Tourist allegedly put her dog inside storage locker to visit German castle
According to German police, the woman allegedly locked her pet inside despite objections from other tourists. The woman is alleged to have locked the dog inside despite it being a hot summer's day in southern Germany.
Apart from the high temperatures, the locker space was made even tighter for the dog by a stroller inside the same locker. According to reporting from Reuters, security staff freed the dog after being alerted by other tourists.
"The dog was fortunately unharmed but visibly glad when it was rescued from the already hot locker," police said.
Police said that criminal proceedings have begun against the owner on suspicion of breaking Germany's animal welfare law. Reuters reported that the dog involved in the incident was a mongrel, or an unknown breed.
Located in southern Germany near the Austrian border and completed in 1886, Neuschwanstein Castle famously served as the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty's castle in Disneyland.
Contributing: Reuters.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
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USA Today
9 minutes ago
- USA Today
He killed his family with a machete. His execution marks a milestone in Florida.
The state executed former Air Force Sgt. Edward Zakrzewski II for killing his wife and two children when she wanted a divorce. The state has now executed more inmates than in previous years. Florida's execution of a former Air Force sergeant in the machete murders of his family is the state's ninth this year, a record in the state's modern history. The state executed former Sgt. Edward Zakrzewski II by lethal injection on Thursday, July 31, for a crime that shocked north Florida more than 30 years ago on June 9, 1994. When his wife wanted a divorce, he used a machete to kill her, their 5-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son. Their bodies were found in a bathtub in their home in the coastal city of Mary Esther. Zakrzewski was pronounce dead at 6:12 p.m. ET. Florida has executed more inmates this year that any other state at nine executions, which is more than any other year in the state's modern history. The state previously executed eight people in 1984 and 2014. Florida is on track to outpace Texas in executions for the first time since 1984 as Gov. Ron DeSantis makes the issue a priority, saying in May that he wants to bring closure to families who've been waiting sometimes decades for their loved one's killer to be executed. "There are so some crimes that are just so horrific, the only appropriate punishment is the death penalty," he said. Zakrzewski's execution is also the 27th in the nation, a 10-year high. Here's what you need to know about Zakrzewski's execution, the crime he committed and why Florida's numbers are so high. What was Edward Zakrzewski's last meal? Zakrzewski's last meal was fried pork chops, fried onions, potatoes, bacon, toast, root beer, ice cream, pie and coffee. What were Edward Zakrzewski's last words? USA TODAY was awaiting to hear what Zakrzewski's last words were and will update this story as soon as possible. Live updates: Florida death row inmate Edward Zakrzewski has his last meal What was Edward Zakrzewski convicted of? On June 9, 1994, 7-year-old Edward Zakrzewski called his father at work to tell him that his mother, 34-year-old Sylvia, was filing divorce papers that day. Zakrzewski bought a machete during his lunch break, took it home and sharpened it before hiding it and a crowbar, according to court records. Later that night, Zakrzewski told Edward and his 5-year-old daughter Anna to watch TV and then attacked Sylvia. He hit her in the head repeatedly with the crowbar, put a plastic bag over her head and choked her with a rope, he later confessed to police. Zakrzewski then called to each of his children separately to come brush their teeth before attacking them each with the machete. He then dragged his wife, who was still alive, into the bathroom where her dead children were and used the machete on her head and neck several times. He left all their bodies in the tub. Zakrzewski fled immediately after the murders, retreating to Hawaii's Molokai Island, living under an assumed name and befriending a local Pentecostal minister who let Zakrzewski stay in a shack on his property in exchange for maintenance work. Zakrzewski managed to live like that for four months before the minister recognized him on "Unsolved Mysteries," after which Zakrzewski turned himself in. Zakrzewski eventually pleaded guilty to the murders, though his attorneys argued he should be spared from the death penalty. They cited his "exemplary" service in the Air Force, the fact that he turned himself in and pleaded guilty, was "a loving husband and father" before the killings, and that he showed "sincere grief and remorse." Judge G. Robert Barron rejected the mitigating arguments. He pointed to the particularly disturbing way Anna had been killed, with evidence indicating that she likely saw her brother's body and was forced to kneel down and place her neck on the edge of the bathtub before her father hit her with the machete. "The court is convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that prior to Anna's death she not only experienced the horror of knowing that she was about to be murdered by her own father, but she also experienced the absolute horror of knowing that her brother had been murdered and that she was next," he said at sentencing. "This court could not imagine a more heinous and atrocious way to die." Barron found that the killings were "the product of probably months and undeniably hours of cool, calm reflection, and careful planning," and that death was the only just punishment. Who is Edward Zakrzewski II? Zakrzewski was one of four brothers and a sister who grew up in Michigan and later became estranged from his family, according to an archived report in the Kalamazoo Gazette. While in the military, he received the Air Force Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service. Zakrzewski's trial attorney, Elton Killam, told the judge that his client was motivated to kill because of his wife's alleged infidelity, gambling habits and long-term psychological abuse. He decided to kill his children out of mercy because he didn't want to see them grow up in Korea, where his wife was from, and treated lesser than because of their mixed race, Killam said, according to an archived Associated Press report in which he referred to the children as "half breeds." Killam told the judge that Zakrzewski met his wife in Montana at an Air Force base exchange where she worked. The two moved to South Korea before he was transferred to Elgin Air Force Base. He said she was unfaithful to Zakrzewski while in Korea, miscarried her lover's child while she was there, and later ran up big phone bills, calling her lover all while squandering money at night clubs and casinos while Zakrzewski stayed home with the kids, Killam said, according to AP. Zakrzewski's current attorney, Lisa Fusaro, told USA TODAY that "Zakrzewski is very remorseful and has become very spiritual over the years." "He helps to mentor other death row inmates and practices yoga and meditation," she said. "He has continued to stay in contact with his family and friends all these years, who are deeply saddened by the signing of his (death) warrant." USA TODAY was unable to track down any family members of Zakrzewski's victims to learn more about who they were. What's going on in Florida? Florida has executed nine men, with two more scheduled in August. More are expected to be added to the calendar as DeSantis signs more death warrants. The state is helping drive a busy year for executions in the nation. So far in 2025, states have executed 27 inmates − a 10-year high. With 10 more on the calendar, the U.S. stands to execute as least 37 prisoners by year's end. Robin Maher, director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said Florida's uptick "represents an unprecedented investment of taxpayer dollars and resources to enact a policy that has never been shown to improve public safety or deter crime." "When compared to the rest of the country, Florida is clearly an outlier in the way that it enthusiastically uses the death penalty despite rising public concerns, high cost, and low public support," she said, referring to studies that show decreasing support for the death penalty though it was about 53% nationwide as of 2024, according to a Gallup poll. Texas remains the state that has executed the most inmates, by far. The state has executed 594 inmates in the modern death penalty era (since 1976). The next closest state is Oklahoma at 129, then Florida at 115. Texas has either matched or outpaced Florida in executions every year in the modern era except for 1979, 1984 and this year. Edward Zakrzewski lawyers fought for a reprieve On July 22, the Florida Supreme Court rejected arguments from Zakrzewski's attorneys that his death sentence should be tossed out because he never would have been sentenced to die under current Florida law. When he was sentenced in 1996, Zakrazewski's jury recommended death on votes of 7-5 for the murder of his wife and son, and 6-6 for his daughter's murder. Under current law, at least eight jurors need to vote for the death penalty. "Standards of decency have evolved," his attorneys wrote. The state Supreme Court ruled the claims were meritless. Contributing: Tom McLaughlin, Pensacola News Journal Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter for USA TODAY. Follow her on X at @amandaleeusat.
13 minutes ago
Trump says he doesn't know why Epstein took young women from Mar-a-Lago
President Donald Trump said Thursday he doesn't know why convicted sex offender was taking women from his Mar-a-Lago club, which he says caused him to break off relations with his longtime friend. Asked by ABC News at an executive order signing if he knew why the disgraced financier was taking women from his club, the president replied, "No, I don't know really why, but I said, if he's taken anybody from Mar-A-Lago, he's hiring or whatever he's doing, I didn't like it. And we threw him out," the president said. The family of Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's most well-known victims, said it was outraged at comments Trump made a day earlier about her and Ghislaine Maxwell, the Epstein associate convicted of sex trafficking. Trump on Wednesday told reporters that Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, may have been one of several employees at his Mar-a-Lago club who were "stolen" by Epstein. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on board Air Force One en route from Scotland, Britain, to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., July 29, Hockstein/Reuters "I think she worked at the spa. I think so. I think that was one of the people," Trump said of Giuffre. "He stole her. And by the way, she had no complaints about us, as you know, none whatsoever." Giuffre's family in its statement rejected the characterization, saying she wasn't "stolen" by Epstein. "We would like to clarify that it was convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell who targeted and preyed upon our then 16-year-old sister, Virginia, from Mar-a-Lago, where she was working in 2000, several years before Epstein and President Trump had their falling out," the family said. Trump's comments came amid growing calls for federal authorities to release records related to the Epstein case. Democrats in the Senate on Wednesday said they are attempting to force the release of those files through a little-known, decades-old law. Audrey Strauss, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York speaks alongside William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office, at a news conference announcing charges against Ghislaine Maxwell for her role in the sexual exploitation and abuse of minor girls by Jeffrey Epstein in New York City, New York, U.S., July 2, Jackson/Reuters Giuffre's family in their statement said it was "shocking" to hear Trump discuss Giuffre, saying he was aware of her being "stolen." Their statement called into question whether the president knew at that time about Epstein and Maxwell's actions. "It makes us ask if he was aware of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal actions, especially given his statement two years later that his good friend Jeffrey 'likes women on the younger side . . . no doubt about it,'" the family said in its statement, referencing a quote attributed to Trump in a 2002 New York Magazine profile of Epstein. The family added, "We and the public are asking for answers; survivors deserve this." Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking. He died by suicide that August while in custody, federal authorities said. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking and sentenced the following year to 20 years in prison. The Department of Justice said she "assisted, facilitated, and participated" in Epstein's abuse of girls between 1994 and 2004. Giuffre had said that Maxwell recruited Virginia from Mar-a-Lago when she was 16 -- and also accused Maxwell of abusing her. Maxwell denied the allegations levelled against her and claimed in a 2016 deposition that Giuffre had "lied repeatedly." President Donald Trump listens to questions from reporters aboard Air Force One over the United Kingdom on July 29, 2025, as he returns to Washington following a trip to Scotland. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images MORE: Trump, in Scotland, gives more details about his falling out with Jeffrey Epstein Maxwell this month met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, answering questions for about nine hours over two days, sources told ABC News. Maxwell initiated those meetings with the Department of Justice, sources said. Giuffre's family in its statement said Virginia would be "most angered" by those meetings, adding that the "government is listening to a known perjurer. A woman who repeatedly lied under oath and will continue to do so as long as it benefits her position." The family described Maxwell as a "monster who deserves to rot in prison for the rest of her life." Trump was asked on Monday about whether Maxwell could be pardoned. "Well, I'm allowed to give her a pardon," Trump said. "But nobody's approached me with it, nobody's asked me about it. It's in the news, that -- that aspect of it. But right now, it would be inappropriate to talk about it."
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Epstein accuser's family wants answers from Trump after recent comments
The family issued a lengthy statement after Trump said Jeffrey Epstein 'stole' Virginia Giuffre from his Mar-a-Lago spa, causing a rift. WASHINGTON − The family of Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent and outspoken sex trafficking accusers, demanded answers over why President Donald Trump said the disgraced financier "stole" Giuffre from his Mar-a-Lago spa – and have called for Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell to remain in prison. In a lengthy July 30 statement, the family of Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, said, 'It was shocking to hear President Trump invoke our sister and say that he was aware that Virginia had been 'stolen' from Mar-a-Lago." 'It makes us ask if he was aware of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal actions, especially given his statement two years later that his good friend Jeffrey 'likes women on the younger side … no doubt about it,'" the family's comment, given to USA TODAY July 31, said. "We and the public are asking for answers; survivors deserve this.' Trump and Epstein were friends for more than a decade in the 1990s and early 2000s. More: She's inmate No. 02879-509 in Florida. But once again, Ghislaine Maxwell is holding court Trump made the comment July 30, telling reporters Epstein "stole her" while Giuffre was working as a spa attendant, and that he subsequently banned Epstein from his Palm Beach residence and club after he tried to poach additional employees. "I think she worked at the spa. I think so. I think that was one of the people," Trump said of Giuffre. "He stole her. And by the way, she had no complaints about us, as you know, none whatsoever." Giuffre had long insisted that Maxwell − Epstein's longtime associate and former girlfriend – was the one who met her at the club and recruited her to serve as a masseuse for Epstein. That arrangement ultimately led to Epstein sexually abusing her and Maxwell trafficking Giuffre to have sex with other men, she said. More: How Trump and 'terrific guy' Jeffrey Epstein's party boy friendship ended badly Trump's comments on Air Force One appeared to be the first time he had personally confirmed aspects of Giuffre's story and suggested her employment might have been at least partially responsible for his falling out with Epstein. The Giuffre family's statement is the latest development in the growing controversy over Trump's relationship with Maxwell and Epstein, who died by suicide while in custody awaiting trial in 2019. It was issued by her surviving siblings and their spouses, Sky and Amanda Roberts and Danny and Lanette Wilson. More: Trump says he's 'allowed' to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell and he never went to Epstein's island In their lengthy statement, the Giuffre family rejected Trump's characterization, saying she was "stolen" by Maxwell, not Epstein. "We would like to clarify that it was convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell who targeted and preyed upon our then 16-year-old sister, Virginia, from Mar-a-Lago, where she was working in 2000, several years before Epstein and President Trump had their falling out," the family said. In a statement to USA TODAY, the White House said no leniency is being given or discussed, and that Trump himself has said that clemency for Maxwell is not something he is thinking about at this time. In its statement, the family also said, "Virginia always said that Ghislaine Maxwell was vicious and could often be more cruel than Epstein." They called on Trump to "never consider giving Ghislaine Maxwell any leniency." 'Ghislaine Maxwell is a monster who deserves to rot in prison for the rest of her life,' the family said. "She must remain in prison – anything less would go down in history as being one of the highest travesties of justice.' More: New photos confirm Epstein attended Donald Trump's wedding The family statement comes just days after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche – Trump's former criminal defense lawyer – interviewed Maxwell in a Tallahassee, Florida, courthouse near where she is serving a 20-year sentence for trafficking a minor to Epstein for sexual abuse. In a social media post, Blanche said he was interviewing the former British socialite because if 'Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.' The two days of talks between the Justice Department and Maxwell have led Trump critics, including Democrats in Congress, to speculate that Trump is seeking a way to silence Maxwell while at the same time quelling the growing controversy over his administration's attempts to close the book on the long-running Epstein saga. More: Democrats hammer Epstein issue, find rare power move against Trump In recent weeks, the Trump administration has faced mounting pressure to reverse its pledge not to release any more documents related to the DOJ investigation into Epstein, a move that prompted fierce backlash from even the president's most loyal followers. Trump has said he has not considered whether to pardon Maxwell, but said on two occasions in recent days that he is 'allowed' to do so as president. Following the first of those remarks on July 29, Maxwell lawyer David Markus said, 'We hope he exercises that power in the right and just way." Maxwell has said she'll testify before Congress, as requested, if Trump grants her clemency. "If our sister could speak today, she would be most angered by the fact that the government is listening to a known perjurer," the family said, in reference to Maxwell. "A woman who repeatedly lied under oath and will continue to do so as long as it benefits her position."
