After nearly 14 years on the run, a man accused of kidnapping and shooting an Iowa woman has been arrested in San Diego. Authorities say Brian Anthony Williams built a new life under a false name, becoming a well-known chef and even appearing in local television and news coverage while remaining wanted by law enforcement.

Williams, 50, was taken into custody Tuesday at Miss B’s Coconut Club in Mission Beach, California, where he had worked for years under the name “Troy Williams,” according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Authorities had been searching for Williams since 2012. Investigators allege that he and several other people abducted and assaulted a woman, shot her and left her in a field in northwest Davenport, Iowa.

Prosecutors charged him with first-degree kidnapping, assault causing serious injury, conspiracy to commit a felony and first-degree arson. He was later federally charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

FOX 5 in San Diego reported that Williams spent more than eight years at the restaurant, where staff members regarded him as a trusted colleague and part of the Miss B’s family.

Eddie Jurado, the restaurant’s general manager and a former roommate of Williams, said employees were shocked to discover that the person they knew as Troy was wanted in Iowa in connection with a violent crime that had occurred nearly 2,000 miles away.

Williams also became a familiar face in San Diego media. His public appearances included a February profile from the Times of San Diego, which chronicled his progression from line cook to head chef at Miss B’s Coconut Club.

During that interview, he spoke about his childhood in New York, the obstacles he had faced and his belief that people should treat one another with compassion.

“Togetherness is how we get better,” he said. “Kindness does win.”

Those media appearances, however, may have played a role in bringing his hidden identity to the attention of investigators.

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A U.S. Marshals spokesperson told the station that someone recognized Williams from one of the interviews and contacted authorities. Investigators then began looking into his connection to the San Diego restaurant.

Federal agents received information in September indicating that Williams was living in San Diego under an assumed identity. They eventually located him at a business in the 3700 block of Mission Boulevard, where he was arrested without incident Tuesday.

“This arrest is a perfect example of those who think they have bested law enforcement and evaded arrest,” U.S. Marshal Ted Kamatchus said.

Williams is being held in federal custody while awaiting extradition to Iowa. He is expected to face prosecution there over the alleged 2012 attack.

News Media contacted the U.S. Marshals Service and officials at Miss B’s Coconut Club seeking comment.

Jurado said the arrest has been difficult for employees, who are now trying to reconcile the allegations with the man they believed they had known for years.

“Like, who is he? He was a good guy here, loved by everybody,” Jurado told FOX 5.

The restaurant manager also expressed compassion for the woman allegedly attacked in Iowa nearly 14 years ago.

“It’s a mixed emotion,” Jurado said. “One minute I’m mad that he lied to us. Next minute, he was good to us…It’s actually kind of scary.”

For years, would-be homebuyers have been advised to hold off.

The guidance was familiar: wait for home prices to fall, mortgage rates to retreat toward their pandemic-era lows and monthly payments to become easier to manage.

The trouble with waiting for every piece of the housing market to line up is that it may never happen. In the meantime, buyers could miss opportunities that are already emerging.

Mortgage rates remain above 7 percent—a figure that would have seemed extraordinarily high during the Covid-era housing boom.

However, broader changes in the US housing market may be creating more favorable conditions than the headline 30-year mortgage rate alone suggests.

Realtor.com senior economist Hannah Jones told the Daily Mail that the national housing market has moved toward greater balance, with some regions now offering buyers conditions not seen in several years.

That shift includes more homes for sale, greater negotiating room and sellers who are increasingly prepared to work with buyers—a significant change from the recent seller-dominated market.

Jeff Lichtenstein, founder and broker of Echo Fine Properties in Florida, told us that homes are spending more time on the market. He is also seeing inventory increase, sellers reduce prices and buyers secure concessions such as help with closing costs, repairs or mortgage rates.

Put simply, buyers may finally be regaining something that has been in short supply for years: bargaining power.

The latest Redfin figures provide a telling indication of how much negotiating leverage buyers may now have.

More than 21 percent of sellers with active listings reduced their asking price during the four weeks ending September 20, Redfin reported. That was the highest share recorded for this point in the year since 2022.

The figures do not mean that every seller is suddenly cutting tens of thousands of dollars from a home’s price.

They do, however, highlight how far the market has moved from the recent frenzy, when buyers regularly competed in bidding wars and sellers often received offers above the asking price.

Redfin also found that nearly half of US homebuyers are receiving some type of seller concession, including funds for repairs, assistance with closing costs or a reduction in their mortgage rate.

Jones said buyers who are hesitant to enter the market should consider the value of these concessions. They can improve the overall deal, even when average mortgage rates remain high.

There is, though, a crucial limitation. Jones cautioned that ‘affordability remains the real barrier,’ especially for younger and first-time buyers.

With mortgage rates above 7 percent, many Gen Z and first-time buyers continue to face significant financial pressure, Jones told us.

‘For those with some financial flexibility, whether that’s savings, family support, or improved income, this moment is worth a closer look,’ Jones said.

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Rather than rushing into a purchase, buyers should examine what is available in their area, how much they can negotiate and whether they qualify for schemes that can help with a deposit or loan.

‘A softening market creates space to explore options without pressure,’ Jones said.

‘The goal isn’t to push hesitant buyers into something they can’t afford, but to help those who may have counted themselves out understand the market has shifted in their favor in many areas.’

One reason buyers remain on the sidelines is that many are still hoping for a return to the extraordinarily low mortgage rates of the pandemic.

A recent survey from real estate firm Cotality found the median 30-year mortgage rate buyers said would persuade them to return to the market was 4.6 percent. 

Fannie Mae, the Mortgage Bankers’ Association and Wells Fargo all expect average rates to remain well above 6 percent for at least the next two years.

Lichtenstein told the Daily Mail that buyers have an advantage today precisely because sellers are more willing to negotiate.

‘The advantage right now is that sellers are motivated to make a deal,’ he said. ‘I’m seeing more rate buydowns and other strategies. More and more inventory is becoming available.’

Lichtenstein also warns buyers not to assume today’s rates are the peak in the mortgage market. 

‘A 7.5 percent rate might look pretty cheap a few years from now,’ Lichtenstein warned. ‘If rates do go down, you can always refinance. But if they rise to 9 percent, then you’re out of luck.’ 

That doesn’t mean homebuyers should take on a mortgage they cannot afford. But it does challenge the idea that waiting is the safest financial decision.

For those struggling with prices, Lichtenstein suggests being flexible about where and what they buy.

‘Fixer uppers and living in a town one or two counties over sometimes can get you into a better price point as well,’ he said.

Cotality’s research suggests buyers are already making compromises – cutting spending, considering smaller properties or looking beyond their preferred neighborhoods. 

In fact, 28 percent of recent buyers surveyed by Cotality said they moved to a different area in search of more affordable housing.

Cotality found that 78 percent of Gen Z homebuyers would cut spending to afford a home, while 74 percent would consider buying a smaller property.

There’s also a point at which life makes waiting to buy challenging.

‘Life happens. Marriage. Babies. It’s impossible to pause forever. Shelter and owning a home is a basic need,’ said Lichtenstein.

The ability to negotiate can help you make the numbers work.

‘It’s worth checking what’s actually available, what negotiating power looks like in your area, and whether the math could work with programs designed for first-time buyers,’ Jones told us.

That strongly suggests that waiting for the perfect mortgage rate is less important than finding the right home at the right price.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicagoans and viewers nationwide can mark Italian American Heritage Month from home with ABC7 Chicago’s live broadcast of the 74th annual Columbus Day Parade on Monday, Oct. 12.

Presented by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans, the parade dates back to 1952 and continues to rank among Chicago’s signature Italian American events. This year’s procession will move south along Dearborn Street, starting at Wacker Drive and ending at Van Buren Street. ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago, the official broadcast partner, will provide live coverage from noon to 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, on television as well as through ABC 7’s digital and streaming platforms.

The 2026 grand marshals include actor and television personality Tony Danza, Lou Gramm—Foreigner’s original lead singer—and Cristiana Dell’Anna, who stars in the film “Cabrini.” Michael Tadin is this year’s parade chairman, while Campania has been selected as the 2026 Region of Honor, highlighting the longstanding connection between Chicago’s Italian American community and Italy.

ABC 7 Eyewitness News anchors Ryan Chiaverini and Tanja Babich will host the broadcast alongside Pasquale Gianni, president of Avanti, the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans’ young professionals’ group. ABC7 Chicago meteorologist Greg Dutra will report from the parade route, speaking with dignitaries and those attending the celebration.

Chicago Public Schools observes Monday as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

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Some people oppose Columbus Day because of Christopher Columbus’ connection to the mistreatment of Indigenous people.

Schools, government offices, libraries and the postal service will be closed Monday.

Watch coverage of last year’s parade here.

The video in the player above is from an earlier report.

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday endorsed the Department of War’s decision to execute the Fort Hood mass shooter by firing squad, saying the Army major who opened fire on fellow service members “deserves it.”

“We’re giving a man the death penalty who killed 14 soldiers a couple of years ago,” Trump said Friday, after the Pentagon drew attention by announcing that the execution would be livestreamed publicly.

“Death penalty through firing squad — and, uh, and he deserves it. Killed and wounded many, many people. Maniac,” the president added.

Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire at Fort Hood on Nov. 5, 2009, in a medical facility where he worked as an Army psychiatrist. The attack killed 13 people and wounded 32 others.

Hasan shouted “Allahu Akbar,” Arabic for “God is great,” as he fired a laser-sighted handgun. He later acknowledged that he intended to stop US forces from deploying to Afghanistan and killing fellow Muslims.

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A military jury convicted Hasan on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. He was sentenced to death after his 2013 trial.

Pentagon officials have confirmed that Hasan’s execution by firing squad is scheduled to be livestreamed from Fort Hood on Dec. 3.

“We’re gonna make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public, because people need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things,” Hegseth said.

“Army major betrays his country, radical Islamist kills a bunch of Americans at Fort Hood. Of course we’re doing it at Fort Hood,” he added.

The most recent US military execution by firing squad took place during World War II.