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The Associated Press: Slain Texas doctor's family knew about problems

Slain Texas doctor's family knew about problems

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — The family of Dr. Joseph Sonnier III had gathered in Louisiana for his funeral when they heard the news: Police had accused another doctor of paying to have him killed.

The doctor, Thomas Michael Dixon, was arrested this week and is accused of paying a business associate in bars of silver to kill Sonnier, who was dating Dixon’s ex-girlfriend.

Family members who spoke with Sonnier in recent weeks say they knew an ex-boyfriend of Sonnier’s girlfriend was causing the couple problems. The family’s focus now, according to Sonnier’s sons, is to pursue justice.

“Although there were many tears shed, there was also a sense of hope that our father’s murder has been solved,” Sonnier’s two sons, Joseph IV and James, said in an email.

Dixon and the business associate, David Neal Shepard, are jailed on $10 million bail each.

Sonnier, 57, the chief pathologist for Covenant Health System in Lubbock, was found shot and stabbed July 11 inside his home in the West Texas city.

Five days later, police released an arrest warrant affidavit that accused Dixon — a well-known plastic surgeon in Amarillo, about 120 miles north of Lubbock — of paying Shepard three silver bars worth a total of $9,000. Shepard’s roommate told police that Shepard had confessed to the crime after a suicide attempt.

Dixon has been described as having some sort of business relationship with Shepard, though Lubbock Police Capt. Jon Caspell said he didn’t think Shepard was working in Dixon’s medical practice. Police believe Sonnier and Dixon may have known each other separate from the woman, though family members believe the two doctors did not.

Joseph Sonnier IV, one of Sonnier’s sons, said in an email that none of his family knew either Dixon or Shepard specifically.

Shepard told his roommate that he broke into Sonnier’s home through a window and shot him several times with a gun Dixon had given him, the affidavit said.

An attorney for Dixon, Dan Hurley, has said the doctor will fight the “untrue” accusations. Police said Wednesday that Shepard did not yet have an attorney.

A former business partner of Dixon, Dr. Rouzbeh Kordestani, told the Amarillo Globe-News that Dixon could at times have trouble controlling his temper. But, Kordestani said, he didn’t believe Dixon was violent.

“(Dixon has) had anger issues in the past where he’s yelled at people, this and that, and . takes a couple of days and comes back, he’s OK,” the chief of surgery at Northwest Texas Healthcare System said of Dixon who also had been a friend. “But not like this.”

The two met while completing residency programs at the University of Oklahoma in the early 2000s. In 2004 they set up a practice in Amarillo, though by two years later their friendship and partnership had “soured,” and the business relationship ended.

“I haven’t spoken to Mike since 2006, even though I’m the chief of surgery and he’s in my department,” he told the newspaper. “It’s ridiculous. we would pass each other in the hallway and we would just look away. The split was that harsh.”

Kordestani didn’t return messages left by The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Sonnier’s family remembered him at his Monday funeral as a caring doctor, loving son and avid dancer who traveled to events across the country. Joseph Sonnier IV said his father’s dance instructors attended the funeral and, at his request, performed a waltz as a tribute.

Joseph and James Sonnier’s mother, Becky Gallegos, died two years ago in a suspected marital dispute with her then-husband, Juan Gallegos. Juan Gallegos turned the gun on himself and later died in a hospital. Joseph and James Sonnier, in their email, said both of their parents died “under equally tragic, yet totally unrelated circumstances.”

“We have supreme confidence in the Lubbock law enforcement system and know that justice will be served,” they said in their email.

Merchant reported from Dallas.

Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

The Associated Press: Slain Texas doctor's family knew about problems

Plastic surgeon paid hitman three silver bars to kill another doctor

LUBBOCK, Texas — A West Texas plastic surgeon paid someone $9,000 — in the form of three silver bars — to kill another doctor who was dating his ex-girlfriend, police alleged Monday.

Dr. Thomas Michael Dixon and David Neal Shepard were arrested by police in Amarillo shortly after midnight, authorities announced. They are suspected of being involved in the death of Lubbock doctor Dr. Joseph Sonnier III.

An arrest warrant affidavit suggests a love triangle between Dixon, Sonnier and a woman who was not identified by police. the affidavit alleges Dixon offered Shepard the three bars, each with an estimated value of $3,000, to kill Sonnier, who was chief pathologist for Covenant Health System in Lubbock.

Sonnier, 57, was found shot and stabbed Wednesday inside his home in Lubbock, about 120 miles south of the Texas Panhandle city of Amarillo. A window was broken.

Sonnier’s girlfriend told an Amarillo police detective that Dixon, 48, was her ex-boyfriend and that he “insisted on seeing her, even though she was dating Dr. Sonnier,” according to the affidavit.

Also, a co-worker of Sonnier told the detective that Sonnier had said that his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend “would not leave her alone,” the affidavit says.

Meanwhile, police discovered through an online database that Shepard had sold a 100-ounce bar of silver at an Amarillo pawn shop for $2,750, the affidavit says. His roommate told authorities that Shepard had been watching Sonnier for weeks and texting Dixon.

Shepard told his roommate that he broke into Sonnier’s home through a window and shot him several times with a gun Dixon had given him, the affidavit said. he knew several details that investigators had kept private, it said.

Shepard, 51, tried to commit suicide in the days after the murder by cutting his wrists, the roommate allegedly told authorities. the roommate said Dixon closed the wounds, told him to calm down and “suggested that David Shepard leave for a couple of weeks,” the affidavit said.

Lubbock Police Capt. Jon Caspell said Monday that he didn’t know when Dixon and the woman broke up. Dixon and Sonnier appeared to have known each other apart from the woman, Caspell said.

Dixon is a well-known plastic surgeon in Amarillo. no one answered the phone Monday at his practice, High Plains Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. no phone number was listed for Shepard.

Both men are being held in Randall County Jail pending extradition to Lubbock, Caspell said.

Copyright 2012 the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Plastic surgeon paid hitman three silver bars to kill another doctor

Man Arrested For Streaking At Heat Playoff Game: Cops

A man was arrested for running down stairs of the AmericanAirlines Arena without pants in an attempt to reach the court during Tuesday night’s Miami Heat playoff game, authorities said.

Kyle Morrison, 22, was arrested early Wednesday morning and faces charges including disorderly conduct, resisting an officer with violence, battery on an officer, trespassing and indecent exposure, police said. he is being held on $6,500 bond in the Miami-Dade County Jail.

Morrison, who is from Orlando but attends Jacksonville University, said he was in Miami to attend the game. he told a bond court judge he was going to receive money for his stunt.

“I am actually entitled to 10 grand because of what I did,” Morrison told the judge before he was silenced by a public defender.

Police said Morrison ran down stairs of section 120 and 121 without pants on in an attempt to gain access to the floor during the game, but was stopped by an officer.

The officer, who said Morrison tried to push him out of the way, said he caused a “large number of people to stop watching the game and focus on his actions,” according to an affidavit.

The officer also said Morrison struggled to get free when he was being placed in handcuffs.

His attorney’s name wasn’t immediately available.

Back when the Heat were playing the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, local rapper Rick Ross challenged fans to streak in a video.

"when the Finals come, I got 10 grand for somebody to streak with just they MMG T-shirt on, screaming out, ‘self made’ on June 26th," Ross said, referring to his music label. "Hit me up on Twitter, I got 10 stacks."

Morrison’s run came during the Eastern Conference semifinals and not the NBA Finals, however.

Man Arrested For Streaking At Heat Playoff Game: Cops

Man charged with attempted murder after police say he pushed woman from moving car

As John Demetro, 24, and a woman traveled March 13 in a truck on West Copans Road in Pompano Beach, they argued and Demetro punched her in the face and arms numerous times, a Broward Sheriff’s complaint affidavit says.

Demetro unbuckled the victim’s seat belt, opened the passenger door of the moving truck and began pushing the woman out as she held on to a portion of the belt, which left a mark on her arm, the report states.

The victim could not immediately remember what happened in the hours between the argument and when she awoke in a hospital, Broward Sheriff’s Detective Lynne Philbrick wrote in the complaint affidavit.

But after the victim saw Demetro in court during a March 21 child custody hearing, she gave BSO a sworn statement about the attack.

The night before the incident, Demetro told the victim’s grandmother that he would kill the victim, and he made a similar threat to the victim’s father on the day of the murder attempt, according to the affidavit.

Demetro was first charged March 20 with aggravated battery, and has been unable to post a bond.

Assistant Public Defender Terry Conover said Demetro, who is unemployed, has lived in the region for 24 years and had already been in custody for seven days.

Demetro asked Broward Judge Gisele Pollack for a lesser bail, but after the attempted murder charge was added, Pollack increased his bond amounts to $50,000.

Pollack also ordered a GPS monitor if Demetro is released before trial.

Ltrischitta@Tribune.com, 954-356-4233 or on Twitter @LindaTrischitta.

Man charged with attempted murder after police say he pushed woman from moving car

Cops find child porn in dentist office

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Police have arrested a well-known Austin dentist on charges of having child pornography on his office computer.

The Attorney General’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit arrested Dr. Michael McCarty, 64, on Wednesday after getting a CyberTip that illegal pictures of young boys involved in sexually explicit activities had been uploaded.

According to the arrest affidavit, nearly 400 illegal images were uploaded in November and December to e-mail accounts registered to McCarty.

Investigators found pictures and videos at his home and his Austin Smiles business officer, where he is a licensed cosmetic dentist.

McCarty’s website listed him as a being awarded the “Super Dentist” four years in a row by Texas Monthly. The magazine has informed KXAN Austin News that the award was actually part of a special advertising section in Texas Monthly.

McCarty is not affiliated with the Austin Smiles Plastic Surgery Foundation — a nonprofit that does reconstructive surgery on children in Central Texas and Latin America.

While searching McCarty’s home, authorities also found a briefcase that had CDs with more images and movies.

If convicted, McCarty faces two- to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. The Travis County District Attorney’s Office will prosecute the case. 

Cops find child porn in dentist office

Police hunt ‘Black Madam’ for Claudia Aderotimi death after bottom implant

Police are hunting a transgender hip-hop singer who calls herself ‘Black Madam’ on suspicion of killing Claudia Aderotimi with a botched bottom implant.

The sex swap woman, also known as Padge -Victoria Windslowe, 41,is the prime suspect in the death of the 20 year old student.

Detectives searched Windslowe’s home in an upmarket suburb of Philadelphia after being given her name by Aderotimi’s cousin who acted as fixer in the botched op.

Suspect: Police are hunting Padge-Victoria Windslowe, otherwise known as Black Madam

Search: it was reported that detectives had searched Windslowe’s home for silicone and syringes

Investigators searched her home looking for medical supplies, such as syringes, Krazy Glue or silicone that might link her to the crime, according to a police affidavit.

They also interviewed a man who identified himself as her boyfriend, investigators said.

The document states: ‘There is sufficient probable cause to search the residence for any medical supplies, gauze, syringes, krazy glue. silicone, bandages, United States Currency, proof of residence, vehicle information.’

Windslowe, who has several aliases, has gone on the run after learning her ‘patient’ died from the botched injection aimed at giving her a curvier rear.

The police warrant also names one of Claudia’s friends who was with her when the fatal injection was administered in a budget hotel room.

She was named as Theresa Gyamfi, 20, and she is referred to as witness No 1 in the affidavit.

Police said that Windslowe and her fixer both used fake to names in an attempt to cover their tracks.

Windslowe was also known by the name of Lillian and Vicky.

Actress: Claudia Aderotimi’s cousin Scheffe Wilson is alleged to have arrange the fatal bottom injection over the internet

Detective Kathryn Gordon writes:’Witness 1 stated that both she and the deceased came to the United States to meet with a female known to her as Sasha to arrange silicone injections.

‘These communications were done through email and voicemail between Sasha, the victim and Witness 1.

‘Witness 1 stated that Sasha arranged for a woman know to Witness 1 as Lillian Lang to perform this procedure on February 7 as well as a previous date in November of 2010.

‘Witness 1 stated the women, Sasha and Lillian are the same individual they met with in November.

‘Witness 1 was in same room with the deceased when the injection was done by a woman she knows as Lillian. Witness 1 stated she paid Lillian $1,800 for silicone injections.’

The document reveals: ‘Scheffee Wilson stated that she knows the woman, Lillian, to run a YouTube video under the name Black Madam.’

Wilson,30, used the alias Sasha and posted pictures of herself of a plastic surgery chat room calling herself Big Butt Sasha while offering advice on how to get buttock enhancement operations.

Claudia had been a student at Thames Valley University but dreamed of becoming a star dancer in raunchy hip hop videos.

She died in hospital from a liver failure just hours after the operation had been carried out.

A YouTube video has since emerged in which Claudia and a friend stuff pillows down their trousers to make their bottoms appear bigger.

They wear rugs as make-shift skirts before removing them to reveal their larger bottoms.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that friends of Claudia, from Hackney, East London, begged her to cancel the surgery.

Her ex-boyfriend said Claudia had vowed never to have cosmetic injections again because of the pain she experienced during her first procedure.

Former lover Paul Djimo said the aspiring dancer and model had undergone a similar surgery just months before her sudden death.

Speaking to The Sun, Mr Djimo, 20, said he was shocked.

‘After she had the injections last time, she told me she couldn’t take the pain and wouldn’t do it again. Inever thought she would go back,’ said the semi-professional footballer, who was still in contact with his ex.

‘When she first mentioned having surgery, I thought it was just a joke. we laughed about it and I never imagined it would end up being the cause of her death.’

‘Russian Roulette’: Claudia Aderotimi, 20, is said to have flown to America for the bottom operation after her glamorous cousin arrange the procedure online

Leather: Friends said that Claudia had vowed never to have the procedure again after a previous injection a few months earlier left her in agonising pain

Police said miss Aderotimi, of Hackney, East London, travelled to Philadelphia with three friends on Saturday, before the silicone injections were administered in her buttocks at the Hampton Inn on Monday.

After suffering chest pains and breathing problems she was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after.

Pretty: Claudia’s ex-boyfriend said she did not need cosmetic surgery

One friend had a similar cosmetic procedure but was not taken to hospital, according to police.

Police Lieutenant John Walker said investigators have cleared a new Jersey woman who helped arrange the procedures, but was not in the hotel room when miss Aderotimi and a friend received their injections.

She is now being considered as a witness in the case.

Mr Djimo, of Tottenham, North London, revealed miss Aderotimi was studying at Thames Valley University and also in a girl group called The Chocolatez.

They described themselves as ‘a multi-talented group of three African girls’ whose talents include dancing, singing, modelling and acting.

‘Claudia wanted to be a superstar. she had big dreams,” added Mr Djimo.’Her death is absolutely devastating.’

Miss Aderotimi had her first silicone injections in November, but it is unknown if they were carried out illegally.

MrDjimo added: ‘It sounded like it cost a lot so I assumed it was all done properly. she didn’t need it. she was a pretty girl, anyone could see that.

‘But she told me having the injections made her feel better about herself. Every girl hassomething they don’t like about their looks and she mentioned her bum afew times.

‘The industry she was trying to break into is competitive and dominated by US stars. and over there the size of your bum is extremely important.’

Liquidsilicone is sought on the black market by women seeking to enhance their figures, even though it is not approved for cosmetic injections. it was not known what substance was used on the women at the hotel.

Dancer: Police are continuing to search for the person who performed the illegal surgery at a shabby hotel room in Philadelphia

Attitude: Claudia poses for pictures while dressed in the hip hop style of dress popular in music videos by stars such as Beyonce and Jay-Z

One of Britain’s leading plastic surgeons, Dr Rajiv Grover, described the silicone injection procedure as ‘like playing Russian roulette. you get away with it sometimes but each time you have it done you’re risking your life’.

Shadow Public Health Minister Diane Abbott last night demanded tighter regulation of the cosmetic surgery industry following the tragedy.

‘There are too many ‘makeover’ shows that imply plastic surgery is as simple as cutting your hair,’ said Ms Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington.

‘In fact it is a potential life-threatening procedure which should not be embarked on at too young an age without proper medical counselling.’

 

Police hunt ‘Black Madam’ for Claudia Aderotimi death after bottom implant