Door-to-Door Searching For "Desperate" Fugitive

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Four days after he attacked a Miami-Dade police officer, fugitive Alberto Morales is still on the loose.

The convicted felon is still considered armed and dangerous -- and authorities believe he's still in North Texas.

The last confirmed sighting of Morales was soon after the Monday night attack, when construction workers spotted him running near the Kimball Avenue exit of State Highway 114 in Southlake.

Police are warning neighbors to watch out, describing Morales as a "dangerous" and "desperate" fugitive from the law.

Thursday afternoon officials from both Grapevine and Miami-Dade County urged people to continue to report individuals fitting the description of Morales, though all reports to date have not resulted in substantial leads, police said.

Surveillance Video Shows Morales on the Run

Surveillance video from the Walmart in Grapevine shows Alberto Morales running after police say he stabbed a Miami-Dade detective Monday night.

Police Release Photo of Morales' Distinct Tattoo

Police released an image showing Alberto Morales' very distinct tattoo in hopes the public can help find the Miami fugitive on the run after police say he stabbed a Miami-Dade detective outside a Walmart in Grapevine.

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"If you see someone that looks like him, please call us.  Even if you're on that edge of, 'Is it or isn't it?'  Call us.  Let us go out and talk to the individual, because you never know when that one person's going to call in, and that's actually going to be him," Lt. Todd Dearing of the Grapevine Police Department told NBC 5 on Wednesday..

Grapevine-area Constable Tim Burch is assisting in the search for Morales. Burch said the search for Morales will continue to expand, with some federal agents even going door-to-door in the search for the convicted felon.

On Thursday, Grapevine police released a photo of a distinct tattoo of a Native American on a horse that Morales has on his left arm (see photo above). Authorities also say that the fugitive is likely in new clothes, and may be seeking food, water, and shelter.

Schools in the area are continuing to be vigilant as the search for Morales continues. Carroll ISD says they will continue a "soft lockdown" at all school campuses on Friday by continuing to have increased police presence and patrols.

Morales Unchained

Up to Thursday, Grapevine police had told NBC 5 they believed Morales could still have been in shackles when he escaped, but they say they now believe the felon may have disabled the restraints before the escape.

Constable Burch told NBC 5 that the shackles used in prisoner transport are difficult to free oneself from.

"A transport belt, if used properly, in the many years I've been in law enforcement I haven't seen anybody get loose from one of them," Burch said.

Miami-Dade police said there will be a full investigation into how Morales escaped from his shackles.

Officials: "He's not going back to prison"

Grapevine officer Robert Eberling said inmates who knew Morales in prison have told investigators that he had vowed not to return.

"He's made it pretty clear that he's not going back to prison," Eberling said.

On a recording of a 911 call released Wednesday, Pardinas can be heard breathing heavily as he tells the operator that he's been stabbed. He described Morales' height, weight and appearance and then added, "He's a schizophrenic."

On another 911 call, a bystander told the operator: "There's a guy with a gun and somebody on the floor bleeding." The caller than clarified that "the guy with the gun is helping the guy that's bleeding."

Pardinas was accompanied by Miami-Dade Detective David Carrero during the transfer. They flew to Houston with Morales and then decided to drive the rest of the way after he became disruptive on the flight. They had stopped near the Wal-Mart while waiting for a third officer who was flying in to the Dallas area join them. Department policy requires three officers to be present for ground transfers of prisoners.

Pardinas, 54, remained hospitalized in Dallas on Wednesday after undergoing surgery. He's "making progress" and expected recover, a Miami-Dade police spokesman said.

In a news conference at Parkland Hospital Wednesday, authorities said Pardinas was stabbed very deeply in the neck and back and that he suffered a collapsed lung.  While his condition is improving, he is still listed in serious but stable condition.

Pardinas and Carrero were taking Morales to Nevada to serve a sentence of 30 years to life for a conviction of sexual assault with a weapon.

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Man Shot By Assault Victim's Mother: Police

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Fort Worth police say a man was shot Friday morning after a domestic dispute where he was accused of dragging a woman down the street.

Police say someone called 911 to report a woman screaming in the area of Arden Place and Oakland Street around 3:45 a.m.

Police say a man was dragging a woman down the street when that woman's mother intervened and shot the man in the back.

The man is alive, though his condition is unknown. Police say the gunshot is not life threatening.

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Ex-San Diego Mayor Lost Up to $1B in Gambling Winnings

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Former Mayor Admits to Gambling Problem

Former San Diego mayor Maureen O'Connor admitted to having a gambling problem which caused her to spend more than $1 billion gambling.

Ex-Mayor Accused of Misusing Charity's Millions

Former San Diego mayor and longtime civic leader Maureen O'Connor is facing a criminal charge in federal court.

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Former San Diego Mayor Maureen O'Connor won and lost more than $1 billion while gambling over a nine-year period, according to her attorney.  

The widow of Jack-in-the-Box fast food restaurant founder Robert O. Peterson squandered away her fortune on a video poker habit, attorney Eugene Iredale said.

The revelation was made Thursday outside a federal courthouse in San Diego where O'Connor faces one charge of misusing millions from a charity set up by her late husband.

The former mayor's eyes filled with tears and she answered questions haltingly as she pleaded not guilty to a money laundering charge.

According to her attorney, O'Connor has had severe health problems for several years including a brain tumor which he blamed for a gambling habit.

The 66-year-old, whose estate was at one time worth $40 to $50 million on paper, spent every last dime she had gambling, Iredale said.

Iredale said his client won and lost more than $1 billion playing video poker in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and San Diego. 

Between Sept. 2008 and March 2009, O'Connor allegedly took more than $2,088,000 from the foundation.

"A sum of money which she intended to repay but was unable to repay," Iredale said.

The money was earmarked for charitable purposes but was used for other purposes he said.

Prosecutors said O'Connor "deprived the Foundation of its remaining assets and left it completely bankrupt."

O'Connor's entrance into the federal courthouse Thursday morning was unsteady.

Using a cane and answering haltingly, O'Connor appeared as a hollow shell of what she once was.

She pleaded not guilty and was put on supervised pre-trial status.

Her medical condition is such that she will not be booked immediately. Because she is under medical care of a physician, she'll be booked Friday.

She was granted two years of deferred prosecution.

O'Connor (pictured left in 2000) served as San Diego's mayor from 1986 to 1992. She also served on the San Diego City Council and the port commission.

O'Connor was married to Peterson from 1977 until his death in 1994.

After court, O'Connor spoke to members of the media - many who covered her during her tenure as mayor.

She explained how there are essentially two Maureens.

"Maureen #2 is the woman who did not know she had a tumor growing in her head, in her brain," she said.

She used the word "borrowed" when she spoke of the $2 million she's accused of misusing and said it occurred during a difficult time in her life.

"Those of you who know me here would know that I never meant to hurt the city that I loved," she said. 

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Longtime MedStar EMT Remembered

Andres Gutierrez, NBC 5 News

A Fort Worth ambulance service is grieving the loss of one their longtime employee. Ronnie Ferguson died last week of cancer.

Longtime MedStar EMT Remembered

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Those who worked closely with MedStar Emergency Medical Technician Ronnie Ferguson say that he was the paramedic that you would want responding to your 911 call.

"He was so confident in his responsibility to care for you that he bought peace to chaos," Matt Zavadsky one of his colleagues at MedStar said.

It was that type of attitude that made Ferguson stand out at MedStar for more than two decades.

According to the company, in his 27-year career, Ferguson responded to more than 60,000 calls.

Few knew him better than Richard Ponikiewski, his ambulance partner of 17 years. 

"Whenever something was going downhill, and he was in charge, he said 'that's alright, I've got this,'" Ponikiewski said.

But in 2010, Ferguson was diagnosed with colon cancer. After beating it once, the cancer eventually resurfaced, spreading to his liver and lungs.

"It started to bother me because I was beginning to wonder—will he be alright?" Ponikiewski said.

Ferguson died last week at the age of 49. 

"It's like you were kicked in the gut because this guy was so vibrant, so alive, so amazing. He was larger than life," Zavadsky said.

Ferguson's funeral service will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Mckinney Memorial Bible church in Fort Worth.

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Passengers Cheer Escape From "Horrible" Cruise

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Passengers on a cruise ship that was disabled for five nightmarish days in the Gulf of Mexico are glad to be back on land after a sea odyssey marked by overflowing toilets, food shortages and foul odors.

The Carnival Triumph cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people finally docked late Thursday in Mobile, Ala., as passengers cheered the end of a "horrible" cruise.

By 2 a.m. ET Friday all 3,143 passengers had exited the ship, NBC News reported.

Shortly before midnight, first buses with cruise ship passengers started pulling out from the port in Mobile, Ala., for New Orleans and Texas.

Carnival Triumph Arrives at Port

The crippled Carnival Triumph was cheered into port Thursday night after five days adrift in the Gulf of Mexico without power and with rapidly deteriorating conditions.

"Unsanitary" Cruise to Reach Alabama on Thursday

After days stranded in the Gulf of Mexico in conditions some have described as a dismal "shanty town" at sea, most passengers aboard the disabled Carnival Triumph can look forward to a two-hour bus ride after they reach land.

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Gerry Cahill, the CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines was at the Mobile port and said that he was eager to go aboard and apologize to the 4,229 passengers and crew members that have been stuck on the ship since an engine room fire blew out power Sunday, transforming the luxury liner into a steaming trap.

"I know the conditions on board were very poor," Cahill said before heading to the cruise liner. "I know it was very difficult and I want to apologize again for subjecting our guests to that. We pride ourselves in providing our guests with a great vacation experience and clearly we failed in this particular case."

The ship was expected to reach dry land earlier Thursday, but another setback delayed it even further. One of the tow lines dragging the massive vessel snapped, leaving it drifting once again.

Throughout the day, frustrations with the cruise line were simmering on and off the ship, as passengers and their relatives questioned why it was taking so long to get back to dry land after an engine-room fire disabled the ship Sunday.

Television images from CNN showed passengers with signs of "Help" and "I love you" hanging from their cabin rooms. Others walked around the deck, some waving to the helicopters flying above.

"Sweet Home Alabama!" read one of the homemade signs passengers affixed alongside the 14-story ship as many celebrated at deck rails of the ship.

It was supposed to be a fun trip with girlfriends for 28-year-old Maria Hernandez of Angleton, Texas. But Hernandez said instead, "It was horrible, just horrible."

Twenty-four-year-old Brittany Ferguson was a passenger on the Carnival Triumph and says it felt good being able to see land and buildings.

Joseph Alvarez says some passengers passed the time by forming a Bible study group that drew about 45 people.

"Get me off this ship!"

Passengers like Donna Gutzman and Gloria Hoagland sent NBC 5 photos from the crippled Carnival Triumph at sea.

"Get me off this ship!" Hoagland posted to NBC 5's Facebook page. "Reporting from my 7th floor balcony! I want back to Dallas."

Hoagland spoke with NBC 5 Friday morning via phone, describing the "ordeal" on the cruise.

Hoagland said passengers didn't believe the power would be out for long initially after the fire, but that the situation continued to deteriorate as toliets and air conditioning stopped working.

With water all around the boat, Hoagland said, for the first 36 hours, "We had no concept that we had moved at all."

Throughout the five day ordeal, passengers have been dealing "extremely terrible" conditions, according to passenger Janie Baker.

Speaking by phone Thursday to NBC's "Today" show, Baker said there has been no electricity and few working toilets. She compared life on the ship to being in a hurricane evacuation.

Baker says one night, she and her friends slept with their life vests because the ship was listing and they feared it would tip over.

Baker echoed other accounts in which passengers have to use plastic bags to go to the bathroom and wait in line for hours for food. Baker said she once saw a woman pass out while in line.

Hoagland did have some praise for Carnival staff, including CEO Gerry Cahill, who Hoagland and her mother met as they were leaving the ship.

She says Carnival crews did the best they could under the circumstances and thanked Cahill for being present when the ship finally docked in Mobile, Alabama.

More accounts of conditions aboard the ship are expected as passengers begin the process of getting back to their normal lives on land.

NBC 5's Greg Janda, Ben Russell and others have contributed to this ongoing story. Associated Press writers including Jay Reeves, Brendan Farrington, and others have also contributed to this ongoing story.

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Police Chief Recalls "The Chris Dorner that I Knew"

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Dorner Search "Like Finding Needle in Haystack": Expert

Tactical-training expert Robert Arabian says that from the moment law enforcement may have spotted fugitive Christopher Dorner, they had a plan in place. Lolita Lopez reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Feb. 13, 2013.

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The last few weeks for La Palma Police Chief Eric Nunez have been tense. He and his family endured 24-hour protection after being mentioned in Christopher Dorner's manifesto.

Though Dorner praised Nunez, the possibility that the fugitive ex-police officer would reach out to him amid the massive manhunt was ominous.

"My wife was obviously very worried," Nunez said. "I tried to convince her that it is very unlikely that we would have any contact, but we did make a plan."

In an 11,400-word document published online, Dorner wrote this about Nunez: "You're just an awesome person and my first exposure to what law enforcement was really about."

Nunez said he was "reeling" trying to make sense of Dorner's alleged rampage that left four dead, including two law enforcement officials and a newly engaged couple.

Nunez said Dorner was part of the department's police explorer volunteer program while at Kennedy High School and that he would visit once a year.

"The Chris Dorner that I knew back when he was an explorer here and going through college then going through the Navy wouldn't have done the horrendous acts that he did, would not have been the cold-blooded calculated murderer," Nunez said.

Nunez explained that he had not heard from Dorner for two years until a package was dropped off at his office on Jan. 23. It contained a note explaining that Dorner did not lie during the investigation that led to his dismissal from the LAPD and a video of one of the interrogations.

"I barely had some inclination that he had been terminated or that he was no longer with LAPD but I had no context of the nature of that investigation was or anything," Nunez said.

"I really didn't even know what this was actually about until I read the manifesto," he added.

He said he first read the manifesto when members of the Irvine Police Department arrived to his offices asking him about Dorner. Detectives were investigating the deaths of newly engaged couple Keith Lawrence and Monica Quan, the daughter of a former LAPD captain targeted in Dorner's manifesto.

"It's unfathomable. Even the first call that I got telling me that I was named in this manifesto and they wanted to talk to me about it and they told me who their suspect is, the Irvine Police Department, and my head is reeling because I am thinking how is that even possible?" Nunez said.

He turned over the package and its contents to the investigators.

Days after Nunez received the package, Dorner allegedly went on a shooting spree that killed Riverside police Officer Michael Crain. Nunez went to Crain's funeral and, like the entire Southland law enforcement community, is now mourning the loss of two brothers.

San Bernandino Sheriff Detective Jeremiah MacKay was killed this week in a final gun battle with Dorner before the 33-year old ex-LAPD officer died in a burning cabin in which he barricaded himself.

Two other members of law enforcement were wounded.

But what sets Nunez apart is his connection to Dorner.

"Whatever relief you might feel was mode with deep sadness that came at the cost of another officer's life," he said "Everybody that has been touched by this is trying to figure out what went wrong."

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Images Aboard Crippled Carnival Triumph

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Man Gunned Down in Grand Prairie Apartment Robbery

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The search is on for a killer in Grand Prairie after a man was gunned down during an armed robbery early Friday morning.

According to police, a woman was dropping of a man at his brother's home at the Quail Ridge Apartments when they were approached by an armed man.

When the armed man tried to rob the pair, the unarmed man, whose name has not yet been released, jumped from the passenger seat and ran toward his brother's apartment, police said.  The gunman then chased after the other man and shot him in the chest, police said.

"He saw the threat and wanted to get away from the threat.  He went to what provided him safety, towards the apartment complex.  I don't think he expected the gunman would chase after him and actually shoot him," said Det. Lyle Gensler with the Grand Prairie Police Department.

As gunfire erupted, the woman ran and tried to find safety.  Neigbhors, hearing the gunshots, called 911.

"I heard two shots, maybe three," said neighbor Patty Perez, who, along with her family, woke up to the sound of gunfire.  "I got real nervous.  The kids are sleeping right by the window."

When paramedics arrived they rushed the injured man to Methodist Hospital in Dallas, where he later died.

Police said it appears the car had been ransacked after the shooting, though they aren't sure if the armed man got away with anything. Officers are investigating if the victims were targeted or if they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"May be wrong place, wrong time. Maybe they drove up and this person was lying in wait for the next person to come in. We're not sure at this point," said
Gensler.

Police said the gunman approached the pair from behind the driver, so she didn't get a good look at the gunman. Investigators found several shell casings on the ground and removed the siding from the apartment building to extract a bullet as evidence. 

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

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