Crime
Second Teen Dies Following Double Shooting Near The Mall in Columbia
COLUMBIA, MD – A second teenager has died following a double shooting outside The Mall in Columbia, authorities announced on Saturday, March 1.
According to the Howard County Police Department, 15-year-old Blake McCray succumbed to his injuries after being critically wounded in the February 22 shooting.
Officers initially responded around 5:52 p.m. to reports of shots fired near the Lidl parking lot and bus loop in the 10300 block of Little Patuxent Parkway.
Upon arrival, police discovered two teenage victims suffering from gunshot wounds:
- 16-year-old Michael Robertson was pronounced dead at the scene. Robertson was a student at Wilde Lake High School.
- 15-year-old Blake McCray was transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in critical condition, where he later died from his injuries.
Investigators determined that the shooting took place at the stairway leading from the bus stop near Barnes & Noble to the Lidl parking lot.
Officers recovered two spent 9mm shell casings at the top of the stairs.
Howard County police arrested 18-year-old Emmetson Zeah, charging him with murder in connection with the double shooting.
Following McCray’s death, authorities confirmed charges against Zeah will be upgraded.
Police also revealed that Zeah was already on home detention at the time of the incident.
He was previously arrested in December and charged with attempted murder for a separate shooting that occurred just blocks from the mall on February 14.
Zeah is scheduled for a court hearing later this month, where prosecutors are expected to address new and existing charges against him.
This remains an active investigation, and authorities urge anyone with information to contact Howard County Police.
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.