Creech, who was convicted of two murders committed in 1974, was originally sentenced to death in Idaho when he was first charged. However, his sentence was reduced to life imprisonment two years later—that is until he murdered another person in prison in 1981.

Overall, the serial killer has been convicted of five murders and is suspected of several more. One of those cases was solved earlier this year. Court filings also revealed that Creech even admitted to killing or participating in the killings of 26 people.

Creech was set to die via a lethal injection earlier this year, but the execution team failed to deliver the drug into a viable vein. In other words, he escaped execution—again. In fact, Creech is one of the nation’s longest-serving death row inmates.

Now, his execution is—well, was—scheduled for Nov. 13. However, U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow put a temporary halt on that plan. This comes after Creech’s attorneys filed an appeal, labeling a second execution attempt as cruel and unusual punishment. They claimed it would violate double jeopardy protections.

Though the court dismissed this argument, Creech appealed the court’s denial to the Idaho Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court. His attorney filed an emergency motion and asked for a stay of execution until their appeal could be ruled in the U.S. District Court, according to KTVB7.

While the Idaho Supreme Court denied the appeal, the U.S. District Court granted the emergency motion. 

“Because the last reasoned state court decision—the operative filing for AEDPA purposes—was issued just a week before Creech’s scheduled execution, a stay is necessary to allow the parties to fully brief, and for this Court to fully consider, Creech’s habeas claims,” Judge Snow wrote.

At the hearing, the federal judge also stated that he won’t “rush justice in a case like this.”

“Even if the (Idaho court’s) opinion came down today, I would be inclined to stay this matter for at least 20 days,” he said.

The post Execution of Serial Killer Thomas Creech Delayed Again After Botched First Attempt appeared first on VICE.

On October 22, Hervey Bay Snake Catchers, which wrote about its tussle with the pythons on its Facebook page, were called to remove a female snake that worked its way into the man’s toilet before shedding its skin.

The team had to cut open the plumbing underneath the house to get the snake out. The only reason it came out was because it had been “annoyed enough” by all the workers.

Problem solved. But then, days later, on October 25, the Hervey Bay Snake Catchers team was called back to remove a male python who, they suspect, was attracted to the scent of the previous female python. Coastal carpet pythons can grow to be over 9 feet long. They’re not venomous and they are mostly harmless to people unless you have a natural fear of snakes, in which case irrationality will coil around you like it’s a nonvenomous, ultimately harmless python and will wring every last bit of life out of you.

The pythons also do important work in their environments, as they help control local pest populations. Encounters with humans are actually quite rare, despite the way they’d seen when the occasional article like this one floats through your social media feed.

It’s especially rare for a snake to slither its way up toilet pipes, but it does happen from time to time. As for how the python even got there in the first place, it likely entered through gaps or pipes leading from the roof where snakes often rest. Perhaps Australia should consider instituting a Python Challenge like Florida to limit some of their numbers.

The post Man Finds a Wild Python in His Toilet Twice in One Week appeared first on VICE.

The Alpha Genesis research center in Yemasse specializes in researching primates—not so much containing them, apparently. This same center saw 19 monkeys flee in 2016 before they were later returned. Perhaps they need to take some time to research their security infrastructure.

No, seriously, the local paper, The Post and Courier, led into their story on the escape with the best lede, “It happened again.” Seriously guys, what’s going at this facility? In 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspection determined five noncritical violations at the site regarding maintenance and cleaning, which were corrected but clearly not the only issues.

Anyhow, 43 female monkeys weighing about six pounds each are running wild in The Palmetto State. The prison break happened on Nov. 6 around one in the afternoon. They’re not believed to be a threat to the community, but the police issued a message suggesting otherwise.

“Residents are strongly advised to keep doors and windows secured to prevent these animals from entering homes,” the town’s police posted on Facebook, urging residents to contact 911 immediately if they spot one of the creatures. They’re also telling folks to not approach the monkeys, which seems obvious, but you know, people will do some unhinged things for the ‘gram.

In an effort to capture and return these primates, police have set up traps around the area and are using thermal imaging cameras to locate the monkeys before a Planet of the Apes situation becomes a reality. 

As of this writing, none of the primates have been found. Run free, monkeys!

The post 43 Monkeys Are on the Loose in South Carolina appeared first on VICE.

Apparently, you can’t even trust the bank with your money anymore.

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the former banker—James Gomes of New York—linked his personal phone number to the customers’ accounts so he could “improperly access a customer’s accounts.”

Basically, he abused his position of power at the international bank to steal a total of $208,938.68, transferring the funds to his personal bank and investment accounts in 2020.

“To cover up his scheme, Gomes created a fraudulent email address containing the customer’s name, which he used to engage in fictitious conversations with his own official bank email address to make it appear that the customer was communicating with him,” the DOJ said. 

This activity continued even after the customer passed away in April 2020—which makes the entire ordeal even grimier.

Gomes was charged with one count of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. He pleaded guilty to the offense and on Tuesday was sentenced to 13 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. 

Gomes was also ordered to pay back the money “both restitution and forfeiture of criminal proceeds for misusing his position to steal approximately $208,938.68 from a customer’s accounts,” the DOJ said. 

All that for nothing, man.

The post Bank Manager Headed to Prison After Stealing a Fortune From His Customer appeared first on VICE.

Scientists from the University of South Wales conducted their science magic on the balls and determined they were “fatbergs.” It’s not a new term, but maybe you haven’t heard its disgusting definition: congealed clumps of human waste originating from sewers.

The fatbergs washing up on the beaches of Sydney were made up of all sorts of horrors, including human feces, food waste, human hair, cooking oil, prescription drugs, methamphetamine, and many many many other substances that all came together to form the hateful black balls of ooze.

The wild mixture of substances points to a few possible sources/causes, including sewage overflow and industrial discharge, though the source of the balls remains a mystery. But one thing is for sure, according to lead investigator Associate Professor John Beves, “They smell absolutely disgusting, they smell worse than anything you’ve ever smelt.”

Fatbergs are typically formed from various fats and greases that accumulate in sewers and have a reputation for causing serious blockages. One of the largest fatbergs ever recorded, measuring 3 feet high and more than half a mile long, was discovered in Birmingham, England in 2021. Baltimore, Maryland, here in the United States, had a fatberg problem in 2017 that caused a sewer overflow.

Australian health officials and researchers continue to test the fatbergs for any information on their origin so they can fix the problem at its source.

The post Foul-Smelling ‘Fatbergs’ Are Invading Sydney Beaches appeared first on VICE.

The nation’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, called the move “world-leading,” adding that social media is causing children undue harm, forcing the government to step in to safeguard their well-being.

The legislation, set to take effect within a year, will force X/Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and any other social media site that pops up in the years to come to provide evidence that they are taking steps to block underaged users.

Parents won’t face penalties if their kids somehow find their way onto social media, and neither will the kids, but the social media companies themselves could face fines for noncompliance.

The Australian government says everything that makes up the very fabric of modern-day social media is destroying kids’ brains, from misinformation to cyberbullying—and they’re not wrong. Even a cursory Googling of how social media affects young minds brings up study after study after study after study all saying pretty much the same thing: this shit is really fucking up our children.

Opponents of the proposal argue the ban takes a chainsaw to a problem that needs a scalpel. Maybe a more nuanced approach is required, like implementing safety standards or digital literacy programs that help kids decipher what’s real and what’s fake online.

All good ideas too, but maybe those should have been implemented like 30 years ago, across the world, in every country, then maybe the Internet wouldn’t be the sad shell of its former self it is today. A corporate hellscape besieged by bots, AI, and the constant stream of vile cruelty that seems to be pushed by those who understand the power and reach of the Internet best.

The post Australian Teens Could Soon Lose Access to Social Media appeared first on VICE.

The critter ended up entering the facility through the ceiling. In a now-viral video captured at the scene, the raccoon drops down onto a cabinet before eventually hitting the ground and absolutely terrifying passengers at a Spirit Airlines gate.

Before we get any further, nobody was hurt. 

Screams were heard as guests broke out into chaos to attempt to flee from the animal. Watching this unfold in the clip, I can’t help but think of the scene from “Elf” when Buddy goes to hug a raccoon and quickly regrets doing so. Nothing like that happened here, but I totally understand why people would be running away from the raccoon. No one wants those sharp claws near their face!

The entire ordeal took about five minutes, according to CNN. The airline company issued a statement to the outlet, as well. In it, they explained that they brought in a wildlife control company to investigate the terminal in hopes of discovering the entry point to ensure nothing like this happens again.

The raccoon was captured and released back into the wild after its fun little joyride at the airport.

Raccoons aren’t generally dangerous to humans but are more than capable of posing a threat under the right circumstances. Besides carrying potential diseases, the animals can become aggressive when threatened. Remember that Buddy the Elf scene? The raccoon didn’t want to be hugged and thought the giant human was attacking it, thus it attacked back. Nothing like that happened at the airport, thankfully, as everyone steered clear until professionals arrived. 

The Port Authority also told CNN that it is taking extra measures to ensure this doesn’t happen again, because there’s really nothing worse for business than the fear a wild animal will pop out of the ceiling at any moment.

The post A Raccoon Ran Wild in a New York Airport After Falling From the Ceiling appeared first on VICE.

A classic food for parties and gatherings—Chef Dom describes it as a “Caribbean sandwich”—you’ve probably seen patties before if you’ve set food inside a Caribbean restaurant. They’re the yellow shell-like parcels that look a bit like Cornish pasties or empanadas.

Join him for 12 and half minutes where you can block out the roar of the wider world and just focus on making the greatest Jamaican patty you are capable of.

Watch the video now in the player below or over at the Munchies YouTube channel.

Recipe:
Jamaican-Style Short Rib Patty
(Serves 1)

INGREDIENTS 

For the short rib filling:

75g beef short ribs (bone-in)
1/2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp celery, finely chopped
1/2 tsp carrot, finely chopped
1/2 clove garlic, minced

A small piece of Scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped (adjust for desired heat)
A pinch of ground pimento/allspice (freshly ground in a pestle and mortar, if possible)
A pinch of ground coriander
A pinch of ground ginger
A pinch of curry powder (preferably Jamaican curry powder)  
A pinch of turmeric
A pinch of smoked paprika

A tiny pinch of ground cinnamon
A tiny pinch of ground nutmeg
A tiny pinch of celery salt

20ml beef stock
1/4 tsp tomato paste
4g fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 sprig fresh thyme (or a tiny pinch of dried thyme)
A small piece of bay leaf
1/4 spring onion, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

For the pastry dough:

26g plain flour
A small pinch of salt
A small pinch of ground turmeric
1/4 tsp granulated sugar
18g cold unsalted butter, cubed
7ml ice-cold water (more if needed)

INSTRUCTIONS

First of all, you’ll want to prepare the short rib filling.

Step 1: Season the short rib with a small pinch of salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the short rib and sear on all sides until browned (about 2-3 minutes per side). Remove and set aside.

Step 2: In the same pan, add the chopped onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and Scotch bonnet pepper, sauté for another 1-2 minutes. Stir in the allspice, coriander, curry powder, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, smoked paprika, and celery salt, and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Step 3: Add the beef stock, tomato sauce, fresh thyme, and bay leaf. Return the short rib to the pan, cover, and simmer on low heat for 2.5 – 3 hours, or until the meat is tender and falls off the bone.

Step 4: Remove the short rib from the pan and allow it to cool slightly. Shred the meat, discarding the bone and any excess fat, and return the shredded meat to the pan.

Step 5: Stir in the fresh breadcrumbs and spring onion and simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes to thicken. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Let the filling cool completely.

–– – 

Now, it’s time to make the pastry dough.

Step 1: In a small bowl, mix the flour, salt, turmeric, and sugar. Add the cold, cubed butter and use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Step 2: Gradually add the ice-cold water, mixing until the dough comes together. If it’s too dry, add a tiny bit more water. Form the dough into a small disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the final phase of the recipe, you need to assemble and bake the patty.

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Line a small baking tray with baking parchment.

Step 2: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 3mm thickness. Cut out a circle (about 15cm in diameter).

Step 3: Place about 2 tablespoons of the cooled short rib filling onto one half of the dough circle. Fold the other half over to cover the filling, forming a half-moon shape. Press the edges together with a fork to seal.

Step 4: Place the patty on the prepared baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.

To serve, pair with spicy mango dipping sauce and avocado salad.

Follow Chef Dom Taylor on Instagram.

The post ‘How To’ Make the Greatest Jamaican Patty You Are Capable of Making appeared first on VICE.

Tate’s political analysis had the tone of a 14-year-old playground bully, but Musk’s excitement at men turning out to vote spoke to something fundamentally true: that Donald Trump’s plan was working. When I first read the tweet, I began searching for evidence that men were indeed turning up in record numbers. On Musk’s platform, X, I was greeted with videos from Philadelphia and Miami of young men wearing red caps celebrating in the streets—pickup trucks tearing down street-lit highways with MAGA flags trailing from their cargo beds. After covering the Manosphere and the hyper-online ‘Bro’ Right for the past five years, I knew that in recent months they had mobilized like never before behind Trump, and that if they were motivated enough to actually go out and vote, Trump had a serious edge. 

Videos began to spread of frat boys across the US declaring their support for Donald Trump. When his victory was announced, one group filmed themselves performing Trump’s dance moves to “Y.M.C.A.” on the steps of their fraternity. 

Men aged 18-29—a group that has been politically unengaged in recent years—voted decisively for Trump. The Wall Street Journal reported a shift to the right of 28 points among this group. According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning, 56 percent of young male voters opted for Trump in 2024—a marked increase from 41 percent in 2020. In Trump’s successful courtship of this cohort, his secret weapon appears to have been his 18-year-old son, Barron. 

In the early hours of November 6th, Trump took to the stage in West Palm Beach, Florida, to declare victory. The very first people to join Trump in front of the cheering crowds were his wife Melania, and the apple of his eye, Barron. At 6’7”, Barron towered over his father as he smiled at the MAGA loyalists in the audience, some of whom have come to see him as his father’s political heir in recent months. Reportedly his father’s favorite son, what many don’t realize is how crucial Barron may have been in helping his father secure re-election. 

When UFC boss Dana White was summoned to the podium by Trump, he thanked a cadre of podcasters and influencers, including his close friend Joe Rogan. There were three other names in that list, however, that show Barron’s hand in Trump’s media strategy—Adin Ross, the Nelk Boys, and Theo Von. The content Trump made with these creators in the run up to the election was viewed hundreds of millions of times, primarily by that key demographic of 18- to 30-year-old men. In Trump’s interview with comedian Theo Von, which has now been viewed by over 14 million people on YouTube alone, Trump tells him: “Your thing is going really great. My son’s a big fan of yours.” But Barron isn’t just a fan of alternative media stars like Theo Von—he’s a friend to some of them, too. 

Adin Ross is a 24-year-old American influencer and streamer, whose career highpoints include being the man who sniffed Andrew Tate’s chair after interviewing him, hosting a stream with white supremacist Nick Fuentes, and repeatedly being banned from streaming site Twitch for his use of “hateful slurs or symbols” and “hateful conduct.” In August of this year, Adin Ross and his team set up in the living room of Mar-a-Lago for a livestream with Trump, who began by passing on a “hi” from Barron. At the end of their interview, Trump told Ross: “Barron says, ‘Dad, he’s really big,’ he said, ‘He’s also a friend of mine.’” The pair then exited Mar-a-Lago, whereupon Adin Ross gifted Trump a Rolex and a custom wrapped Cybertruck featuring the image of the returning President raising his fist after being shot in the ear. This inadvertently sparked a debate over whether the gift constituted a campaign finance violation. The clips of Trump and Ross dancing in front of the car went viral. 

But Barron’s role in Trump’s media strategy goes beyond just introducing Trump to figures like Adin Ross. Barron and his best friend, fellow 18-year-old Bo Loudon, were tasked by the campaign with helping Trump reach a young male audience. Loudon is a pro-Trump influencer, and son of the conservative media personality Gina Loudon, former co-chair of Women for Trump. Bo and Barron reportedly set up the Adin Ross stream, and Bo has claimed he helped set up Trump’s interview with Joe Rogan, too. 

On the day of the election, figures from across the vast and frequently depressing multiverse that is the online ‘Bro right’ gave their ringing endorsements of Donald Trump, and implored their fans to go and vote for him. Upon the announcement of his victory, John Shahidi of the Nelk Boys tweeted: “Idc what anyone says, podcasts helped us win this election.” When the Wall Street Journal reported that ‘Younger Men Voted Decisively for Donald Trump,’ Shahidi reposted it alongside the message, “Shout-out to our entire team!”

A part of Trump’s message that particularly resonated with his young male audience, and the podcast hosts he made appearances with, was his seemingly favorable stance towards cryptocurrencies, and his puzzling claim that Bitcoin will be “made in the USA.” Earlier this year, in Austin, Texas, I interviewed an African-American man who told me he would vote Trump for the first time, almost entirely because of his stance towards crypto. 

Trump has hailed his son Barron for showing him the potential of crypto, claiming: “Barron knows so much about this… he knows it inside and out.” When the Trumps launched their own crypto venture World Liberty Financial (WLF) in September this year, a leaked document obtained by CoinDesk listed Barron as its “DeFi [decentralized finance] visionary.” But it appears WLF wasn’t Barron’s first involvement in a crypto project. 

Shortly after the Trump-inspired ‘DJT token’ launched in August 2024, its price began to spike when rumors emerged that Trump and his son Barron were behind the project—then the market crashed when a ‘whale’ sold roughly $2million worth of the token. A $150,000 bounty was put out online for whoever could identify the token’s creator, which set off a chain of events that led to the creator outing themselves. It was Martin Shkreli, the comic book villain known for his price gouging of essential medicines, and purchasing the only copy in existence of a rare Wu-Tang Clan album, which he then repeatedly threatened to destroy. There was, however, another twist: Shkreli claimed he was not alone in the project, and that he had indeed created the token with the help of Barron Trump. 

Given his track record—including serving a six-and-a-half-year stretch in federal prison for financial crimes—it’s not surprising that many did not believe Shkreli’s claim. But Shkreli was adamant. He claimed he had thousands of pieces of evidence that he created the token with Barron, and he shared one of them: a screenshot with the notorious influencer Andrew Tate. It appears Tate was one of the ‘celebrities’ contacted to promote DJT to his audience, in a bid to ‘pump’ the price of the token. The screenshot showed messages between Shkreli and Tate, in which the manosphere figurehead appeared to confirm Barron’s involvement. 

If Shkreli is telling the truth, then Baron Trump isn’t just ushering his father into a media sphere of which he is a fan, but one of which he is an active part. With direct links to figures like Andrew Tate and Adin Ross, Barron has the ability to rally support from them for his father like no child of a candidate before him. Tate has over 10 million (mostly young male followers) on X, and spent election day live-streaming and repeatedly tweeting, telling all his American followers to get out for Trump. His brother Tristan shared the same Wall Street Journal stat as Shahidi before him, claiming a part in the male shift towards Trump. 

“It’s men vs gays and chicks.” 

I’ve spent the last five years investigating Andrew Tate for a series of documentaries, including one for VICE, as well as a book. Tate and his team have been working towards this kind of election impact for a while. During production, we acquired a tranche of private messages sent between senior ‘War Room’ members, and for the past four years the election has been referred to as an impending “gender war,” where the modern markers of identity politics would fall away, and it would all become a case of men vs women. Young male voters across a wide range of economic and racial backgrounds did vote for Trump, including Hispanic men, who many had expected to turn against him. 

The rise of influencers like Tate and Ross aren’t just a symptom of young men shifting to the right, but an active factor that has exacerbated it. The ideology gap is widening between young men and women, not just in America, but all over the world. In the UK there is a 25-point gap between the views of young men and women; in Germany, this rises to 30. 

The factors that have led us here are wide-ranging, but in making a concerted effort to reach out to disaffected young men, Trump gained an edge in what is being described as one of the most consequential elections in US history. We saw a similar effect in the UK during the last election, as young men shared their support for Nigel Farage and his Reform Party. 

Many of the complaints coming from young men may appear to be misguided. Yet if politicians on the Left do not find a way to reach out to this group, and engage with it where it dwells online, opportunist populists like Trump and Farage most certainly will.

In this election, one of Trump’s strongest weapons appears to have been his gigantic, chronically online 18-year-old son, his best friend Bo, and the ‘Bros’ they swung for Trump.

Follow Jamie Tahsin on X.

Clown World, a book on Andrew Tate co-authored by Jamie Tahsin and Matt Shea, is available now through Quercus Books.

The post How Barron Trump and the ‘Bro Vote’ Helped Sway the US Election appeared first on VICE.

The incident occurred towards the end of the first period. Holloway was skating in the defensive zone when a Lightening player shot the puck toward the Blues’ net. Instead of flying into the net, though, Holloway got in the way of the fast-moving puck, which hit him in the neck.

“Obviously, it was a scary situation,” Holloway, 23, said during a Wednesday press conference. “From what I’ve been told, the puck hit my vagus nerve in my neck. “

Instead of immediately going off of the ice, Holloway finished his shift.

“As soon as I got hit, I knew something was a little off, but then I saw we had a two-on-one, so I couldn’t pass up that opportunity,” Holloway explained as to why he stayed on the ice. “… I think it was more adrenaline than anything, kind of keeping me going.”

Inside the Moments After the Incident

It was only after Holloway made it back to the bench that he and the Blues’ training staff realized the potential seriousness of the injury.

“As soon as I got back to the bench I was feeling a little woozy,” he recalled. “… When I was going to the bench, it kind of felt like when you stand up too fast and get that head rush.”

Lightening players alerted the referee to the ongoing situation. A stretcher was brought out to take Holloway to the hospital via ambulance. The game stopped amid the commotion, and the remaining 1:11 of the first period was added on to the second period.

“I didn’t even know that they stopped the game. I told our head trainer that I felt weird on the bench, and then the next thing I knew I was awake on a stretcher close to the ambulance,” Holloway said. “… I didn’t realize it was actually that big of a deal.”

Holloway was loaded onto an ambulance, where he was given an IV.

“I was more kind of in shock. I wasn’t really too sure what happened. [I was] a little nauseous too. They gave me a little medication,” he said. “Once I figured out what really went down I started calming down and feeling better.”

Shortly after Holloway was taken off the ice, the team tweeted that he was in stable condition. Holloway’s teammates went on to win the game, besting the Lightening 3 to 2.

Dylan Holloway’s Road to Recovery

“I feel good today. I feel way better,” Holloway, who was released from the hospital Tuesday night, told the press. “… I’m just thankful that all the medical staff and everybody was so hands-on and was able to get me to the hospital quickly.”

He added, “There could have been a lot more wrong. We’re just thankful it wasn’t too serious.”

As for when he’ll return to the lineup, Holloway said he’d been instructed to rest for 24 hours before resuming activity. Holloway said hoping to lace up his skates for Thursday’s home game against the Utah Hockey Club.

The post NHL Player Stretchered Off the Ice After Puck Hits Him in the Neck appeared first on VICE.