Nicholas Alahverdian, who grew up in Rhode Island, famously faked his own death in 2020 before going on the run while wanted for rape in Utah. Authorities eventually tracked him down at a hospital in Scotland, where he had been living under the alias Arthur Knight.

“It wasn’t the law that caught him — it was COVID,” White said. “Arthur Knight is also the name of a DJ from Rhode Island from when Nicholas Alahverdian was growing up. He was Sir Arthur Knight, who was on the radio, and you have to wonder if that’s where he stole the name from.”

Before becoming known internationally, Alahverdian had already become well known among Rhode Island politicians and journalists, largely for his advocacy on behalf of children living in the state’s child welfare system.

Buteau, a former Target 12 investigator, covered Alahverdian throughout that period — all the way up until he received a phone call from someone claiming to be Alahverdian’s wife, telling him he had died.

Buteau said Alahverdian frequently called him and other reporters with story ideas and pitches, though he often struggled to get to the point.

“You ever meet a guy that inserts a lot of big words, and they don’t really pronounce them well? Well, that was Nicholas,” Buteau said.

Buteau also tracked Alahverdian’s trail of cons and criminal offenses across the country leading up to his disappearance. He said whatever positive work Alahverdian may have done in Rhode Island was ultimately overshadowed by the damage he caused over the years.

Alahverdian was serving a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted of rape in Utah. He was extradited there after unsuccessfully trying to convince authorities overseas they had the wrong man.

Buteau said he knew it was Alahverdian the moment he saw a photo from Scotland, describing him as someone who could be both convincing and ruthless toward people he believed had crossed him.

“I talked to several people, and none of them wanted to go on the record because they feared him,” Buteau said. “But they all also brought up that he was charismatic. I never found him to be charismatic, but I think he was a good talker, and with a little information, he could make you believe a lot.”

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman, Kim Kalunian and Dan McGowan.

The South County Star focuses on covering communities throughout southern Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut. Nancy Burns-Fusaro, sometimes referred to as the “dean” of the Westerly shoreline, will focus much of her reporting on the arts and lifestyle, which she said are flourishing in South County.

“I’m writing about my wonderful community and wonderful people and, as you can imagine, the diversity in Westerly is just terrific,” Burns-Fusaro said.

Alex Nunes, the nonprofit’s founder and publisher, has covered different parts of the state over the years. He said the idea behind the Star is to expand coverage in a part of the state that receives less attention than the Providence metro area.

“If something happens in Providence, or happens at the State House, there’s a lot of people there to cover it, and people do a really good job,” he said. “But if something happens down in Charlestown, Richmond and Hopkinton, you really have to have dedicated people who are going to be looking to do those stories — and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Later in the show, Dan and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote,” including (not all mentioned on air):

• In R.I., Senate power becomes a primary focus as candidates declare by Ed Fitzpatrick, The Boston Globe
• After seven years, Providence has its schools back — and all of the same institutional problems too by Julia Steiny, Rhode Island Current

• The good pirates of the South Coast by Eleonora Bianchi, The New Bedford Light
• Providence couple say they were evicted after their children were lead poisoned by Wheeler Cowperthwaite, The Providence Journal

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman, Kim Kalunian and Dan McGowan.

Tim White and Ted Nesi, Target 12 investigators and hosts of the political show “Newsmakers,” broke down recent endorsements in the race for Rhode Island governor, including one from Cumberland Democrats who snubbed incumbent Gov. Dan McKee, the town’s former mayor.

White also took viewers behind the scenes of the sentencing of Frank Theis, who was convicted of sexually assaulting two teenagers in the 1980s. Forensic evidence tested decades later helped investigators crack the case.

Later the show, White, Nesi and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote,” including:

• Mystery of Marmac: Why a cable-laying barge is docked in Providence by Patrick Anderson, The Providence Journal

• America’s Great Dad Divide by Brad Wilcox, The Free Press

• One year after steepest premium increase in a decade, RI health insurers seek double-digit hikes by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current