The Polly Klaas FoundationPolly Klaas was killed by a career criminal named Richard Allen Davis.Polly Klaas was just 12 years old when she was kidnapped during a slumber party at her Petaluma, California home on Oct. 1, 1993. Pollys disappearance quickly captured national attention, but her family went about two months with no answers as to where the young girl was. Finally, answers came on Dec. 4, 1993, when Polly Klaas kidnapper Richard Allen Davis admitted to abducting and strangling Polly. He also led the police to Pollys remains in a shallow grave near Cloverdale.Though Davis was later convicted of murder and sentenced to death, no punishment could ever bring Polly back. Her horrific murder triggered outrage from the public, especially since Davis had been released on parole before killing Polly despite the fact that he had a history of kidnapping.This helped fuel a number of new tough on crime laws across America, including Californias Three Strikes and Youre Out law, aimed at preventing another terrible tragedy like Polly Klaas murder. But many people including Pollys own sisters have expressed concern that some of these laws have strayed from the original good intentions behind them.The Horrific Kidnapping Of Polly Klaas At The Hands Of Richard Allen DavisPolly Klaas was born on Jan. 3, 1981 in Fairfax, California. Her parents, Marc Klaas and Eve Nichol, eventually divorced, and Polly was staying at her mothers home in Petaluma, California at the time of her abduction.On Oct. 1, 1993, Polly had a sleepover at her moms home with two friends. As Polly and her friends enjoyed their slumber party, Pollys mother and sister fell asleep in the adjacent room. Then, a man broke into the home.Around 10:30 p.m., Richard Allen Davis, an ex-convict on parole, climbed through a window in the home and entered Pollys bedroom. Armed with a knife, Davis soon threatened to kill the three girls.The Polly Klaas FoundationShortly before Polly Klaas was abducted by Richard Allen Davis, she reportedly pleaded with her kidnapper: My mom and sister are in the next room. Please dont hurt them.Ultimately, Davis bound and gagged Pollys friends before abducting Polly at knifepoint. Pollys friends were later able to untie themselves, after which they alerted Pollys mother to what happened.And just like that, Polly Klaas had been kidnapped. But it wasnt the first time Davis had committed such a crime. In fact, he was a career criminal who had a long history of theft, burglary, assault and kidnapping.Back in 1976, he had abducted a young woman at knifepoint near Oakland, and in 1984, he kidnapped yet another woman from Redwood City before forcing her to take out $6,000 from her bank account. Not only was he caught and convicted, but he was also sentenced to 16 years in prison.However, Davis was eventually released early on parole shortly before he abducted and murdered 12-year-old Polly Klaas.An Abduction And Murder That Captured The Nations AttentionPeople MagazineA People magazine cover from 1993, discussing Polly Klaas kidnapping and murder.Soon after Polly Klaas mother called the police to report Pollys abduction, a nationwide search began for the young girl and her kidnapper.Throughout October and November of 1993, Pollys loved ones banded together to help the authorities find her. The case also caught the attention of actress Winona Ryder, who was raised in Petaluma. Ryder offered a $200,000 reward for anyone who could safely return Polly.Though thousands of volunteers joined forces with investigators to track down Polly, the young girl was sadly already dead. It was later revealed that Polly had been murdered by her abductor just hours after hed taken her.Shockingly, Pollys kidnapper and killer, Richard Allen Davis, had also encountered the police soon after the abduction. A woman named Dana Jaffe reported a disheveled and panic-stricken man whose car was stuck in a ditch near her home in Santa Rosa. The police let him go without checking his criminal history as that wasnt the standard practice at that time and about two months later, Jaffe found girls clothing while hiking on her property.YouTubeRichard Allen Davis showed no remorse for his crime and even flipped off Pollys family during his murder trial.Dana Jaffe quickly called the police again, reminding them about the suspicious stranger she had seen back in October, and authorities soon realized that he had a lengthy criminal history, including kidnapping.Forensic evidence collected from Pollys home and Jaffes property pointed to Davis being Pollys abductor, including a palm print found at the crime scene that was a match for Davis. On Dec. 4, 1993, Davis himself admitted to kidnapping her and strangling her in his car before hiding her body in a field. Soon after his confession, he led the authorities to Pollys remains, which were hidden in a shallow grave near Highway 101 by Cloverdale.By 1996, Davis had been found guilty of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death, and he remains on death row to this day (he eventually tried to apply for resentencing, but this was denied in 2024).The Aftermath Of Polly Klaas MurderPolly Klaas murder sparked the creation of the Polly Klaas Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting vulnerable youths, recovering missing children, and keeping kids safe in their communities. Pollys father Marc Klaas founded the KlaasKids Foundation in 1994 amidst his grief, helping to raise awareness of other cases of missing children and working to stop crimes against other kids. That foundation ran for 30 years.Marc Klaas has also made a name for himself as an advocate for the death penalty. Shortly after his daughters killer was sentenced, Marc Klaas said, The last thing Polly saw before she died was Richard Allen Davis eyes. The last thing Richard Allen Davis will see is my eyes, I hope.Meanwhile, public outrage surrounding Polly Klaas murder also inspired a number of tough on crime laws across America. One notable law was Californias Three Strikes and Youre Out, which was approved in 1994. This law was meant to establish life sentences for all felonies if the defendant in question had two prior convictions for serious or violent crimes.The Polly Klaas FoundationPolly Klaas sisters have spoken out against some of the laws that emerged after their siblings murder.However, that law eventually became mired in controversy. According to The Guardian, Three Strikes not only led to a major increase in Californias prison population, but over 7,500 people were sentenced to life in prison within the first decade after the law passed and nearly half of those people were sentenced for relatively minor and nonviolent offenses.Polly Klaas own sisters, Jess and Annie Nichol, were later horrified to learn that Three Strikes was often disproportionately applied to defendants with disabilities and mental illness and that some defendants had received life sentences after committing crimes as minor as stealing baby shoes.In recent years, Three Strikes has undergone modifications in the hopes of protecting people from being unfairly targeted or harshly punished for nonviolent crimes. Meanwhile, Jess and Annie Nichol have focused on emphasizing the prevention of violent crimes from happening in the first place. They also hope to improve treatment for survivors.Theres the trauma of losing Polly and then theres the trauma of how her death was used to punish other people, Jess Nichol told The Guardian in 2022. We dont want our pain to be used to punish anyone else. The sisters also launched a podcast called A New Legacy, meant to discuss alternatives to mass incarceration, issues with the criminal justice system, and the hopes for a new legacy connected to Polly Klaas tragically short life.Theres an underlying assumption that the thing that victims want is the harshest sentencing for the people who caused harm. And thats really the only option, Jess Nichol said. Its this revengeful eye for an eye culture. Ive come to realize we dont really have a department of corrections and rehabilitation. Its a department of punishment and revenge.'After reading about the kidnapping and murder of Polly Klaas, learn about the horrific death of Cherish Perrywinkle at the hands of a convicted pedophile. Then, read about Gary Plauch, the Louisiana dad who took deadly revenge on his sons rapist on live television.The post Inside The Brutal Murder Of Polly Klaas, The 12-Year-Old Kidnapped From A Slumber Party appeared first on All That's Interesting.

John Candys death stunned the world, but the comedian himself had anticipated his demise for decades. Ever since the death of his own father by heart attack 38 years earlier, the beloved comedian believed that he would meet a similar fate and he did.Alan Singer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty ImagesJohn Candys cause of death would probably have come as no surprise to the comedian himself, who predicted hed die much like his father.Fans were likely shocked when John Candy died because they believed that the comedic icon was just as jovial and upbeat in real life as he was on the silver screen.Indeed, Candy was a selfless animal lover and generously contributed to numerous charities. But his warmth and generosity were matched by a pack-a-day smoking habit, toxic dietary habits, and a cocaine addiction.According to his children, however, Candy did his best to take care of himself despite his vices. Perhaps he was still deeply affected by his formative years, during which his father died at age 35 and an injury prevented him from becoming the college football player he aspired to be.But Candy found solace in comedy. He joined up with the improvisational group Second City in his native Toronto and later in Chicago. His writing work was widely recognized and awarded, and he was cast in some of the most iconic comedies of the 1980s. Just like that, Candy became a household name. As his fame skyrocketed, however, so did his vices. Then, in 1994, John Candy died suddenly while filming a movie in Mexico.He left behind two children, colleagues who remember him fondly, and movies that are Thanksgiving and Christmas staples. His life was rich and exciting, and John Candys death came as a blow to anyone who was touched by it.John Candy Finds Stardom And Toxic CrutchesTwitterJohn Candy started smoking a pack of cigarettes per day when he was 18.John Franklin Candy was born on Halloween in 1950 in Ontario, Canada. His parents were working-class and his father died suddenly of a heart attack when he was just five years old. His fathers heart condition and his own obesity would continue to be perilous themes in his life.Throughout school, Candy was a formidable football player and hoped to go on to play in college, but a knee injury made that impossible. So he transitioned to comedy and later enrolled in Centennial College to study journalism. But his big break came in 1972 when he was accepted as a member of the Second City comedy improvisational troupe in Toronto.He became a regular performer and writer for SCTV, the groups television show, in 1977. And shortly after that, he was sent to Chicago to officially train with the troupes heavyweights. Then, John Candys career exploded.He went on to appear in treasured hits like The Blues Brothers (1980), Stripes (1981), and genuine blockbusters Planes, Trains And Automobiles (1987), Home Alone (1990), and JFK (1991).Getty ImagesJohn Candy (left) with SCTV costars Catherine OHara, Andrea Martin and Eugene Levy.But behind Candys reputation as a funny man was his predilection for drugs and overeating. Though he often tried to diet and exercise, Candy would turn back to bad habits. It didnt help that Candys career was also largely built on playing the big funny guy. According to Carl Reiner, who directed Candy in Summer Rental in 1985, the comedian was overcome with a sense of fatalism. He felt he had inherited in his genes a Damoclean sword, he said, referencing the early death of Candys father. So it didnt matter what he did.His son, Chris, added how he grew up with heart disease His father had a heart attack, his brother had a heart attack. It was in the family. He had trainers and would work at whatever the new diet was. I know he did his best.But, as his brother-in-law, Frank Hober added, It was always in the back of everyones mind. No one talked about it, but it was in the back of Johns mind too.A scene from John Candys final film, Wagons East.Candy later admitted that his drug habit began in earnest when he moved to Chicago to perform at Second City. There, he joined the likes of Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, and John Belushi, all of who were heavy drug users.The next thing I knew, I was in Chicago, where I learned how to drink, stay up real late, and spell d-r-u-g-s,' said John Candy.John Belushis fatal drug overdose made Candy quit drugs for a time. But he continued to smoke cigarettes and used food to quell his anxiety. When that didnt work, panic and anxiety set in. Inner turmoil followed him to the set of his final film in Durango, Mexico and hastened his demise.John Candy Dies Of Heart Failure While FilmingThe night before he died, John Candy reached out to several people. He called his co-stars and his children, who had no idea it would be the last time they would ever hear their fathers voice.I was nine. It was a Friday, his son Chris recalled. I remember talking to him the night before he passed away and he said, I love you and goodnight. And I will always remember that.But his daughter Jen has a more tragic final memory of her father. I remember my dad the night before. I was studying for a vocabulary test. I was 14. He had just come home for my 14th birthday, which is February 3, so I was talking to him on the phone, and, I hate this, but I was slightly distant because I was studying.The Candy FamilyChris Candy with his father.The next day, on March 4, 1994, 43-year-old John Candy returned to his hotel room after a day on the set of the Western parody Wagons East.It had been a particularly good day of shooting, during which Candy reportedly believed he had just delivered one of the best performances of his career, and he celebrated by cooking his assistants a late-night dinner. Yet Candys son Chris recalled how everyone on set could see how his bad habits had caught up with him. Richard Lewis, who worked with him on that movie, told me he was so much fun and so funny, but when he looked at my dad, he looked so tired.TwitterJennifer Candy regrets being curt during their last chat before John Candy died.After dinner, Candy said goodnight to the cast and crew and retreated to his room to go to sleep. But he never woke up. John Candy died in his sleep, and his cause of death was heart failure just like his father.His children were pulled out of Friday mass at their school, St. Martin of Tours, and told the tragic news. I cried hysterically for five minutes, and then I stopped, said Jennifer. And then I was done crying in public for a while. It was a whirlwind after that point. Thats when we really knew about paparazzi because you had all the cameras.KOMO News 4 reports on the death of John Candy.But his children also took solace in the positive outpouring at their fathers funeral.I remember when we were ready to take him to [Holy Cross Cemetery], they blocked off [Interstate] 405 from Sunset [Boulevard] all the way to Slauson [Avenue], said Chris. LAPD stopped traffic and escorted us all. I still cant believe that. Whenever I feel like I lose the importance of him to people, I just remember that happened. They do that for the president.The Comedy World Fondly Recalls CandyMary Margaret OHara sings Dark, Dear Hart at John Candys funeral.Before John Candy died, his comedic skills, openness, and humility made him beloved by all audiences.I think thats what draws people into a lot of those characters, you felt for them, explained his son Chris. And that is something he came into the world with, that vulnerability.Hollywood icons like Steve Martin and John Hughes also struggled to comprehend the reality of Candys death.He was a very sweet guy, very sweet, and complicated, Martin said. He was always friendly, always outgoing, funny, nice, and polite. But I could tell he had kind of a little broken heart inside him. He was a brilliant actor, especially in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. I think it was his best work.Wikimedia CommonsAfter John Candy died, he was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.But Candys legacy was built on far more than mere movie stardom and acting talent. The comedian was a selfless contributor to charities like Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Pediatric AIDS Foundation. He rescued animals and felt a kinship to those who couldnt change their conditions.He liked to make people laugh and feel good, said his daughter Jen. And with certain kinds of charity work, especially with kids, he could do that, and that made him feel good.In October 2020, Toronto Mayor John Tory declared the actors birthday John Candy Day.As much as he is gone, said Jen, he is not gone. He is always there.After learning about how John Candy died, read about a similarly devastating demise, the death of James Dean. Then, learn about funnyman Phil Hartmans death by murder-suicide.The post How Did John Candy Die? Inside The Beloved Comedians Tragic Death appeared first on All That's Interesting.

One can, endless possibilities. READ MORE...

It sounds like "Oh hi."

In the high-stakes digital world of Monopoly GO!, few sights are as disheartening as the "0" sitting at the top of your dice counter, paired with a bank balance emptied by a rival’s mega-heist. For many players, this moment feels like a definitive failure—a sign to close the app in frustration. However, seasoned tycoons view bankruptcy through a different lens. In this game, hitting...

In this One-on-One interview, NTD Washington correspondent and Venezuela analyst Luis Eduardo Martnez joins Steve Lance to break down the stunning removal of longtime Venezuelan leader Nicols Maduro.

As RedState reported, there was a leftist blockade attempt earlier in a Minnesota neighborhood that turned violent after an anti-ICE agitator appeared to hit an agent conducting immigration enforcement

Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan confirmed that the Minnesota attorney generals office will consider bringing state charges against a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer

As David wrote here, the shooting in Minneapolis this afternoon was witnessed by a bunch of people and captured on video from at least 3 angles. What seems clear from the video is that the driver was

The biggest newspaper in town is the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. That made the paper into the only real reason that theNewspaper Guild of Pittsburgh existed. This parasitic relationship ended when the Pittsburgh