Big Valley News
Central Valley's Independent News Source
MADERA - Chowchilla resident Carlton Neal Jr. received full military honors Friday as his remains were interned at the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Santa Nella. But his journey to his final resting place was a rough one.
Neal, a Cold War veteran, served in the United States Air Force from September 4, 1958 to October 11, 1960. When the veteran died this last January his only living relative was a cousin, who by law could not claim his ashes.
MADERA - A Madera High School security guard has been arrested for sexually molesting two of his children, possibly for over the last five years. The suspect is in custody on four felony counts and $325K bail.
Big Valley News has reached out to Madera High Principal Kent Albertson for a comment but neither him nor the school district has returned our calls. We have not been able to determine if any other children are involved in this case or if any Madera High students were affected.
MADERA – Shards of glass littered the public entrance of Madera County’s Courthouse building Friday morning after a vandal smashed the windows some time overnight. Two rocks were found that deputies say were used to shatter one of the glass doors, and destroy the side panel of another window.
Courthouse security is provided by Madera Private Security but was not at the building when the attack happened Thursday morning at 2:30am. The Sheriff’s Office is currently reviewing surveillance video and court records to determine if the suspect in the video recently had appeared in court.
MADERA COUNTY – A teenager sits behind bars tonight facing murder charges after deputies find her newborn wrapped in a plastic bag, stuffed in a cabinet below the bathroom sink inside a home on Chapin Street near Avenue 16 in Madera.
According to reports, the 17-year old girl (whose name is not being released) showed up at an area hospital last Friday, where doctors discovered she was suffering from postpartum bleeding. When asked where her baby was, the young woman denied ever giving birth.
MADERA – Friday, the Madera Superior Court sentenced Justin Eugene Rice (35) of Ventura, California, to life in prison following his conviction for 3 murders, according to District Attorney Michael Keitz.
MADERA - The former prosecutor in the Dustin Gran murder trial is now awaiting his own trial for prosecutorial misconduct. A criminal complaint has been filed in the Madera County Superior Court against former Madera County Deputy District Attorney Edmund Gil. The one charge of misdemeanor forgery was filed by the California Attorney General's office out of Fresno.
This case stems from two motions filed in the superior courts by attorney John Garvin, lead counsel for the defense in the Dustin Gran murder case. Garvin alleged judicial misconduct in his May 2, 2013 motions against the Madera County District Attorney's Office, which included mishandling of evidence.
MADERA - A Thomas Jefferson Junior High School student won't be attending school any time soon. The seventh grade student, who attended John Adams Elementary School last year, was arrested on the middle school campus Tuesday for allegedly brandishing a knife at a third grader.
The alleged attack is said to have happened after school Friday near the Jefferson campus. The victim is a male student currently attending John Adams which is located just a few blocks west of the junior high school. The suspect is a thirteen-year old Hispanic male.
