess County, police announced.  The arrest was made early Tuesday morning, July 15, when officers recognized Rebecca Austin around 12:05 a.m. in the 400 block of Main Street in Poughkeepsie, the city's police department said on Wednesday, July 16.  Police say they were already familiar with Austin from a previous investigation in which she allegedly used a false identity. Upon further investigation, officers discovered that Austin wa…
Shocking Video Shows Colonie Cop Hit Man With Car, Killing Him Shocking Video Shows Colonie Cop Hit Man With Car, Killing Him
Shocking Video Shows Colonie Cop Hit Man With Car, Killing Him A security camera captured the moment an off-duty police officer hit and killed a man walking in the street in Upstate New York. The disturbing incident happened in Albany County, on Old Loudon Road in Colonie, shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday, May 27, as Daily Voice previously reported. Security footage released by the New York Attorney General’s Office Wednesday, July 9, shows off-duty Colonie Police officer Jason Tusch striking 65-year-old John Bonds as the man pushed a cart near Purtell Avenue. Bonds, wearing a light-colored shirt and shorts, was launched into the air and out of frame in …
Delivery Driver Attacked By Hatchet-Wielding Man At Wrong New Scotland House, Police Say Delivery Driver Attacked By Hatchet-Wielding Man At Wrong New Scotland House, Police Say
Delivery Driver Attacked By Hatchet-Wielding Man At Wrong New Scotland House, Police Say A late-night food delivery nearly turned into a horror movie in a small New York town. Troopers in Albany County responded to a New Scotland residence shortly before midnight Sunday, June 29, for reports that a hatchet-wielding man was attacking a delivery driver, according to New York State Police. The driver had unknowingly arrived at the wrong house while trying to deliver food around 11:50 p.m. when Paul Byron, 43, stormed out of his home carrying a hatchet, police said. As the driver sat in their vehicle attempting to explain the mix-up, Byron threatened them with the weapon, accordin…
$13M Medicaid Scam: NY Transport Companies Stole Millions In Taxpayer Dollars, AG Says $13M Medicaid Scam: NY Transport Companies Stole Millions In Taxpayer Dollars, AG Says
$13M Medicaid Scam: NY Transport Companies Stole Millions In Taxpayer Dollars, AG Says Several New York medical transport companies, including some in the Hudson Valley and New York’s Capital Region, are being forced to pay back millions of dollars after a sweeping Medicaid fraud investigation by the state, officials announced.   The enforcement effort, revealed Monday, June 30, targeted 25 companies across the state, including businesses in Westchester, Dutchess, Orange, Columbia, Albany, and Saratoga counties. Sixteen companies have agreed to repay over $13 million in stolen Medicaid funds, and seven others are now facing lawsuits, New York Attorney General Letitia…
Tinder Trap: Troy Woman Gets 10 Years For Role In Ambush Robberies Tinder Trap: Troy Woman Gets 10 Years For Role In Ambush Robberies
Tinder Trap: Troy Woman Gets 10 Years For Role In Ambush Robberies A New York woman will spend a decade behind bars for her role in back-to-back armed robberies orchestrated through the dating app Tinder. Karina Carroll, 25, of Troy, was sentenced to five years in prison in Albany County Court on Monday, June 30, after pleading guilty to first-degree robbery. Her sentence will run consecutively to a previous five-year sentence doled out in Rensselaer County. Carroll admitted to working with Terry Adams, 19, and William Camino, 20, both of Troy, to target unsuspecting men using Tinder. The first robbery occurred in Troy on Feb. 18, 2024, when the trio use…
Kids Among Injured In Deadly Car Vs. Tractor-Trailer Crash In Westerlo Kids Among Injured In Deadly Car Vs. Tractor-Trailer Crash In Westerlo
Kids Among Injured In Deadly Car Vs. Tractor-Trailer Crash In Westerlo One person was killed and several others injured when an SUV collided with a tractor-trailer in Albany County. The wreck happened in the town of Westerlo, at the intersection of Route 401 and Bear Swamp Road, at around 11 a.m. Monday, June 30. A vehicle carrying three adults and three children ran a stop sign and was struck by the tractor-trailer, according to Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple. One passenger in the SUV died at the scene, and three others were hospitalized, Apple said. Two people, including a child, remained in critical condition. At least one victim was flown to Albany Me…
16-Year-old Spits On, Punches Cop At Watervliet McDonald's After Beating Teen, Police Say 16-Year-old Spits On, Punches Cop At Watervliet McDonald's After Beating Teen, Police Say
16-Year-old Spits On, Punches Cop At Watervliet McDonald's After Beating Teen, Police Say Three teenagers are facing charges after beating another teen at an Albany County park and then fighting with a cop at a McDonald’s, police said. Watervliet Police responded to Clinton Park on 19th Street for a report of a large fight at around 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 12. Officers found a juvenile boy who said several teens punched and kicked him while he was on the ground. A short time later, an officer found several individuals matching the suspects’ description at a McDonald’s restaurant on Broadway, roughly eight blocks from the park. When the officer confronted them, a 16-year-old bo…
Police Chief Outraged After Teen Stabbing Suspect Released On Home Monitoring In Watervliet Police Chief Outraged After Teen Stabbing Suspect Released On Home Monitoring In Watervliet
Police Chief Outraged After Teen Stabbing Suspect Released On Home Monitoring In Watervliet A top cop in the Capital Region is not happy after a teenage stabbing suspect was freed while her case proceeds. The Albany County incident happened in Watervliet, near 13th Street and 2nd Avenue, at around 4 p.m. Thursday, June 12. Officers responding to reports of a large fight found two juveniles, one suffering from multiple stab wounds and another who had been pepper sprayed. Both victims were taken to the hospital, and the stabbing victim is expected to recover, police said. Following an investigation, detectives determined that a 14-year-old girl had attacked the victim with a knife …
Early-Morning Wall Collapse At Albany Jail Forces Inmate Relocation Early-Morning Wall Collapse At Albany Jail Forces Inmate Relocation
Early-Morning Wall Collapse At Albany Jail Forces Inmate Relocation Inmates at the Albany County jail were temporarily relocated after a massive section of the jail’s exterior wall collapsed. The incident happened around 3 a.m. Thursday, June 12, when a portion of the jail’s brick facade—measuring approximately 8 feet by 100 feet—detached from the building, according to Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple. Photos shared by Apple on Facebook show piles of fallen red bricks lining the grass along the building's exterior. Though the compromised area was not accessible to inmates, officials opted to move them as a precaution while engineers and construction team…
Fired NY Trooper Was Targeted For Being A Woman, Lawsuit Alleges Fired NY Trooper Was Targeted For Being A Woman, Lawsuit Alleges
Fired NY Trooper Was Targeted For Being A Woman, Lawsuit Alleges A former New York State Police trooper claims she was unjustly fired after a botched drug test — and targeted in part for being a woman. Jamie Kasper, a decorated Army combat veteran and eight-year State Police officer based in the Hudson Valley, says she was punished for a positive drug test caused by a contaminated dietary supplement — even after two follow-up tests came back negative. In a lawsuit filed in Albany County Supreme Court on Thursday, May 22, Kasper alleges the New York State Police “manipulated due process and disregarded their own internal policies” by relying on an unautho…
Girl, 4, Hospitalized After Eating THC Gummies Packaged Like Candy, Albany Sheriff Warns Girl, 4, Hospitalized After Eating THC Gummies Packaged Like Candy, Albany Sheriff Warns
Girl, 4, Hospitalized After Eating THC Gummies Packaged Like Candy, Albany Sheriff Warns A 4-year-old girl was hospitalized after ingesting two high-potency THC gummies found in her dad’s truck, a New York sheriff warned. The frightening incident happened in Albany County when the young girl accompanied her father to work and found what looked like a package of candy in a lunchbox, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said on Facebook Wednesday, May 21. A 6-year-old girl in the truck tasted one of the “Super Smacked Bears” gummies and spit it out, but the 4-year-old ate two, Apple said. Each gummy contained 60mg of THC, a dosage well beyond adult recommendations and consider…
Driver, 36, Killed After Crashing Into Tree In Colonie Driver, 36, Killed After Crashing Into Tree In Colonie
Driver, 36, Killed After Crashing Into Tree In Colonie A driver was killed following a single-vehicle crash in the Capital Region. The Albany County wreck happened in Colonie, on Cohoes Road beneath the Route 7 overpass, at around 8 a.m. Friday, May 16. Emergency crews responding to reports of a single-vehicle crash found a vehicle that had left the roadway and struck a tree, Colonie Police said. The 36-year-old driver, the sole occupant of the vehicle, was trapped inside and had to be extricated by firefighters from multiple agencies, including Maplewood, Boght, Latham, and Schuyler Heights. Colonie EMS transported the driver to Albany Med…
Colonie Man Plotted To Kill Romantic Rival, Feed Body To Pigs In Twisted Murder-For-Hire Scheme Colonie Man Plotted To Kill Romantic Rival, Feed Body To Pigs In Twisted Murder-For-Hire Scheme
Colonie Man Plotted To Kill Romantic Rival, Feed Body To Pigs In Twisted Murder-For-Hire Scheme A New York man who plotted to kill his romantic rival and dispose of the body on a pig farm pleaded guilty in federal court. Albany County resident Jeal Sutherland, 57, of Colonie, admitted to orchestrating a murder-for-hire scheme targeting the father of a child shared with Sutherland’s then-partner, the US Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday, May 14. Sutherland used his cell phone between November 2024 and January 2025 to arrange the victim’s murder, prosecutors said. As part of the twisted plot, he offered to forgive a debt owed by the would-be hitman and also agreed to pay an undercov…
Neighborly Bloodshed: Elderly Man Attacks With Farm Tool In Ravena, Police Say Neighborly Bloodshed: Elderly Man Attacks With Farm Tool In Ravena, Police Say
Neighborly Bloodshed: Elderly Man Attacks With Farm Tool In Ravena, Police Say A war of words between two neighbors ended in bloodshed in the Capital Region. Emergency crews in Albany County were called to a Ravena residence on Martins Hill Road for an assault at around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 22. An investigation found that Lloyd Young, 77, got into an argument with his neighbor before things took a violent turn, according to the Town of Coeymans. Young grabbed a pointed-blade farm tool and struck the victim multiple times, according to police. The victim suffered injuries and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Young was arrested on suspicion of assault a…
Freshman Arsonist Set Numerous Fires At Siena College Dorm While Classmates Slept, Police Say Freshman Arsonist Set Numerous Fires At Siena College Dorm While Classmates Slept, Police Say
Freshman Arsonist Set Numerous Fires At Siena College Dorm While Classmates Slept, Police Say A 19-year-old student is accused of intentionally setting numerous fires at a New York college dorm as his classmates slept. Joshua Thomas, of Saratoga County, was arraigned on arson charges in Albany County Court on Wednesday, May 7, a spokesperson for the DA’s office told Daily Voice. An investigation found that Thomas–a freshman at Siena College in Loudonville–poured rubbing alcohol on the ground and used a lighter to start a fire outside a dorm room in Hines Hall just after 3 a.m. on Friday, April 25, prosecutors said. At the time, two female students were asleep inside. Thomas then w…
Chainsaw-Wielding Man In Clown Mask Tackled After Cohoes Neighborhood Scare: Police Chainsaw-Wielding Man In Clown Mask Tackled After Cohoes Neighborhood Scare: Police
Chainsaw-Wielding Man In Clown Mask Tackled After Cohoes Neighborhood Scare: Police A New York neighborhood turned into a scene out of a horror movie when a man wearing a clown mask and carrying a chainsaw was confronted and tackled to the ground, police said. The Albany County incident happened in Cohoes, outside a residence on Lancaster Street near Newark Street, at around 2:40 p.m. Thursday, May 1. Craig Wolcott, 34, was spotted looking into people’s cars in the area, a Cohoes Police spokesperson told Daily Voice. When a resident stepped outside and asked what he was doing, Wolcott approached the man before the resident tackled him to the ground. Officers quickly res…
Millions In CT Breathing Unhealthy Air, New Study Warns: Here's Why Millions In CT Breathing Unhealthy Air, New Study Warns: Here's Why
Millions In CT Breathing Unhealthy Air, New Study Warns: Here's Why Nearly half of all people in the United States, including millions across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, are breathing unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to a new study. The American Lung Association released its 2025 edition of the "State of the Air" report on Wednesday, April 23. The study, now in its 26th year, highlights troubling air quality trends in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The report found that 156 million people – about 46% of the U.S. population – are living in counties that earned failing grades f…
Random Attacker Assaults Elderly Woman, Busted By Off-Duty Cop At Colonie Center: Police Random Attacker Assaults Elderly Woman, Busted By Off-Duty Cop At Colonie Center: Police
Random Attacker Assaults Elderly Woman, Busted By Off-Duty Cop At Colonie Center: Police A 78-year-old woman is recovering after being violently assaulted in broad daylight at a Capital Region shopping mall — and an off-duty officer helped bring her attacker to justice, police said. The Albany County attack happened inside Colonie Center mall on Central Avenue at around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 15. Aaron Woolley, 34, approached the victim and threw her to the ground, according to Colonie Police. The woman suffered a head injury and underwent treatment at the hospital. It was not immediately clear whether the two had had any prior interaction, or whether anything was said be…