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A gang member convicted of delivering the fatal stab in the gruesome killing of 15-year-old Bronx teen, Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, died Friday at a New York correctional facility.

PIX 11 reported that Jonaiki Martinez-Estrella, 31, was found dead in his cell at the Coxsackie Correctional Facility around 1:16 p.m., according to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision website.

A spokesperson for DOCCS confirmed that state coroners and medical examiners will determine Martinez-Estrella’s official cause of death.

In May, Martinez-Estrella was resentenced to 25 years to life in prison for his role in Guzman-Feliz’s death. He was initially convicted of first-degree murder on Oct. 11, 2019, for delivering the fatal stab wound that killed the 15-year-old and was sentenced to life without parole. The Court of Appeals overturned the conviction in March 2023, per PIX 11 and Blavity.

Martinez-Estrella was one of five defendants convicted in the fatal stabbing of Guzman-Feliz on June 20, 2018. Antonio Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago, Jose Muniz, Manuel Rivera and Elvin Garcia were also convicted and remain in prison.

Police initially arrested 13 men in connection with the attack, and all are currently serving their respective prison sentences.

Martinez-Estrella remained in prison on a second-degree murder charge, in addition to conspiracy and gang assault, ABC 7 New York reported.

Lesandro ‘Junior’ Guzman-Feliz’s death explained

The deadly confrontation occurred on June 20, 2018, after Guzman-Feliz was mistakenly identified as a rival gang member seen in a sex tape circulating on social media, allegedly involving the sister of a Trinitarios gang member. He was killed at 11:40 p.m. that night after exiting Cruz and Chiky Grocery, located at 526 E 183rd St. in the Bronx, New York.

Several men from the Dominican gang approached the teen and began stabbing him repeatedly with machetes, which was also captured on surveillance footage. The men later admitted on Facebook that they had killed the wrong person and apologized for what happened.

Since then, Guzman-Feliz’s death has affected not only the Bronx community but all of New York City and nationwide. People rallied on social media with the renowned hashtag #justiceforjunior, hoping that would lead to some relief for the teen’s mom, Leandra Guzman, and his older sister, Genesis Collado-Feliz, who was 19 at the time.

Keeping Junior’s memory alive

In November, Guzman-Feliz was honored in a ceremony outside of the 45th precinct in the Bronx, New York, held by the NYPD, along with family and friends, in celebration of what would have been the teen’s 22nd birthday, Blavity reported. The teen had signed up for the NYPD’s Explorers Program just days before his death.

At the time, his mother shared that she wanted to keep her son’s memory alive and that people wouldn’t forget him.

“My son is not coming back,” Feliz said. “Every day, I miss him more and more.”

“I don’t want people to forget him,” she added.

Americans looking forward to starting their new lives after retirement may need to reconsider, as the latest Social Security retirement age could require them to work longer to maximize their benefits.

The new retirement age will be set at 67 years old starting in 2026, The Independent reported, marking the first time it has reached this level since the agency’s inception 90 years ago.

When was the Social Security Act signed into law?

In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law, establishing an insurance program to provide workers aged 65 and older with steady retirement income, per The Independent.

Is Social Security ending soon?

While some Americans may be anticipating retirement soon, recent reports warn that the main Social Security trust funds could run out of money by 2034, a year earlier than expected, according to the Social Security Board of Trustees’ annual report.

“Trust fund depletion dates are a common way of tracking the status of the trust funds since, if annual income is not sufficient, full scheduled benefits in the law cannot be paid after trust fund reserves are depleted,” the report states.

As Blavity reported, the average retirement age is 65; however, the official retirement age was gradually increased to 67 under the 1983 amendment to the Social Security Act. The agency calculates the retirement age using a person’s birth year.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Social Security retirement age and how your birth year could determine the amount you receive each month.

Social Security retirement benefits by age

Americans can start receiving benefits as early as age 62, although they are permanently reduced. Those born in 1960 or later will have a full retirement age of 67; delaying retirement until age 70 further increases monthly benefits.

The earliest age to claim Social Security benefits is 62, but doing so results in a reduced payout, which is 70% of the full benefit, or about $1,260 per month, according to The Independent.

At age 65, retirees can receive approximately 87% of their full benefit, or $1,560 per month.

Those who retire at the full retirement age of 67 qualify for the full benefit amount of $1,800 per month.

If some wait until 70, the monthly payments increase to around $2,232, or 124% of the base benefit.

During a recent Health Care and Financial Services hearing, California Rep. Lateefah Simon shut down her colleague’s wrong interpretation of a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quote.

As a subcommittee of the government department, the area these representatives oversee and help regulate is federal healthcare policies, according to Atlanta Black Star. On June 25, a preceding event called “Sacrificing Excellence for Ideology: The Real Cost of DEI” was held by the group. A video clip of Simon challenging the remarks from some members of Congress who sided with Trump’s denunciation of DEI laws and initiatives nationwide, deeming them an organizational framework with negative impacts on society, is spreading across the internet.

Why did Congresswoman Simon criticize her colleague’s use of Martin Luther King’s quotes?

Republican Virginia Rep. John McGuire was one of the congressmen who supported the Trump Administration’s stance on DEI. During his 4 1/2-minute speech, he explained his views. 

“To me, DEI stands for ‘didn’t earn it,’” McGuire said before saying DEI programming is “disastrous… Marxist, it destroys innovation and motivation.” 

This led McGuire to reference a section from King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech. He asked the panel whether they stood by the activist’s belief that people should be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin.

Furious about the lack of education, the recording of Simon’s response showed her addressing the continued tactic by her counterparts of taking King’s words out of context.

“Very few of you have read and studied and have sat in Ebenezer Baptist Church, so I would ask you: You keep Dr. King’s name out of your mouth,” she said.

Additionally, Simon, who is legally blind and made history as California’s first Muslim member of Congress, noted what the hearing revealed from her perspective about the state of American politics under Trump’s leadership as a Black “disabled woman.”

“Today’s hearing says quietly, and actually out loud, who the majority believe is allowed to belong in this country,” she said. “They used Dr. King’s name in deep vein, who has a place in the hierarchy that was never meant to be questioned.”

“It is a bigotry. It is a hypocrisy,” she added. “Republicans, like I said before, will quote Dr. King all day, will bring forth Lincoln and will talk about Frederick Douglass in the same breath that they are gutting civil rights offices in our governments, in the same breath where they seek to ban AP African-American studies that tells the true story of this country.”

Simon received praise in the comments section via Instagram.

“So proud she is my representative!” one person commented.

“THIS!!! TRUTH BE TOLD, QUEEN. 🔥🔥🔥,” someone else wrote.

“SO many strong women coming out blazin I LOVE IT,” another person added.

Beyoncé faced a terrifying mishap during her Cowboy Carter Tour in Houston on Saturday. She was suspended in the air while trying to put on an aerial show for the crowd during the performance of her hit single “16 Carriages.” After she was lifted into the air while sitting in a red Cadillac, Beyoncé was unable to come back down, ABC 13 reported. As Beyoncé noticed that the car was tilting sideways while hovering above the crowd, she said, “Stop, stop, stop.”

A short time later, security rushed to the singer to unbuckle her from the car and bring her back down safely.

What happened after Beyoncé came back down safely at the Houston concert?

Beyoncé continued with the performance after she came back down from the suspended car. She also joked with the crowd after the scary moment.

“I know if I fall, y’all will catch me,” she told the Houston crowd, per ABC 13.

Beyoncé’s company, Parkwood Entertainment, later said in a statement that the interruption happened due to a “technical mishap.”

“Tonight in Houston, at NRG Stadium, a technical mishap caused the flying car, a prop Beyoncé uses to circle the stadium and see her fans up close, to tilt,” the team wrote on its Instagram Story. “She was quickly lowered and no one was injured. The show continued without incident.”

What’s next for Beyoncé?

Beyoncé is set to continue with her 22-show Cowboy Carter tour after performing in Houston on Saturday. Her next stop is at Northwest Stadium in Washington D.C., where she will perform on July 4 and July 7. Beyoncé will then travel to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the final two performances of her tour on July 10 and July 11.

Cowboy Carter earned three Grammy Awards in 2025. The album earned the award for Best Country Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “II Most Wanted.” It was also named Album of the Year, making Beyoncé the first Black female artist to earn that award since 1999. Lauryn Hill, who won album of the year for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, was the previous Black female artist who earned that recognition.

Legendary outfielder Dave Parker, who played 19 seasons in the MLB, has died at age 74. The league announced that Parker, who was scheduled to be inducted into the Hall of Fame this month, died on Saturday after living with Parkinson’s disease for years.

“Dave Parker was a gifted all-around player whose numerous accomplishments led to his upcoming induction in Cooperstown this summer,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement, per Cleveland.com. “We will remember the Cobra forever, especially as his name soon officially joins the legends of our National Pastime.”

What were some of the accolades Dave Parker earned during his career?

Parker, who was named the 1978 National League MVP, earned two World Series championships in his career. He won the first title with the Pirates in 1979, then took another championship with the Oakland Athletics in 1989. The seven-time All-Star also earned multiple National League batting titles, along with three Gold Glove awards and Silver Slugger titles.

Parker added the All-Star Game MVP award to his resume in 1979. He also won the first-ever MLB Home Run Derby in 1985. Parker totaled 2,712 hits in his career with a batting average of .290. His legendary career also includes 339 home runs and 1,493 RBIs.

Parker made history in 1979 when he signed a five-year, $5 million contract. With that deal, Parker became the first MLB player to get paid $1 million a season. After being elected to the Hall of Fame in 2024, Parker will be posthumously inducted along with the Class of 2025 on July 27.

How did Dave Parker get his start in sports?

Parker played football at an early age but decided to focus more on baseball after sustaining a knee injury in high school. The Cincinnati native saw his dream come true when he was selected by the Pirates in the 1970 Draft. Parker later signed with his hometown team, the Cincinnati Reds. He also played for the Athletics, Brewers, Angels and Blue Jays. Parker retired in 1991.

New information in the case of Karmelo Anthony reveals more about the 17-year-old student-athlete accused of stabbing his peer, Austin Metcalf, at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, on April 2.

The new evidence, seen in court documents obtained by NBC 5, states that Anthony did “intentionally and knowingly cause the death of Austin Metcalf, by stabbing Metcalf with a knife, a deadly weapon.”

What happened between Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf at the track meet in Frisco?

The deadly confrontation between the two student-athletes happened when Metcalf’s Memorial High School team attended the track meet in Frisco with Anthony’s Centennial High School. Witnesses said Metcalf first told Anthony to move from Memorial’s pop-up tent. The two teens then got into an argument at Kuykendall Stadium and it ended after Anthony allegedly pulled out a knife from his bag and fatally stabbed Metcalf in the chest.

Police said Anthony confessed to the attack, saying, “I’m not the alleged, I did it.”

“I was protecting myself… he put his hands on me. I told him not too [sic],” Anthony said, according to police.

County District Attorney Greg Willis, who released a recorded message after Anthony was indicted on Tuesday, said his team has been presenting evidence to the grand jury for weeks.

“Today I summarized that evidence and I asked the grand jury to return a first-degree murder indictment against Karmelo Anthony, which they did,” Willis said, per NBC 5. “With this indictment, the case now moves formally into the court system.”

What did surveillance video reveal about the fatal encounter between Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf?

Surveillance footage reviewed by NBC 5 didn’t clearly show the people involved in the fatal encounter at the track meet, but it shows a crowd scattering quickly after somebody in a black suit approached a person with a yellow poncho near a tent. The video shows people around the tent running in all kinds of directions while others in the stadium still didn’t understand what was happening. Some people who appeared to be trainers were also seen running across the field to the tent where the chaos was happening. A police cruiser and an ambulance arrived at the scene a short time later.

NBC 5 stated that the Frisco school district only allowed the media to see the video under strict conditions. Per the outlet, reporters were not allowed to take a copy of the video or record the footage, but they were able to see it with a district representative present. The district also didn’t allow reporters to pause or rewind the footage, NBC 5 reported.

What’s next in the case of Karmelo Anthony?

Anthony’s trial date hasn’t yet been set, but attorneys for both parties are expected to meet Judge John Roach in the next few weeks. While he is now released from jail after posting a $250,000 bond, Anthony is placed on house arrest. The 18-year-old is required to remain under a parent’s supervision or another adult representative at all times.

National monuments and national parks are at risk of disappearing under the Trump administration.

Earlier in June, the Justice Department gave presidents the ability to make changes for the first time since the 1930s, according to CBS News. Some land is reportedly being considered for mineral extractions, while efforts to repeal DEI could affect national monuments.

What national monuments could be affected?

There are 138 National Monuments in the United States and they are all at risk of being sold for parts. This includes monuments commemorating figures of the Civil Rights movement, like the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument. 

Till became a symbol of the movement after the 14-year-old was lynched in 1955 in Mississippi.

“Images of Till’s badly decomposed body in that open casket really sparked the modern civil rights movement,” Alan Spears, the senior director of cultural resources and government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association, told CBS News.

There are three sites for the monument: One is where Till was found in Graball Landing near Glendora, Mississippi, the second is where the trial was held in the Tallahatchie County Courthouse in Sumner, Mississippi and the other is where Till’s funeral took place at Chicago’s Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ. 

Why does the Trump administration want to challenge the existence of these monuments?

Experts say it is made in an effort to erase American history and as part of the administration’s work to repeal D.E.I.

“We are seeing this effort to erase and reverse history and historic preservation,” Spears said. “This is turning quickly into a dream deferred.”

Former President Joe Biden designated the three sites as part of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument as protected monuments in 2023. President Trump is now attempting to reverse these decisions.

“People don’t like to look at their past when it shows a negative light of who we are, and I can understand that nobody likes to look at their own personal past that may have a negative light, but we also know that in order to learn from our own history, we also have to learn from our past mistakes,” former National Park Service Director Chuck Sams told CBS News. “And we, as Americans, have never been actually scared to do so, and I don’t think we should be now. We look at our past, and we know that from our past mistakes that we have become stronger.”

National parks are also at risk under the Trump administration

The federal government has proposed nearly $1 billion of budget cuts for the National Park Service. This means over 300 park sites may have to close, according to Spears. This could affect the National Monuments located within the parks, such as the Grand Canyon. The Baaj Nwaavjo I’tāh Kukveni–Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, which surrounds the area around the canyon, is being considered for sale due to the presence of uranium.

Other monuments located in California are also being considered for revocation or partial sale, like the Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla Highlands National Monument.

Not only are these sites a part of American history, but they also offer a significant economic impact due to tourism.

Every $1 invested in a National Park site gives $15 back to the communities where they are located, according to Spears.

“That’s an enormous, enormous return on investment,” he said.

General Motors is recalling over 62,000 of its cars because of a brake issue. In a statement to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Wednesday, General Motors stated that “brake pressure switch may short and cause fire.”

“General Motors (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Chevrolet Silverado Medium Duty 4500HD,5500HD, and 6500HD vehicles,” the company stated. “The brake pressure sensor assembly may leak brake fluid into thebrake pressure switch and cause a short circuit.”

The recalled vehicles may face an increased risk of a fire while driving or parked as the electrical short in the brake pressure switch overheats the circuit, GM stated. Per the statement, 62,468 cars have been recalled.

The GM recall mostly includes the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 5500 HD trucks

The trucks were produced between January 20, 2023 and March 19, 2024. According to General Motors, about 10,097 of those models face the possibility of malfunctioning.

“Vehicles prior to 2019 model year use a different design and are not affected by this recall,” the company stated, per USA TODAY. “2024 model year vehicles that were produced with a brake switch wire harness that includes a silicone sealant are not affected by this recall.”

Over 7,000 Chevrolet Silverado 5500 HD models from 2022 are also recalled, along with many other similar brands from from 2021, 2020 and 2019.

GM will repair recalled vehicles for free

Customers with recalled vehicles can take their cars to a dealer and get a new brake pressure switch wire harness for free. Owners can contact GM customer assistance number at 1-866-467-9700. The number for the GM recall is N242482680. Customers may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-888-275-9171) or at www.nhtsa.gov.

Outspoken Rep. Jasmine Crockett has had a political setback, as she has withdrawn her attempt to take the top Democratic position within a powerful congressional committee. This is the second such setback for Crockett in recent months.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, confirmed on Tuesday to the Texas Tribune that she was dropping her bid to become the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. Crockett had announced her intentions to run for the top committee spot in early June, after the death of Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Virginia, left the position open. The Oversight Committee would likely lead investigations into the Trump administration should Democrats retake the House, and winning the top Democratic position would have set up Crockett to chair the committee under a future Democratic majority in the House. At the time she announced her candidacy, Crockett wrote in a letter to her colleagues that “every hearing, every investigation, every public moment must serve the dual purpose of accountability and must demonstrate why a House Democratic majority is essential for America’s future.” Three other Democrats — Robert Garcia of California, Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts and Kweisi Mfume of Maryland — also declared their candidacies for the position.

Contest over leadership and age

The Democratic Party struggles with issues of messaging, progressive vs. centrist policy positions, and divides between younger and older party leaders, and Crockett, 44, represents a younger, more progressive and more media savvy wing of the Democratic Party. She and Garcia, 47, ran against two older party members: Lynch, 70, and Mfumi, 76. In the end, after Crockett and Mfumi both dropped their bids, Democrats ultimately selected Garcia for the top Democratic position. Crockett congratulated Garcia, tweeting, “The work of this committee has never been more critical. Let’s get the American people the accountability they deserve.”

Congratulations to @RepRobertGarcia for being elected Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee.The work of this committee has never been more critical. Let’s get the American people the accountability they deserve.— Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (@RepJasmine) June 24, 2025

Efforts to rise up the ranks

Crockett’s defeat is the second major setback she has faced during her efforts to rise up the ranks of party leadership. In November, she failed in a bid to become chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, a position that would have given Crockett significant power over reshaping the party’s messaging. Crockett, who enjoys a large social media following and whose outspokenness and turns of phrase often go viral, faced criticism earlier this year for referring to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who uses a wheelchair, as “Governor Hot Wheels.” Nevertheless, Crockett remains one of the rising stars and most outspoken members of the Democratic Party, which makes her a frequent target for Republican critique. President Donald Trump recently mocked Crockett as a “Low IQ Candidate” while sarcastically recommending that the Democrats nominate her and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as their next presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

Thanks for your vote of confidence…I guess?!Unlike you, I’d actually be focused on the American people—the issues they’re facing, making sure folks have healthcare, and consulting with Congress before dropping bombs on another country.Once again, you’ve got very big problems… pic.twitter.com/Hqzn7CR12m— Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (@RepJasmine) June 25, 2025

Walter Scott, co-founder of legendary R&B group The Whispers with his twin brother, Wallace “Scotty” Scott, has died after a six-month battle with cancer, his family confirmed. He was 81.

Scott died Thursday, surrounded by his family at his home in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Sentinel.

Whispers promotional team member Desirae L. Benson also confirmed Scott’s passing in a statement to Soul Tracks.

“We all are incredibly heartbroken. It is with deep sadness that we confirm the passing of Walter Scott, beloved member of the legendary R&B group The Whispers,” Benson said. “His voice, presence, and contributions helped shape a musical legacy that touched millions. Walter’s impact on the industry and in the hearts of fans will never be forgotten. Memorial details will be shared at a later date. Sending love and light to his family, friends, and all of the millions of fans around the world. We lost a legend!”

When did the Scott brothers form The Whispers?

Scott and his twin brother were born in Fort Worth, Texas, and moved to Los Angeles in 1959, where they began singing while attending Jordan High School, per the Los Angeles Sentinel.

The Whispers, composed of the Scott brothers, Nicholas Caldwell, Marcus Hutson and Gordy Harmon, officially formed in 1964 and went on to become one of the most celebrated R&B groups of their time. In 1973, Leaveil Degree replaced Harmon, but the group continued creating some of the most enduring hits that remain popular today.

According to WBLS, The Whispers scored their first top-charted pop and R&B hit, “Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong,” in 1970.  

The Whispers had an extensive music catalog

Their catalog includes hits such as “And the Beat Goes On,” “Rock Steady,” “It’s a Love Thing,” “Lady” and “Love Is Where You Find It.” The group recorded under several record labels, including Don Cornelius/Dick Griffey’s Soul Train label, with other hits like “I Only Meant to Wet My Feet” (1972) and “Lady ” (1979).

Under Griffey’s label, SOLAR, The Whispers released their debut album under the new company, Headlights, in 1979, featuring the classic song “Olivia (Lost and Turned Out)”; however, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the R&B group achieved their most considerable success, working with writer/producer Leon Sylvers to create their signature hit, “And the Beat Goes On,” which peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, according to WBLS.

In 1987, Babyface, then a member of the Deele, wrote and produced “Rock Steady,” which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. While Hutson and Caldwell later passed away, the group continued performing as a trio at sold-out shows nationwide and internationally.

Scott is survived by his wife, Jan, two sons, and three grandchildren.