Man Praised for Fire Rescue Attempt Now Accused of Killing Neighbor | Crime Alert 6AM 12.15.25

Seventy-year-old William Ahle has officially been charged with the murder of 82-year-old Virginia Cranwell. He told police that he rushed inside his neighbor's home to save her, but did he set her home ablaze?

Rob Reiner and his wife Michele found murdered.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Alert I means grace breaking crime is now and
New jerseyman once hailed as a hero for trying to
rescue a neighbor from a burning house now charged with
her murder. William Ale, seventy, tells authorities while walking his dog,
he spots flames coming from his longtime neighbor, eighty two
year old Virginia Cranwell's home and rushes in through an

(00:21):
open garage. That's not exactly what happened. We'll find out
what did happen in court Nancy.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Authorities in Union County have announced charges in this shocking
homicide case. Seventy year old William L has been officially
charged with the murder of his eighty two year old neighbor,
Virginia Cranwell. Prosecutor William Daniel and Fenwood Chief Law Enforcement
Officer Lieutenant Daniel Krans made the announcement public. L faces

(00:50):
multiple charges including first degree murder, felony murder, burglary, and
aggravated arson. The case began when firefighters responded to a
house fire in fan Would around one thirty seven am.
L told police he was walking his dog when he
saw flames coming from Cranwell's home and ran inside through
the garage, but after months of investigation, authorities say the

(01:14):
officials determined the blaze was intentionally set. The Union County
Medical Examiner ruled Cranwell's death homicide. Investigators found evidence including
surveillance footage showing L entering the woman's garage multiple times
and a gas can with his DNA on it behind
the woman's ottoman in her home. The evidence led detectives

(01:37):
to l as a suspect rather than a hero. L
was taken into custody and is being held at the
Middlesex County Jail pending his next court appearance.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
Nicole, thank you more Crimate Justice News.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
After this, Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle Singer Renger
have tragically lost their lives and now authorities say they
are questioning their son Nick. On Sunday, December fourteen, around
three point thirty pm, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded

(02:11):
to a home provided medical assistance. Upon their arrival, they
discovered the bodies of a seventy eight year old man
and sixty eight year old woman, later identified as Rob
and Michelle. Rob Reiner, renowned director, producer, and actor, is
celebrated for directing iconic films such as Stand By Me,
The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, and so many more.

(02:35):
Born in the Bronx in nineteen forty seven, Rob was
the son of the legendary comedian Carl Reiner and an actress.
Is still a boast. Robin Michelle's paths crossed during the
filming of When Harry Met Sally, leading to their marriage
in nineteen eighty nine and the birth of their three children.
Prior to Michelle, Rob was married to the late Penny Marshall.

(02:56):
In a twenty sixteen interview with People dot com, opened
up about his long battle with drug addiction, which began
in his early teens and ultimately led to a life
on the streets. He recounted his experience of frequently entering
and exiting rehab programs starting at the age of fifteen,
but as his addiction worsened, he found himself increasingly estranged

(03:19):
from his family and living homeless across several states. Sources
close to the situation say that now police are interviewing
the Sun in relation to the death of his parents.
A holiday meal intended for inmates at a South Carolina
prison was intercepted by a guard before it could reach

(03:41):
its final destination. The South Carolina Department of Corrections revealed
that the items delivered by drone to Lee Correctional Institution
included stakes, crab legs, old base seasoning, marijuana. The drone
and its cargo were confiscated on Sunday Monks. While dreams

(04:01):
of a holiday feast filled with treats were dashed, The
inmates were left with the usual fare served in prison.
Looks like some individuals had plans for an early holiday crab,
boil and steak dinner complete with marijuana, the Corrections officials
shared on x all of it brought in by a
drone at Lee CI. For now, prison guards intercepted. No

(04:25):
holiday feast for these inmates.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
Craig Melton agrees to give two guys the right to Bellcourt,
North Dakota, two hundred and fifty miles from Melton's Fargo home.
Two days later, Melton has not returned. His roommate reports
him missing. Cops find Melton's maroon Saturn abandoned near the
Bellcourt destination. The back dash and seats have been ripped

(04:48):
out of the car. They're missing. No one has been
able to id who Melton was driving to Bellcourt, but
family members don't believe they were strangers. It's now been
two and a half out for years since anyone has
seen thirty four year old Craig Melton. If you have
information on his disappearance, please contact card Contact Fargo p

(05:10):
D seven oh one two three five four four nine three.
For the latest crime injustice news, go to crimeonline dot
com and please join us for our daily podcast, Crime Stories,
where we do our best to find missing people, especially children,
and help solve unsolved homicides. With this crime al Art,
I'm Nancy Grace