PITTSBURGH An Allegheny County judge has convicted a North Carolina teen of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a suburban Pittsburgh convenience store clerk.

BURLINGTON, Vt. Federal prosecutors have filed kidnapping charges that carry the death penalty against a Vermont man whose 12-year-old niece was found dead near his home.

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. Two men charged in the beating of an New York college student that has gained international attention are now in jail.

ESTELL MANOR, N.J. A state trooper has shot a dog, named Trooper, four times in a twist on a Estell Manor family's tragedy.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. A federal jury found a Bahamian fishing boat captain guilty of second-degree murder in the drowning of three illegal immigrants he was trying to smuggle into the United States.

PITTSBURGH A fifth girl now says she was also sexually assaulted by a student whose alleged attacks have prompted a lawsuit against the Upper St. Clair School District near Pittsburgh.

PITTSBURGH A 19-year-old Pittsburgh man is in jail on charges he fatally shot a 15-year-old boy sitting in his mother's car in the drive-through lane of a fast-food restaurant.

PITTSBURGH Postal Inspectors in Pittsburgh have charged a man with using a corporate credit card stolen from 84 Lumber Co. to buy a $9,400 diamond ring.

BELLEFONTE — Centre County will spend thousands of dollars to have a Minnesota firm inspect the hard drive thought to be from the laptop computer belonging to missing former District Attorney Ray Gricar, his successor said Wednesday.

WILLIAMSPORT — Two State College men entered not guilty pleas Tuesday when arraigned in federal court on charges from a credit card fraud scheme.

Fire company rescues cow from manure pit

Alpha Fire Company came to the rescue of a woebegone cow that had fallen in a manure pit Wednesday evening at a farm at 3760 W. Whitehall Road.

HARRISBURG, Pa. A former mortgage broker sentenced to federal prison Wednesday blamed his poor business acumen for causing hundreds of Pennsylvania homeowners and investors to lose more than $29 million in what prosecutors described as a Ponzi scheme.

ALTOONA, Pa. Altoona police say a paternity test has proven a rape suspect did not father a child born to his alleged victim, a 12-year-old girl.

PITTSBURGH Pittsburgh police say a convicted rapist lured a 15-year-old girl into his car by telling her he knew her mother.

BENSALEM, Pa. State police say a Philadelphia Park Casino employee turned in a counterfeit $20 bill.

MEDIA, Pa. A former mortgage broker has pleaded guilty to stealing mortgage payments in Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks counties and faces 18 to 36 months in state prison.

PITTSBURGH The Upper St. Clair School District near Pittsburgh is defending its response to rape allegations that are part of a federal lawsuit.

BEDFORD, Pa. A Bedford County man will spend the rest of his life in prison in the kidnapping and murder of a woman in April 2000.

PHILADELPHIA The robbery suspect accused of shooting a Philadelphia police officer and his alleged accomplice are held on $1 million bail.

MONTROSE, Pa. State police say a father and daughter are dead from an apparent murder-suicide in their Susquehanna County home.