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Kathy Reakes
Reporter
kreakes@dailyvoice.com
Kathy Reaks has worked as a reporter in the local news business since 1984, starting as a news clerk and working her way up. She spent 17 years at Florida Today in Melbourne, Florida as a general assignment reporter, crime reporter, entertainment reporter and restaurant critic. She worked four years at Hometown News as a general assignment reporter, then another two years at Spacecoast Daily in Cocoa Beach, Florida. She attended Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne, Florida.
Man Sentenced In Case Of Missing Hudson Valley Woman
A Hudson Valley man has been sentenced to prison for the death of an area woman and then dumping her body, which was never found, in a landfill.
Orange County resident Matthew Mercado, age 40, of Newburgh, was sentenced to a total of 16 to 19 years in prison for the incident which took place on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, at the Windsor Hotel in the town of New Windsor, said Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler.
In August 2022, Mercado pled guilty to manslaughter burglary, and tampering with physical evidence, in connection with the death of 36-year-old Jessica Lopez, of Newburgh.
At th…
Attempted Bank Robbery: Suspect Nabbed Shortly After Incident On Long Island
Police apprehended an alleged attempted bank robber on Long Island shortly after the incident.
The attempted robbery occurred in Nassau County at the Bank of America around 9:45 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 22.
According to Nassau County Police detectives, Darren Lindo, age 38, of Hicksville entered the Bank of America located at 2443 Hempstead Turnpike, approached the female teller, and passed a note demanding cash.
The victim, age 55, fled her station without surrendering any money, police said.
Lindo ran from the bank and was located by a responding officer minutes later without i…
Trio Nabbed Smuggling Drugs Into Hudson Valley Prison On Same Day, Police Say
Three different women who didn't know each other were allegedly nabbed smuggling drugs into a Hudson Valley prison on the same day.
The incident took place in Orange County on Sunday, Feb. 19 at the Otisville Correctional Facility, said Trooper Steven Nevel.
At 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 12:15 p.m., State Police from the Greenville barracks were contacted by the facility of three different women attempting to bring narcotics into the facility. None of the suspects were together, Nevel said.
The incident included:
At 10 a.m., Teeara Thomas, age 19, of New York City, attempted to bring i…
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