MINI TRUE CRIME ROUNDUP: World Cup sex trafficking, D4VD in court, Salman Rushdie's attacker and more

**Lauren Barry** (0:02)
This is a True Crime Roundup from The On Deadline Podcast. We explore crime stories reported on by Audacy's radio newsrooms across the country.
I'm your host, Lauren Barry. This week, we have updates on major cases from coast to coast.
These include human trafficking cases linked to the World Cup, the David Murder case in California, a nurse who's serving prison time for killing her patients, the trial for author Salman Rushdie's attacker, a Catholic priest scandal, and more. First, we have two reports about human trafficking linked to the 2026 World Cup that wrapped up last weekend with Spain winning the global championship. It was held over five and a half weeks across North America, including at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. That's where the final game between Spain and Argentina was held. Here's Audacy Station 1010 Wins in New York City with one of those human trafficking reports.

**SPEAKER_2** (1:10)
Relief among dozens of kidnapped victims of a human trafficking ring which operated in the shadow of the World Cup. Investigators have been eyeing the suspects for months leading up to the games and in the aftermath close to a hundred people fell victim, 43 of them right here in the city. Seven of them juveniles, Gary Marcus is the commanding officer of the Special Victims Unit. Says they had to go door to door, leaving their calling card with these folks.

**Gary Marcus** (1:34)
We actually knocked on their doors and made sure that one, they were in compliance with the terms of their release. But secondarily, we wanted to make sure that they knew that the NYPD was watching. And so as a result of that, one of the metrics that we'll never be able to quantify is the victims that never were. And that might be the most important number that we ever talk about.

**SPEAKER_2** (1:52)
The rescued victims are now in the care of the NYPD's Gender-Based Violence Police and Planning Unit, which provides social services now to the victims, including food, housing, as well as counseling.

**Lauren Barry** (2:06)
And here's another report from Audacy Station, KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia.

**Mike Daugherty** (2:12)
Law enforcement officials in New Jersey say their efforts to combat human trafficking during the World Cup resulted in dozens of arrests. The details from KYW South Jersey reporter Mike Daugherty. For police throughout New Jersey, one of the big victories in this World Cup is the fact that hundreds of thousands of fans enjoyed matches safely and without any major incidents. New Jersey Assistant Attorney General Katherine Cowley says one of the top priorities for police heading into the World Cup was combating human trafficking, and they are especially proud of these efforts.

**Katherine Cowley** (2:42)
Work that connected over 97 victim survivors with critical resources and services to rebuild their lives. And work that resulted in 71 related arrests.

**Mike Daugherty** (2:52)
The AG's office also announced the arrest and multiple charges filed against 26-year-old Tamir Brown Miller of Philadelphia and Desiree Smith of Collingswood for allegedly sex trafficking a minor in Cherry Hill, Atlantic City and Pennsylvania last year. At the South Jersey Bureau, Mike Daugherty, KYW Newsradio, 1039 FM.

**Lauren Barry** (3:17)
Then, in Minneapolis, WCCO News Talk reported on a man facing murder charges this week.

**Taylor Rivera** (3:25)
Saga Benesu is now facing three counts of murder in the second degree. He was tracked by St. Louis County deputies in the Iron Range City of Virginia early this morning. He's believed to be connected to the killings of three employees of a Highland Park apartment complex who were found dead Monday inside the leasing office. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office has identified the victims as 25-year-old Nancy Zambrano, 56-year-old Dina Silcox and 43-year-old Adam Wilwerding. No details of the investigation have been released. Taylor Rivera, News Talk 830, WCCO.

**Lauren Barry** (4:03)
Another man facing murder charges is 21-year-old billboard charting musician David Burke, who goes by the name David stylized as D4VD.
He was in court this week. Burke is accused of killing 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez and of sexually abusing the young teen. ABC News correspondent Alex Stone reported from the courtroom this week. He said the first day of the preliminary hearings was about laying out the case, including crime scene photos. Details that have already come out in the hearings include the fact that the Tesla where Rivas Hernandez's body was found had nearly a dozen air fresheners in it. In the gallery of the courtroom, Instagram influencers watched the proceedings.
As for Burke, Stone said he didn't show much emotion, though he occasionally smiled. Dana Wright, Scott Parks, and Sam Stevie III from the Dana & Parks Show out of Audacy Station, KMBZ, in Kansas City, discussed the case this week.