Latest news with #coldCase
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Dept. Q, review: Netflix's Edinburgh-set answer to Slow Horses
New crime drama Dept. Q (Netflix), is based on a series of novels by the Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen. Except it's not, not really. You don't have to watch more than about two minutes of it to realise that the TV adaptation is based, or at least heavily influenced by, Apple TV+'s Slow Horses. The Dept. Q of the title is a new cold case unit in the Edinburgh police force that is really a PR exercise to drum up some funding for the real police there. It's not a department, it's a place to secrete washed-up misanthropes like DCI Carl Morck (Matthew Goode) in a literal grimy basement where no one has to look at them. For Dept. Q, read Slough House, the dumping ground for threadbare spies in Slow Horses. For Carl Morck, read Jackson Lamb. Both are the epitome of damaged goods. In Morck's case, the damage appears to have come from being shot in the face, in an incident that claimed the life of a young sergeant and the legs of his friend and partner. His response has been to double down on his general loathing for all mankind. Morck hates everyone, and everyone hates Morck. But not for long. The narrative path for both a Jackson Lamb and a Carl Morck involves a softening. Over nine hours and one really nasty case, and thanks to a mordant wit, we do, of course, come round to Morck as we learn why he is as he is and what happened in the past to make him so. Naturally, he's also kind of brilliant at what he does. In all of the above, therefore, Dept. Q offers little that's new, but it has two things in its favour. Firstly, I'm still not sure how many people have seen Slow Horses, because it's on Apple TV+ and no one knows how many people watch that. There's every chance that Carl Morck and his team of ne'er-do-wells fighting evil, as well as a system that has cast them aside, will seem like the best idea ever committed to telly. Secondly, and more importantly, Dept. Q is very well done. Goode, more often seen as a buttoned-up toff (in Downton Abbey and The Crown), plays wonderfully well against type as an unbuttoned scruff. His team of misfits are well cast and well-used, with Alexej Manvelov as Akram Malik particularly impressive – he's a former Syrian policeman who fled to the UK and somehow wends his way from the IT department to Morck's sidekick. And then there's the case that runs throughout the series, or rather the multiple cases. There's the mystery of the missing prosecutor, the mystery of who shot Morck and his buddy, and the mystery of why police departments have such large, unused basements going spare for office space. As you'd expect, writer Scott Frank, who made The Queen's Gambit for Netflix, marshals the whole thing like a maestro, zooming in on dabs of Morck's home life (not good), jumping over to his PTSD sessions with a psychiatrist played by Kelly Macdonald, then coming back to warm up the show's central cold case. If you'd been wondering what happened to Scandi noir, all brutal and gloomy, well, here it is – it just went away, popped into Slough House for some tips and was next seen alive and well in Scotland.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BBC viewers break down in tears as all episodes of 'masterpiece' family drama hit iPlayer - and they 'binge every episode in one day'
BBC viewers broke down in tears after all instalments of a 'masterpiece' family drama finally hit iPlayer - binging 'every episode in one day'. The Last Anniversary, which hit the on-demand platform on Saturday, follows journalist Sophie (Teresa Palmer) after she inherits her ex-boyfriend's great-aunt's house on the remote, fictional Scribbly Gum Island. As she settles in, she also attempts to solve a 50-year-old local cold case that has haunted the island - and drawn in true crime tourists - for years. The Australian six-part comedy-drama, first released down under in March, is based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty, the author behind Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers. Alongside lead Teresa (The Fall Guy), it also stars Oscar-nominated British actress Miranda Richardson (Good Omens) and Australian actress Danielle Macdonald (The Tourist). Co-produced by Nicole Kidman and Liane herself, among others, it has impressed critics and viewers alike, whose reviews and comments online sing their praises for the high-quality show. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The Australian six-part comedy-drama, first released down under in March, is based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty, the author behind Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers One viewer said on X: 'I just binged The Last Anniversary on iPlayer, that was good.' Another added: 'I'm three episodes deep and I'm loving this! Phenomenal cast and the story is really well written too.' Someone else wrote on Rotten Tomatoes: 'Sitting here absolutely crying my eyes out because this show is a masterpiece.' One user also said: 'Excellent show. I'm really enjoying it.' The Guardian 's review read: 'The tone of this gracefully crafted adaptation of Liane Moriarty's bestselling novel is tender and mysterious, imbued with a soft literary quality.' The Independent similarly gave it high praise, dubbing the literary adaptation 'thought-provoking, hilarious and scrumptiously well-acted': 'This new six-parter isn't milking a franchise, it's launching one.' Common Sense Media, meanwhile, said: 'The mystery is mostly backdrop to a patient, lovely drama that delves into the complexities of family, motherhood and relationships.' The BBC synopsis reads: 'When Sophie Honeywell mysteriously inherits a house on Scribbly Gum Island, her arrival threatens to unearth secrets held close by three generations of women.' It has impressed critics and viewers alike, whose reviews and comments online sing their praises for the high-quality show It also bills the drama as a 'gripping mystery about family, motherhood and the women who define the generations that come after them'. Sue Deeks, head of BBC programme acquisition, dubbed the show 'an entertaining drama full of vivid characters, comedy and romance, with a compelling mystery at its heart'. She continued: 'I'm sure BBC viewers will thoroughly enjoy their visit to beautiful Scribbly Gum Island.' Though the inheritance comes as a surprise, and the islanders give her a somewhat frosty reception upon her arrival, Sophie quickly realises it could be the fresh start she has been looking for. Single and nearing 40, she is also drawn in by her elderly benefactor's promise that the island may well bring her romance at last. We learn the mystery somehow concerns two sisters - one of them being the elderly woman Sophie inherits the house from - along with a couple who went missing and a baby who was abandoned. But exactly how it is all connected remains to be seen. It is another victory for the BBC, after it announced last week it was welcoming back a legendary sitcom for a brand new series - to fans' delight. First released in 2006, it follows unambitious layabout Lee, played by the funny man (pictured), and his best friend's sister Lucy (Sally Bretton, pictured), who is also the landlady of his London flatshare Not Going Out, the award-winning popular show created by comedian Lee Mack, is set for a comeback for a six-part series 14, around two years after the latest episodes aired. First released in 2006, it follows unambitious layabout Lee, played by the funny man, and his best friend's sister Lucy (Sally Bretton), who is also the landlady of his London flatshare. A will-they-won't-they romance between the two unfolded over several series, until the unlikely couple married in the season seven finale, just before having a baby. The eighth series jumped eight years into the future, with all subsequent instalments following their chaotic family life with three children. And now series 14 will move the story on several years more, when the couple are empty nesters and moved out of their suburban family home - but still up to plenty of antics.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Arizona woman who vanished 18 months ago is finally found... as career criminal is arrested
A man has been charged with shooting a woman to death and burying her in the desert after she went missing 18 months ago. Tyna Castillo, 42, was last seen on December 11, 2023, and is believed to have left her home in Bullhead, Arizona, to meet a man in California. Friends never heard from her again and couldn't get hold of her, and she was eventually reported missing on February 4 last year. Police investigated claims that Castillo was murdered at a home in Needles, California, an isolated town on the Arizona border near the bottom of Nevada. 'Detectives contacted witnesses and people of interest in Castillo's disappearance and received poor cooperation,' police recounted. 'The case went cold, and Castillo was not located.' For a year, Castillo's family and friends suspected what happened, but no witnesses would talk to police. They sent out a poster offering a $1,000 reward for information, and explaining what they believed to be the circumstances of her disappearance. 'She was visiting a guy out in Needles. His story is they got into it and he kicked her out,' the poster read. 'Apparently he left while she was packing and has nooo idea who picked her up or where she was going. His story has changed three times.' San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's cold case homicide team reopened the case last September and found new leads. After eight different searches, the assistance of several other agencies and more than 100 volunteers, Castillo's body was finally found on March 5. Her remains were where her friends and family expected - in the desert outside Needles along the Colorado River, with at least one bullet wound. Detectives eventually determined Jared Winer, 44, the man Castillo went to meet, allegedly shot her dead and issued an arrest warrant. Bullhead City Police Department officers arrested Winer at a traffic stop on May 6, and he was charged with Castillo's murder this week. Family and friends sent out a poster offering a $1,000 reward for information, and explaining what they believed to be the circumstances of her disappearance Her sister Cheryl Castillo formally announced her death with a tribute last week after Winer's arrest. 'Everyone was drawn to my sister, Tyna Castillo. She lit up every room she entered, effortlessly becoming the heart of any group,' she said. 'She lived boldly, without fear of judgment, and was endlessly creative, witty, loving, and determined. 'It is with immense sadness that I share the tragic news of her passing. Though her life was taken too soon, we take comfort in knowing she did not suffer. 'The world has lost a bright light, and our hearts are broken. Tyna is survived by her two beloved children.' Castillo grew up in Rosemead, California, with her parents John and Candy, sister Cheryl, and brother Robert. 'She grew up playing second base in softball for the LadyHawks and continued her athletic journey at Rosemead High School,' her obituary read. 'Tyna had a bold spirit, often pushing the boundaries, and was surrounded by a loving circle of lifelong friends.' Castillo had her first child, her daughter Alena, 26, when she was just 17 and moved to Arizona in 2010, where here son Steven, 11, was born. She worked at a law firm, studied nursing, and earned her degree in fashion design from Brooks College. 'She was creative, artsy, a great cook, and had a deep love for music. More than anything, Tyna had a remarkable ability to connect with others - rooted in her genuine acceptance of people as they were,' the obituary read. Police didn't explain how she met Winer or the circumstances leading up to her alleged murder. Winer has a long criminal history of drug and illegal firearm possession, and was one of seven people busted with 5,000 fentanyl pills and guns in Bullhead in 2023. He was locked up in Mohave County Adult Detention Facility charge with murder, and also an outstanding warrant for a felony parole violation. Winer will be extradited to California to face trail after his Arizona charge is dealt with.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Hopes police can provide closure in one of three missing body 'murders' all within 10-mile radius after officers find human remains
The discovery of human remains in a Norfolk field has raised hopes among three families that police will be closer to providing some closure in no-body murder cases of one of their missing loved ones. Officers have been searching an arable field near the tiny village of Walpole Highway after partial remains were found by a passer-by. The spot is little over a mile away from the Locomotive pub, in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, where father-of-two Terry McSpadden, 24, spent the evening before going missing in 2007. But there are two other murder cases where the bodies have never been found within a ten-mile radius of the search site. Maris Ile, 54, a Latvian national from King's Lynn has not been seen since November. Searches of an allotment failed to produce clues. And Julie Buckley, also 54, from Christchurch, near March, in Cambridgeshire, was last seen on January 28 when CCTV caught her in a supermarket. Helen Thrower, Mr McSpadden's mother, confirmed police had been in contact with her about the find and admitted: 'It's too early to tell whether it's Terry or not.' But she spoke for all the families when she added: 'Me and other people whose family members are missing, we're hoping for some peace. 'Until we get some identification, we can't know.' Cold case detectives launched a fresh appeal for information about Mr McSpadden in February this year. He visited the pub in Wisbech on March 2, 2007, where he played darts, and CCTV captured him withdrawing money from a Tesco cashpoint at around 1am. He then headed towards the home of a friend, Jonathan Porter, who he had been staying with after falling out with his partner. The alarm was raised the next day when his boss at a window firm rang to say he hadn't turned up for work. An inquest, which recorded an open verdict in 2016, heard he had allegedly been drugged and bound in a bizarre incident at Mr Porter's home two weeks before he went missing. Mr Porter declined to give evidence at the hearing and was later officially declared as a suspect before being arrested in 2012. But the case against him was dismissed by a judge who cited insufficient evidence. Speaking in 2021, heartbroken Mrs Thrower said: 'I've got photos of Terry on my fridge – I talk to him every day. 'He's just never going to answer my questions. He's never going to say 'I love you mum' again. It's like a mental torture.' Maris Ile was reported missing on November 23 last year and police enquiries established he had last been seen three days earlier when he left his home to go to work in Ely, Cambridgeshire. The Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team declared the case a no-body murder after concluding he must have come to harm. Mr Ile was a seasonal worker in the UK but was in regular contact with his family back in Latvia. Five people were arrested on suspicion of murder – a man and a woman in their 50s at an address in King's Lynn, a man in his 20s in Peterborough, and two men – one in his 30s, the other in his 40s – at a property in Norwich. All were questioned in police custody but were later released on police bail. A search of King's Lynn allotment in March did not result in a 'significant' find but did establish several leads, Norfolk Police said. Detective Superintendent Phill Gray said at the time: 'Whilst we have not found anything that's immediately significant, we have established a number of lines of enquiry that we will be pursuing over the coming weeks.' The most recent no-body case involved Ms Buckley, who was seen in CCTV released by police which showed her visiting a supermarket on January 28. She was wearing a light-coloured top and beanie hat as she bought a small bag of shopping including kitchen roll at her local Budgens. She can be seen buying a small bag of shopping including what appears to be kitchen roll at her local Budgens Checks only began two weeks later when concerns were raised about her whereabouts. Dive teams searched a nearby river after a fisherman reported finding what he thought was human hair and enquiries were made following reports of suspicious activity at Bedlam Bridge in the town of March. Officers also sealed off Ms Buckley's bungalow and another in March. But her body has never been found, despite Crimestoppers offering a £20,000 reward for information that establishes its whereabouts. The charity said in a statement: 'Her family is in desperate need of answers, yearning for the closure that comes with being able to lay their beloved daughter, sister and friend to rest.' Karl Hutchings, 47, also of Christchurch, has been charged with Ms Buckley's murder. He denies the offence and was remanded into custody while awaiting his trial in September. Norfolk Police were alerted to the human remains near Walpole Highway on Sunday and a strip of land several hundred feet long was cordoned off. Yellow markers have been placed among crops in numerous locations, most running parallel to the road 100ft away. Officers were also seen carrying evidence bags from the site yesterday after their contents were photographed and logged. The field is a short near a farm shop and Alpine Retail Park, which has around 20 businesses. Jason Foster, manager at H20 Hot Tub Leisure, said: 'I've heard it's human remains, that's all I know. There's been a van up there since Sunday.' A Norfolk Police spokeswoman said: 'Officers are exploring a number of lines of enquiry. The cordon is still in place on Lynn Road and will remain for some time.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
Families of missing people meet with DeKalb's Cold Case Task Force
Families from across metro Atlanta are hopeful they might finally get answers after their loved ones have been missing for years. DeKalb County's Cold Case Task Force hosted a missing persons event on Saturday. The family of Quinette Turnipseed is hoping to find the answers they've been awaiting for more than 10 years. Turnipseed's daughter was one of many who gave their DNA at the event. 'The more people who donate DNA to this project, the more likely we are to get people identified,' DeKalb County Medical Examiner Beoncia Loveless told Channel 2 Action News. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Officials collected DNA and will add it to databases to see if it matches unidentified and unclaimed remains in the Medical Examiner's Office. 'Not only does it bring closure to that family which is our first and foremost goal and it's our responsibility but, in many cases, if you have someone who died of homicidal violence, if you identify your victim then you're much more likely to identify your suspect,' Loveless said. Since the project began three years ago, the task force has identified more than a dozen people. For Turnipseed's family, they've spent a decade searching for answers. 'Now we are at the point we don't know if she is dead or alive. One thing I know my mom would never leave me and be gone for this amount of time,' her daughter said. 'It feels like a long shot, but at this point, any news would be good news.' TRENDING STORIES: Manhunt underway for man accused of taking infant hostage in Hogansville, assaulting officer Body found in search for missing kayaker at Lake Lanier Back at it again: Couple says contractor investigated by Channel 2 left them with unfinished pool [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
