Latest news with #Hefner
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Man gets decades in prison in fatal shooting, over-100 mph police chase
Jun. 3—A man shot and killed another man in Dayton and then led police in a chase with speeds over 100 mph. He is now facing more than 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to a manslaughter charge. William Gerald "Gerry" Hefner, 59, of Dayton pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter charged via a bill of information in addition to indicted charges of aggravated possession of drugs, having weapons while under disability, and failure to comply with orders or signal of a police officer, according to a plea agreement filed May 29 in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. Hefner was charged in the June 1, 2023, death of 48-year-old Matthew Smith of Dayton. Multiple people called 911 just before 10:50 a.m. to report a shooting in the 100 block of Centre Street. One woman told dispatchers that her boyfriend and her friend were involved in the shooting and had both left, according to Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center records. She said that one left in a truck and the other ran away. A different caller told dispatchers that he was working in the area when a man ran up to a front door and said he was shot. The caller said that the man was shot in the top left side of his abdomen. He also told dispatchers that the man said he knew where the shooter was but didn't provide more information. "I didn't even hear a shot, so I'm not sure where it happened at," the caller said. The gunshot victim, later identified as Smith, was taken to Miami Valley Hospital, where he died later the same day from his injuries. Police said they identified Hefner as a suspect in the shooting and spotted his truck on camera the next day, noting that he had changed its appearance. Just before 10 p.m. June 7, an officer recognized Hefner driving a truck and started to pursue him. Dash camera footage of the chase showed the truck drive through yards and around traffic as well as running red lights and stop signs. Dayton Municipal Court records said the chase reached speeds of more than 100 mph. The chase came to an end near Salem Avenue and Denlinger Road in Trotwood when it drove through some grass and ran up against a pole. As part of the plea agreement, eight charges were dismissed, including murder and felonious assault. He was sentenced to a total of 20 to 25 1/2 years in prison without possibility of early release. He also must pay restitution for funeral and burial expenses and forfeit a Hi-Point 9mm Luger pistol. Staff writers Kristen Spicker and Jen Balduf contributed to this story.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Texas Lawmakers Crush Most Red Flag Firearm Regulations
(Texas Scorecard) – Lawmakers in the Texas House have approved a measure to preemptively prohibit the state from adopting most firearm-related red flag laws. Senate Bill 1362, filed by State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R–Mineola) in the Senate and carried by State Rep. Cole Hefner (R–Mount Pleasant) in the House, was finally passed in an 86-53-1 vote on Wednesday. The measure would disallow judges from issuing most extreme risk protection orders, also known as 'red flag' orders or ERPOs, which prevent an individual from owning or purchasing a firearm during legal proceedings. It would also bar local jurisdictions from accepting federal funding to implement or enforce an ERPO. An individual found to be in violation could receive a state jail felony conviction. Under the measure, the only instances in which a judge could prevent an individual from owning or purchasing a gun during legal proceedings would be in certain firearm-related cases or through existing protective orders. While Texas courts currently do not issue ERPOs, the measure is intended to prevent the practice, as an increasing number of states have begun to adopt it. According to Ballotpedia, as of May 2025, 21 states—including California, Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, and New York—have explicitly enacted laws authorizing courts to issue ERPOs. SB 1362 'reinforces Texas' commitment to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens, while ensuring due process for all Texans,' Hefner said Tuesday when laying out the measure on the floor. State Rep. Wes Virdell (R–Brady) shared a story about law enforcement officers in Maryland who visited 61-year-old Gary J. Willis' house in the early morning to confiscate his firearms with 'no actual evidence or due process.' The visit took a turn after Willis resisted the officers. He was shot and died from his injuries. Virdell also cited research from the RAND Corporation that summarized various studies on the effectiveness of ERPOs. Overall, the evidence showed inconclusive effectiveness. After a lengthy point of order, House Democrats proposed a slate of amendments that ultimately failed, including several by State Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D–Austin) seeking to create new exceptions and strike certain provisions. The only amendment eventually approved was one by Hefner clarifying that existing domestic violence protective orders preventing the purchase or ownership of firearms are not at risk under SB 1362. State Rep. Erin Zwiener (D–Driftwood) questioned Hefner about the necessity of passing the measure. 'So, I think as I understand it, right now, it would take a law by the State of Texas—us passing a law—for there to be extreme risk protective orders. And after this bill is passed, it would take a law from the State of Texas for us to have extreme risk protective orders,' said Zwiener. 'Well, a rational person would see it that way,' responded Hefner. 'But I do believe we've seen many cities and judges and prosecutors skirt the law, manipulate it, or work around it, come up with new things that we have to come down here and chase after them to try to rein them back in.' The measure will now be sent back to senators, who are expected to concur with the limited changes ultimately approved by representatives. Senators initially passed SB 1362 in late March. Texas Gun Rights President Chris McNutt told Texas Scorecard that lawmakers' passage of the measure was 'long overdue and will help further protect Texans from future anti-gun administrations in D.C.' He also thanked Hughes, Hefner, State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R–Deer Park), and House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock) for helping to push SB 1362 across the finish line.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Revamped Playboy Mansion finally finished after five years of renovations under new billionaire owner
Renovations on the infamous Playboy Mansion are finally complete after five years. Aerial images show the stunning property looking vastly different than before with a brand new cream and aqua blue color scheme. From some angles, the one debaucherous mansion now resembles a picturesque Disney castle. The surrounding area boasts an impressive guest house, a cobalt blue tennis court, and perfectly manicured lawns and gardens. The rear terrace deck appears to have been extended to allow more space for outdoor entertaining. And to help guests unwind, there's a new 42 by 23-foot solarium. Underneath the solarium, a new luxury state-of-the-art spa-jacuzzi is believed to be finished. The spa also includes a 'cold plunge,' favored by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Lady Gaga and Madonna. The late Hugh Hefner's legendary home, which served as the backdrop to his Playboy magazine, was sold in January 2016 to Greek-American business mogul Daren Metropoulos for $100million. Daren, 42, is the son of billionaire businessman Dean Metropoulos, 79. Daren boasts a packed business portfolio, as he headed companies such as Hostess Brand, which produces snacks like Twinkies and HoHos, and Pabst Brewing Company – both at some point owned by his father. Dean is a fan of Hefner's fantasy home, as he was photographed partying it up at the 29-room Holmby Hills property in 2012 alongside rapper Snoop Dogg and an entourage of bunnies. He entrusted the makeover to architect Richard Landry, who has renovated multiple star's houses such as Tom Brady, Kylie Jenner, Rod Stewart, Mark Wahlberg and Sylvester Stallone. Dean has spent the last 18 years buying up iconic properties, with estimating that the mogul has splashed out around $326million so far. Outside of the Playboy Mansion, his purchases include $148million on a Mediterranean Revival-style home in Palm Beach, Florida. 'My general approach is very measured and tactical and I am particularly interested in hidden jewel properties that rarely come to market,' he previously told The Wall Street journal. In addition to owning the $100million Playboy Mansion, Dean also owns a 'miniature' mansion next door worth around $60million. He has hinted in the past that he plans to combine the two estates. Building permits filed with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety at the start of renovations five years ago, showed his intention of remodeling the kitchen, family room bathrooms and powder room in the main house. When Dean originally bought the mansion in 2016, he allowed Hefner to live out his last days at his beloved mansion. He died the following year at age 91 from sepsis he had developed after he contracted E. coli. The Playboy Mansion is emblematic of celebrity culture with some of the biggest stars scrambling to enjoy Hefner's lingerie-only dress code for the female guests who cavorted in the caved grotto. Elvis Presley reportedly slept with eight Playmates at once at the home, while John Lennon burned a Matisse original with a cigarette. Donald Trump even filmed an episode of The Apprentice at the mansion where contestants got to meet Hefner and his girlfriends. It also has a dark side, with allegations against disgraced actor Bill Cosby purported to take place during these debauched parties. Judy Huth claimed Cosby assaulted her when she was 15 at Hugh Hefner's home. Chloe Goins claimed she was assaulted by Crosby at the mansion, but criminal charges in the case were ruled out. It was also dirty. Multiple former Playboy bunnies spoke out about the dilapidated building and floors being strewn with dog feces and urine. In 2011, health officials confirmed that the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease was found in a whirlpool spa at the Playboy Mansion where more than 100 people fell ill. The Los Angeles County Health Department presented its findings at an annual conference at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. The legionella bacteria also cause a milder illness called Pontiac fever. Symptoms, which include fever and headache, are the same as those suffered by the Playboy Mansion partygoers. Building permits, accessed by in 2023, revealed workmen repaired 'termite and dry-rot damage' from the original wooden framing. The Playboy mansion sits on five acres adjacent to the Los Angeles Country Club – on Charing Cross Road in the exclusive Holmby Hills neighborhood just off the famous Sunset Boulevard. The house was designed by Arthur Kelly for Arthur Letts Jr - the son of Arthur Letts who founded The Broadway, a now-defunct department store – and was completed in 1927. It was purchased by Hefner in 1971 for $1million, becoming the second Playboy Mansion house. The first was a 54-room classical brick and limestone mansion in Chicago's Gold Coast district.
Buzz Feed
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Hugh Hefner Playboy Mansion Shocking Revelations
Earlier this month, former Playboy bunny Holly Madison appeared on the In Your Dreams podcast, where she reflected on her experience living in Hugh Hefner's notorious mansion. Madison recalled having 'disgusting' group sex with Hefner and other then-Playmates — something that she has detailed numerous times over the years since she started denouncing her time at the mansion. Here's a reminder of some of the most shocking claims that she and other ex-Playmates have made about their experiences: 1. Last year, Madison shared that the mansion was full of trays of 'makeshift lube' everywhere. 'In every bathroom, out on the tennis courts, by the pool, and it would be a tray with Kleenex, Pepto Bismol, Vaseline, baby oil, sunscreen — any kind of makeshift lube,' she told People. 'It was weird.' 2. A couple of years prior, Madison alleged that Hefner used baby oil as lube against her will. 'I remember talking to the gynecologist about it and then telling Hef, 'You need to stop using the baby oil. I can't use it,'' she shared on her podcast, Girls Next Level. 'Even telling him the gynecologist agreed with me, he would argue with me and be like, 'Well, people use baby oil on babies.' And I'm like, 'Yeah, on their skin. Not internally. You're not supposed to put it there.'' 3. In 2021, ex-Playmate Sondra Theodore — who dated Hefner for five years in the late '70s and early '80s — claimed that quaaludes (sedative-hypnotic drugs) were 'used for sex' in the mansion. She alleged, 'It was such a seduction, and the men knew this — that they could get girls to do just about anything they wanted if they gave them a quaalude.' 4. A couple of years later, Madison said that she once raised concerns about the quaaludes with Hefner himself. She shared on her podcast, 'I remember asking him once, 'Aren't you scared to give those quaaludes out? What if somebody overdosed?'' before noting that he allegedly replied, 'Yeah, that's a thought,' before brushing it off. 'He just didn't care and was so nonchalant,' she said. 5. Last year, Hefner's widow, Crystal, made heartbreaking claims that animals were abused at the mansion, which had an on-site zoo. 'Even with the window shut, I could hear their plaintive voices in my mind. 'Help, help,' they cawed and wailed — at least that's what it sounded like to me,' she wrote in her 2024 book, Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself. 6. In the 2022 docuseries Secrets of Playboy, Theodore claimed that she once walked in on Hefner engaging in sexual activity with her dog. 'I walked in on him with my dog and I said, 'What are you doing?' I was shocked,' she recalled. 'He made it seem like it was just a one-time thing, and that he was just goofing off. But I never left him alone with my dog again.' 7. Madison said in 2023 that Hefner hated some of the girls wearing red lipstick because he wanted them to look 'young and fresh-faced.' She said, 'He wanted skimpy and fresh-faced and very young looking.' 8. The year prior, Madison said that age 28 'was the death mark' at the mansion — and the women were made to feel it. 'Every once in a while they would have a Playmate who was older than that, but it was pretty rare. And if somebody was 28 they would always note that,' she said. 'I wonder how much even that affected me, spending my early 20s hearing, 'You're kind of done by 28.'' 9. Madison once famously claimed that Hefner kept a 'mountain' of revenge porn, which she alleged included pictures of women taken while they were 'wasted out of their minds.' As a result, she said she was 'afraid to leave' the mansion for so long in case the photos were leaked — though Crystal Hefner said she eventually found and destroyed the photos. 10. Both Madison and ex-Playmate Bridget Marquardt have alleged that Hefner could be 'abrasive' at times — notably after Madison got a haircut that he didn't like, which she said prompted him to call her 'old, hard, and cheap.' 11. In 2022, Madison recalled 'The Recruiter' (whom she said was another Playmate) ordering her to sleep with Hefner for the first time. She said, 'I was just another piece of meat for her to throw under him so she looks better.' 12. Marquadt also said of her experience sleeping with Hefner for the first time: 'The Recruiter came up to me and said, 'You're gonna go, right?' I was hoping that I could just observe and not participate… 'cause I was definitely not ready, and didn't want to.' Marquadt recalled telling The Recruiter that she wasn't 'ready to do this yet,' only to be told that she wouldn't be invited back if she didn't. She eventually slept with Hefner, which left her feeling 'icky,' disappointed, and embarrassed. 13. Madison said that Hefner pressured her to quit her part-time waitressing job because 'it made him jealous,' and that he gave the Playmates a weekly allowance of $1,000 each to encourage them not to get jobs. She said, 'I kept my waitressing job at just, like, one day a week because I wanted just to have something easy to go back to, should things not work out. He said it made him jealous, and he would appreciate it if I quit my job.' 14. That same year, Marquardt claimed that Hefner would keep track of the Playmates' allowances in a notebook that he kept locked away in a safe. 'The black book kept track of a few different things. It kept track of when somebody collected their allowance — he would mark it off so you couldn't ask for it twice,' she said. 15. Madison also said that sometimes Hefner would give some of the Playmates 'a report' that detailed 'how good of a job they were doing,' which he put together by keeping 'track of who he had sex with' and on what nights. 16. Madison once revealed that she and some of the other mansion residents were not on birth control. 'I don't know who was and wasn't on birth control — I wasn't — but I just don't think anyone ever felt for a second that they were gonna get pregnant from Hef,' she said, later adding: 'I just don't think any of us ever thought for a second that we were in danger of getting pregnant by him.' 17. Finally, Madison described the mansion as 'cult-like' in 2022, stating: 'It was so easy to get isolated from the outside world there. You had a 9 o'clock curfew. You were encouraged to not have friends over. You weren't really allowed to leave unless it was like a family holiday.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas House advances Senate Bill 17 to bar certain immigrants from owning land in state
Legislation aimed at barring people and agents of countries deemed hostile to U.S. interests from owning land in Texas leaped closer to becoming law after House Republicans late Thursday and again on Friday beat back several attempts by Democrats to derail or soften the proposal. The House sponsor of Senate Bill 17, Mount Pleasant Republican Rep. Cole Hefner, said the legislation would make Texas and the nation safer because "adversarial nations," as identified by the U.S. national intelligence director — China, Russia, Iran and North Korea — could not become Texas landowners. "Countries on this list have demonstrated their desire to harm this country and present a significant national security risk," Hefner said Thursday during the hourslong debate in the lower chamber. Under an amendment added to the bill, the governor would have the power to add or remove countries from the list of those sanctioned by the measure. Hefner and his allies in the House rebuffed assertions from several Democratic members that the measure would unfairly prevent immigrants from those nations from putting down roots in the country that has given them refuge from repression. "Let's be clear: These people are not enemies of the state. They came to Texas seeking the freedom and liberty this bill supposedly tries to protect. ... I know because I was one of them," said Rep. Hubert Vo, D-Houston, who told his colleagues of how his family escaped a Communist regime in Vietnam as his Democratic colleagues stood behind him in support. "Texas should proudly welcome those who play by the rules, not brand them as traitors." The bill, which passed the House with several modifications on a 85-60 vote, now returns to the Senate, which can accept those changes or ask for a conference committee to iron out the differences. Once both chambers agree on a final product, SB 17 would be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott to be signed into law. The bill would grant the attorney general jurisdiction to investigate violations of the land law, and courts could order the divestiture of property acquired by restricted individuals or organizations. Violators could be liable for a fine of $250,000 or more. Before a vote on final passage Friday, Hefner falsely asserted that current visa holders would be exempt from the bill's restrictions on landownership, saying "If you're lawfully present at the time of the purchase of this property, then you're fine." Green card holders will be able to buy homes in Texas, but temporary visa holders are not explicitly exempt from the bill's restrictions. Furthermore, the bill as amended, only allows for leases up to one year at a time. The Senate's version would have allowed 99-year leases — "a loophole you could drive a Mack truck through," Lewisville Republican Rep. Mitch Little said. The Senate's version of the bill carved out an exception for an individual's primary residence, but the House previously stripped that provision in a committee substitute. The House further tweaked the bill with a handful of floor amendments. SB 17 garnered bipartisan support in the upper chamber and passed March 19 by a 24-7 vote. A similar House companion bill was heard in an April meeting of the lower chamber's Homeland Security, Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs Committee but has not received a vote. SB 17 is the latest push in a yearslong campaign to restrict foreign land ownership, with a similar proposal dying in the House during the 2023 legislative session. Proponents of the restrictions say the issue is a matter of national security, often citing concerns that individuals or businesses loyal to foreign governments could buy up large swaths of land in the U.S., posing a risk to agriculture and critical infrastructure. Around half of U.S. states have passed laws restricting foreign investment in domestic land, with 12 codifying restrictions in 2024, according to the National Agricultural Law Center. Arkansas became the first state to enforce such a law in 2023. About 5.3 million acres, or 3.41% of private agricultural land in Texas is foreign-owned, according to a Texas Farm Bureau report that cites the latest data available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Of that, a majority is owned by ally nations like Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany. China makes up 3.6% of Texas' foreign-owned land. House and Senate hearings on land ownership legislation have drawn dozens of witnesses, many opposed to the bills, who testified for hours on SB 17 and its House companion bill. Democratic lawmakers who spoke ahead of the House committee hearing argued that the proposal is discriminatory and said it mirrors the prologue to the World War II-era incarceration of 120,000 people of Japanese descent in America. Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, repeated those concerns during Thursday's debate. "Why my community is so angry is that this exact thing has been done before — done for the same reasons, using the same rhetoric, passing the same laws, and against the exact same communities," said Wu, who is Asian-American. "The fear isn't just about this legislation. For me, the fear is about the community as a whole." But Republican House members, including Garland Rep. Angie Chen Button, who immigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan, maintained that the bill is not discriminatory but a matter of protecting Texas. "I am supporting this bill because it is to protect our country's freedom, liberty, national security," Button said. "This is not my mother land, but this is my chosen land, and I'm here to protect the liberty and freedom of my chosen land." Staff writers John C. Moritz and Bayliss Wagner contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas House passes bill barring certain immigrants from owning land
