news4 erica gonzalez is there tonight. erica? >> reporter: police were originally called to these apartments on a report of a missing person and wound up making a gruesome discovery. it was about 10:30 this morning when the montgomery county police department arrived at 13633 colgate way in bridge cheney. a family member opened the door for the police and they found a couple dead. investigators say it appears to be a murder-suicide, because they found a note along with the bodies. but they're not saying whether or not a weapon was used. >> there's trauma to the bodies. investigators are determining now to confirm just what type of injuries they suffered from, but right now they don't want to release that information. >> both victims were transported to baltimore for autopsies. meanwhile, witnesses tell police that they may have seen the male victim as early as saturday morning around 4:00 a.m. we're live in silver spring, erica gonzalez, news4. >>> the nato summit is underway in chicago. president obama welcomed world leaders and

in the newsroom, erica gonzalez. >>> an consider in connection to the murder of a rap artist. pat collins has more on how detectives finally got a break in this case. >> reporter: wendy, the rapper murder is a mystery no more. police say franklin was killed over crack cocaine. on stage, he was known as frank diggy, a noted rapper growing in popularity. murdered outside his white oak apartment december 27th, the last man murdered in montgomery county in the year 2011. now some closure. charged in the murder, 29-year-old dennis macaby. according to documents, franklin was selling crack cocaine to dennis when he was killed in a robbery. the break in the case came from what you might call the back door. according to these documents, a confidential informant in virginia came forward and said he had information about the homicide. that led it detectives to an eyewitness to the shooting. that's witness identified the trigger man and identified as the man negotiating a drug deal right before he was shot. and killed. >> this case from the beginning has presented some hurdles and challe

here's erica gonzalez. >> give her two more breaths now. two more breaths. make that chest go up and down. and let's go again. one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four. are they there, ma'am? >> yes, they're here. >> a life or death situation. a maryland dispatcher instructs a woman how to give her drowning granddaughter cpr. there's something familiar about that voice. >> she's breathing. >> she's breathing? >> yes. >> he spent 14 years as the voice of camden yards. now david mcgown is pursuing another passion as a 911 dispatcher. >> it's a great feeling. it's fulfillment. it helps me -- it makes me feel that i made the right career choice. >> reporter: he's been on the job just five months. technically still a trainee. >> first there's about six weeks of academics and about tli months of sitting alongside a trainer and taking calls. mcgown says a supervisor was standing alongside him the entire time and gave him a pat on the back at the end of the call. >> i used my personal skills plus the training that i've gotten to get a favorable outcome. >> mcgow

live in alexandria, erica gonzalez. >>> a massive three-alarm fire ripped through the repair shop of former pontiac dealership. that fire started inside a trailer and then spread to the building late this morning. could be days before investigators figure out what caused it. that's because the building is not stable enough for crews to go inside. nobody was hurt. >>> we're hearing from the husband of a young mother who vanished from loudoun county. today would b bethany decker's 23rd birthday. she was pregnant with her second child when she disappeared in 2011. her boyfriend was believed to be the baby's father. decker's husband deployed to afghanistan days after she was last seen. today he joined her family as they handed out flyers in ashburn. >> my expectations for today is to help get out the word to help somehow, somewhere she's listening to this so that way she'll realize we all miss her and that we really need her right now. especially her son kai who is with us right here today. >> reporter: bethany decker's familiarly had a birthday cake for her. they hope that she will join

erica gonzalez caught up with the homeowner, who has lived there for more than 20 years. >> reporter:still on the scene. they're working to make sure that every single hot spot has been contained. all three people that lived inside this home made it out okay. however, there are still three other members of the family that are missing tonight. after 20 years of making a house a home, jerry gilrith and his family saw it all go up in flames. montgomery county firefighters were called to his home on baltimore avenue in bethesda around 6:30 this evening. he says the warning sign came when the lights inside the home began to flicker. >> all of a sudden we heard a boom and i was afraid they might have got hit. they said they were okay. so i came up the stairs to the door that goes out into the garage and there was a flame there. >> reporter: firefighters opened the garage door and found a car on fire. the flames quickly spread, but fortunately, no one was injured. >> the only thing i can figure out is i have an electrical cable in the garage that goes to our electric lawnmower. that could ha

news 4's erica gonzalez has the story from montgomery county. >> reporter: a silverspring man is behind bars after allegedly stabbing his wife to death in broad daylight. neighbors say they saw it all play out saturday morning in this parking lot on garland avenue in silver springs shortly after 8:00 a.m. this neighbor who asked he not be identified says his apartment is directly in front of where 47-year-old anna was stabbed. he tells me she was sitting in the passenger side of a car and a man was in the driver's seat. he says he heard 44-year-old hector grenados walk up to the car and initiate an argument. that's when he heard the male driver tell her to get in the car and immediately after heard her cry out in pain. grenados bolted for the woods while the driver called 911, he says. this woman says she heard the ambulance and police sirens coming around the corner. when she peered out over her apartment window, the woman was laying on the ground. neighbors say the driver was a friend and that he was taking her to the store to do her grocery shopping and the pair's friendship may have

erica gonzalez has their stories. >> mexico, morocco -- >> reporter: this is what ap-american looks like. and this. >> sudan. >> reporter: 75 people from 33 countries gathered at the fairfax county government center to become naturalized united states citizens. they were sworn under oath. >> i will support and defend -- >> reporter: and pledge their allegiance to this country. >> my fellow americans -- >> reporter: cing manage collins makes it is a point to attend every year. >> you took that oath and that makes you as american as me. >> reporter: originally from great britain, andrew says becoming a u.s. citizen a about paving a way for his family and playing an active role in society. >> it's such an incredible honor that when you don't have it, you hunger for it and 16 years being a kind of partial participant in the democracy can be frustrat g frustrating. >> reporter: for others it's honoring the sacrifices hair parent mass for them and moving forward with the american dream. maria says it was the hardest thing to leave her family in peru 12 years ago. but she wanted more opportunit

erica gonzalez will show us how his work is influencing the next generation coming up in our next half hour. >>> also coming up, mass protests in moscow. hundreds have been arrested after a shift in power there. a surprising family secret is revealed at the funeral of a ♪ [ male announcer ] for our families... our neighbors... and our communities... america's beverage companies have created a wide range of new choices. developing smaller portion sizes and more low- & no-calorie beverages... adding clear calorie labels so you know exactly what you're choosing... and in schools, replacing full-calorie soft drinks with lower-calorie options. with more choices and fewer calories, america's beverage companies are delivering. >>> an intense manhunt under way for the man who kidnapped a woman and her children in western tennessee. that man's wife, meanwhile, and mother have been arrested for helping with that abduction. adam mayes is accused of kidnapping family friend jo ann bain and her three daughters from their home last month. the bodies of bain and her 14-year-old daughter were discover

erica gonzalez has our report from dulles international airport. >> reporter: dr.ven fuller says the future of the loudoun county economy would be irrevocably shaped by the extension of the metro rail. loudoun county stands to lose $72 billion over the next decade without the extension of the silver line. that's according to a new report by the director of the center for regional analysis, dr. steven fuller. he announced his findings at a ticket-only breakfast for the loudoun county chamber of commerce and guests. >> this region can't survive. it's competitiveness. we are being outperformed. >> reporter: david la rock was not allowed in the meeting. he says fuller may be improvising information that may not be credible. fuller says developers made a $15,000 contribution for the research to george mason university. >> well, if you don't like the message, you shoot the messenger. that's always the case. >> reporter: supervisors are still unsure whether to contribute more than $150 million to the project. they need to decide by july 4th. >> they have not been able to

in springfield, erica gonzalez, e( e( massachusetts is in trouble stu. an autistic student.the boy had%c1. cf1 o the aid pulled one.iaschool supñ 3 >>> new details in the<3 death a & m band some say he willingly took part in a ritual that turned deadly. champion died last november. he reportedly ran down a bus aisle while other band members punched, kicked and beat him with drumsticks.@í-e that their son somehow asked >> well, he was wanting to do it all season. he wanted to do it all season. >> he would never do any hazing. and for someone to actually say he would, i'm saying no. >> champion's parents say this was a murder and that the hazing charges against 11 band members are not harsh enough. >>> the family of chuck brown wants to give people a chance to pay their final respects.g?1= plans are in the works for an all-day viewing next tuesday. ld/-xv p?n convention center or the verizon the family says plans still haü >>> no presidential endorsement. support3v[ymarriage.<çovade th©; powell previously recommended "don't ask, don't tell," the policy for the military. but h

. >> that was erica gonzalez reporting.ss than a year after oepg the heart center, he has grown from having a handful of patients a week to serving more than 100 patients a month. >>> school officials told the "washington post," the public is where students get to know their professors. >> if they charge for text books they will charge for beer. >> let's check in with chuck bell for your forecast. >> outside for now, we have sunshine, absolutely free for now. but rain drops are coming. i will talk about that in just a few minutes. >>> come on, let's go. >> wait, aren't you forgetting something? >> right, so rusty, i am forgot. live from new york, it's saturday night! >> will ferrell still has got it. he hosted "saturday night live" and reprising his old role as george w. bush. the third time the actor hosted the show. he was a star on the program for seven years and next week is the 37th season finale with host and musical guest, mick jaggar. >> he didn't do alex trebek. >> or the "anchorman," which you did not see. >> for

erica gonzalez is down at national harbor where the preliminary round is just wrapping up.s our little girl doing? >> reporter: she is 6 years old. she is this phenom from woodbridge. her name is lori ann madison. there are two rounds and she spelled her second word wrong. that doesn't mean that she is out of the running and being a semifinalist for tomorrow. we'll have more on that at 6:00. meanwhile, all of these kids. there are about 278 of them toll. but the ones from the d.c. maryland virginia area, 24. they have tricks up their sleeves. they can show you how to do some air writing like this. for instance. v-o-o-r-t-r-e-k-k-e-r-. they do some claps with it to help with timing. any way, they are in the running for being the next spelling bee champ. national spelling bee champ, that is. some of the words 278 students from across the country, including 24 from d.c., maryland, and virginia set out to spell today. correctly, that is. >> d-i-r-i-g-i-b-l-e. dirigible. >> reporter: this 6-year-old and woodbridge native, lori madison. it is 12-year-old tuli's first time at the

news4's erica gonzalez spent the entire day spelling. we'll find out which 50 spellers make the semifinals coming up at 5:45. >>> someone amid romney's campaign could take a lesson from those young spellers. take a look at the new i'm with mitt iphone app. it is supposed to say a better america. but the name of our country is misspelled. the stumble comes at a moment when romney should be gathering speed for a long and grueling battle with president obama in the general electric. today the president called romney to congratulate him on securing the nomination. now it's on to the next phase. steve handelsman has that story. >> reporter: mitt romney played it low key last night when he pledged the gop nomination. and made clear today on fox the next phase will be tough. >> not a lot of people have focused time on the characteristics of a new candidate like myself. >> reporter: they will now and mitt hopes his wife ann can help. >> when i was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, both of us just dissolved in tears. >> this is the new romney ad

erica gonzalez has the report. >> reporter: protesters took to the streets of northwest d.c.attention and fight the utility's 4% proposed rate hike. >> they're not going to listen to us. i'm sorry, ma'am, we can't help you. >> reporter: at noon, the members climbed on to the pepco building on ninth street. within seconds, two people were atop the electric company's headquarters taping up banners and calling out pepco's ceo joe rigby. then a crowd of people stormed the building. pepco employees fought to hold the doors shut. but the group was too large to handle and police were called. by that time, the chanting crowd of about 100 had already pitched a tent and through large sheet cakes at the building and on the company logo. >> can't have your cake and eat it too. >> reporter: the group wants them to cut top executive compensations by half. pepco declined to give news 4 an on camera interview. >> would you care to comment about today? >> no comment. no comment. >> but later released this statement. saying in part, pepco is investing more than $900 million over five years in

news 4's erica gonzalez has both sides of this debate from dulles international airport. >> reporter: the researcher says loudoun can county is at an economic crossroads. loudoun county stands to lose $72 billion over the next decade without the extension of the silver line. that's according to a new report by the director for center of regional analysis, dr. steven fuller. >> this region can't survive. it's competitiveness. we are being outperformed. >> reporter: supervisors are still unsure whether to contribute more than $150 million to the project. they need to decide by july 4th. >> they have not been able to get their arms around how that advantage will pay off in terms of the taxpayers' dollars going into the project and what the return on that investment will look like. >> reporter: swing votes will be key, and suzanne volpe is one of them. >> plans are for it to go to wheelie as of next year, and phase two would be to herndon-monroe. i want to know how much additional money would that cost my constituents to take the bus? >> reporter: some virginia loudoun county officials wo