Crime
28-Year-Old Wynton Qushawn Rice Charged with Raping Woman at Knifepoint in Tuscaloosa Parking Deck Restroom
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A 28-year-old Tuscaloosa man has been arrested and formally charged in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 52-year-old woman in the early morning hours of Saturday at a downtown parking facility.
According to court records made public this week, Wynton Qushawn Rice has been charged with first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, and second-degree assault.
The victim reported to authorities that she was using the restroom at the Tuscaloosa Transit Authority parking deck between 4:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. when an unknown man, later identified as Rice, forced his way into her bathroom stall while armed with a knife.
The victim told investigators that the suspect demanded sex and physically assaulted her, causing a laceration to one of her fingers.
She stated that Rice initially attempted to rape her within the small stall but was unsuccessful due to space constraints.
He then forced her to move to a larger, handicap-accessible stall, where he allegedly raped her and compelled her to perform oral sex.
Charging documents indicate that surveillance footage reviewed by investigators showed Rice entering the women’s restroom at 4:02 a.m. and exiting approximately 26 minutes later.
During an interview with detectives, Rice reportedly provided inconsistent statements. Initially, he claimed he had never been at the location.
He later said he had entered the bathroom but was confronted and forced to leave by a woman inside.
Eventually, he admitted to remaining in the restroom but denied having any sexual contact, stating he was only using the facilities.
Later in the interview, Rice told detectives he encountered a woman he knew only by a nickname and offered her all the cash he had—$3—in exchange for oral sex.
He claimed she agreed and performed the act.
Rice was taken into custody on Sunday and booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail. On Wednesday, a judge set his bond at $100,000.
The investigation is ongoing.
Authorities have not disclosed whether additional charges may be filed.
Crime
Noemi Hernandez, Mother of Four Murdered By Her Husband Hector Luvianos Two Days Before Christmas
BATAVIA, Ill. — A devastating domestic homicide has left a family and community in mourning just days before Christmas.
Noemi Hernandez, a devoted mother of four, was fatally attacked in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Dec. 23, in what prosecutors allege was a violent act committed by her husband.
The incident occurred at an apartment building in the 100 block of Church Street in Batavia.
According to court records and police reports, at approximately 4:37 a.m., Batavia police were dispatched after a man contacted emergency dispatchers and stated that he had killed his wife.
Responding officers located the man outside the apartment building and took him into custody without incident.
When officers entered the apartment, they found Hernandez suffering from severe, life-threatening injuries.
First responders immediately attempted life-saving measures; however, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities identified the suspect as Hector B. Luvianos, 37, who was transported to the Batavia Police Department for questioning.
With assistance from the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force, investigators determined the incident was domestic-related and involved only the two individuals. Police emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
On Dec. 24, 2025, Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser and Batavia Police Chief Eric Blowers announced that Luvianos has been formally charged with first-degree murder, a Class M felony under Illinois law.
He appeared in court the same day for a pretrial detention hearing, after which a judge ordered him held in the Kane County Jail while the case proceeds.
The Kane County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene, and an autopsy is scheduled to determine the official cause and manner of Hernandez’s death.
In the wake of the tragedy, Hernandez’s family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral and related expenses.
In the fundraiser, the family described Noemi as “the heart of her family,” noting that she worked tirelessly, loved deeply, and always placed her children first. Her sudden death, they wrote, has left the family emotionally devastated and financially unprepared.
As an immigrant family with limited resources and no life insurance, they now face the burden of funeral and cremation costs, legal fees, and other unexpected expenses, all while supporting four children grieving the loss of their mother.
The family is asking for community support to allow them to lay Noemi to rest with dignity and focus on healing rather than financial hardship.
The investigation remains ongoing.