NEW YORK - From a human penis found at an Alabama gas station, to an Illinois woman charged with stealing $1.5M in chicken wings from a school district, here's a look at the top viewed stories on FOX5NY.com from Jan. 28 to Feb. 3:
Missing Ohio architect killed in Mexico with fiancée
1. A DNA match confirmed Cincinnati architect Jose Gutiérrez was one of four people found buried next to a bullet-riddled vehicle in Zacatecas, Mexico, according to his family and local reports.
Gutiérrez's parents, who live in Mexico, told FOX 19 Cincinnati that DNA results confirming their son's identity were returned with 99% accuracy.
His sister, Grissi Gutiérrez, confirmed to Fox News Digital that their parents went to pick up his remains Tuesday.
Jose Gutierrez has not been seen by his family in Ohio since visiting Mexico to visit his fiancee. (The Gutierrez Family)
Gutierrez, 36, was last seen at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport Dec. 22, 2022 while traveling to visit his fiancée in Mexico.
Mexican authorities discovered Gutierrez, along with his fiancée, Daniela Pichardo, and Pichardo’s sister and cousin, dead and buried next to a car with multiple bullet holes and flat tires.
The architect was the oldest of his seven siblings and received his Master's from Miami University. He and Pichardo had plans to get married later this year, according to FOX 19.
FILE - Jose Gutierrez has not been seen by his family in Ohio since visiting Mexico to visit his fiancee. (Gutierrez Family)
Prior to their discovery, the Gutierrez and Pichardo families held a protest demanding the Mexican government find their loved ones alive.
The State Department has issued a travel advisory for Zacatecas, which has an increased risk of crime and kidnapping.
NY state trooper arrested for issuing bogus traffic tickets
2. A New York State Police trooper who patrolled the Sprain Book and Taconic State Parkways in Westchester County has been charged with issuing dozens of falsified traffic tickets.
One of the tickets was allegedly made out against a person who was already dead.
The Westchester County District Attorney says Edward Longo, 34, of Yorktown, is charged with 32 counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a felony, and eight counts of Official Misconduct, a misdemeanor. He was arrested on Jan. 31, 2023.
(FOX 5 NY illustration via New York State Police image)
Longo allegedly issued 32 tickets and supporting depositions containing false statements and false information without performing traffic stops or observing traffic violations on eight different occasions between May 10, 2021 and Oct. 2, 2022.
The falsified tickets and fake depositions were then submitted to the New York State Police Troop K Hawthorne barracks in Mount Pleasant, where he was assigned.
Longo is scheduled to be arraigned in Mount Pleasant Justice Court on Feb. 16, 2023. He has been on administrative leave since November 2022.
Human penis found at Alabama gas station
3. A human penis was found in the parking lot of an Alabama gas station.
It was found Monday shortly after 6 a.m. at a gas station on Interstate 10 in Mobile, according to a local newspaper.
The Mobile Police Department thinks it might be from the victim of a deadly motorcyclist crash on a nearby highway.
Christopher Means, 29, died after losing control of his motorcycle and being hit by multiple vehicles.
The Mobile Police Department confirmed to FOX News Digital that "the appendage located at the gas station is not related to a murder or an assault."
A gas station worker reportedly discovered the penis.
While police did not explain how the appendage arrived at the gas station, local reports say surveillance video appeared to show it fall from a truck that had stopped to get fuel.
Illinois woman charged with stealing $1.5M in chicken wings from school district
4. An Illinois woman is accused of stealing over $1.5 million of food - primarily chicken wings - while working as a consultant for a school district in south suburban Cook County, according to court documents.
Vera Lidell, 66, began working as the Director of Food Services for Harvey School District 152 in July 2020, according to a proffer from her bond hearing.
Vera Lidell is accused of stealing over $1.5 million of food, primarily chicken wings, while working as a consultant for a school district. (Cook County State's Attorney's Office)
Between July 2020 and February 2022, prosecutors said Liddell placed hundreds of unauthorized orders for food items, including 11,000 cases of chicken wings, through the school district's main supplier, Gordon Food Service. The orders were placed separately from the district's legitimate orders, prosecutors said.
Believing the orders were genuine, Gordon Food Service billed Harvey School District 152, which then paid for the food items, according to court records. Lidell would then allegedly use one of the school district's cargo vans to pick up and transport the stolen food.
A routine mid-year audit conducted by the district's business manager in January 2022 showed the food service department had exceeded its annual budget by over $300,000 despite only being halfway through the school year, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said Lidell was the only person responsible for placing food orders on behalf of the district.
Employees of Gordon Food Service said they were all familiar with Lidell, "due to the massive amount of chicken wings she would purchase," and surveillance video of the facility showed she would often arrive prior to the store opening to pick up the orders.
Lidell was charged with felony theft and continuing a financial crimes enterprise, prosecutors said.
She's currently being held at the Cook County Jail and is due to appear in court again on Feb. 22.
George Santos' ex-boyfriend speaks out
5. Shocked and surprised are just two of the emotions Congressman George Santos’ ex-boyfriend, Pedro Vilarva, is using to describe how he’s feeling.
This browser does not support the Video element.
George Santos' ex-boyfriend speaks out
More people from Congressman George Santos' past are coming forward with stories about their experiences with him, including Pedro Vilarva, who claims to be Santos' ex-boyfriend.
"He never showed that he was the psychopathic liar that he’s showing to be right now," Vilarva said.
Vilarva spoke to FOX 5 New York about the man he says he met as Anthony Devolder in 2014. Vilarva was 18 and Santos was 26.
"He was so sweet, and he was very caring," he said.
A photo of Pedro Vilarva and George Santos, then known as Anthony Devolder, in 2014. According to Vilarva, Santos was still married to the woman seen in this photo when Pedro was sharing an apartment with Santos.
But Vilarva has since realized he looked past red flags, telling us he didn’t learn until months into their relationship that Santos was still married to the woman seen in the above photo when Vilarva was sharing an apartment with him at the time.
According to records, Santos didn’t get divorced until 2019.
"He said a lie, he gets caught on the lie, and then he says another lie to cover up that lie," Vilarva said.
A photo of George Santos with the family of Pedro Vilarva at a Christmas celebration.
Above is a photo of Santos with Vilarva's family for a Christmas celebration. This is when Vilarva says Santos gifted him with tickets to Hawaii that he later learned did not exist.
Vilarva also says Santos stole his cellphone and sold it for cash but the story that he finds most difficult to believe is that Santos’ mom was in the South Tower during the 9/11 attacks when documents state she was in Brazil.
But for his part, Santos who still hasn’t answered questions surrounding his campaign finances - told the reporters Monday he’s doing his job.
A photo of Pedro Vilarva and George Santos, then known as Anthony Devolder, in 2014. According to Vilarva, Santos was still married to the woman seen in this photo when Pedro was sharing an apartment with Santos.
"I’ve been speaking to constituents largely, and I’ve been fielding calls and answers this whole time," said Rep. Santos
All of this is happening while local constituents and officials alike insist his district deserves better.
"There’s a whole bunch of investigations, and there’s some serious charges against him," said Sen. Charles Schumer. "Long Island deserves a lot better."
Despite continued calls on the congressman to resign, Pedro says there’s no way he would.