Thieves answer victim's call on stolen phone • Obama campaigns for Harris • Remains found in Rouge River ID'd
TUESDAY NEWS HIT - With only two weeks until election day, former President Barack Obama is visiting Detroit to campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Though the details of his visit are not public, he is expected to encourage voters to cast their ballots for the vice president as the election nears.
Obama has been traveling the country in support of Harris. Over the weekend, he spoke in Las Vegas, calling for voters to elect Harris.
"So, I get why people are looking to shake things up. It's understandable. I understand that. What I cannot understand is why anybody would think that Donald Trump will shake things up in a way that is good for you," he said.
Harris was in Michigan four times in the past week, and she'll be back later this week. Harris and former First Lady Michelle Obama will be in Michigan to celebrate the start of early voting Saturday. Early voting has started in some communities, but statewide early voting officially kicks off on Oct. 26.
Jameson Williams suspended for performance enhancing substances
Jameson Williams is facing a two-game suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substances policy, according to ESPN.
The news dropped late Monday evening about the third-year receiver, drafted in 2022. If Williams were to miss the next two games it would include the Titans at Ford Field Sunday and on the road at the Green Bay Packers in the national 4 p.m. FOX Game of the Week on Nov. 3.
Williams, 23, is having a career-best season with 365 yards and three touchdown catches through five games.
The speedster recovered from a torn ACL in college and missed most of his rookie season before being suspended four games in 2023 for violating the NFL's gambling policy.
Thieves answer victim's call on stolen phone
After thieves stole her phone from her vehicle, the same thieves answered the phone when she called.
Faustine Onweneme stopped at a restaurant in the area of McNichols and Schaefer on Saturday. Within the 10 minutes it took her to get her food, someone busted a window of her vehicle and took her phone, wallet, work badge, and computer.
"I was devastated. I feel like my identity was being taken away from me little by little," she said.
When she got home, she called her phone and, to her surprise, the thieves answered. Onweneme learned they were teen boys.
"I called back and texted him continuously, 'Why me?'" she said. "After 19 minutes on the phone, I talked to him, and he said, 'The least I can do for you is take your ID to this abandoned house off of Seven Mile and Evergreen, and I'll leave it in the mailbox for you.'"
At this point, Detroit police were fully involved.
"The police were astounded; they're like, 'That’s not normally how things go,'" she said.
Her phone showed up in an abandoned, stolen Kia on the city's east side, likely taken by the same teens. The thieves linked their social media accounts to the victim's phone, so police were able to use that to track down her laptop.
Remains found in Rouge River ID'd as missing woman
Dental records helped identify remains found in the Lower Rouge River in Wayne last week.
Rosalind Taylor's remains were found by a kayak along the embankment near Pershing Street in Wayne a little after 5 p.m. Oct. 16.
The 56-year-old was reported missing on Aug. 18 after she did not return home. She was last seen in downtown Wayne, which isn't far from where her remains were found.
Taylor's cause of death is unknown, and an investigation is ongoing.
Prison time for man who killed Eastern Market CEO's wife
A Romulus man will spend at least the next 7 ½ years behind bars after crashing into the Eastern Market CEO and his wife, killing her, while under the influence.
Dan and Vivian Carmody were walking to dinner on the afternoon of Aug. 18, 2023, when police say Jacob Thomas Mraulak hit them on Lafayette near St. Aubin in Detroit. Dan was injured and needed surgery, while Vivian died later that day.
Authorities said Mraulak drove the wrong way on two streets, ran a red light, and drove on the sidewalk, hitting the Carmodys.
Last month, a jury found Mraulak guilty of operating while intoxicated causing death, reckless driving causing death, operating while intoxicated causing serious injury, and reckless driving causing serious injury.
Mraulak was sentenced last week to 7 ½ to 15 years in prison.
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What else we're watching
- Rick Sollars, the former mayor of Taylor, will learn his sentence Tuesday after pleading guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bribery last year.
- Three people, including two suspected in a homicide in Detroit, were taken into custody by Southfield Police last week after officers were notified of a stolen vehicle entering the city. Police recently released dashcam footage showing the pursuit.
- Haven't returned your absentee ballot yet? The state recommends that ballots be mailed back no later than today - two weeks before election day.
- Zachary Radcliff, the music and youth director at Oakwood Church in Ypsilanti, is accused of criminal sexual conduct, though the full extent of his actions are unknown. He was fired earlier this month.
- One person is dead after a shooting Monday afternoon at an apartment complex on Fenelon and Nevada. Two people were also wounded.
Buybuy Baby closing all stores
Buybuy Baby is shuttering all of its stores roughly a year after new owners tried to revive the brand.
The company announced on its website that it is transitioning to an online-only model after recognizing the need for a "a strategic reset."
"With this shift, we've come to the difficult decision of closing our physical stores by the end of this year," the company wrote. "We understand this may be disappointing news, and we want all our customers to know this wasn't a choice we took lightly."
Buybuy Baby began offering closing sales on almost everything in-store following its announcement. Gift cards will be accepted in-store through Oct. 31. Shoppers can still use their gift cards online. Registries will still be available online, the company said.
The company's customer service team will be reaching out to customers regarding any furniture orders.