In a related incident, a California man, Christopher Johnson, has been apprehended for allegedly attempting to sell fentanyl. According to court documents, Johnson was linked to a taxpayer-funded nonprofit organization purportedly involved in distributing needles to drug users in the same troubled area of MacArthur Park. His arrest on May 5 followed a traffic stop by the Los Angeles Police Department, during which officers discovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, empty baggies, a substantial sum of cash, and a scale in his BMW.

When questioned by the authorities, Johnson claimed the drugs belonged to a woman named “Red” and that he was merely storing them for her. He further stated that he was employed by People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), a nonprofit dedicated to tackling homelessness in California.

In a related political development, a Los Angeles City Council candidate has made a bold pledge to live in a trailer outside the drug-plagued park, highlighting the local government’s ongoing struggle with the area’s rampant drug issues.

LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE PLEDGES TO LIVE IN TRAILER OUTSIDE DRUG-INFESTED PARK

Homeless people sleeping in Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park. Christopher Johnson, an employee with a homeless nonprofit that distributes needles at the poverty-stricken park, was arrested after he was found with drugs in his car, authorities said. (Getty Images; Justice Department)

Johnson now faces a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

PATH was founded in 1983 and has expanded its operations to more than 150 cities, court documents state. The services it offers include street outreach, housing navigation, interim housing, rapid re-housing, and permanent supportive housing to help people transition from the streets to stable homes, federal prosecutors said.

Federal authorities made arrests on charges related to selling illicit drugs at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles on May 6, 2026. (Jae C. Hong/AP)

PATH also participates in “harm reduction” service programs and serves as a vendor in distributing syringes, including in the MacArthur Park area, according to a federal complaint. 

Johnson worked for PATH as part of its outreach team in “Service Planning Area 7” before his employment with the nonprofit concluded on Sept. 17, 2025, the group told Fox News Digital. A PATH statement said that it was “outraged and deeply disturbed” that someone would falsely represent themselves as a current employee.

“PATH’s policies and procedures ensure that any employee who does not abide by our code of conduct, or who is found to be participating in unethical or illegal activity, can no longer be employed by our statewide organization,” the statement said. “PATH’s policies and procedures ensure that any employee who does not abide by our code of conduct, or who is found to be participating in unethical or illegal activity, can no longer be employed by our statewide organization.”

The group also said it does not provide syringe exchange services in any of its programs, in contrast to what court documents state. Additionally, it doesn’t currently provide services covering the MacArthur Park area, PATH said, noting that the last services provided in the area ended in June 2024. 

Federal agents gather at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles during a large-scale drug enforcement operation targeting fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution on May 6, 2026. (Fox News)

The Los Angeles County Department of Homeless Services and Housing (HSH) told Fox News Digital that it was “appalled by the alleged exploitation and targeting of the unsheltered individuals we are dedicated to serving and other vulnerable people.”

HSH also noted that PATH doesn’t have syringe exchange services in any of its programs.

“PATH is a key leader in our region’s efforts to end and prevent homelessness and a trusted partner to the County,” the agency said. “Their work has been instrumental in reducing unsheltered homelessness by moving people off the streets and connecting them with housing and support to regain long-term stability.”

MacArthur Park, which sits in Los Angeles’ Westlake neighborhood, has been plagued by high rates of poverty, drug use and gang activity for decades.

“Many of the residents and visitors in the area are drug users, and MacArthur Park is a known location to purchase user-quantities of drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl, in open-air markets,” court documents state.

Earlier this month, federal agents swarmed the park as part of a sweeping operation targeting an infamous open-air drug market notorious for peddling fentanyl and methamphetamine. 

The sting, dubbed “Operation Free MacArthur Park,” led to at least 18 arrests and more than $10 million worth of fentanyl seized in a massive joint effort between local and federal authorities, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

The 18th Street gang traffics drugs across Los Angeles, operating in MacArthur Park, Skid Row, Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley. (@USAttyEssayli)

PATH’s 2025 financial report on its website states that it receives 94% of its funding from federal and local governments.

In 2025, it identified $63 million in salaries and had $10.4 million in cash. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors for comment.

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Steven Anthony Lawrence, once a beloved Disney Channel icon, unexpectedly graced the set of Rob Lowe’s game show “The Floor” this week, marking his return to the small screen over two decades since he first captured audiences’ hearts.

Now 35, Lawrence is best remembered for his quirky portrayal of “Beans” on the popular sitcom “Even Stevens,” starring alongside Shia LaBeouf. He appeared on Wednesday’s edition of the FOX trivia competition, where participants vie for a hefty $250,000 reward.

Faced with the “Renaissance Faire” segment, Lawrence confidently informed host Lowe that he felt well-equipped to tackle the medieval-themed inquiries, drawing from his past experience playing roles such as an elf.

“I’ve taken on a variety of character roles throughout my career, so I’m quite familiar with this category,” he remarked.

Curious about his career highlights, Lowe inquired about Lawrence’s favorite role to date.

“Favorite was definitely Beans from ‘Even Stevens,’” Lawrence replied, drawing loud cheers from the audience.

Lawrence won the Renaissance-themed round before he lost his matchup in the Global News category later in the program.

The appearance marked one of Lawrence’s biggest TV moments in years.

Lawrence became widely known in the early 2000s for playing Bernard “Beans” Aranguren, the Stevens family’s oddball neighbor on “Even Stevens” alongside LaBeouf, Christy Carlson Romano and AJ Trauth.

Originally introduced as a recurring character, Beans quickly became one of the Disney Channel show’s breakout personalities.

Lawrence ultimately appeared in 22 episodes and later starred in “The Even Stevens Movie” before leaving the series in 2003.

He also appeared in early 2000s family hits, including Mike Myers’ live-action adaptation of “The Cat in the Hat” and the 2003 remake of “Cheaper by the Dozen” alongside fellow Disney Channel star Hilary Duff.

While Lawrence has continued acting over the years, one of his last major studio films was the 2005 Will Ferrell comedy “Kicking & Screaming.”

Earlier this year, Lawrence made headlines after he accused Universal Studios Hollywood of firing him in retaliation for reporting what he described as a “suspected pedophile.”

In a January Instagram post, Lawrence shared a photo of his former work ID and name tag next to a Super Mario-themed costume from the park.

“I delayed posting this for about a month because I was hoping we could find some sort of amicable solution because I absolutely loved performing and dancing with all you amazing people,” Lawrence wrote.

“It is with a heavy heart I have to announce that my time with Universal Studios has ended,” he continued, alleging he was terminated “to retaliate for reporting a suspected pedophile around children.”

Universal Studios Hollywood denied the allegations.

“We have investigated and reviewed the concerns brought forward by this former employee and they were found to be inaccurate and without merit,” a spokesperson said.

“We take all employee concerns seriously and have established processes for raising any concerns without fear of retaliation.”

Stephen Colbert faced a wave of disappointment from viewers when Ryan Reynolds unexpectedly joined the farewell festivities on Thursday, marking the end of The Late Show’s remarkable 33-year journey. The final episode was a star-studded affair, filled with surprises, and yet, it left some fans wanting more.

Throughout the first half of this special broadcast, Colbert, now 62, entertained audiences with a series of celebrity cameos. Each guest humorously speculated about being his last interview, a playful buildup that culminated with the legendary Paul McCartney as Colbert’s final guest.

Despite the excitement, some viewers were irked by the appearance of Ryan Reynolds, husband to Blake Lively and notable for his involvement in a legal battle with Justin Baldoni. His surprise cameo seemed to stir mixed reactions among the audience.

Colbert swiftly addressed Reynolds, quipping, “Ryan, it’s great to see you, but I hate to tell you, you’re not my last guest.” This light-hearted dismissal was met with a good-natured response from Reynolds, who replied, “Ouchie. Okay, well, in that case, I’m just happy to be here. Paying my respects to one of the world’s greatest entertainers on his last night at the Ed Sullivan Theater.”

‘Ouchie,’ Reynolds replied. ‘Okay, well in that case I’m just happy to be here. Pay my respects to the one on the world’s greatest entertainers in his last night at the Ed Sullivan theater.’ 

After Colbert thanked him, Reynolds quipped, ‘I was talking about your keyboardist, Corey Bernhard.’ Reynolds then got up to give Bernhard a prolonged hug and a gift of bananas, before the musician playfully shook him off. 

Stephen Colbert, 62, left many fans unimpressed after Ryan Reynolds appeared as a surprise guest during his farewell on Thursday, as The Late Show aired its final star-studded episode

Blake Lively’s husband – who played a major role in her legal war with Justin Baldoni – was among the celebrity cameos

‘Thank you. Please stop DM-ing me,’ Bernhard told him.

‘Never,’ Reynolds replied.

‘Who thought it would be a good idea to trot Ryan Reynolds out? Was the goal to get as many a**holes in screen as possible?’ one fan on X questioned. 

‘Why have Ryan Reynolds on his last show!!! Ugh!’ another wrote.

‘ryan reynolds EW EW EW EW EW,’ another chimed in. 

‘Ryan Reynolds????? WHAT???’ another fumed. 

Meanwhile President Donald Trump delivered a scathing message after the episode ended.

‘Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life. He was like a dead person. You could take any person off of the street and they would be better than this total jerk. Thank goodness he’s finally gone!’ he wrote on Truth Social.

Colbert has spent nearly 11 years at the helm of The Late Show, taking over as host in September 2015 from David Letterman, 79, who launched the late-night talk show in 1993 and retired after 22 years. 

McCartney ended up being the final guest.

The moment proved historic as McCartney and his Beatles bandmates – John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison – famously made their first TV appearance in the United States at the Ed Sullivan Theatre, where Colbert is filmed, in 1964.

Moments before McCartney’s surprise appearance, Colbert joked that Pope Leo was set to be his final guest but that he refused to leave his dressing room.

Colbert quickly shut him down, joking: ‘Ryan, it’s great to see you, but I hate to tell you, you’re not my last guest’

‘Ouchie,’ Reynolds replied. ‘Okay, well in that case I’m just happy to be here. Pay my respects to the one on the world’s greatest entertainers in his last night at the Ed Sullivan theater’

After Colbert thanked him, Reynolds quipped, ‘I was talking about your keyboardist, Corey Bernhard.’ Reynolds then got up to give Bernhard a prolonged hug and a gift of bananas, before the musician playfully shook him off 

‘Who thought it would be a good idea to trot Ryan Reynolds out? Was the goal to get as many a**holes in screen as possible?’ one fan on X questioned

President Donald Trump delivered a scathing message after the episode ended, writing ‘Colbert is finally finished’

The scenario played out in a hilarious sketch with Colbert begging a fake Pope Leo to leave his dressing room before the imposter threw a Chicago-style hot dog in disgust.

‘The Pope – who was definitely my guest tonight – has canceled,’ Colbert exclaimed from behind his desk.

‘We already sent the other stars away,’ Colbert said, referring to cameos from Reynolds and other A-listers who stopped by the studio. ‘This is terrible.’

He then asked, ‘Who is going to be my last guest now?’ Then, from offstage, McCartney yelled out to Stephen and walked onto the stage.

‘Hey Stephen! What about me? I can do it,’ the musician said earnestly.

Colbert started the show with a speech to his audience, telling them he planned to do a ‘normal’ episode before getting a surprise cameo from Bryan Cranston in the audience.

‘But you said there’s nothing special happening tonight?’ Cranston asked.

‘Well, as I was saying, we are doing a normal episode of The Late Show which is always kind of special,’ Colbert said.

‘Oh, yeah, absolutely. But not even, I don’t know, a surprise celebrity cameo popping up out of nowhere?’ Cranston questioned.

‘No, Bryan, those always feel kind of forced,’ Colbert said. 

‘Absolutely, totally, very cheap stunt but I’m here. Maybe I could be your last guest,’ Cranston replied.

‘That would be great, Bryan. The thing is, we already have a pretty special one lined up. I’m sorry,’ Colbert told him, which prompted Cranston to jokingly storm out.

Beatles icon Paul McCartney ended up being his last guest

The moment proved historic as McCartney and his Beatles bandmates – John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison – famously made their first TV appearance in the United States at the Ed Sullivan Theatre, where Colbert is filmed, in 1964

McCartney brought a photograph of the special moment

Colbert started the show with a speech to his audience, telling them he planned to do a ‘normal’ episode before getting a surprise cameo from Bryan Cranston in the audience 

‘I’m here. Maybe I could be your last guest,’ Cranston said. ‘That would be great, Bryan. The thing is, we already have a pretty special one lined up. I’m sorry,’ Colbert told him, which prompted Cranston to jokingly storm out

His monologue was then once again interrupted by actor Paul Rudd who wanted to read him a poem

Actor Tim Meadows also appeared in the audience

Comedian Tig Notaro was also among the crowd

‘Let me guess you also think you’re going to be my guest tonight,’ Colbert asked

‘No. No, I just like to be at historic events. I was at the Obama inauguration, the moon landing, and whatever this is,’ she replied

His monologue was then once again interrupted by actor Paul Rudd who sat in the audience.

‘Paul, why are you interrupting me?’ he asked.

‘I’m just curious when our interview starts. I have an extremely long poem I want to recite and I don’t want to run out of time,’ Rudd replied.

‘You wrote a poem about me?’ Colbert questioned.

‘I wrote a poem,’ Rudd quipped.

‘Okay, that’s nice. Paul, just, you’re not my last guest,’ Colbert replied.

Rudd then joked he got him six bananas as a retirement gift, but had already eaten one of them. 

Actor Tim Meadows then appeared in the audience, saying, ‘I was just explaining to Paul Rudd that for your last guest you wanted someone that you go back with so we could talk about the good old days when you and I were doing second city together.’

‘It’s not you either, Tim,’ Colbert quipped.

‘Screw you, Colbert! You know what! You got what you deserve! Give me those bananas!’ Meadows shouted while jokingly storming out.

Comedian Tig Notaro also made an appearance in the audience. ‘Let me guess you also think you’re going to be my guest tonight,’ he asked.

‘No. No, I just like to be at historic events. I was at the Obama inauguration, the moon landing, and whatever this is.’

He also shared a pre-taped bit with his fellow late night hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and John Oliver at the end 

In the bit, which served as a metaphor for the end of The Late Show, Neil deGrasse Tyson warned that there was a wormhole that was threatening all of late-night TV

Fellow late night star Jon Stewart then came in and read a statement from Paramount, saying the company ‘strongly believes in covering both sides’ of the black hole

After getting swallowed by the wormhole, the host found himself joined for a sing-along by McCartney, Jon Batiste, Louis Cato, and music legend Elvis Costello

Fans lined up to bid farewell to the host ahead of the taping

One sign featured Colbert’s picture and read ‘Thank you Stephen!’ 

Colbert also shared a pre-taped bit with his fellow late night hosts at the end, which served as a metaphor for the end of The Late Show.

In the bit, Neil deGrasse Tyson warned that there was a wormhole that was threatening all of late-night TV.

‘Your cancellation has created a rift in the comedy-variety-talk continuum!’ he said.

Fellow late night star Jon Stewart then came in and read a statement from Paramount, saying the company ‘strongly believes in covering both sides’ of the black hole.

As Colbert tried to figure out what to do, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and John Oliver came to offer advice.

‘Without you, where will Americans turn to see a middle-aged white man make jokes about the news?’ Meyers joked.

The sci-fi bit then showed a glimpse of Elijah Wood after Colbert quoted The Lord of the Rings, before Andy Cohen was seen getting sucked into the wormhole.

Colbert later marched back on stage only for the wormhole to swallow him.

Returning from the commercial break, the host found himself trapped inside a black void, where he was joined for a sing-along by Jon Batiste, Louis Cato, and music legend Elvis Costello.

A number of celebrities have helped Colbert bring the show to a close this week. 

Tuesday’s episode featured Jon Stewart and Steven Spielberg, plus a ‘special performance’ by David Byrne and Colbert, while Wednesday’s episode included a performance by Bruce Springsteen.

His rivals, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, will both air reruns on Thursday night out of respect for the departing star. 

Colbert has spent nearly 11 years at the helm of The Late Show, taking over as host in September 2015; Pictured with Trump in an episode from September 2015

He took the reins from David Letterman, 79, who launched the late-night talk show in 1993; Seen with Letterman in 2023

His roster of high-profile guests includes Taylor Swift; Seen on the show in December 2025

Colbert shockingly announced on July 17 that Paramount/CBS would not be renewing his contract after 11 years on the air, and they would end the late-night program.

At the time, the network claimed it was ‘purely a financial decision,’ but the cancellation came days after Colbert called Paramount/CBS’s $16 million lawsuit settlement with President Donald Trump ‘a big fat bribe.’

Paramount was also in the midst of a multibillion-dollar merger with the movie studio Skydance, which requires the government approval of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Immediately after the show ends, Colbert will be hosting a Fired and Festive wrap party for the Late Show.

As reported by Variety, invites for the bash are topped with the show’s red, white and blue logo which has been tweaked to saw: ‘The LAST SHOW with Stephen Colbert’.

The invitations add: ‘That’s a WRAP! (PARTY)’.

The dress code is said to be ‘Fired and Festive’, and the event will take place at a nearby event space close to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City.

It has been reported that there will be ‘many celebrities’ at the after party, which is being taped.

Days before the death knell, Colbert assembled Fallon, Kimmel, Seth Meyers, John Oliver, and the now-retired Letterman, to help him throw some CBS furniture off the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater, including Colbert’s office chair, per Entertainment Weekly. 

Colbert recently addressed whether he is worried about potential fallout with President Trump. 

Fallon (pictured left) and Kimmel (pictured right) gave Colbert an unusual send-off by going dark in late-night solidarity. Instead, their shows aired reruns

In a new interview with People, he insisted he has ‘no fear’ of the current administration.

‘I mean, how silly would it be? The ending of the show aside, which people can speculate about all they want, and I can’t argue with their speculations, but we’re clowns. How much does it diminish the office of the Presidency to even notice what we say?’ he said.

He continued, ‘[Trump] needs to know how to pick his battles, metaphorically and literally.’ 

What Colbert will miss is ‘the camaraderie of us feeling better about our day. I harvest laughter for a living. I’ll miss that as much as I’ll miss the audience.’ 

He also recalled the moment he heard the news of the cancellation, describing how he was lying on his couch with a sock over his eyes, resting before the show, when his manager dropped the shocking announcement.

‘I sat up and I said, “I’m sorry, I’m awake. Could you say that one more time?”‘

But these days Colbert said he feels as if CBS really ‘saved my life’ by ending The Late Show. ‘It takes a lot of bone marrow to do the show every day, and now I’ll be stepping down with enough time, enough energy to do other things that I want to do,’ he offered.

The star now has more time to spend with his three adult children, Madeleine, 30, Peter, 28, and John, 24, whom he shares with wife of 32 years, Evelyn McGee Colbert. 

Colbert added that after his Late Show duties are over, he will attend his brother’s wedding then get to work on writing the new Lord Of The Rings movie with his son, screenwriter Peter. 

Apart from that, the comedian said he is ‘available’ for hire. 

The film is currently titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past, and will be written by Colbert, his son and Philippa Boyens.

CBS insisted the decision to end the show was ‘purely financial’, but the cancellation came just days after Colbert slammed CBS’ $16 million settlement with Trump as ‘a big fat bribe’; Above, Trump on May 15

The announcement came in March via the studio’s various social media platforms, with Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson joining Colbert for a video call.

Colbert shared that the film will be based on chapters Three Is Company through Fog on the Barrow-downs, from J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic high-fantasy novel The Fellowship of the Ring.

This comes amid news from Puck that The Late Show – which reportedly loses $40 million a year – is on track to post their least-viewed January on record with just 285,000 viewers, the worst in the show’s 10-year history.

When Colbert first announced in July 2025 that The Late Show was canceled he kept his response classy, saying: ‘I do want to say that the folks at CBS have been great partners.’

The Late Show will be replaced by Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen, a comedy talk show that will not have political commentary.

Before The Late Show, Colbert spent nine years hosting The Colbert Report on Comedy Central and had been a correspondent on The Daily Show under Stewart. 

Over thirty years after the mysterious disappearance of Anna Lee Manning from Kentucky, law enforcement has taken decisive action by arresting her husband and his mother, suspecting foul play in what is now being treated as a murder investigation.

Anthony Blaine Manning, a 59-year-old resident of Harrodsburg, is facing serious legal charges, including murder, tampering with evidence, and abuse of a corpse. These charges were formally presented in an indictment on May 18, as disclosed by records from Boyle County courts and the local sheriff’s office.

Additionally, his mother, 76-year-old Barbara Ann Manning, has been charged with complicity to murder, complicity in evidence tampering, and complicity in the abuse of a corpse, reflecting her alleged involvement in the crime.

According to jail records, both individuals were taken into custody at the Boyle County Detention Center on May 19. The court has set their bail at $2 million in cash, indicating the severity of the accusations.

HUSBAND ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH WIFE’S DECADES-OLD DISAPPEARANCE, LINKED TO OTHER COLD CASES, SAY OFFICIALS

Anna Lee Manning disappeared in November 1992 and was later reported missing in Boyle County, Kentucky. (National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs))

Anna Manning was reported missing on Feb. 25, 1994, though investigators believe her death dates back to 1992.

The arrests mark a major breakthrough in one of Boyle County’s longest-running cold cases.

On May 19, Detective Ray with the Boyle County Sheriff’s Office announced the indictments, saying the investigation into Anna Manning’s disappearance remains ongoing.

COLD CASE BREAKTHROUGH SOLVES TEEN KILLING AFTER SUSPECT LIVED FREE FOR DECADES: ‘BETTER BE AFRAID’

Barbara Ann Manning was charged with complicity to murder and related offenses in the Anna Lee Manning case. (Boyle County Sheriff’s Office)

Authorities spent Wednesday digging behind a home on Spring Valley Road belonging to Barbara Manning, searching for evidence connected to the case.

Investigators have not confirmed whether human remains have been found.

Anna Lee Manning was just 23 years old when she disappeared from Junction City, Kentucky, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).

The database states Manning was last seen on Nov. 19, 1992, standing outside Chinn’s Jewelry Shop on North Third Street.

Her aunt, Elsie Williams, later recalled seeing Anna that day.

“She shouted out to her aunt and said she had something to tell her,” the NamUs case file states.

Williams never learned what Anna wanted to say. She never saw her niece again.

BODY OF MISSING WASHINGTON STATE GRANDMOTHER FOUND BURIED UNDER SHED PARTIALLY ENCASED IN CONCRETE

NamUs records show Anna was 5 feet tall and weighed about 108 pounds at the time of her disappearance. Her case was entered into the national missing persons database in 2013.

Family members told local outlet LEX 18 they have believed for decades that Anna Manning’s body was buried on the property.

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“I’ve been praying every night for the last few months that they would find her,” Williams told the outlet.

Williams, who said she is battling cancer, told the outlet finding her niece before she dies has become deeply important to her.

“I wanted to find her before I died,” she said. “There ain’t nobody left.”

MAN ACCUSED OF TIMED BEATINGS NOW CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER WOMAN FOUND DEAD IN RIVER: REPORT

Anthony Blaine Manning faces murder and related charges in the disappearance of Anna Lee Manning. (Boyle County Sheriff’s Office)

Williams also alleged Anthony Manning had been abusive during his relationship with Anna and said she had concerns about him early on.

“He was a nice looking boy, but I knew a lot about the family,” Williams told LEX 18. “I didn’t want her with him.”

According to the outlet, Williams said Anna endured a difficult childhood and struggled with mental health challenges as a teenager.

MAN UNCOVERS MISSING FATHER’S BONES BURIED BENEATH FAMILY HOME, UNLEASHING ‘A THOUSAND’ OTHER SECRETS

This was not the first time investigators searched the Spring Valley Road property. Detectives also excavated areas there in 2016 after leads again pointed authorities to the location.

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One volunteer assisting investigators, Crystal Williams, told reporters she remembered there being an old well on the property years ago.

“I was trying to help them locate where that well’s at,” she said.

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Anna Lee Manning was 23 years old when she disappeared from Junction City, Kentucky, in 1992. (National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs))

When asked whether she believed investigators were close to finding Anna, she responded, “Yes.”

The Boyle County Sheriff’s Office thanked several agencies assisting in the investigation, including the Danville Police Department, Junction City Public Works, Boyle County Public Works and Danville/Boyle County Emergency Management.

LISTEN TO THE NEW ‘CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO’ PODCAST

Fox News Digital reached out to the Boyle County Sheriff’s Office and Williams for additional comment but did not immediately receive a response.

The Boyle County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information related to the case to contact investigators at 859-238-1220.

CHICAGO (WLS) — In an exclusive discussion, the Illinois Secretary of State has addressed allegations against a Chicago-area entrepreneur, accused of defrauding clients out of substantial sums.

Alexi Giannoulias has spoken out regarding the alleged fraudulent activities tied to “Brandon Mr. Finance,” a case initially uncovered by the I-Team last week.

Expressing his anger over the accusations against “Brandon Mr. Finance,” Giannoulias assured that his office is committed to seeking justice for those affected by the alleged scam.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The emotional testimonies of victims have resonated across Illinois, drawing the concern of Giannoulias, who is taking a personal interest in the case.

“People have lost significant amounts, jeopardizing their financial futures, which is truly heartbreaking,” Giannoulias remarked. “We’re fully engaged in efforts to address and resolve these issues.”

The man at the center of the story is Brandon Ellington, who goes by “Brandon Mr. Finance.” He’s accused in a lawsuit of convincing people in Chicagoland to take out loans and invest in his business, allegedly promising big payouts.

The I-Team heard from more than 30 people who said “Brandon Mr. Finance” took their money and stopped paying.

“It’s to the point where I might have to do something with my house and move in with my daughter,” Laviner Walker said.

“Not only did you treat us bad, you used God’s word to rip people off,” Taketa Reed said.

Giannoulias filed an order of prohibition against Ellington and his company, Access Capital Today Inc., prohibiting him from “acting as an investment advisor or investment advisor representative in or from the state of Illinois… in the public interest and for the protection of the investing public.”

“Anyone who is giving investment of financial advice of any kind needs to be registered with the secretary of state’s office. This individual never even registered with us,” Giannoulias said. “We are working with law enforcement. Working with the attorney general’s office, to get to the bottom of this.

Giannoulias is asking the public to be vigilant. He says these so-called investment programs will likely become more prevalent, because of technology.

“With the advent of AI, and some of these scams are becoming a lot more sophisticated,” Giannoulias said. “They are specifically going after older, more vulnerable Illinoisians. They are going after folks in minority areas. They’re preying on them-it makes me even more upset.”

Giannoulias says to always check with his office before doing business with a so-called financial advisor-to make sure they’re registered with the state.

“If someone is asking you to leverage your home or take out loans or go into debt to make an investment, more than likely, something sketchy is going on,” Giannoulias said.

“I keep trying to reach him to get my money,”Walker said.

It’s unclear if the people who came to the I-Team will ever get their money back-but they say they won’t stop fighting for justice.

“If I don’t get it I don’t get it, but if i can help somebody else from losing, that’s all that matters,” Shederick Ricks said.

“Brandon Mr. Finance” previously told the I-Team the claims that multiple individuals made are not true and that he offered to fully refund every person who has not completed the program. He said he’s not interested in litigating this through ABC7. He still has not responded to the secretary of state’s order of prohibition filing-against him and his company.

Sam is in your side. If you have a problem you want Samantha Chatman and the I-Team to investigate, call 312-750-7TIP.

One last farewell.

Stephen Colbert wrapped up his tenure with a memorable conclusion to “The Late Show” on Thursday night, following CBS’s decision to cancel the series last year.

In a delightful twist, Colbert welcomed an array of surprise guests, including Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Tim Meadows, Tig Notaro, and Ryan Reynolds, each believing they would be his final interviewee.

As he delivered his last monologue, the 62-year-old host bid farewell to the enthusiastic crowd at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City, as well as to viewers tuning in from home.

“Creating this show for you has been a true pleasure,” Colbert remarked, noting that the program has affectionately been called the “Joy Machine.”

“I cannot adequately explain to you what the people who work here have done for each other, and how much we mean to each other,” Colbert added.

“We love doing the show for you, but what we really love, is doing the show with you.”

He then played a montage of other late night shows poking fun at Colbert and the show before the show’s iconic intro from the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City.

“We’ve had so much fun in this theater,” Colbert added, before showing a “first draft” of his goodbye card, where he asked “How do you start an OnlyFans?”

Colbert added they were planning on doing a big “special,” but he decided to do a regular episode instead, though he was interrupted by Bryan Cranston.

Colbert joked that celebrity cameos feel “kind of forced,” but Cranston suggested he could be the last guest, though Colbert said he already had a pretty special guest lined up, as he stormed off and threw his hat.

He continued to do a few more monologue bits before he was interrupted again by Paul Rudd, who said he has a poem he wanted to recite, but Colbert broke the news to him that he’s not the final guest.

Tim Meadows told Paul to accept the fact he would not be the final guest, assuming it would be him, since they went back to the Second City days years ago, as Meadows stormed off and took Rudd’s bananas.

After the monologue, he delivered a final installment of Meanwhile, breaking down more news stories about home distilling and a lawsuit involving Peanuts music.

His band – Louis Cato and the Great Big Joy Machine – then proceeded to play some of the music, as Colbert joked, “I hope this doesn’t cost CBS any money.”

Tig Notaro was spotted in the audience, stating she likes to be there during historic events, and she didn’t think she would be the final guest.

Ryan Reynolds then interrupted, believing he was going to be the final guest, but Colbert said he would not be, with Colbert revealing the “very special final guest” would be unveiled after the commercial.

The final guest supposed to have been none other than Pope Leo XIV, but a miscommunication on his “rider” lead to him cancelling the appearance.

Paul McCartney then gamely arrived and volunteered to be the final guest, saying he was running some “errands” and he brought him something.

Colbert then pulled out a framed, autographed photograph of The Beatles during their historic 1964 performance at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

“It’s fantastic to come back here. I always remember the girls in the balcony. Mr. Sullivan was really nice, a really good guy,” he said.

“People said this was the biggest show, but to tell you the truth, we had never heard of it,” he said, adding that the make-up girls made him “bright orange.”

When asked if they were pleased with how it went, McCartney said, “We’re live, and we sound good, man.”

He admitted, “We were a little bit nervous, but we were young kids and full of ourselves. You know, it was very exciting.”

It was their first ever visit to America, adding, “America is where all the music we loved came from, so that’s what we thought of America, the land of the free, the greatest democracy, that’s what it was, and hopefully still is.”

Before he was going to continue his interview with McCartney, a bizarre technical glitch occurred with a bizarre graphic appearing on the digital backdrop behind him.

McCarthy discussed his upcoming album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, which is set for release on May 29, inspired by his neighborhood growing up.

“One day, the boys, a couple of big strapping guys decided to mug me. I was little and scrawny and they were big and ugly and they wanted my watch. However, I reported them to the cops and I got my watch back,” McCartney said.

Colbert added he has a lot of superstitions before a show, with McCartney adding that he always has a “cheese and pickle sandwich” after a show, “accompanied by a margarita.”

McCartney admitted that fans often misinterpret his songs to him, adding, “‘Strawberry Fields,’ the beginning says, ‘Living is easy with the eyes closed,’” but some people think it’s “Living is easy with nince clothes.”

Colbert tried to continue with the interview when another glitch happened, as they pretended to take another commercial break as Colbert went to investigate the glitch.

He went backstage and found a huge green portal that started sucking objects into it, including his Apple watch, when Neil deGrasse Tyson arrived, saying it was an inter-dimensional wormhole.

He says that Colbert’s cancellation created a rift that could lead to the end of late night forever, though Colbert ended up pushing Tyson into the wormhole.

Colbert asked if there was a mentor figure around, which lead to Jon Stewart arriving, reading a statement from Paramount.

Stewart wondered if he might have been in denial about his cancellation, leading to a Colbert spit-take.

Colbert then said he loved Stewart and he did a spit-take in his face, when the rest of the late-night hosts arrived – Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver – who had some words of wisdom to help Colbert process the end of his beloved late-night talk show.

Colbert returned and told some more jokes before the green wormhole arrived again, sucking up everything and everyone from the theater, with Colbert throwing it to commercial before he disappeared.

Colbert was seen in a desolate, echo-y space, where he started singing “Jump Up” by Elvis Costello, joined by his bandleader Louis Gato, Jon Batiste and Costello himself.

They cut back to the studio with McCartney, Costello, Batiste and Colbert singing The Beatles classic “Hello, Goodbye” with his full house band.

Colbert’s family took to the stage with his full staff, as they clapped along with the song, filling up the balcony above and the full stage.

Colbert then snuck away to pull the breaker for the studio, instead giving the honors to McCartney, and when he did, the green wormhole returned, sucking the entire Ed Sullivan Theater into it, producing a tiny snow globe with the theater inside, as the final episode came to a close.

Colbert took over “The Late Show” in 2015 from David Letterman, who retired after more than 20 years. George Clooney was Colbert’s first guest.

Letterman, 79, returned to the show last week and unloaded on CBS for axing the series. He and Colbert also joined forces for a segment where they tossed furniture off the roof of the Manhattan theater.

In addition to Letterman, Jon Stewart, Steven Spielberg, Bruce Springsteen, Barack Obama and Christopher Nolan stopped by the “Late Show” for Colbert’s final episodes.

Colbert announced the end of his late-night show after nearly 33 years in July 2025, telling viewers that he found out about the decision the previous evening.

“I’m not being replaced, this is all just going away,” he told the audience.

At the time, CBS claimed they canceled the series as a “purely financial decision” and “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.” 

Before the cancellation news, Colbert criticized CBS’s parent company, Paramount, regarding its $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over a controversial “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris ahead of the Skydance Media-Paramount merger.

During one of his July 2025 monologues, Colbert said, “As someone who has always been a proud employee of this network, I am offended, and I don’t know if anything will ever repair my trust in this company.”

“But just taking a stab at it, I’d say $16 million would help,” he jokingly added.

Before hosting his final show, Colbert admitted to People he thinks the cancellation “saved [his] life.”

“It takes a lot of bone marrow to do the show every day, and now I’ll be stepping down with enough time, enough energy to do other things that I want to do,” he shared.

Colbert also said he’s looking forward to being an empty nester with wife Evelyn McGee Colbert, with whom he shares adult children Madeleine, 31, Peter, 28, and John, 24.

As for his next projects, Colbert has been tapped to write an upcoming “Lord of the Rings” film with son Peter — but he told People he’s still plotting his future.

“So I don’t have much better of an answer than most college seniors do, which is I’ve got to finish this first, because it takes almost the entirety of my brain to do this show,” he said.

“So we’ll land this plane and we’ll check out the view from there.”