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Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
Doctor Charged With Child Sex Abuse Material Found Dead In Burned Home Days After Arrest | Crime Alert 6AM 12.31.25
00:06:55
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CRIME Alert. I'm Nancy Grace, an Alaska doctor previously named to the state's medical board found dead in his burned down home just days after his arrest on child sex abuse materials. Authorities first believe Ryan McDonough, 46, is missing after discovering other residents escaped the fire. Upon further investigation, his remains found in the home. Straight out to Drew Nelson for more.
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Nancy the fire destroyed the family home of Ryan McDonough on West Discovery Loop in Wasilla just one day after he was released from jail on a $50,000 cash bond posted by his wife. Alaska state troopers now say preliminary identification confirms the charred body found in the house is McDonough's. The state medical examiner is still working to determine his cause of death. Investigators say the origin and cause of the fire also remain under investigation. Fire crews arrived to find the home fully engulfed. Authorities confirmed McDonough was the only person inside at the time as the other residents escaped unharmed. The discovery comes just days after McDonough pleaded not guilty to the child sex abuse material charges. During an initial court appearance, he had been arrested as part of a joint local, state and federal investigation. Court records show the alleged material was uncovered after tips were sent to the national center for Missing and Exploited Children. Neighbors described the shock rippling through the Wasilla community, some of them declining to speak to reporters. Others say they were disturbed by the allegations tied to a man they believed lived a quiet life in the neighborhood. Wasilla resident Damon Blankenship, speaking to Ktuu. Angry seems so predominant in our world today. So many of them. I don't think we have even scratched the surface. Blankenship says the case makes him angry and rather unsettled. It's been an issue for a long, long time. We need to spend a lot more money putting these people in jail as far as I'm concerned. McDonough worked as an interventional cardiologist at Mat Su Regional Medical center and Mat Su Medical Group. Hospital officials say he was terminated the same day the charges became public. A spokesperson called the situation shocking and said the decision was immediate to fire him. In August, McDonough had been appointed to the Alaska State Medical Board by governor Mike Dunleavy. He resigned from the board in November. A spokesperson the governor said the administration was unaware of any criminal investigation at the time he was appointed. He learned of the charges when they were made public.
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Thanks, Drew. More crime and justice news after this.
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- [03:14]
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See mintmobile.com the Infinite Monkey Cage returns imminently. I am Robin Ince and I'm sat next to Brian Cox who has so much to tell you about what's on the new series. Primarily eels and what else. It was fascinating the eels. But we're not just doing eels, are we? We're doing a bit brain computer interfaces, timekeeping, fusion, monkey business, cloud, science of the and eels. Did I mention the eels is this Ever since you bought that timeshare underneath the Sargasso sea? Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
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A Long Island, New York seventh grader is being praised for his quick thinking after escaping a burglary in progress and calling police while a stranger was inside his home. The break in happened midday Tuesday in Med. 12 year old Tristan Taylor was home alone inside his family's house on Eagle Avenue when he heard a sudden crash from the kitchen. Moments later he realized someone was inside and moving through the house. Here he is speaking with WCBS reporter Carolyn Gusoff.
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I heard glass breaking. I said to myself, I have to get out the house the quickest way possible. Mm. And that was how the window.
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Tristan climbed out of a ground floor window and ran to safety. He hid behind the garage and called 911 while the intruder continued rum through the house. He stayed on the line as officers rushed to the scene.
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You just had to be brave and call them. I was on the phone with them, waiting for them to get here.
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Suffolk county police arrived in less than three minutes. Officers caught the suspect inside the house and took him into custody without incident. Family members said Tristan stayed calm throughout the whole ordeal. His grandmother praised his instincts and composure.
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He's our little hero. We were very proud that he was.
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Able to keep his composure and, you.
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Know, call the police as quickly as he did.
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You know, basically without really, really, you.
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Know, thinking about it, he just automatically called 91 1.
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Neighbors like Mike Campanella say the boy did exactly what he was taught.
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I would hope that, you know, my son would have done the same thing. When someone's breaking into the house, you know, precaution is to get out and then call the police.
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Police identified the suspect as a 53 year old Christian Garcia. He pleaded not guilty to charges of burglary and possession of burglar tools. Our partners at the New York Post likened quick thinking Tristan to Kevin McCallister from Home Alone, though unlike the no one was injured. A holiday drive through the Sierra nearly turns deadly when an SUV spins out on icy Highway 50 and dangles over a steep drop. That is, until a heroic U.S. air Force staff sergeant steps in. The crash happened on Christmas morning along historic Highway 50 as a major winter storm moved through Northern California. Caltrans reported multiple spinouts in the area as drivers faced snow, ice and nearly no traction. One of those spinouts left an SUV teetering hundreds of feet above a slope, held in place by a single tree. Staff Sergeant Reuben Tallis, stationed at Travis Air Force Base, was driving through the area when his family saw the vehicle lose control. He tells kcra. He pulled over and ran toward the SUV without hesitation.
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When I saw the car spin out, like, I thought about my wife and my daughter. But if there's a family on that car, somebody has to help.
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Dash and cell phone videos shows Tala gripping the vehicle as it hangs over the edge. Other drivers stop to help as the situation grows perilous.
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I yelled at them, hey, do you have any rope? I need some rope. Then one guy ran back to his truck and gave me a rope. Then the other three guys, they were holding my hands, tried to keep the car not moving.
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The driver and passenger remain trapped inside the SUV as it swayed.
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So the driver is really thankful. He's really thankful. I mean. And I think his wife is still in state of shock. That time she was holding her two dogs.
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Once the rope was secured and the vehicle stabilized, the couple was pulled to safety one by one. Miraculously, nobody was hurt. One thing stuck with Sergeant Tallah after the rescue, one of the dogs in the vehicle was named Luna, which is the same name as his young daughter. KCRA reports first responders arrived shortly after the rescue was complete. Despite the praise, Tala brushes off the title of hero.
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I'm just doing my part to help somebody else. That's how we are trained in Air Force.
- [08:39]
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Thanks Drew. For the latest crime and justice news, go to crimeonline.com and please join us for our daily podcast Crime Stories, where we do our best to find missing people, especially children, and help solve unsolved homicides. With this crime alert, I'm Nancy Grace.
- [09:03]
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The holidays are about giving. Even your closet deserves to feel lighter. Here's the thing. Cleaning out your closet is one thing. Actually getting those bags out the door and to a drop off spot, that's where it falls apart. Well, not this season. Trashy Unlimited members for a limited time get $10 off the courier delivery option in the Uber app to have their take back bags picked up right from home. Here's how it Fill your take back bag with clothes you're done with. Register your bag, claim your $10 off discount, then schedule a pickup from your door. A courier will take your bag straight to UPS for you. No loading up the car, no waiting in line. No, I'll do it after the holidays. Wishful thinking. Just schedule, hand it off and you're done. It's closet clean out without the errand. It's the gift of space without the guilt. Skip the trip. Clean out without going out. Limited time only terms apply. Learn more@trashyio hey Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile.
- [10:05]
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You know one of the perks about having four kids that you know about is actually getting a direct line to the big man up north. And this year he wants you to know the best gift that you can give someone is the gift of Mint Mobile's Unlimited Wireless for $15 a month. Now you don't even need to wrap it. Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment.
- [10:25]
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Of $45 for a three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required new customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes if network's busy, taxes and fees extra.
- [10:32]
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See mintmobile.com Want to know how to.
- [10:35]
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- [10:47]
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- [10:52]
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- [11:23]
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