Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 50 of 70

Thread: TV News Anchor Deaths

  1. #1
    Cathy J. Guest

    TV News Anchor Deaths

    I have several friends who live in Baltimore. Every once in a while they bring up the "WJZ curse".

    Back in 1983, WJZ's "Eyewitness News" meant Jerry Turner, Al Sanders, Randy Blair with sports and Bob Turk's weather.

    Today only Turk is still alive.

    Jerry Turner died in 1987 from cancer
    Al Sanders in 1992 ( maybe 1993 ) cancer
    Randy Blair from a heart attack at the age of 32.

    Even though she is still with us, Oprah Winfrey was at WJZ back then, from what I heard she was into drugs during her WJZ days. Some bring her name up when talking about the "WJZ curse".

    Washington DC, for years their top sportscaster was Glenn Brenner on WUSA channel 9. He died in the early 90s of a brain tumor.

    Phildadelphia's Jim O'Brien ( WPVI ) died in 1984 due to askydiving accident.

    Pittsburgh's KDKA channel 2 had the father-daughter newsteam, Bill & Patti Burns. Bill died in 1997 and in 2001 his daugher passed away from lung cancer.

    Norfolk-Virginia Beach had Terry Zahn on WVEC channel 13. He too died from cancer a few years back. He was in his 50s when he passed away.

    Any other examples of local TV news anchors who have since passed on?

  2. #2
    Kathyf Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Cathy J. View Post
    I have several friends who live in Baltimore. Every once in a while they bring up the "WJZ curse".

    Back in 1983, WJZ's "Eyewitness News" meant Jerry Turner, Al Sanders, Randy Blair with sports and Bob Turk's weather.

    Today only Turk is still alive.

    Jerry Turner died in 1987 from cancer
    Al Sanders in 1992 ( maybe 1993 ) cancer
    Randy Blair from a heart attack at the age of 32.

    Even though she is still with us, Oprah Winfrey was at WJZ back then, from what I heard she was into drugs during her WJZ days. Some bring her name up when talking about the "WJZ curse".

    Washington DC, for years their top sportscaster was Glenn Brenner on WUSA channel 9. He died in the early 90s of a brain tumor.

    Phildadelphia's Jim O'Brien ( WPVI ) died in 1984 due to askydiving accident.

    Pittsburgh's KDKA channel 2 had the father-daughter newsteam, Bill & Patti Burns. Bill died in 1997 and in 2001 his daugher passed away from lung cancer.

    Norfolk-Virginia Beach had Terry Zahn on WVEC channel 13. He too died from cancer a few years back. He was in his 50s when he passed away.

    Any other examples of local TV news anchors who have since passed on?
    We just lost John Drury from ALS I loved him.

    John Drury (January 4, 1927 â?? November 25, 2007) was an anchorman from Chicago, IL. He appeared on both WGN-TV and WLS-TV. Upon his retirement came the news that he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He was a leading activist for ALS research and was a spokesperson for the Brain Research Foundation.
    In 1955, Drury's broadcasting career began at WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee. He anchored and reported on the 10 p.m. news until leaving in 1962. [1]
    He then joined WBBM-TV. He both anchored and reported news for them until 1967. During this time, he served as Fahey Flynn's first co-anchor.
    Following his stint at WBBM-TV, Drury joined WGN-TV, where he served as the 10 p.m. news anchor until 1970. [1] He then switched over to WLS-TV for his first stint on the network. He anchored their news until 1979 before going back to WGN-TV to be their anchorman again.
    Drury stayed at WGN until 1984 during which he won numerous awards such as the Chicago Father of the Year and also a Chicago Emmy awards for Individual Excellence in 1983. [1]
    In August 1984, he rejoined WLS and took over the anchorman job for their 10 p.m. newscasts. He won two more Chicago Emmy awards for Individual Excellence in 1987 and 1988. [1] Drury retired in 2002 after 40 years in the business. [2] He won one more Chicago Emmy in 2003 for his news report, "9/11/02 The New Homeland."

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    1,234

    Rochester,NY

    [SIZE=3]Dick Burt[/SIZE] - (news anchor 1962-1987) Retired in 1987 after 25 years of service to Channel 13, and died of a heart attack in 2001

    [SIZE=3]Bill Peterson[/SIZE] - (chief meteorologist 1982-2001) Retired in 2001 for health reasons, and died of lung and heart disease on August 5, 2006

    [SIZE=3]Al White[/SIZE] - (consumer reporter) Retired after 16 years' service as investigative reporter for WWOR-TV New York; died May 9, 2006 of a heart attack


  4. #4
    sunshine2828 Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Serendipity09 View Post
    [SIZE=3]Dick Burt[/SIZE] - (news anchor 1962-1987) Retired in 1987 after 25 years of service to Channel 13, and died of a heart attack in 2001

    [SIZE=3]Bill Peterson[/SIZE] - (chief meteorologist 1982-2001) Retired in 2001 for health reasons, and died of lung and heart disease on August 5, 2006

    [SIZE=3]Al White[/SIZE] - (consumer reporter) Retired after 16 years' service as investigative reporter for WWOR-TV New York; died May 9, 2006 of a heart attack

    I didn't know Bill Peterson died...I grew up watching him! So sad! Thanks for the info.

  5. #5
    Death Hag Chris Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Kathyf View Post
    We just lost John Drury from ALS I loved him.

    John Drury (January 4, 1927November 25, 2007) was an anchorman from Chicago, IL. He appeared on both WGN-TV and WLS-TV. Upon his retirement came the news that he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He was a leading activist for ALS research and was a spokesperson for the Brain Research Foundation.
    In 1955, Drury's broadcasting career began at WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee. He anchored and reported on the 10 p.m. news until leaving in 1962. [1]
    He then joined WBBM-TV. He both anchored and reported news for them until 1967. During this time, he served as Fahey Flynn's first co-anchor.
    Following his stint at WBBM-TV, Drury joined WGN-TV, where he served as the 10 p.m. news anchor until 1970. [1] He then switched over to WLS-TV for his first stint on the network. He anchored their news until 1979 before going back to WGN-TV to be their anchorman again.
    Drury stayed at WGN until 1984 during which he won numerous awards such as the Chicago Father of the Year and also a Chicago Emmy awards for Individual Excellence in 1983. [1]
    In August 1984, he rejoined WLS and took over the anchorman job for their 10 p.m. newscasts. He won two more Chicago Emmy awards for Individual Excellence in 1987 and 1988. [1] Drury retired in 2002 after 40 years in the business. [2] He won one more Chicago Emmy in 2003 for his news report, "9/11/02 The New Homeland."
    OMG!! I had no idea John Drury died. I used to watch him on the news when I was younger. Chicago had some cool news guys. Drury, Walter Jacobson, Bill Curtis...man. THOSE were the days.

  6. #6
    Kathyf Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Death Hag Chris View Post
    OMG!! I had no idea John Drury died. I used to watch him on the news when I was younger. Chicago had some cool news guys. Drury, Walter Jacobson, Bill Curtis...man. THOSE were the days.
    Do you remember Fahey Flynn I loved him! I felt so bad when that young sportscaster died last year too.

  7. #7
    ozzysmom Guest
    I live in the Tampa Bay area in FL, last April one of our weathermen, John Winter shot himself in his garage. Very very sad, he was a young man, middle 30's I believe. I worked for the NBC affiliate WFLA.

  8. #8
    flashtrum Guest

    Randy Blair JZ curse

    Quote Originally Posted by Cathy J. View Post
    I have several friends who live in Baltimore. Every once in a while they bring up the "WJZ curse".

    Back in 1983, WJZ's "Eyewitness News" meant Jerry Turner, Al Sanders, Randy Blair with sports and Bob Turk's weather.

    Today only Turk is still alive.

    Jerry Turner died in 1987 from cancer
    Al Sanders in 1992 ( maybe 1993 ) cancer
    Randy Blair from a heart attack at the age of 32.

    Even though she is still with us, Oprah Winfrey was at WJZ back then, from what I heard she was into drugs during her WJZ days. Some bring her name up when talking about the "WJZ curse".

    Washington DC, for years their top sportscaster was Glenn Brenner on WUSA channel 9. He died in the early 90s of a brain tumor.

    Phildadelphia's Jim O'Brien ( WPVI ) died in 1984 due to askydiving accident.

    Pittsburgh's KDKA channel 2 had the father-daughter newsteam, Bill & Patti Burns. Bill died in 1997 and in 2001 his daugher passed away from lung cancer.

    Norfolk-Virginia Beach had Terry Zahn on WVEC channel 13. He too died from cancer a few years back. He was in his 50s when he passed away.

    Any other examples of local TV news anchors who have since passed on?
    Just to correct this 5 year old post in case anyone cares - 1993 didn't mean Randy Blair on sports since he died in a basketball game in 1981. However Wiley Daniels, the first black TV reporter in Baltimore, died very early. And Bailey Goss lost his life on that steep stretch of Northern Parkway.

  9. #9
    Lisamarie Guest
    well here we have Tanya Keen ( Mississippi Killed hersefl ) Ron Hunter ...supposeldye killed his wife got away with it then wasted away...both very intresting..Tanya fasinates me..I never had a chnace to work with her but you can see alot of her work on youtube..she left three kids behind and was a very good reporter...but I still hear stories about her. Ron wow what a bastard! Killed his wife said she committed suicide ...then later in life pretty much admitted to it and was just an asshole reporter for many years ..went crazy died alone.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    The Piney Woods of East Texas
    Posts
    216
    Quote Originally Posted by Lisamarie View Post
    well here we have Tanya Keen ( Mississippi Killed hersefl ) Ron Hunter ...supposeldye killed his wife got away with it then wasted away...both very intresting..Tanya fasinates me..I never had a chnace to work with her but you can see alot of her work on youtube..she left three kids behind and was a very good reporter...but I still hear stories about her. Ron wow what a bastard! Killed his wife said she committed suicide ...then later in life pretty much admitted to it and was just an asshole reporter for many years ..went crazy died alone.
    I Googled Tanya Keen cos I got curious when you stated she fascinates you. I found a Panolian arrest log with her name for forged RXs and an article about a "Sugar Daddy" doctor. Is that her?
    http://www.wmctv.com/story/10392631/...edirected=true.

  11. #11
    Lisamarie Guest
    I am sorry to say yes...her story is a very sad one. I think thats what fasinates me about her so much because it takes alot for a woman in our field to make it and she did ..in a way...I could tell you all some stories ..but ya know let her and it rest in peace..I worry about her children...Her story is a sad one...but I can say ..yes its all true. Im srry to say and even worse..like I said I could tell you stories...

  12. #12
    Lisamarie Guest
    I want to know more about Jonahan Winters....why did he shoot himself I wonder ? Did he have family and who called the police to tell them to look for him dead in his home....very intresting

  13. #13
    missygir810 Guest
    Here in Little Rock, anne pressly was murdered. She was on our local ABC station. She also played Anne Coulter in the movie W.

    Anne Pressly was found at 4:30 a.m. on October 20, 2008, a half-hour before she was due to appear on the station's Daybreak program. Little Rock police were alerted by her mother, Patricia Cannady, when Pressly did not answer her wake-up call. Cannady found Pressly unresponsive in her bed with injuries sustained to her head and upper body consistent with a beating.[SIZE=2][7][/SIZE] She had been raped, her left hand had been broken, and her face had been crushed beyond recognition. The attacker took her laptop computer, her purse with a credit card, and little else.[SIZE=2][8][/SIZE]
    [edit] Robbery

    Little Rock Police Department spokeswoman Cassandra Davis said police did not believe that she was intentionally targeted, but robbery was the suspected motive after her purse was discovered missing.[SIZE=2][7][/SIZE] Her credit card was used at a service station several miles away, sometime after Cannady had discovered her daughter.[SIZE=2][9][/SIZE][SIZE=2][10][/SIZE]
    Pressly owned two cocker spaniels, Daisy and Clementine,[SIZE=2][3][/SIZE] and it was theorized the attacker gained entrance to her home via a dog door.
    [edit] Hospitalization and death

    She was hospitalized at St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center and died five days later on October 25, 2008.[SIZE=2][11][/SIZE][SIZE=2][12][/SIZE]
    On the evening of her death, Pressly's mother and stepfather released a statement:
    We are profoundly saddened to tell you that our dear Anne has lost her struggle for life. It was our hope, as was yours, that Anne would overcome the injuries inflicted upon her in the brutal attack at her home. We were with her in her last moments, and although our hearts are broken, we are at the same time comforted by our faith knowing that Anne is now with our Heavenly Father. The outpouring of compassion we have received is truly a testament to the way in which Anne has touched so many people in a positive way. Thank you for your prayers and your many acts of kindness. We are grateful for the wonderful care Anne received from her doctors, nurses and others at St. Vincent. Our lives will not be the same without her. We ask that you continue to pray for us as we struggle to move forward without our dear sweet daughter. We also ask that you give us the privacy we need at this very difficult time.
    On November 26, 2008, police in Little Rock, Arkansas, named Curtis Lavelle Vance in the murder of Anne Pressly. Approximately an hour later, Vance was arrested. On November 11, 2009, Vance was convicted of capital murder, residential burglary, rape and theft of property.[SIZE=2][15][/SIZE] The following day, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.[SIZE=2][16][/SIZE] The Arkansas Supreme Court rejected Vance's appeal on June 2, 2011.


  14. #14
    james1977 Guest

    What Nerve

    Quote Originally Posted by missygir810 View Post
    Here in Little Rock, anne pressly was murdered. She was on our local ABC station. She also played Anne Coulter in the movie W.

    Anne Pressly was found at 4:30 a.m. on October 20, 2008, a half-hour before she was due to appear on the station's Daybreak program. Little Rock police were alerted by her mother, Patricia Cannady, when Pressly did not answer her wake-up call. Cannady found Pressly unresponsive in her bed with injuries sustained to her head and upper body consistent with a beating.[SIZE=2][7][/SIZE] She had been raped, her left hand had been broken, and her face had been crushed beyond recognition. The attacker took her laptop computer, her purse with a credit card, and little else.[SIZE=2][8][/SIZE]
    [edit] Robbery

    Little Rock Police Department spokeswoman Cassandra Davis said police did not believe that she was intentionally targeted, but robbery was the suspected motive after her purse was discovered missing.[SIZE=2][7][/SIZE] Her credit card was used at a service station several miles away, sometime after Cannady had discovered her daughter.[SIZE=2][9][/SIZE][SIZE=2][10][/SIZE]
    Pressly owned two cocker spaniels, Daisy and Clementine,[SIZE=2][3][/SIZE] and it was theorized the attacker gained entrance to her home via a dog door.
    [edit] Hospitalization and death

    She was hospitalized at St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center and died five days later on October 25, 2008.[SIZE=2][11][/SIZE][SIZE=2][12][/SIZE]
    On the evening of her death, Pressly's mother and stepfather released a statement:
    We are profoundly saddened to tell you that our dear Anne has lost her struggle for life. It was our hope, as was yours, that Anne would overcome the injuries inflicted upon her in the brutal attack at her home. We were with her in her last moments, and although our hearts are broken, we are at the same time comforted by our faith knowing that Anne is now with our Heavenly Father. The outpouring of compassion we have received is truly a testament to the way in which Anne has touched so many people in a positive way. Thank you for your prayers and your many acts of kindness. We are grateful for the wonderful care Anne received from her doctors, nurses and others at St. Vincent. Our lives will not be the same without her. We ask that you continue to pray for us as we struggle to move forward without our dear sweet daughter. We also ask that you give us the privacy we need at this very difficult time.
    On November 26, 2008, police in Little Rock, Arkansas, named Curtis Lavelle Vance in the murder of Anne Pressly. Approximately an hour later, Vance was arrested. On November 11, 2009, Vance was convicted of capital murder, residential burglary, rape and theft of property.[SIZE=2][15][/SIZE] The following day, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.[SIZE=2][16][/SIZE] The Arkansas Supreme Court rejected Vance's appeal on June 2, 2011.
    I remember the story- This scumbag has the nerve to appeal ? Under what grounds ? That he was innocent? Yeah right- I am glad the appeal was rejected- He will die in prison. Good

  15. #15
    missygir810 Guest
    He should have got the death sentence. It ended up later finding out that about 2 weeks or so he raped a teacher in the town he lived in and went to trial for that too.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    South America
    Posts
    646
    In 1992, WJBK morning anchor Gary Cubberly left for work, but never arrived for his shift. After an extensive search, his car was found later in the day, with Cubberly dead of either a heart attack or aneurism. He was only 47. This link is the newscast on his station where they announced his death.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RGZYyVUCKU

    Another sad one in Detroit was the suicide of former anchor-reporter Suzanne Wangler in 2008. Suzanne rapidly went downhill after a divorce. After several arrests, she hung herself in the basement of her home.

    http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...65510057_x.htm

  17. #17
    Lisamarie Guest
    Damn thats a rough one poor thing..This is a hard career and Im just traffic lol

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    CUMberland, Maryland
    Posts
    1,575
    Quote Originally Posted by flashtrum View Post
    Just to correct this 5 year old post in case anyone cares - 1993 didn't mean Randy Blair on sports since he died in a basketball game in 1981. However Wiley Daniels, the first black TV reporter in Baltimore, died very early. And Bailey Goss lost his life on that steep stretch of Northern Parkway.
    Actually Randy Blair died in January 1983 due to a heart attack while playing basketball for WJZ-TV.

    http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/WJZ-TV/id/2025250

  19. #19
    Mulvaness Guest
    Bob Richards, weatherman for (I think, kmov.) committed suicide after a prank from Steve and D.C. . They exposed an affair he was having.
    http://www.byroncrawford.com/2005/09...rman_the_.html

  20. #20
    Mulvaness Guest
    Apparently he was on KSDK. There was more to this story than I remember growing up. Apparently he was stalking a woman that he had an affair with and she went on the Steve and D.C. Show and they did a prank call. He committed suicide soon after.
    http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1...-rival-station

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Where East meets West
    Posts
    1,808
    Quote Originally Posted by Lisamarie View Post
    I am sorry to say yes...her story is a very sad one. I think thats what fasinates me about her so much because it takes alot for a woman in our field to make it and she did ..in a way...I could tell you all some stories ..but ya know let her and it rest in peace..I worry about her children...Her story is a sad one...but I can say ..yes its all true. Im srry to say and even worse..like I said I could tell you stories...
    I wish you would share your stories with us here. I know she is now resting in peace, and it's very doubtful her family is going to come here and read anything that isn't already out there. This is the Death Forum afterall, I hope you'll share...

  22. #22
    trustno1 Guest
    And then you have the sad story of Jessica Savitch, who was once a local news anchor in Houston and Philadephia before going to NBC.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Where East meets West
    Posts
    1,808
    Quote Originally Posted by trustno1 View Post
    And then you have the sad story of Jessica Savitch, who was once a local news anchor in Houston and Philadephia before going to NBC.
    Yes, that was a shocker! I remember her drunken appearence on "news minute", and at the time I thought she actually had a cold, was too young to realize she was plastered. Fortunately she cleaned herself up before her untimely death.

  24. #24
    Lisamarie Guest
    Love yoututbing Jessica she was such a talant! Her delivery was awesome!

  25. #25
    SquirrelNutZipper Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Lisamarie View Post
    well here we have Tanya Keen ( Mississippi Killed hersefl ) Ron Hunter ...supposeldye killed his wife got away with it then wasted away...both very intresting..Tanya fasinates me..I never had a chnace to work with her but you can see alot of her work on youtube..she left three kids behind and was a very good reporter...but I still hear stories about her. Ron wow what a bastard! Killed his wife said she committed suicide ...then later in life pretty much admitted to it and was just an asshole reporter for many years ..went crazy died alone.
    Aw Lisamarie....I was always fascinated by Ron Hunter. The guy was touted as a "GOD" when he came to KYW...I remember a photo of him and Beverly Williams in dark turtlenecks and thought it was to coolest promotion. It made me watch the local news every night because of him.

    I know that it's a cut-throat business - no job security and competition is fierce.

    Maybe that's why a lot of reporters (here in Boston at least) are charged with DUI.
    Last edited by SquirrelNutZipper; 11-20-2011 at 05:07 PM.

  26. #26
    TerriB Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Mulvaness View Post
    Apparently he was on KSDK. There was more to this story than I remember growing up. Apparently he was stalking a woman that he had an affair with and she went on the Steve and D.C. Show and they did a prank call. He committed suicide soon after.
    http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1...-rival-station
    I remember this well. The gal he was having the affair with outed him and went on the radio station to do an interview with the local shock jocks. It was very crude and I felt horrible for Bob. He spoke with a friend later that day and said he just wanted his dignity back. He went to the local airport where he had a plane and took off from the runway climbed straight up and dove straight back down into the ground.

    He had a wife and a couple of kids and was a well known weather guy in St. Louis. Always very visible with the sports guy Mike Bush as they did the Jerry Lewis Telethon together every year.

  27. #27
    wolfpackfanforlife23 Guest
    I am from NC, and today is the 20th anniversary of this:

    On the night of December 6, 1991, a helicopter carrying a pilot and three WTVD employees from a high school football game in Wilmington, North Carolina crashed, killing three of the four members on board.[3] Sports reporter Tony Debo was the only survivor.[4]

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WTVD

    The men killed were photographer Bart Smith (28 years old), engineer Rick Sherrill (33 years old), and pilot Jim Lane (48 years old).

    Also, in 2003, WRAL's agricultural reporter Dan Wilkinson died (I believe he died of a heart attack):

    http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/107407/

  28. #28
    wolfpackfanforlife23 Guest
    I forgot to mention something else: all four men on the WTVD helicopter were engaged to be married.

  29. #29
    Lisamarie Guest
    Ron Hunter stories are amazing..he was a pretty awful guy...and he def killed his wife Bunny...Dose anyone recall the helicopter chase where the reporter is broadcasting live as one copter hits the other copter and the man can clearly be heard screaming this blood curdling scream and they cut back to the anchot who carries on and says something about losing the feed....that mans scream is just the worst and if you listen to it , you def wont forget it anytime soon...

  30. #30
    dia846 Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Lisamarie View Post
    Ron Hunter stories are amazing..he was a pretty awful guy...and he def killed his wife Bunny...Dose anyone recall the helicopter chase where the reporter is broadcasting live as one copter hits the other copter and the man can clearly be heard screaming this blood curdling scream and they cut back to the anchot who carries on and says something about losing the feed....that mans scream is just the worst and if you listen to it , you def wont forget it anytime soon...
    I remember this well, as it happened in my city. It was such a tragedy. Two different TV news station helicopters, along with other news helicopters from other stations, covering the story of a criminal running from police. It was just horrible.

    I also remember driving home from work one night, the radio news came on, the reporter went to their helicopter traffic reporter (had been their traffic reporter for many, many years, so you sort of felt you knew him), but he didn't answer back - they thought they had just lost the connection to him and they would get back with him. It was reported later that evening that he had crashed and had not survived.

  31. #31
    DrDeath Guest
    Man I bet Tony Debo has some major survivor guilt. Is he ok now? What became of him?

    Here in England, the death of Jill Dando (see Findadeath) was the major news anchor death story. We don't have so many news anchors over here! I'm oddly fascinated by American news channels. Can watch them online for hours. I don't know why.....

  32. #32
    Lisamarie Guest
    Love the Jill Dando story so sad...also Jane Dorknacker story is a geat one...she the one that dies mid traffic report in a helicopter accident and can be heard screaming hit the water hit the water...very freaky...

  33. #33
    wolfpackfanforlife23 Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by DrDeath View Post
    Man I bet Tony Debo has some major survivor guilt. Is he ok now? What became of him?
    He stayed at WTVD until 2007:

    http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/12/...reat-team.html

    This article goes in depth about his situation.

  34. #34
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Somewhere twixt San Antonio & Corpus Christi
    Posts
    8,228
    Jennifer Servo (nee Jennifer Lynn Olson) a reporter for KBRC in Abilene, TX was found in her apartment, dead from strangulation and head trauma in 2002. Her story has been featured on programs like 48 Hours and America's Most Wanted. No arrests have been made and her case is still unsolved. Most of the suspicion seems to center on Ralph Sepulveda, an Army Ranger she had met while she was in reservist training in Montana (she was an active Army reservist). They became an item, he moved to Texas when she got the job at KBRC, relationship soured, she ends up dead.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

    American Progress

  35. #35
    wolfpackfanforlife23 Guest
    This has a huge amount of journalist deaths:

    http://www.newseum.org/scripts/journalist/main.htm

  36. #36
    AliciaC Guest
    Two that I can think of here in New Mexico:

    http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2309770.shtml Young reported died after complications from surgery. We've never been told what the surgery was for, she was 30 years old. It was a huge shock.

    http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_19754893 65 years old, found dead in his home when he was on medical leave after rehabilitation from a surgery back in Sept 2011.

  37. #37
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Minneapolis
    Posts
    5,995
    They are showing the special on Jennifer Servo again tonight on 48 Hours on OWN - 9am


  38. #38
    MorbidChrissy Guest
    He probably needs his own thread but for now, RIP Mike Wallace.

    http://abcnews.go.com/US/mike-wallac...5#.T4GoEPsV04c

  39. #39
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Where East meets West
    Posts
    1,808
    I live in a pretty small town just south of DFW. I was very shocked to learn the following information on the Investigation Channel, I pass by these apartments every day: On Jan. 22, 1998, at 8:30 a.m., Michael Goodman calls 911 in Temple, Texas. He says he heard a lot of loud thumping coming from the apartment above him.
    Minutes later, police arrive at the Wildwood Apartments and discovered popular local TV reporter Kathryn Dettman's nude body is on the floor of her bedroom.
    Dettman, 36, had been on the verge of an important career move. She was taking a new job at a much larger TV station in Dallas. This would have been her last day of small-town life in Texas.
    "The evidence appeared that she had come out of the shower. She may have heard a noise and come out in a robe or a towel, and there was a confrontation," says assistant district attorney Murph Bledsoe.
    "It was an extremely violent attack," says Temple Police Sgt. Keith Reed. "She had 15-16 stab wounds."
    The suspect was 21-year-old Anthony Gary Silvestri whom police found hiding in Dettman's bedroom.
    "His clothes were covered in blood," says Reed. "And he had blood on his fingers, in his hands."
    Dettman's friends knew that Silvestri had been stalking her. One coworker said Dettman had complained to him that Silvestri was following her at the apartment complex and showing up at her car when she came and left home. Another coworker remembered hearing Silvestri's name.

    "She told me about this young guy asking her out in her apartment complex when she had gone to check the mail," remembers Yolanda Johnson, a close friend and receptionist at the station where Dettman worked.

    Johnson says Dettman told her Silvestri had been very flattering. "She said he had told her that he had seen her on TV and everything. And said he thought she was a very beautiful lady."

    Paula Brown considered Dettman her best friend. She says Dettman was a trusting person, and just didn't recognize Silvestri's interest as potentially dangerous.

    "She would have said something," says Brown. "She would call when her stomach hurt. It someone were after her, we would have known that."

    Dettman's naiveté doesn't surprise Dietz, who says many on-air personalities aren't even aware they're being stalked.

    "Most station managers don't even give the news anchors all their mail or their email," says Dietz. "Very few stations have adequate screening of who gets on the premises or do the things for their talent that can help protect them."

    Silvestri pled guilty to the murder of Dettman and is serving a sentence of 40 years to life. "I was at the wrong place at the wrong time," remembers Silvestri. "I got mad and I lost my temper."

    Police searched Silvestri's apartment and found a pair of binoculars, which they believe he used to spy on Dettman. A friend of Silvestri's also told authorities that Silvestri had been watching her from his apartment.
    Could Dettman have stopped the attack from happening?
    "I don't know," says Silvestri. "I've never blew up like that before, went off on anybody like that. Maybe she could've left the door closed. Maybe she could've screamed at me. She could've hit me. She could've done something but she didn't."

  40. #40
    lmphillips2000 Guest
    Let us not forget Ed Bradley. He was a class act with a distinctive voice and style that was always riveting.
    RIP Ed.

  41. #41
    SquirrelNutZipper Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by lmphillips2000 View Post
    Let us not forget Ed Bradley. He was a class act with a distinctive voice and style that was always riveting.
    RIP Ed.
    I always like him - older guy with a stud earring.

    An office mate of mine said that he was quite the "ladies man". He was especially charming around young, attractive women.

    She knew all this because her friend was the object of his attention.

  42. #42
    wolfpackfanforlife23 Guest
    I found a few more things to add to this thread:

    A reporter in Charlotte, NC, Ken Ward, was found dead in January of this year. He was 44, and died from heart disease.

    http://www.qcitymetro.com/news/artic...d104514257.cfm

    http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/loca...disease/nNQpw/

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    A news anchor in Ohio, Heather Pick, died after fighting breast cancer in 2008. She was 38.

    http://www.rrstar.com/multimedia/x17...oman-Pick-dies

    http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/...ther_pick.html

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Pick

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    A couple of months ago, a former Cleveland, Ohio reporter, Brian McIntyre, died from cancer. He was 42 years old.

    http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/loc...attling-cancer

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Finally, in January of 2008, a Chicago news anchor, Randy Salerno, died in a snowmobiling accident. He was 45.

    http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...e-friend-crash

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Salerno

  43. #43
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    CUMberland, Maryland
    Posts
    1,575
    Quote Originally Posted by wolfpackfanforlife23 View Post
    This has a huge amount of journalist deaths:

    http://www.newseum.org/scripts/journalist/main.htm
    Interesting that Chris Chubbuck wasn't included here. Also Alan Berg worked at KOA in Denver not WKOA. No radio or TV station in Denver or Colorado for that matter starts with a "W".

  44. #44
    wolfpackfanforlife23 Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by choff View Post
    Interesting that Chris Chubbuck wasn't included here.
    Actually, there are a lot of journalists that probably should have been listed that were not. I found the online list after visiting the Newseum, and noticing that the people who died in the WTVD helicopter crash (Jim Lane, Rick Sherrill, Bart Smith), were not on the memorial at the museum. I assumed that I had missed something, and looked it up online. Sure enough, they were not on the online list, either.

    They need to add a lot more to the memorial, but I guess they have a reason for not having certain people on it.

  45. #45
    wolfpackfanforlife23 Guest
    I should have added this a while ago.

    Rich Brenner, former WRAL, WTVD, and WGHP sports reporter, died of a heart attack at the age of 65 in February of this year.

    http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?se...cal&id=8560833

  46. #46
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    It's pronouced Fee-Shed.
    Posts
    944
    Quote Originally Posted by Lisamarie View Post
    Ron Hunter stories are amazing..he was a pretty awful guy...and he def killed his wife Bunny...Dose anyone recall the helicopter chase where the reporter is broadcasting live as one copter hits the other copter and the man can clearly be heard screaming this blood curdling scream and they cut back to the anchot who carries on and says something about losing the feed....that mans scream is just the worst and if you listen to it , you def wont forget it anytime soon...
    Is this something on Youtube?
    You robbed an international house of pancakes. How waffle-Harry T. Stone


    Twitter: @rchamberlain87 Follow me if you want. Just play nice.

    Only the good die young....

  47. #47
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    2,624
    Quote Originally Posted by toddmanning View Post
    Is this something on Youtube?

    Here it is:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0wPrf6aCBU

    There is a lot more videos on youtube, probably with better quality, but this was the first one I found. I couldn't get this incident out of my head for a long time when it first happened. It's horrifying to hear them at the end. There is a animation of how the accident happened.
    Cindy

  48. #48
    MoonRabbit Guest
    Bob Banfield was a long time favorite in southern California. I saw him once in person getting out of an Eyewitness Van when he was covering a County Fair in southern California. I was just leaving as he was walking in. A much beloved News Anchor!
    He died of cancer. At least he made it to 82.

    http://www.myfoxla.com/story/1891042...eld-dies-at-82

  49. #49
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    2,624
    Quote Originally Posted by MoonRabbit View Post
    Bob Banfield was a long time favorite in southern California. I saw him once in person getting out of an Eyewitness Van when he was covering a County Fair in southern California. I was just leaving as he was walking in. A much beloved News Anchor!
    He died of cancer. At least he made it to 82.

    http://www.myfoxla.com/story/1891042...eld-dies-at-82
    Well crap, I never knew this. Loved him on Channel 7 for years. RIP Bob.
    Cindy

  50. #50
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    CUMberland, Maryland
    Posts
    1,575
    Quote Originally Posted by Buttercup View Post
    Here it is:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0wPrf6aCBU

    There is a lot more videos on youtube, probably with better quality, but this was the first one I found. I couldn't get this incident out of my head for a long time when it first happened. It's horrifying to hear them at the end. There is a animation of how the accident happened.
    Since the Phoenix crash in a lot of markets most of the local TV stations now share the chopper with each other rather than each having one. Usually the one shared chopper doesn't sport a logo of the TV station so if one sees chopper in the air its usually hard to tell if its for TV news or for something totally else. Even though the idea is a good one ( the cost is shared is the biggest reason ) some hardcore TV news fans still feel the idea is stupid.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •