Nightly Rundown: ‘Life-threatening ’ blizzard blast; Fani Willis heari ng closing arguments; Michelle Tro conis guilty in Jennifer Dulos case

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Good Friday afternoon. A dangerous blizzard is slamming the West Coast, two pivotal hearings were held today in Donald Trump’s Georgia and Florida criminal cases, and Michelle Troconis was found guilty of helping cover up the 2019 murder of Connecticut mom Jennifer Dulos.

Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown.

Powerful blizzard slams California, massive wildfire raging in Texas

A life-threatening and potentially historic winter storm is blasting the West Coast, bringing dangerous blizzard conditions across the Sierra Nevada.

Higher elevations could see up to 12 feet of snow, with whiteout conditions and winds topping 100 mph that will make travel impossible across parts of California and Nevada.

“Your safe travel window is over in the Sierra — best to hunker down where you are,” said the National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada, which covers parts of California including Lake Tahoe.

We also have a team tonight in the Texas Panhandle, where the largest wildfire in state history has now burned an estimated 1,078,086 acres and is only 15% contained.

Two major hearings in Trump criminal cases in Florida and Georgia

A pair of critical hearings were held today that could determine the future of former President Donald Trump's criminal cases in Georgia and Florida.

In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis made a surprise appearance during closing arguments at a hearing to determine whether she should be disqualified from the case.

Trump’s attorneys have accused Willis of financially benefitting from her past relationship with a special prosecutor on the case. She has denied any wrongdoing.

The judge said he hopes to rule on the matter within the next two weeks.

Trump meanwhile was back in court in Florida, for another pivotal hearing in the federal case over his handling of classified documents.

Special counsel Jack Smith’s office has asked for a July 8 start date for the Florida trial, but Trump’s attorneys argued it would be “unfair” to put him on trial before the election.

Michelle Troconis found guilty of conspiring to murder Connecticut mom Jennifer Dulos

Michelle Troconis, the woman accused of helping her boyfriend cover up the 2019 murder of his estranged wife, Jennifer Dulos, was found guilty on all counts today by a Connecticut jury.

Troconis appeared to sob in the courtroom as the verdict came down. She was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution.

Troconis’ boyfriend, Fotis Dulos, had been charged with felony murder, kidnapping and other crimes in his wife’s death before he died by suicide on Jan. 30, 2020.

The body of Jennifer Dulos, a mother of five, has never been found. She was officially declared dead last year.

For more on the death of Jennifer Dulos, tune in to “A Life Interrupted” on “Dateline” at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT tonight.

Thousands mourn Alexei Navalny at funeral in Moscow

Thousands of mourners gathered to honor Alexei Navalny during a funeral service today in Moscow for the Russian opposition leader who died two weeks ago in an arctic penal colony.

The funeral took place under a heavy police presence, as defiant cries of “Russia without Putin!” and “Putin is a murderer!” could be heard from the crowd. Navalny’s team had accused Russian authorities of repeatedly blocking a public service out of fears of protests.

At the end of the service, Navalny’s coffin was lowered into a grave to the sound of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”

Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, posted a tribute to him today. “I don’t know how to live without you, but I will try to make you up there happy for me and proud of me,” she wrote.

What else we're watching:

President Joe Biden has announced the U.S. will drop food aid into Gaza as the humanitarian crisis grows.

Caught on camera: A truck driver was rescued after his semi crashed through a bridge barrier and was left dangling 70 feet high over the water in Louisville, Kentucky.

The upstate New York man convicted of fatally shooting a 20-year-old woman after she and her friends mistakenly pulled into his driveway was sentenced today to 25 years to life.

The CDC has made a major change to its Covid guidelines.

CVS and Walgreens will start selling the abortion pill mifepristone this month at certain locations in states where it is legal to do so, spokespeople for the companies said.

A United Airlines flight from London to Newark made an emergency landing in Bangor, Maine, after the crew reported a passenger disturbance, the FAA said.

Hatch watch: Viewers around the world are glued to a livestream of a nest in Southern California, where three eagle chicks are expected to arrive at any moment.

Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app.

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