Counting 'em Down: For better or for worse, this is the Headline Surfer countdown of the 2021's Top 100 biggest news stories of Central Florida along the tourism-driven stretch of Interstate 4 (Orlando Attractions and east to I-95 & the World's Most Famous Beach in Daytona). Each recap segment is posted with its own headline, culminating with the unveiling of No. 1 on New Year's Day or shortly thereafter. Then Headline Surfer will post a Top 10 forecast story of the good, the bad & the ugly on the horizon in "2022: The Year That Lies Ahead."
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
ORLANDO, Fla -- Keith Appling had two brief stints with the Orlando Magic.
That was a long time ago in the grand scheme of life.
Appling played all of five games for the Magic during the 2015-16 season. He was a rising star in college hoops, having played four seasons for the Michigan State Spartans Spartans from 2010-11 through 2013-14.
But Keith Appling's basketball life is gone forever and for all intents and purposes, his life, in general, is now out of his hands: Keith Appling is accused of first-degree murder and could spend the rest of his life behind bars if convicted of his current felony murder charges.
The news summary here? Former Orlando Magic and Michigan State basketball player Keith Appling was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of felony firearm, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm in the May 22 shooting death of 66-year-old Clyde Edmonds in Detroit, who was related to Appling through marriage.
The news summary here? Former Orlando Magic and Michigan State basketball player Keith Appling was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of felony firearm, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm in the May 22 shooting death of 66-year-old Clyde Edmonds in Detroit, who was related to Appling through marriage.
Appling's girlfriend, Natalie Banister, was charged with one count of accessory after the fact and one count of lying to a peace officer for allegedly driving the getaway car in the wake of the homicide.
His life started to unravel big time in 2017 when Appling was sentenced to one year in jail for resisting police and carrying a concealed weapon.
Things only got worse: In 2020, Appling was arrested and charged with delivery or manufacture of less than 50 grams of a controlled substance and driving without a license. This stemmed from a traffic stop for erratic driving where cops said they found heroin in his car.
It wasn't like Applinfg didn't have mentors who cared.
Tom Izzo, the great basketball coach at Michigan State did what he could to help Appling who had gotten involved with gun-running and some criminal activity, but murder?
“I'm trying to reserve, trying not to do what the world does and make him guilty until he's proven it,” Izzo told the Detroit Free Press the day before Appling's murder arraignment. “And yet, everything I hear, it's not great.”
Not great at all.
Keith Appling, (DOB: Feb. 13, 1992) is 29 years old. And though presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, Appling's life is pretty much over.
About the Byline Writer: Henry Frederick is a member of the working press and publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched in 2008, that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando from Lake Mary, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed close to 150 award-winning bylines in print & online. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism from Full Sail University in 2019. He was a breaking news reporter (metro cops & courts beat) for the Daytona Beach News-Journal for nearly a decade. And Before that worked the same beat for The Journal-News/Gannett Suburban Newspapers in Rockland/Westchester counties, NY, dating back to 1989. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and covering other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary shows on Discovery ID, Reelz, and the Oxygen Network series "Snapped" for his analysis. • Award-Winning Journalism: Florida Press Club recognizes Headline Surfer for nine stories in 2020 statewide competition. • Award-Winning Journalism of Henry Frederick.