Gary Karpin, the mouthy disbarred attorney-divorce mediator whose illegal courthouse antics cost his “clients” thousands of dollars and untold heartache, was sentenced on Friday afternoon to almost 16 years in prison. A courtroom packed mostly with the con artist’s victims listened intently as Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Warren Granville…

Jenna Stradling, the daughter of alleged victim Faylene Grant, returns to the witness stand later this morning as testimony continues in the wacky and tragic Doug Grant murder case. Stradling, an 18-year-old student at Brigham Young University, faced a barrage of questions from prosecutor Juan Martinez and defense attorney A…

Jurors and a packed courtroom heard riveting, often heartbreaking, testimony today as the prosecution opened its first-degree murder case against former Phoenix Suns nutritionist Doug Grant. Actually, Jenna Stradling, who is alleged murder victim Faylene Grant’s 18-year-old daughter, is on the stand at the moment in downtown Phoenix, undergoing cross-examination…

The possibility that Faylene died accidently or committed suicide seems every bit as likely as her husband murdered her.

By Paul Rubin Lots of calls and e-mails from folks wondering about the status of the Doug Grant murder case, which we recently wrote about in a two-part series. A 16-person jury (including alternates) has been picked, and opening statements are scheduled for Wednesday, November 12, in the downtown Phoenix…

By Paul Rubin Alex Femenia, the Phoenix police detective whose exploits were a big part of this paper’s “Murder City” series in 2006, retired last Friday after three decades on the force. Movie star Meg Ryan once played with Detective Alex Femenia’s (basket)balls. Femenia is going to work as an…

By Paul Rubin Passersby were diverted for hours this morning as Phoenix firefighters sought in vain to extinguish an intense building fire at 105 East Roosevelt, the onetime office of storied late attorney Tom Thinnes and his con man sidekick, Robert Shawn Owens (pictured below as a part of the…

By Paul Rubin The Phoenix City Council voted unanimously during a meeting this week to dramatically cut back bus service. We learned about this from a buddy who has been riding the bus from his home in northwest Phoenix to his job at the post office in downtown Phoenix for…

By Paul Rubin New Yorker humorist David Sedaris (pictured) spoke at ASU’s Gammage Auditorium last night, and captivated an adoring audience for almost two hours of non-stop laughs. Loved the references to “dropping the deuce” and “crop-dusting,” You might be able to figure out the first one (think scatalogically). We’ll…

By Paul Rubin Word comes from the East Valley Tribune in this morning’s edition about a mysterious executive session Monday of the Gilbert Town Council. Murder defendant Doug Grant The apparent topic: Troubling matters raised in our recent two-part series on the bizarre Doug Grant murder case, which is scheduled…

By Paul Rubin We get asked every so often whatever happened to the Snake on the Plane? You may remember the story: Avtar Grewal, a native of India in his early 30s, flew to Phoenix from British Columbia in March 2007, and went to the home of his estranged wife,…

This is Part 2 of a two-part story. Read Part 1 here. It’s September 24, 2008, seven years to the day since Faylene Grant tumbled off a cliff in Utah. Faylene survived the mysterious fall, only to drown in her bathtub three days later after ingesting enough of the sleep…

By Paul Rubin Calling it a “low blow,” Sheriff Joe Arpaio has rejected a request by a respected local journalist to take a lie-detector test to “prove” he hasn’t masturbated while on duty as the county’s top lawman. The sheriff, currently is running for re-election against Democrat Dan Saban, indicated…

By Paul Rubin A Maricopa County jury a few hours ago convicted onetime Phoenix divorce “mediator” Gary Karpin of 24 felony counts. The 57-year-old Gilbert man is facing a sentence that probably will keep him behind bars until he is a geriatric. He will remain locked up inside the Maricopa…

On September 23, 2001, Faylene Grant wrote a letter to her husband Doug and his ex-girlfriend, Hilary DeWitt. “I know I will be here with my body until it is buried,” the 35-year-old Gilbert mother of four said. “I have held a secret hope and desire for several weeks that…

By Paul Rubin Last night about 6, Norm Frauenheim stepped into the lovely and delicious Mexican restaurant Coyoacan with longtime lady Francisca Montoya. Frauenheim, to put it mildly, was shocked to see about 20 close friends awaiting his arrival for what was a surprise “retirement” party at the South Central…

By Paul Rubin Yup, that’s the headline in the September issue of “Notes,” which the City of Phoenix delivers to its residents inside the monthly water bill. Let’s break it down for y’all a little: So, at long last, our city’s fathers (and mothers) have seen the light (red) and…

By Paul Rubin Yes, the Sheriff decided last month with only a bit of fanfare (that’s the first clue) to see firsthand how the other half lives inside his jail. Stop the presses? Not so fast, Kimosabe. Can you find Sheriff Joe in this photo? We’re not talking about our…

The tragic and mysterious case of 99-305 was ice cold for nine years. Until last week. What unfolded over a matter of mere hours last Wednesday and Thursday amazed police detectives and others to whom investigative twists and turns are the norm. But it really happened. On August 20, someone…

By Paul Rubin We had good reaction to our recent story on Suzi Dodt and the great work she’s been doing as an investigator for the Office of the Maricopa County Medical Examiner. People from as far away as Guam wrote to thank Dodt for her dogged public service. She…

Joey answers the front door of his home in Surprise, 30 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix. Playing the perfect host, he jumps into his guest’s arms and lays a big kiss on his cheek before showing the visitor around the well-appointed, spotless 5,300-square-foot residence. Joey’s wearing light-blue pajamas colorfully adorned…

By Paul Rubin You may recall our stories on Gary Karpin, the disbarred Vermont attorney who moved to Arizona in the mid-1990s and proceeded to rip off a whole bunch of folks with his faux-lawfirm, “Divorce With Dignity.” Here’s the first of the stories, published way back in 2002. That…