ainsley earhart was in attendance and ainsley, the family must have just been going why? why?arkable family. i had an opportunity to talk to several of them yesterday and a lot of the family and friends that grew up in that neighborhood said he is a devout catholic. he's a born again christian. very involved in his church. the priest was there, who was his -- who helped him with that journey. >> didn't he almost become a chaplain? >> he wanted to become part of the clergy within the police department and maybe a chaplain as well. but everyone said that was his goal and that's what he was aiming for. he also had a dream as a child to become a police officer. his grandmother, when she found out the news, the lady who raised him, she was rushed to the hospital. she's still in the hospital because she's so upset. his child is in college and he's trying to raise -- the family is trying now to get the word out that they don't have the money to send this child to college. the dad was working overtime. here is what one of the cousins said about seeing his dream of a police officer and

. >> we sent the co-host of fox & friends first ainsley earhart down to panama city beach florida, to's going on at spring break with your kids. this is what she found. >> when do people start drinking here? >> literally like right when we wake up. >> which is what time? >> we wake up at like 10:00. we wake up early. >> when will you guys stop drinking? >> when we pass out. >> are you drinking right now? >> what does it look like? >> and why were you arrested? >> public indecency. >> what about your parents? >> i don't know what they're momma and daddy think but i know what everybody else is thinking. >> we are in west monroe, louisiana. as you can see this is the duck commander warehouse. in a world where broadcast tv sex sells violence sells and all of a sudden comes "duck dynasty," family values end of the show you all hold hands and pray. and it becomes a hit. what does that tell you? >> still tells me that there's hope. that people still you know, believe in something -- want to believe in something. even if their family doesn't do that, i think there's families who want to be th

i'm ainsley earhart filling in for elisabeth hasselbeck this morning.y kicking off around the world as millions head to "new york times" square for the biggest party this year. we are live with a look behind the scenes. >> while it's still 2014, jonathan gruber strikes again. >> i wish people cared about the 50 million uninsured in america but they don't. and i think that's why once again, you know, i'm amazed politically we got this bill through. >> that's the latest from the man just named america's most influential economist. peter? >> and abraham lincoln is one of the most important presidents in american history but don't ask your average american about that. >> how did lincoln free the slaves? was lincoln republican or democrat? >> it gets worse from there. but it gets better here because mornings on this new year's eve are better with you, our friends. ♪ ♪ >> happy new year. this is new zealand where it is already 2015, about an hour ago. >> this is the north island. >> yes, it is. it's a great city. sky tower there. one of the great great specta

. >>> we turn now to ainsley earhart, a lot to bring you this morning.leader of isis now being questioned in lebanon. two senior officials saying they captured her and her nine-year-old son more than a week ago using fake i.d. cards crossing the border from syria. officials saying the woman is believed to be one of the wives of isis leader al bagdadi. he was thought to be critically injured during an air attack on november 8. but a few days after that, a new audio tape of him surfaced, calling for an increase in lone wolf attacks. >>> a suspected serial killer wanted for murdering four people in west virginia is dead. police found 39-year-old jody hunt in his truck in the woods. they say that he turned the gun on himself after an hour long manhunt that forced the lockdown of several schools in the area. friends identifying one of his victims as an ex-girlfriend who filed a domestic violence case against the suspect just last month. before his deadly rampage, he wrote this chilling facebook post: you will not hurt me anymore. you will not destroy my soul

aim ainsley earhart filling in for elisabeth this morning. the senate releasing its c.i.a.report, but first senator diane feinstein apologizes for america. >> it shows that the c.i.a.'s actions a decade ago are a stain on our value and on our history. >> well, now when they release that report, it's sparking new fears of terrorist attacks right here at home. >>> so how is the mainstream media covering the controversial c.i.a. report? you can sum it up all with one outrageous question asked on nbc news. we'll share it. >> we will. and why are protesters angry about race relations in the united states? looting small businesses. john stossel asked them to explain. >> small business was innocent. >> they're innocent. so was michael brown. >> okay. that's not all they told mr. stossel. you'll find out more because mornings are better with you. thank you for joining us. >> this is sarah he have beens and you're watching -- evans and you're watching "fox & friends." >> coming up shortly, we're going to find out some things about brian kilmeade's family. you've had experts digging

ainsley earhart i think is ready to tell us the news. >> that's exactly right.ts who unleashed australia's worst lone wolf terrorist attack. the self-professed radical cleric who held 17 people hostage inside that cafe was out on bail after being accused of being an accessory to his ex-wife's murder. he was also inspired by isis and was responsible for sending hateful letters to the families of fallen australian soldiers. despite his criminal record, he was not on the country's terror watch list. he and two of his hostages died during that confrontation. one of the victims, the manager of the cafe, being hailed a hero after he tried to wrestle the gun away from the jihaddist when he was dozing off. >>> and intense manhunt i underway right now for the former marine accused of murdering his ex-wife and five of her relatives on a shooting rampage in pennsylvania. school in the area are closed today and if you live in that area, you're asked to stay inside. this after sergeant bradley stone tried to carjack someone last night. he wound up running into the woods when

. >> in the meantime, let's go over to ainsley earhart.ou need to start it. >> i'm out the door as soon as this show is over. >> right with you, sister. >> let me tell what you you missed while you were sleeping. don't worry, the six former gitmo detainees seen smiling and giving a thumbs up to the cameras are not terrorists. that's what u.s. officials told the president of uruguay before he accepted the prisoners. five of them were labeled high risk by joint task force for gitmo. as many as 30 former detainees returned to the terror battlefield. >>> he sued the widow of veteran sniper chris kyle and he won nearly $2 million. but that's not enough for former governor jesse ventura. >> the jury rendered that decision. jesse ventura did not render how and why the money would be paid. that came from a jury. not from me. >> he is now suing the book's publisher, harper collins, for $150,000 in damages. harper collins, a division of our parent company, ventura accused kyle of making up claims in his book, "american sniper" about punching ventura

. >> ainsley earhart is right up on the list and joins us now. >> thank you.ere sleeping. the nypd preparing for riots at this hour. a grand jury expected to decide on whether to indict an officer for the death of eric garner. this video shows the officer putting him if a choke hold after he resisted arrest for selling cigarettes illegally. the officer will be indicted. if 12 of the 23 jurors vote yes on the charge, 15 jurors are white and eight are hispanic or black. >>> a bizarre death being investigated now at this hour. police in wisconsin found the body of this lady, brook bowers, a 21-year-old college student at the restaurant where she worked. she happened to be inside a three foot by three foot dumb waiter. >> our hearts go out to the parents that have this beautiful daughter taken from them. >> brook, a talented gymnast, was set to graduate from a state university in minnesota next year. >>> and the new secretary of defense could be named today. ashton carter, a former second in command at the pentagon, reportedly in line to replace outgoing secretary