Articles by Christine Pelisek

Technology

He Was Kidnapped from His Home and Died with 75% Burns. 6 Years Later, a Suspect Is Charged

A British man has been charged with the murder of a man who was kidnapped from his home and later died from burn injuries. West Midlands Police announced charges on Oct. 7 against Tobias Kozlowski, 38, including murder, conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to falsely imprison another, and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. According to West Midlands Police, Tomasz Samel, 45, was kidnapped from his home on Raleigh Close in Handsworth in a white van around 8:45 a.m. on March 27, 2019. Two hours later, Samel banged on the door of a property in Bickerstaffe, Lancashire begging for help. He was suffering from burns on 75% of his body, police said. He was transported to a hospital where he died almost three months later, on June 21. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. According to police, Kozlowski appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Sept. 26 and was remanded in custody. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 24. Also arrested was Sandra Kozlowska, 37. She is facing a charge of assisting an offender, per police. She is scheduled to appear in Birmingham Crown Court on Oct. 24. "We have not stopped in our pursuit of justice for Tomasz and his loved ones, and today is a significant step forward in our investigation,” lead detective superintendent Scott Griffiths said, per a police press release. "But our work continues, and we would urge anyone with information who has not already spoken to us to please get in touch."

Technology

Man Decorated His Yard for Halloween — Now He's Behind Bars for Charges of 'Threatening' City Officials

A Kentucky man was arrested on Saturday, Oct. 4 after he placed Halloween decorations on his property that showed fake bodies with the titles of elected officials. Stephan Marcum, 58, is facing charges of intimidating a participant in the legal process and third-degree terroristic threatening, according to an arrest citation obtained by PEOPLE. The five fake bodies were wrapped in garbage bags and displayed on Marcum’s Court Street property in Stanton. “There was one body that was being hung from an elevated position,” per the citation. “The one hanging was labeled ‘District Judge.’ There was a rope around the neck of this body.” Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The other four bodies were labeled as "Mayor," "C.A," "SIS" and "Zoning Mgr," according to the citation. Marcum was arrested by Kentucky State Troopers and taken to the Powell County Detention Center on Saturday, October 4. He told troopers that “he did not want to speak with us about the ‘Halloween decorations’ he had in his yard,” according to the citation. “This is something you just don’t see every day,” Powell County Judge Executive Eddie Barnes told WKYT. “At first I didn’t know what to think about it because I actually drove by and [saw] it in his yard and I’m thinking you know, wow, you know, that’s kinda harsh.” Marcum is currently being held on a $5,000 bond, according to the outlet. A court date has yet to be set.