Top stories from the Ledger-Enquirer | November 11-17, 2017
1. 21 arrested in Columbus area sting targeting child predators: The suspects, whose ages range from 22 to 55, allegedly traveled to various areas with the intention of meeting children for sex. Their charges include sexual exploitation of children and trafficking person for labor or sexual servitude. “The Columbus Police Department works daily to protect the safety of citizens of our community, especially those that are unable to protect themselves,” Chief Ricky Boren said.
2. The social media wedding of the year is right here in #ColumbusGa: @sayhop is Sara Hopkins, raised in Harris County and an Auburn University graduate who punted a television broadcast career a few years back to become a social media celebrity. She is what is known as an influencer, which means major companies pay her to pitch their products on her social media accounts, including Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
3. Columbus’ latest homicide victim testified in gangster’s murder trial: Columbus’ latest homicide victim of 2017 was a key witness this year in the murder case against Kevin Babe Henderson, a gang member convicted in the Nov. 12, 2014, execution-style killing of Chad Herring. Steve Phillips, 30, was found dead from a gunshot wound in the woods off Winston Road Thursday morning, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan confirmed. His body will be transported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab in Decatur for an autopsy.
4. Man falls asleep at the wheel, blocks rush-hour traffic on Manchester Expressway: Officers were called to Manchester Expressway after a man in a 2008 Ford Taurus fell asleep at a stoplight about 8:14 a.m. and blocked rush-hour traffic on the street. At the scene, the suspect ran from police, causing traffic disruptions on the street.
5. Her daughter was the first victim of a revenge killing this year. Now Columbus police want to end vicious cycle: Seventeen-year-old Destiny Nelson never was shy about birthdays. “She would wake us up in the middle of the night, and say, ‘It’s Destiny Day! It’s Destiny Day!’” her mother, Amber Daniel, recalled. “And I’m like, ‘We know it’s your birthday, now go back to sleep.’” Daniel made the comments Thursday on what would have been the teen’s 18th birthday. But instead of her daughter trying to wake her, all Daniel had were memories.
This story was originally published November 18, 2017 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Top stories from the Ledger-Enquirer | November 11-17, 2017."