"FATHER TO PLEAD GUILTY TO DAUGHTER'S MURDER, MOTHER-SON KILL GIRLFRIEND & RAPPER'S KILLER ON TRIAL"

0:03 Callarogus Shark Media, good morning, I'm reed Carter. Tuesday, October twenty first, twenty twenty five. Delbert Cornish's lawyer told a Canyon County, Idaho judge this week that his client plans to plead guilty to murdering his eighteen year old daughter Onyx. August eighteenth. Cornish shot Onyx to death, then told his fifteen year old son Lucian, I killed your sister and pulled a gun from under a pillow, fired a shot into the floor, tried to force Lucian toward Onyx's room. Lucian fought back, disarmed his father, ran two blocks, and called nine one one before Lucian escaped. Cornish said this is your last time seeing me. I'll be dead thirty seconds after you leave. Court documents show Cornish told police he planned to kill both children then himself formal plea hearing November twelfth, Detroit. Charlotte Pendergrass forty nine, and her son Jalen twenty three, are charged with second degree murder and tampering with evidence. The victim, London Thomas seventeen. Jalen's girlfriend, April fifth, London reported missing after being dropped at Jalen's house at four am April twenty sixth, Her body found in an suv in Southfield parked their two weeks. A male friend of Charla told police she asked him to transport a sealed plastic bin. He placed it in the suv April eleventh. That's where London's body was found. Both plead not guilty. Jalen held without bond, Charlat gets five

1:33 million dollars cash bond, and Today in Tampa, Alicia Andrews on trial for first degree murder of rapper Juliofulio June twenty third, twenty twenty four, the Jacksonville rapper shot and killed in what prosecutors call an ongoing gang war. Andrews traveled with four co defendants, all gang members, as they tracked Fulio to three locations before killing him. Andrews wanted to introduce domestic violence evidence showing her her boyfriend Isaiah Chance, abused her. Judge ruled no, Florida law doesn't allow durest defense for premeditated murder. Opening statements begin today. I'm read Carter. One father pleading guilty, one mother son murder team, one woman on trial who can't mention why she helped kill This is Celebrity Trials. August eighteenth, twenty twenty five, Caldwell, Idaho.

2:30 Fifteen year old Lucian Cornish comes home from school normal afternoon until his father, Delbert starts crying, not normal, crying, scream crying. Lucian asks what's going on? Delbert says, I killed your sister, then reaches into his pillow on the couch and pulls out a gun. In an exclusive interview with Scrip's News Boise, Lucian described what happened next. I just kept trying to get him to let me leave. After a while, he said said, turn around and walk behind you. I didn't want to face my back toward him, so I just walked backward. I said, Dad, I'm your son, Why are you doing this? And I think that touched him.

3:14 Delbert tried to force Lucian toward Onyx's room, where her body was fired a shot into the floor to make Lucian comply, but Lucian kept resisting. Finally, Delbert pointed the gun directly at Lucian. Lucian knew it's either I'm going to have to fight or I'm just going to die. Lucian lunged at his father, grabbed the gun, pinned him against the wall, disarmed him. His own actions terrified him. He was fighting his father for his life. Before Lucian ran, Delbert made one final statement, this is your last time seeing me. I'll be dead thirty seconds after you leave. Lucian already figured that, said I know dad, I love you.

3:57 Then Lucian ran two blocks called nine one one. I remember when I was running away, I thought to myself, am I dreaming? Like my brain was just going in different directions. This has to be fake. Police arrived found Delbert still alive. He hadn't killed himself. Found Onyx dead in her room shot. Also found Onyx's cat dead. Delbert had shot the cat too. Court documents show Delbert confessed immediately, I did it, dude, told police he planned to kill both his children and then himself. Didn't explain why, just that he'd decided to murder his kids. Delbert was charged with first degree murder, assault with intent to murder, use of a deadly weapon, and commission of a felony, and animal cruelty. This week, Tuesday, October fourteenth, Delbert appeared in court via video for arraignment his lawyer told Judge Jeremy Kleinfelter that Delbert plans to plead guilty. Onyx's mother, Crystal Thompson, was in court, first time seeing Delbert since he murdered her daughter. He just came out and my blood went cold.

5:06 I started shaking, you know, and I just felt I felt despair. He made eye contact with me, and then he looked away and he never made eye contact again. Thompson says the guilty plea brings mixed emotions, relief that Lushan won't have to testify, won't have to relive that day on the witness stand, but also painful reminders of everything her family lost. It'll save Lucian from having to go through, you know, getting up on the stand. That's what I've been really worried about. I just want my daughter to have justice. That's why I'm here. I'm representing her because she can't represent herself. Formal change of plea hearings scheduled November twelfth. Delbert will officially plead guilty, then sentencing.

5:53 First degree murder in Idaho carries life in prison or death penalty, given Delbert planned to kill himself anyway. Life in prison is probably the outcome. Think about what Lucian experienced. Came home from school, father told him, I killed your sister, pulled a gun, fired a shot, tried to force him to see Onyx's body. Lucian had to fight his own father, disarm him, run for his life, all while processing that his sister was dead and his father was the killer. Lucian is fifteen. That trauma is permanent. He'll never have a normal relationship with authority, with family, with trust. He had to choose between fighting his father or dying. No fifteen year old should face that choice, and Onyx was eighteen, just starting adult life. Whatever conflict existed between her and Delbert, we don't know the details. It didn't justify murder. Nothing justifies a father shooting his daughter to death then planning to kill his son. Delbert also shot Onyx's cat. That detail is chilling. The cat wasn't threat didn't do anything, but Delbert killed it anyway. That's cruelty Beyond the murders, that's someone destroying everything his daughter loved. The GoFundMe for Onyx's family remains active, trying to cover funeral expenses, therapy for Lucian, living costs. Crystal Thompson lost her daughter, has to help her son heal from trauma, has to attend court hearings and face the man who destroyed her family.

7:26 November twelfth, Delbert formally pleads guilty, admits to murdering Onyx, admits to attempting to murder Lucian, takes responsibility for the horror he created. Then sentencing, and Delbert spends the rest of his life in prison thinking about what he did, thinking about Lucian disarming him, thinking about the son who loved him enough to say I love you, Dad, even while running for his life more in a moment. April fifth, twenty twenty five, Detroit, London Thomas, seventeen years old, is reported missing to Inkster Police department. Last scene around four am when she was dropped off at her boyfriend Jalen Pendergrass's house. Inkster police investigate, Detroit police join FBI gets involved, Michigan State Police assists major search for a missing teen.

8:32 April twenty sixth, Three weeks later, London's body is found in an suv in Southfield. The vehicle had been parked on Millard Street for two weeks. Inside London's body in a sealed plastic bin. That same day, a male friend of Charlotte Pendergrass contacts Inkster police. He has information Charla had called him on April eleventh, fifteen days earlier, asked him to transport a sealed plastic bin. He agreed, picked up the bill in placed it in an suv on Millard Street in Southfield. That suv, that ben That's where London's body was found. October seventeenth, twenty twenty five, Wayne County Prosecutor Kim Worthy charges Charla Pendergrass, forty nine, and her son, Jalen Pendergrass, twenty three, with second degree murder and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors say London was Jalen's girlfriend, say both mother and son committed the homicide together. Friday arraignment, Jalen remanded to jail without bond, Charla given five million dollars cash bond. Both in custody. London's grandmother, Justina Martin, attended court. I want justice for my granddaughter. I want them to get the maximum penalty they can get for my granddaughter. I don't sleep good at night since this happened because I've been praying for justice. I miss her so much. I missed talking to my grandbaby because she always called me and was like Grandma, I love you and I miss her. I got her pictured all over

10:04 my house. The timeline is damning. April fifth, London reported missing after being dropped at Jalen's house. At four am April eleventh, Charla calls her male friend asks him to transport a sealed plastic bin. He places it in an suv. April twenty sixth, London's body found in that suv in that bin six days between London going missing and Charla asking someone to move a sealed bin. What was in that bin? London's body? Where did it stay for those six days? Somewhere Charla and Jalen had access to it, Then another fifteen days with London's body sitting in an suv on Millard Street before discovery. The friend who moved the bin didn't know what was inside, just helped Charla as a favor. When police found London, he came forward told them what Charla asked him to do. That's how they connected Charla to the murder. Both Jalen and Charla maintain innocence. Their attorneys say let the evidence play out.

11:05 Jalen's attorney, Adam clements, while it seems so many have rested judgment and already arrived at the conclusion that he is responsible and that he's the killer. I hope people will let the evidence play itself out and respect the process. Charla's attorney, Terry L. Johnson, I want to see what the new evidence is that they all of a sudden come forth in the middle of the night, arrested these folks and say we're here. Now, we've got a case. What's the evidence. The evidence includes a male friend who moved a sealed plastic bin at Charla's request, That bin containing London's body. London last scene at Jalen's house. No other explanation for how London ended up dead in a bin that Charla arranged to transport. This isn't a stranger abduction.

11:51 London was Jalen's girlfriend, went to his house voluntarily, never left. Three weeks later, found dead in a bin his mother moved. Mother son murder teams are rare but not unprecedented. Usually involves a son who commits violence and a mother who helps cover it up. The maternal instinct to protect her child overrides morality. Overrides law, overrides the victim's humanity. But this wasn't just cover up. Both are charged with second degree murder. That means prosecutors believe both participated in killing London. Not Jalen killed her and Charla hid the body. Both killed her together. What happened in Jalen's house that morning London was dropped off at four a m. Did she and Jalen fight, did Charlie get involved, did it escalate to violence? Did they both attack her? And why? London was seventeen, had her whole life ahead of her. Her grandmother describes her as loving, affectionate, the kind of granddaughter who calls to say I love you. And she was murdered by her boyfriend and his mother, her body stuffed in a sealed bin and hidden in an suv for weeks.

13:07 Prosecutor kim Worthy praise the investigation. I am proud of the excellent work that has been done in this case. It has taken countless hours of investigation and diligent work by the Michigan State Police, the Detroit Police Department, and the FBI. As a result of that work, we have been able to charge and bring the perpetrators of this cruel and deadly crime to justice. Cruel is right. Killing your son's girlfriend, helping your mother hide your girlfriend's body. That's beyond dysfunction. That's evil. Second degree murder in Michigan carries life in prison or any term of years. If convicted.

13:47 Both face decades behind bars. Jalen loses his freedom, Charla loses her son and her own freedom. London's family loses her forever more. In a moment. June twenty third, twenty twenty four, Tampa, Florida, rapper Julio Folio real name Charles Jones is shot and killed. He was a documented member of the gang six Block from Jacksonville. His murder was the culmination of a gang war dating back to twenty eighteen.

14:30 The rival gangs Ace's Top Killers, ATK and twelve hundred, allied gangs working together against six Block. Multiple shootings, multiple deaths, years of violence, and in June twenty twenty four, they tracked Fulio to Tampa and killed him. Five people charged with first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder Alicia Andrews and her boyfriend Isaiah Chance, plus three other men. All the men are documented gang members of at K or one thousand, two hundred Andrews is not in a gang, but prosecutors say phone records show she traveled with her co defendants to Tampa, where they surveiled and tracked Fulio to three locations before killing him. Today, Monday, October twentieth, twenty twenty five, Alicia Andrews trial begins opening statements this morning.

15:22 Jury selection complete, and Andrews faces a major problem. She can't tell the jury why she participated. Andrews wanted to introduce evidence of domestic violence, that her boyfriend Isaiah Chance abused her, that she feared him, that she helped track and kill Folio because Chance forced her to participate. August thirteenth, pre trial hearing, prosecutors moved to bar any mention of domestic violence. Judge Michelle Cisco granted the motion. Under Florida law, defendants charged with premeditated first degree murder cannot use duress as a defense. Because Andrews also faces conspiracy charges, any alleged domestic violence is legally irrelevant to whether she's guilty of murder. Andrew's attorney expressed disappointment, we would like to get it in our opening statement. Judge Cisco replied, I know I would like to be twenty pounds lighter. However, that's not going to happen anytime soon. Translation. I understand what you want, but the law doesn't allow it. Move.

16:27 On August twenty ninth bond hearing. Despite the ruling, Andrews's defense presented domestic violence testimony, trying to get her released on bond while awaiting trial. They couldn't use it at trial, but maybe it would convince the judge to grant bond. Andrew's best friend testified Andrews sent photos and text messages showing injuries from alleged abuse by Chance. February twenty twenty four, text Andrews wrote Chance almost killed me. March twenty twenty four text exchange between the friend and Chance showed Chance admitting we were both wrong. Andrew's parents, testified by phone, said their daughter worked multiple jobs, Amazon substitute teacher for special needs children, facial care services, lived at home, never been in trouble. She wouldn't hurt a fly, her father said.

17:23 Alicia has never been in trouble, never harmed anyone. She's not a violent person. A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office detective testified about a fallout between Chance and the ATK gang in November twenty twenty three, seven months before Fulio's murder, suggesting internal gang conflict might have motivated the killing. Prosecutors argued the new information didn't meet the standard for reconsideration of pre trial detention, that the domestic violence allegations and gang dynamics were known at the original hearing, that nothing had changed to justify bond. Judge denied. Andrews remains in custody awaiting trial. So today Andrews sits at the defense table facing first degree murder charges. Her attorney can't tell the jury she was abused, can't explain that she feared Chance, can't argue she participated under duress. Florida law strips that defense away. For premeditated murder, the prosecution's case phone records showing Andrews traveled with the four co defendants from Jacksonville to Tampa, Surveillance showing they tracked Fulio to three locations, evidence showing they ambushed and killed him. Andrews was there.

18:34 Andrew's participated. Andrews is guilty the defense's case without the domestic violence evidence, what's left. Andrews isn't in a gang, had no personal motive to kill folio. Her only connection is dating chance. The defense will argue she didn't know what chance and the others planned, that she was just along for the ride, that she didn't participate in the actual murder. But phone records showing she traveled to Twampa, helped surveil multiple locations, was present during an ambush murder. That's conspiracy and premeditated murder doesn't matter. If she pulled the trigger, she helped plant helped execute it, that's first degree murder under Florida law. And the jury won't hear why won't hear about the abuse, won't hear about her fear, won't understand why a woman with no gang ties, who worked multiple jobs and lived with her parents suddenly decided to help murder a rapper in a gang war. That's the legal system. Florida law says. Duress isn't a defense to premeditated murder. The legislature decided that if you have time to plan a murder, you have time to seek help, to leave, to call police. Duress only works for spontaneous crimes committed under immediate threat. Prosecutors would argue Andrews had months to leave Chance, months to report the abuse, months to refuse to participate in gang violence. Instead, she got in the car, traveled to Tampa, helped track Folio, was present when he was killed. Those are choices, premeditated choices,

20:07 The defense would counter, you don't understand domestic violence. Leaving an abusive relationship is dangerous, the most dangerous time for victims. Reporting abuse, when your boyfriend is a gang member, could get you killed. Andrews was trapped, had no safe options, participated because she feared for her life. But the jury won't hear that argument. Judge Cisco ruled it inadmissible. So Andrew's defense is severely limited. Her attorney can't explain her motive, can't give context, can only argue she didn't actually participate in the murder itself. That's a losing strategy. The evidence shows she participated in the conspiracy, traveled to Tampa, helped surveil, was present in Florida. That's enough for first degree murder conviction.

20:51 Julio Folio is dead, Andrews is on trial. Isaiah Chance and three others face separate trials. The gang war that started in twenty eighteen continues in courtrooms years later, and Andrews sits facing life in prison, unable to tell the jury why she helped kill a man she'd never met. That's Celebrity Trials for Tuesday, October twenty first, twenty twenty five. Delbert Cornish, planning to plead guilty to murdering daughter Onyx son Lucian, disarmed him and escaped formal plea hearing. November twelfth, Detroit mother Charla and son Jalen charged with murdering Jalen's girlfriend London Thomas. Body found in sealed bin and suv after Charla asked friend to transport it. Alicia Andrews on trial today for murdering rapper Juliofulio. Judge ruled she can't use domestic violence defense despite boyfriend allegedly abusing her. I'm read Carter, see you tomorrow. This is Celebrity Trials