Nation briefs 6/4/06

Spam king settles with Texas, Microsoft

AUSTIN, Texas -- One of the world's most notorious spammers has settled lawsuits with the state of Texas and Microsoft Corp. that cost him at least $1 million, took away most of his assets and forced him to stop sending the nuisance e-mails. Ryan Pitylak, 24, has admitted sending 25 million e-mails every day in 2004. At one time, Pitylak was listed as the fourth-worst spammer in the world by the Spamhaus Project, a London-based international clearinghouse that tracks spammers.

Suspect in slaying of family sought by police

INDIANAPOLIS -- A man suspected of gunning down seven family members he believed kept large amounts of money in their home surrendered to police on Saturday, Deputy Chief Tim Foley said. A few members of Desmond Turner's family accompanied him as he met authorities at a downtown fast-food restaurant around 7 p.m., Foley said. The bodies of three boys, ages 5 to 11, and four adult relatives were found dead in a house Thursday in the worst mass murder in Indianapolis in at least 25 years. Turner, 28, grew up near the shooting and had returned last fall after being released from prison following a 3 1/2-year term for drug and weapons charges. Foley said investigators put pressure on people who knew Turner to ensure that they wouldn't take him in. More than 100 police officers searched for Turner, including unsuccessful raids at two houses, since shortly after the slayings. He now faces seven counts of murder.

-- From wire reports