ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - May 27, 2025

Tonight, there is breaking news. The former police chief tonight a fugitive on the. run authorities warning he could be. armed and dangerous. Tonight, that urgent search for a. former police chief, a convicted murderer. escaping from a high security prison. wearing a makeshift officers uniform. where they think he could be. Also, just in the other major escape. in tonight, the new body camera just in tonight of. two of the inmates who made that brazen escape, the hunt now for others at this hour. Tonight, there is news on COVID vaccines. in the U.S. Health Secretary RFK Jr.

Now bypassing the CDC, changing the guidance. on COVID vaccines when it comes to pregnant. women and healthy children. Kennedy's decisions tonight blind-sighting. many medical experts. Also the news just in tonight, President Trump now pardoning. two reality TV stars of fraud and tax. evasion convictions. Many will remember them from TV. Tonight be arrest a second suspect accused. of kidnapping and torturing a cryptocurrency investor for. weeks and a new video coming in tonight of the first arrest.

Tonight with the suspects who accused of doing to that. investor as they tried to get his Bitcoin password. and how he broke free. The explosive testimony today in the Sean Diddy-Comes trial. His former personal assistant, Testifying Comes, showed up. at her apartment with a gun and who she testified he said. he was going to kill. Tonight the charges after a suspect drives. his van into the crowd, at least 65 people heard, including children. Tonight all eyes at a critical due launch. for Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship.

It happened just moments ago after the last two. ended with explosions, what we're seeing here tonight. Tonight the images coming in from Gaza, the urgent need there and the chaos. as the first aid reaches Gaza in months, families and children, bracing to get any food they could find. Tonight, King Charles, North of the border in Canada, after President Trump said Canada should be the 51st state, what King Charles said today. Tonight, the new charge against former Olympic star Mary Lou. Retten, and tonight, Billy Joel, at his brain diagnosis,

what his wife has now revealed. From ABC News, World Headquarters, and New York, this is World News Tonight with David New York. Good evening. It's great to be back with all of you at home. after the Memorial Day holiday. We do begin tonight with this urgent search. for a former police chief, a convict. and murderer known as the Devil of the Ozarks, who escaped from a high security prison. in a makeshift uniform. He was serving at decades-long sentence.

for murder and rape in Arkansas. Grant Hardin slipped through a controlled gate. in broad daylight. We're learning that law enforcement uniform. he put together himself. Tonight officials circulating this wanted poster. of the 56-year-old former police chief, residents have been told to be on high alert. and to lock their doors. Authorities are closing roads, setting up checkpoints. and searching the densely wooded area. And tonight we've learned the search area is now widening. And what officials are now saying about where he could be, ABC's Faith the Bouquet leading us off tonight. She's in Calico Rock, Arkansas for us tonight.

Arkansas residents on high alert as the urgent search for. a former police chief turned escaped convict stretches. into its third day. Grant Hardin breaking out of an Arkansas prison this weekend. The 56 year old was serving decades in prison. for rape and murder. The Stone County Sheriff's Office releasing this photo they. say shows Hardin disguised in a makeshift officers uniform as. he took off from the prison through a controlled gate. It does look like it was handmade and manufactured. in a lot of ways.

So we're trying to ascertain exactly what compiled that. makeshift uniform and we're as able to get those materials. Tonight, authorities telling ABC News they're. scouring the densely wooded area nearby, warning. Hardin who has a law enforcement background could be armed and. dangerous. The sheriff closing roads setting up checkpoints and. telling the community to quote, "Stay vigilant, lock your house. and vehicle doors and report any suspicious. activity immediately.". Hardin, known locally, As the devil of the Ozarks has.

been the subject of criminal docusy Reese, police detectives. who previously worked alongside him shocked and devastated. "There's evil in this world that will take advantage. of an opportunity to get it. And then here he was, twenty years later sitting. five feet away from me. I had no idea.". the urgent manhunt for the former police chief. comes at the same time as authorities are still. looking for two of the ten inmates who escaped in a.

separate brazen jailbreak in New Orleans. Everybody move to the right side of the court. Authorities releasing this new body camera video of. two of their most recent arrest now captured and back. behind bars. Back in Arkansas, the manhunt intensifying. tonight as residents remain on edge. So let's bring back in faith the boobay she's live tonight. in Arkansas on the scene of that search and faith. I know you just spoke with authorities. What do they think he could be? Yeah, David, they believe he could be in the densely. wooded areas around here, which is making the source.

even more difficult. A source telling me just moments ago, they are following a. strong lead nearby helicopters, ATV's drones and canine. officers all being utilized in the Spurgeon Manhunt. David. All right, Faith, the Bubay. leading us off here tonight. Faith, thank you. We turn now to the major headline involving COVID. vaccines here in the U.S. and the changing guidelines tonight when it comes. to pregnant women and children and its causing controversy. Health Secretary RFK Jr. bypassing the CDC announcing. these major changes no longer recommending.

the vaccines for healthy pregnant women. and healthy children. Kennedy's decision blinds citing many medical experts. the leading OB-GYN association saying tonight about this. unexpected move. It is very clear that COVID-19. infection during pregnancy can be catastrophic. Here's Rachel Scott. Tonight in a significant change to CDC guidelines, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announcing that apartment. will no longer recommend routine COVID shots. for healthy children and pregnant women.

I couldn't be more pleased to announce that as of today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and. healthy pregnant women has been removed from. the CDC recommended immunization schedule. Kennedy and noted vaccine skeptic has questioned. whether the COVID-19 vaccine was successful in saving. millions of lives. Today, he was joined by other top health officials. There's no evidence healthy kids need it today. And most countries have stopped recommending it for children. But the move was quickly questioned by public.

health officials, accusing the Trump. administration of bypassing the traditional. independent review process, including recommendations. from medical experts. We were kind of blindsided by this announcement. We were not consulted about this. Dr. Sean O'Leary, with the American Academy of Pediatric. said, "And the leading OB/GYN Association, with this donner warning. It's very clear that COVID-19 infection during pregnancy. can be catastrophic. Tonight, the CDC's website still listing the COVID vaccine. as recommended for everyone six months and older,

including pregnant women. Doctors saying the new recommendations are unclear. and remove a healthcare choice for families. This comes after the deadly measles outbreak. across the country. Most of the cases involving children not vaccinated. Today Nebraska, now the 32nd state. to report a measles case, a rare breakthrough case and. a child who was vaccinated. So far, more than 1,000 people have been infected. with the virus since the start of this year. Three unvaccinated people, including two.

children, have died. So let's bring in Rachel Scott live at the White House tonight. Rachel, that's the news on COVID vaccines and these. changing guidelines tonight. But I know you're also covering another. developing headline at the Sauer from the administration. of President Trump tonight pardoning two reality. TV stars on fraud and tax evasion convictions. Yes, David. The president announced just moments ago. that he will be granting full partings to Julie and Todd. Chrisley to reality TV stars from the show Chrisley knows. best. The couple was convicted of tax evasion. and also defrauding banks out of more than.

$30 million by submitting false documents as they continue. to live a luxurious life. The president says that pardon could be coming as. soon as tomorrow, David. All right, Rachel Scott of the White House. Rachel, thank you. Tonight in New York City, news of a second arrest. now in a very disturbing case, a cryptocurrency. investor was allegedly held captive and brutally. tortured for weeks in a New York City townhouse. Tonight here with the suspects are accused of. doing to that investor. Here's Stephanie Ramos. How was the hand in tonight?

A second suspect surrendering to police led out in handcuffs. in connection with that shocking and disturbing. case of a cryptocurrency investor allegedly held. captive and brutally tortured for weeks inside this. luxury Manhattan townhouse. Why did you do it? Why did you do it? Who helped you? 32-year-old crypto investor William DuPlessy touring. himself in early this morning. 37-year-old John Wolts, another crypto investor, was arrested Friday, brought out of that townhouse.

by police barefoot and in a bathrobe. Wolts charged with kidnapping, assault and criminal possession of a fire arm. The alleged victim, a 28-year-old Italian national, telling authorities his captors took his passport, tied him. up and demanded his bit coin password. When he refused, he says the suspects shocked him with. electric wires, beat him with a fire arm and dangled him. over a ledge, threatening to kill him if he didn't share. the password. After nearly three weeks, the victim says he agreed to.

give up his password, but was able to make a daring. escape when the suspects went to retreat his laptop. The victim, barefoot and bleeding, was able to flag. down an officer nearby. David, the victim was hospitalized with wrist injuries. consistent with being bound and cuts to his face. Waltz is scheduled back in court tomorrow and is. being held without bail. Lawyers for both suspects are not commenting. David. Stephanie Ramos. reporting tonight. Steph, thank you. We turn next tonight to the dramatic testimony of the trial.

of Sean Dady Combs here in New today. His former personal assistant taking the. stand testifying that combs showed up at her. apartment with a gun and who she testified he said he. was going to kill. Aaron Kutursky at the courthouse. again tonight. A woman who worked for Sean Combs. for years today testified he once kidnapped her at. gunpoint on his way to attempt to kill a romantic. rival. The hip hop mogul had just found out his on and. off girlfriend Cassie Ventura began dating rapper. her kid Cutie in late 2011 when his former assistant. Capricorn Clark testified she woke to banging at her door.

and saw a very upset puff with a gun in his hand. Get dressed, we're going to kill Kid Cutie, Clark recalled. Combs telling her, but the rapper wasn't home at the time. Prosecutors are trying to prove Combs used kidnapping as. part of a criminal enterprise and allegation he has denied. Clark telling the jury Combs held her until. Ventura agreed to see him. He told me to tell Cassie that he has me, and he's not going to let me go. - Another time Clark testified, one of Coms' bodyguards, known as Uncle Paulie, brought her to a dilapidated.

space at Bad Boy Entertainment where a very wide, very. heavy chain smoking man subjected her to five days. of lie detector tests. After Coms suspected her stealing jewelry he wore. at one of his famous white parties and the Hamptons. If she flunked the tests, she remembered the man. telling her they're going to throw you. in the East River. Kidnapping is just one part of the alleged. racketeering conspiracy. Tomorrow, David, federal prosecutors are expected. to focus on another forced labor, calling a former employee. who they alleged was forced to perform sex acts.

with Sean Coles. David. - Ericatorsky at the. courthouse tonight, Aaron. Thank you. All eyes at a critical new launch tonight for Elon Musk's. SpaceX starship just a short time ago. After the last two launches ended with explosions. Here's to you, Benitez. Tonight, after two recent attempts ended in explosions. that sent debris raining down to Earth, a partial success for Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship program. Starship Mission 9, like the past ones, uncrewed. The Starship powered by a rocket that the company says.

is the most powerful ever built. Even after a successful launch and suborbital flight, SpaceX ultimately losing control of Starship. as it re-entered the atmosphere, the ship exploding. It's the ninth try for SpaceX. The last one in March ended in disaster. after multiple engines shut down. They lost contact with the spacecraft, and it exploded, flaming debris raining down on Florida. and the Caribbean, visible to passengers on planes. Back in January, another failure when strong vibrations.

caused a fuel leak and another explosion. But in both cases, the giant reusable booster. that carries the spaceship, performed spectacularly. returning to the pad caught by those giant chopsticks. And David Elon Musk dreams of sending humans to Mars and this. successful launch could bring those dreams a little. closer to reality. Geobani Nis tonight. Geo thank you. Overseas tonight into the attempted murder. charges now for a suspect accused of driving his. van right into a crowd of soccer fans in Liverpool.

pool, England. Videos tonight now police evidence showing a van slamming. into people swarving, hitting others, an outraged crowd then. surging around the vehicle, smashing windows and anger. At least 65 people heard, including children, when the. suspect drove into the crowd. Police say the suspected driver had followed an ambulance that. was responding to an emergency in that crowd before barreling. into the crowd himself. The first aid reaches Gaza in three months. Children and families racing to get any food they could.

Here's our Chief International correspondent. James Longman tonight. Desperate scenes in Gaza tonight, starving men, women and. children scrambling for food at an aid distribution center. A fight for survival at their first chance for. basic necessities since Israel's total blockade. started three months ago. for basic necessities since Israel's total blockade. started three months ago. The aid station overrun, thousands rushing. in every direction. Warning shots fired to control the crowd. This child's scraping flour off the ground. Martin Eunice says he walked for miles and came home with.

only a can of peas to feed his family of ten. There was shooting and all hell broke loose. It's food dipped in blood. This is not working, he says. The center is being run by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian. Foundation, an operation backed by the US and Israel. which employs private security companies with support from. Israeli troops. The UN accuses Israel of weaponizing aid as a. means of displacement. They call for large-scale aid to be delivered directly to. people, rather than forcing them to move in order to survive.

David, the GHF claimed to have delivered 8,000. boxes of aid today. And they say they plan to open eight distribution. centers like this across Gaza. But there are more than two million people. in dire need of aid. An international aid organization say this. plan just won't be enough. David. James Longman reporting. in from London tonight. James, thank you. Britain's King Charles tonight in Canada giving a speech at. supporting Canada's sovereignty and a rare address to. the country's parliament, the first by a monarch. in nearly 70 years.

King Charles, who was Canada's official head of state, invited by the Canadian government, his visit coming amid President Trump's talk. of making Canada the 51st state. King Charles saying, quote, "The true North is. indeed strong and free.". - I've always had the greatest admiration. for Canada's unique identity, which is recognized. across the world for bravery and sacrifice in. defense of national values. The king and queen then returning to the. UK after that speech.

Tonight President Trump opening up a new line. of attack on Harvard directing federal agencies. to review all contracts with the university and to revoke. any contracts that they can. The move threatens up to three billion in grants. The president saying he wants to redirect the money to trade. schools, though he hasn't explained fully how. that would work. When we come back here tonight, Billy Joel and his brain. diagnosis and what his wife has now revealed tonight. Also, U.S. Olympian Mary Lou Retten and the new charge she. now faces in the terrifying moments aboard a U.S. bound flight, flames bursting from. under the wing right before take off.

More on this in just a moment here. Tonight is scare for passengers and crew on board of United. Airlines, flight from Beijing to San Francisco. flames could be seen shooting from under its wing, just as. it was about to take off after an engine loss power. The jet aborting takeoff, no one was. hurt. To a flight here in the U.S. and two pigeons delaying the Delta flight. from Minneapolis St. Paul and Madison, Wisconsin, one pigeon taken off by baggage handlers, then the plane. taxing for takeoff and look at this that other pigeon suddenly. flying through the cabin, heading back to the gate, air.

traffic control clearly in disbelief. Just before the plane finally took off flight attendants then. told passengers to check for birds and pigeons. under their seats. That's a new one. When we come back here tonight, the charge against Marylou. Rhett and also Billy Joel, His brain diagnosis and what. his wife has now revealed. To the index tonight, legendary Olympian Mary Lou Retin has.

been charged with suspected DUI in West Virginia. Police pulling her over after reports of a Porsche driving. erratically, saying she refused a breath test and a blood test. She was released on $1,500 bond, Retin won the all-around. gold of the 1984 Olympics. You remember at the age of 16, along with two silvers. and two bronze medals. Tonight, Billy Joel's wife Alexis thanking fans for all. of their support amid the piano man's new health struggle. Writing on Instagram, the family is hoping for his recovery. and looks forward to seeing everyone in the future.

The 76 year old music legend canceled all of his upcoming. concert dates last week saying he's been diagnosed with NPH. Normal pressure, hydrocephalus, a very rare brain disorder. His ex-wife, Christy Brinkley, saying, "You're our piano man.". When we come back tonight, remembering a. legendary songwriter and guitarist, and you'll. know his music. Funny tonight here, remembering singer and. guitarist Rick Daringer. You'll know his music. He's good friend of ours, Rick Daringer! [MUSIC PLAYING].

Legendary guitarist and musician Rick Daringer, known for his unforgettable hits from the '60s and '70s. [MUSIC PLAYING]. If you had just turned 18 and he had his band of accoys hit. it big with hang on sleeping. ♪ Look at me, hey go ♪. ♪ Hey, hey, hey, go ♪. ♪ Look at me, look at me, hey go ♪.

- The song became an anthem at Ohio State football games. He was from Ohio. ♪ Hey, hey, hey, go ♪. ♪ Look at me, look at me, hey go ♪. ♪ Hey, hey, go ♪. - His solo career with that instant classic, Rock and Roll, Hoochie-Coo. ♪ Rock and roll, put you to my heart ♪. ♪ Oh, put you to my heart, not my dude ♪. ♪ Rock and roll, put you to my heart ♪. ♪ Oh, put you to my heart, not my dude ♪.

And with professional wrestling's popularity. in the 1980s, >> The character wrote and. performed a song that would become the iconic theme. >> All COVID. [MUSIC]. >> The character is passing away at the age of 77. from heart complications. Once speaking about fame and stain grounded. >> People can come up and tell you you're great, over. and over and over again.

and it doesn't make you any better than anybody else. Walking down the street. You have to find something that's real in your life. And build your life on some kind of substance. Light my view. This music takes you back, and I'll. say it right back here tomorrow night. Good night. Thank you for making World News Tonight with. David Muir, America's most watched newscast.