A first court appearance is set for 1:30 this afternoon in connection with the death of seven-year-old Jorelys Rivera in Canton. A 20-year-old apartment maintenance man with no known rap sheet, Ryan Brunn, is now behind bars. His older brother, Steven, says police have the wrong man.
"They're making my brother seem like he's a monster," he said. "My brother--he's kindhearted, he'll give to you if he's got it, he's great with kids."
But the GBI says they have evidence which makes them certain Ryan Brunn is the killer, although they are declining to reveal exactly what it is.
The little girl's funeral will be Saturday afternoon at 2:00 at First Baptist Canton. Rivera was last seen Friday afternoon leaving the playground to walk back home to get drinks for her friends. Authorities said she was taken to an empty apartment, sexually assaulted, stabbed and beaten to death. Her body was found Monday.
Charges including vehicular homicide have been filed after a Douglas County High School junior died this week getting off her school bus. Seventeen-year-old Brandy Hart was killed Tuesday, and 51-year-old Shirley McManners is accused of failing to stop for the bus's flashing lights and stop arm. McManners is due in court today. Hart's mother says she has already forgiven the driver and bears her no ill will. The teenager's funeral is this Saturday at the First Baptist Church in Carrollton.
The future of Florida A&M University's president may be in question as school's board of trustees will meet today for a second day to talk about the death. A board that oversees Florida's public universities has started an investigation into whether school administrators did enough when hazing was brought to their attention. Dr. James Ammons has been FAMU president since 2007. He ousted band director Julian White after November's death of Decatur drum major Robert Champion, but White's termination is also on hold while authorities have a criminal investigation open.
The principal of a North Carolina elementary school where a 9-year-old faced a two-day sexual harassment suspension has been forced to resign his job. Emanyea Lockett was overheard telling a friend that he thought his teacher was cute, and was suspended from school because of it. Now, principal Jerry Bostic confirms the school board gave him an hour Tuesday to decide whether to quit or be fired. He is hurt, saying one mistake in 44 years, and he has not even been given the benefit of the doubt.
Breast cancer experts are cheering what could be some of the biggest advances in more than a decade. Studies show two new medicines significantly delay the time until women with advanced cases get worse. An experimental drug from Genentech called pertuzumab held cancer at bay for a median of 18 months when given with standard treatment, versus 12 months for others given only the usual treatment. Another drug long used in organ transplants, Afinitor, also kept cancer in check longer for women who have stopped responding to hormone-blocking treatments.
Most people will remember Dobie Gray as the singer who had a big hit with "Drift Away" back in 1973. Gray died in his sleep at his home in Nashville Tuesday after a long battle with cancer. He was 69 years old.
The KISS 104 weather forecast: sunny high of 52, lows in the low 30s overnight.
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