An illegal alien detained in Maryland for the kidnapping and attempted murder of a teenage girl entered the country through the Arizona border under the Biden administration.
Abubakarr Barrie, 23, entered the U.S. illegally through the Arizona border in December 2023; Border Patrol initially arrested Barrie but then released him into the country.
On Oct. 22, Barrie allegedly kidnapped a 15-year-old girl and brought her to a basement apartment in Baltimore, Maryland, where he attempted to murder her.
Surveillance footage provided by the owner of the home — who was out of the country according to reporting by Fox45 News — showed Barrie parking a white car before walking into the basement of the home with the girl. According to the owner, Barrie rented an apartment in the living quarters within the basement.
Charging documents state that the girl alleged that Barrie offered her a ride outside her sister’s home to go to a take-out restaurant. The girl stated that she accepted the ride under the assumption that Barrie was operating as an unlicensed hack cab: a driver operating a rideshare service without the required legal permits.
Once inside the car, Barrie allegedly drove in the wrong direction and became “violent” when she pointed out that he had gone in the wrong direction. The girl alleged that Barrie forcibly restrained her as they drove to his rented room. The girl also claimed Barrie forced her into the basement, though surveillance footage shows her walking behind Barrie into the area.
The girl also claimed that Barrie stabbed her multiple times once they were in the basement, and that she managed to escape after finding a fire extinguisher and hitting him with it.
Investigators were able to identify and track down Barrie because he gave the victim his phone number to make a Cash App payment.
Authorities say there was at least one opportunity for law enforcement to catch and deport Barrie months before this incident.
Barrie was arrested by the New York Police Department in July of this year for third-degree possession of a forged instrument. ICE lodged a detainer for Barrie, but New York opted to ignore the detainer and released Barrie.
Fox45 News reported that Barrie also had an arrest about three months ago for prostitution in Baltimore County, Maryland.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a press release announcing this second detainer against Barrie, filed on Oct. 24. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the crime against the teen was preventable.
“This tragedy would never have happened were it not for the multiple failures of sanctuary policies. First, Biden’s open borders let this monster into our country, then sanctuary politicians in New York refused to hand him over to ICE and released him after a previous arrest three months before this horrific crime,” said Mullin. “DHS is urging Baltimore County authorities to learn from sanctuary New York’s mistakes, honor ICE’s detainer against this illegal alien, and prevent him from harming any more Americans.”
The 15-year-old girl was hospitalized for her injuries, which included five stab wounds and a collapsed lung. The girl is expected to survive.
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On Election Day, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would no longer provide aid to Israel.
Arizona’s representative for the Eighth Congressional District proposed the idea of ending aid months ago.
Rep. Abe Hamadeh praised the president’s decision. Rather than supplying military aid, as it has done for more than 60 years, the federal government will prioritize trade with the ally country going forward.
In a press release, Hamadeh stated that this diplomatic shift would restore the benefits the U.S. receives from its relationship with Israel, and set a healthier standard for foreign relations by ceasing the “blank check” approach that has been flagging the nation’s economy.
Hamadeh pointed out that he and fellow Rep. Marlin Stutzman, of Michigan, had delivered much of the same message to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this year.
Hamadeh and Stutzman proposed a congressional resolution to transition the U.S.-Israel alliance to a trade partnership and away from foreign aid. The two congressmen made the case that the U.S. should end its approximately $3.8 billion in annual military aid to Israel and instead encourage the country to buy American weapons and defense technology with its own money. Now, the U.S. will do just that.
“President Trump is right: the future of our relationship with Israel has to be trade, not aid,” said Hamadeh. “America First has never meant America alone. It means strong partners, not permanent dependents. Peace through strength. Commerce, not blank checks. That’s how we put the American people first.”
U.S. aid to Israel will cease at the end of the year. Trump made the announcement of the new deal with the U.S. ally in an interview on Fox News on Tuesday morning.
Technically speaking, the end to aid represents a premature cutoff; the U.S. and Israel had a memorandum of understanding that aid would last until 2028.
“Israel’s our number one. We give them more than anybody else, and they no longer need it. We’ve been doing it for years. I’ve been doing it,” said Trump. “I’m going to put it in any way you want to define it. You can consider it barter. You can consider military aid or cash. It’s what we give them — $4 billion of things and money, and they don’t need it.”
Trump said that Israel was “thriving” and no longer in need of U.S. aid, and indicated that it was Netanyahu’s idea to end the funding. According to the president, end to aid had been a topic of discussion between the two world leaders for years.
“I was approached by Bibi Netanyahu, and we’ve been talking about it for a couple of years because it’s a lot of money,” said Trump. “He brought it up. He said, ‘I think it would be appropriate if we do not receive aid.’”
Trump also indicated that the continued U.S. aid to Israel was hurting the Republican Party among voters, referencing Democratic contender Abdul El-Sayed in the hotly contested Senate race in Michigan.
“Why should we suffer the slings from lunatics like El-Sayed when they don’t need it?” said Trump. “It’s a bad talking point.”
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As Arizona families mourned loved ones and homes lost in this weekend’s historic flooding and lawmakers pleaded for emergency relief, Gov. Katie Hobbs went for a morning hike to work off the stress of her reelection campaign.
“Nothing like hitting the trail for a morning hike before hitting the campaign trail,” posted Hobbs.
Nothing like hitting the trail for a morning hike before hitting the campaign trail. pic.twitter.com/t01PglGGne
As Hobbs was hiking, Arizona families were assessing the scope of what they’d lost.
Among them, two men who perished in the floodwaters that ravaged Flagstaff: one who remains unidentified as of this report, and Williams Singavarapu, 73. Another man, 63-year-old Benny Sutton Jr. from Yavapai County, remains missing near the Castle Springs area.
Initial tallies indicate that dozens of homes have been flooded and destroyed.
Floodwaters also trapped residents in the area and destroyed critical infrastructure, resulting in evacuation orders for multiple communities.
FLOODWATERS TRAP RESIDENTS AS ROOFTOP RESCUES UNFOLD IN SEDONA
A dangerous flood emergency is unfolding in Sedona, Arizona, where rapidly rising waters have surrounded homes and left residents stranded.
Porter mountain rd, by the Humane Society. The bridge is gone! People nearby ran as the pipe shifted toward them in the rushing floodwater. pic.twitter.com/7liWJT5Q0d
The flooding in Oak Creek through Sedona is absolutely intense. The water is roaring, roads are gone, and homes near the creek are under serious threat.
As floods ravaged multiple counties throughout the state, Hobbs drove past the displaced residents to head to Tucson for several campaign stops as part of a final push to secure enough votes for reelection.
Lowering costs and standing up for small businesses will always be one of my top priorities. Thank you to Gibson Food Hall & Market for showing @johngiles4AZ and me around their beautiful business today here in Tucson. pic.twitter.com/yTfinu6nOD
As @johngiles4AZ and I have traveled the state, we’ve seen how hard our volunteers have worked to make this moment happen.
I couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who's knocked doors, talked to friends and family, and fought every day for the freedom, opportunity, and security… pic.twitter.com/3vrtSzBJcT
Residents questioned why Hobbs wasn’t taking action to provide emergency relief earlier, noting that their neighbors were trapped by the flooding.
The roads are washed out on all sides of my community to the point that me and all my neighbors are effectively trapped here, but it’s a relief to know it’s a nice day for our governor to go on a recreational hike. https://t.co/NIScvyQarS
Multiple Republican lawmakers had urged the governor to call a state of emergency as early as Sunday night.
State Rep. Walt Blackman (R-LD-7) had pleaded for emergency aid for his constituents and the surrounding areas. Blackman also petitioned Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) to coordinate federal support for the congressman’s district.
Blackman expressed particular concern for the rural and tribal communities where existing aid and resources are already scarcer than in other parts of the state.
“Families facing rising water need immediate help, clear information, and a reliable path to recovery,” said Blackman. “Rural and tribal communities cannot be overlooked. A washed-out road can cut a family off from medical care, groceries, and emergency services. We need direct coordination with people on the ground to identify unmet needs and get help where it belongs.”
State Rep. Alexander Kolodin (R-LD-3) asked Hobbs to call a state of emergency due to the potential for Arizonans to be stranded with no way to vote.
🚨 Emergency Declaration Needed in Maricopa County To Protect Election Day Access for Flood Impacted Rio Verde Foothills Voters
Washed out roads in Rio Verde Foothills could keep voters from the polls tomorrow.
It wasn’t until later on Monday afternoon that Hobbs fulfilled the request of the lawmakers for emergency relief. The announcement immediately unlocked $200,000 in emergency funding for local communities.
The safety of every Arizonan is my top priority. Today, I declared a Statewide State of Emergency to unlock critical funding and state resources for communities impacted by recent severe storms and flash flooding. We're working closely with local leaders to clear roads, repair… pic.twitter.com/XzUrc5kZRJ
Buckeye police arrested a man for carrying out an online plot to have a stranger sexually assault his fiancée, the mother of his two children.
Police arrested Zarian Ray Dyer, 23, on Thursday while he was at work. Dyer faces charges of aggravated assault, sexual abuse, attempted sexual assault, kidnapping, and conspiracy.
The Buckeye Police Department issued a statement following Dyer’s arrest explaining that Dyer arranged to have Adrian Nicholas Ayala, a 20-year-old resident of Goodyear, come to their home to sexually assault Bella Torres, his fiancée and the mother of his two children, a 17-month-old daughter and 2-month-old son.
Ayala faces felony charges of kidnapping, sexual abuse, aggravated assault, and burglary.
Buckeye police explained they discovered Dyer’s plot after seizing Dyer and Alaya’s respective electronic devices.
“In reviewing data from those devices, investigators found evidence that Ayala and Dyer were communicating about the planned assault. The motive behind the plot is unknown at this time,” stated the department.
Detectives have arrested the fiancé of a Buckeye mom who was assaulted by a home intruder earlier this month. This assault was part of a plot between the victim’s fiancé and a Goodyear man he met online. More info: https://t.co/qZSi0jaeN2pic.twitter.com/DwCpfpBiud
On Friday, Oct. 16, Torres was home alone preparing her two children for a trunk or treat event when Ayala came to their front door and triggered the house alarm. Dyer had left shortly before Ayala’s arrival to get groceries, according to court records.
According to Torres, Ayala asked to come inside and use her restroom. Torres attempted to close the door on Ayala, but he charged at her and began choking her.
Torres said that Ayala tackled her to the ground and groped her, kicked her daughter, and demanded that she remove her clothing. Torres managed to escape from Ayala’s grasp and run to the open front door, screaming for help.
Surveillance footage from Torres’ home depicts her fighting off Ayala in her driveway. Ayala repeated that he was “on drugs” and insisted that Dyer, whom he referred to as her “boyfriend,” had sent him to her house.
“Your boyfriend sent me,” said Ayala. “He told me you were into this.”
Surveillance footage showed Ayala fleeing after Dyer returned home. Police arrested Ayala the day after the attack. According to court records, a relative of Ayala’s recognized him from a video of the incident posted to social media.
Ayala later claimed that he and Dyer had agreed to the encounter on Reddit, and his attorney claimed that Dyer invited him over as part of a roleplay scenario.
“This is a giant misunderstanding,” said Ayala’s attorney. “He understood from the victim’s boyfriend that this is something that they did and the victim was consenting to [it].”
The judge rejected the justification for the incident offered by Ayala and his attorney.
“I don’t care if her husband [sic] said he could go in there and do that. That’s not a defense,” said the judge. “That’s problematic.”
Records reflect that Dyer is the owner of Zenith Home Intelligence, a security system provider that was registered by Dyer and Torres with the Arizona Corporation Commission last December.
Dyer moved to Arizona from California within the last few years, according to his personal Facebook page.
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The first confirmed animal case of New World screwworm was announced this week.
The Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) announced on Wednesday that the first case of the parasite was discovered in a dog in Cochise County.
New World screwworms are flies that feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals. These flies lay their eggs in open wounds and cavities such as the eyes, ears, nose, genitals, or mouth. The eggs hatch into parasitic maggots that burrow into and feed on the flesh.
AZDA reported that a local veterinarian discovered the screwworm during an examination of the animal on Monday, Oct. 26. The canine had a wound on its back that was heavily infested with maggots exhibiting New World screwworm traits.
Further testing through AZDA and federal partners confirmed the presence of the New World screwworm. The dog was under veterinary care as of the press release. AZDA stated that it is working with the treating veterinarian and the dog’s owner to gather additional information in order to determine necessary next steps for epidemiologic investigation and local response.
Ryan Wolker, AZDA state veterinarian, said the agency has been ready to address the eventual discovery of the New World screwworm in Arizona. Wolker expressed confidence in the state’s ability to identify and contain the parasite to prevent rapid spread.
“We have been preparing for this possibility for a long while and are acting swiftly,” said Wolker. “Because of the extensive outreach, coordination, and surveillance already in place, Arizona producers, veterinarians, and pet owners know what to look for and how to report suspected cases. That preparation is allowing us to move quickly to protect animal health in the state.”
These proactive measures reportedly included communications with livestock owners, pet owners, tribal partners, industry stakeholders, and animal health professionals about New World screwworm detections in the Southwestern states. Additionally, AZDA and the University of Arizona’s Arizona Livestock Incident Response Team have conducted dozens of educational events, including tabletop exercises, industry workshops, and train-the-trainer sessions.
In late July, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced plans for a new sterile fly dispersal facility at the Douglas Port of Entry, funded with a $25 million investment. The facility would assist the USDA in combatting the spread of the New World screwworm.
Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Republican nominee for governor, secured the establishment of the new facility. That facility has not yet opened; officials aim to complete it by the end of the year.
As of Thursday, USDA reported 74 total confirmed cases of New World screwworm in animals. 73 of those cases involved domesticated animals, and one involved a wild or feral animal. Apart from the first case in the southeastern corner of Arizona, cases have been confirmed across the southern borders of New Mexico and Texas.
AZDA is asking the public to be vigilant and observant with animals in their care or custody as well as wildlife. Signs of New World screwworm infestation include visible maggots in wounds or body openings; open, draining, or enlarging wounds; foul-smelling injuries; and animals that appear weak, lethargic, isolated, or in distress.
Unusual wounds in domesticated animals that appear to be infested with maggots consistent with New World screwworm should be reported immediately to diseasereporting@azda.gov or by calling AZDA at 602-542-4293 during business hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Signs of New World screwworm in wildlife should be reported immediately, along with GPS coordinates of the animal’s approximate location, to the Arizona Game and Fish Department at 623-236-7201.
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