Report Details Investigation into Murder of Two Children at Local Trailer Park

NEW DETAILS ON MURDER OF CHILDREN AT FLAXMAN TRAILER PARK

New details are emerging in the deaths of two Escambia County children last Friday. An arrest report obtained by WEAR reveals how investigators got 27-year-old John Henry Walston to confess to killing 9-year-old Vayden Orum and 7-year-old Rayden Smith at his mobile home on Flaxman Street. According to the report, Walston initially claimed an intruder broke in and set the fire. A 12-year-old boy who escaped the fire backed up that story. But detectives found the account didn't match the evidence at the scene. The report says Walston showed no emotion when first shown crime scene photos. But after detectives left him alone in the interview room with the photos still on the table, they observed him picking them up and crying - his first emotional response. When new investigators returned, he confessed. Sheriff Chip Simmons says the investigation continues, including questions about why the three children were staying at Walston's trailer that night as guests. Walston faces multiple charges including two counts of premeditated murder and sexual assault. He's due in court Friday for a pre-trial detention hearing.

Pensacola Yacht Club Hosting Melges 24 National Championship Race this Weekend

Pensacola, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- World-class sailing is coming to Pensacola Bay this weekend. The Pensacola Yacht Club is hosting the Melges 24 U.S. National Championship Friday through Sunday, with teams competing from Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The Melges 24 is an American-made high-performance sailboat that's been a longtime favorite at the club. Spectators can watch the races from Sanders Beach Park and the Downtown Waterfront. Regatta organizers say they're expecting strong competition and a great turnout for the three-day event.

Ground Broken on High-Tech $20M Regional Traffic Management Center

Escambia County, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- Northwest Florida is getting a high-tech upgrade to its roadways. Officials broke ground Wednesday on a new Regional Traffic Management Center on North W Street in Escambia County, behind the Emergency Operations Center. The facility will manage more than 380 traffic signals across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

The twenty-million-dollar facility will use artificial intelligence and cameras to adjust traffic light timing in real time, aiming to reduce wait times and improve safety. Local leaders say they hope the technology will help address a serious problem - more than 400 people have died on area roads in the past five years.

The center will also use cameras to detect crashes faster and spot near-miss incidents that typically go unreported, helping emergency responders get to scenes more quickly. Officials say the facility will be staffed around the clock, but completion is still several years away. All funding is coming through the Florida Department of Transportation.