Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Justin Brown, DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 01/10

Brandon Fentress,&nbsp;DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 01/11

Barry Wise, Domestic battery, arrested 01/11

Ashley Sarabia, Domestic battery, arrested 01/11

Keegan Harrington, Domestic battery, arrested 01/11

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736804532041.jpeg" alt="Robert Sanders, Failure to appear, arrested 01/11" />
 <figcaption>Robert Sanders, Failure to appear, arrested 01/11</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736804564818.jpeg" alt="June Meredith, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 01/12" />
 <figcaption>June Meredith, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 01/12</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.Justin Brown, DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 01/10Brandon Fentress,&nbsp;DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 01/11Barry Wise, Domestic battery, arrested 01/11Ashley Sarabia, Domestic battery, arrested 01/11Keegan Harrington, Domestic battery, arrested 01/11Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Geary County Booking Photos Jan. 11-13

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating a residential robbery have made three arrests and continue searching for additional suspects.

Earlyi Sunday, two victims reported that suspects entered their home in the 1000 block of Ellis Street in Wichita armed with shotguns and handguns, forcing them into a bedroom at gunpoint, according to Wichita Police Department spokesperson Andrew Ford.

The victims were then restrained with zip ties while the suspects stole several electronic devices and three handguns. The victims, who were familiar with the suspects, began searching for their stolen property after the incident. One victim discovered that his phone and vehicle keys were missing and tracked their location to the 13600 block of West Nantucket in Wichita, a residence believed to be associated with one of the suspects.

Wichita Police responded to the Nantucket address, established a perimeter, and attempted to mcommunicate with the occupants. Officers engaged with individuals inside the residence through a Ring doorbell camera, during which an occupant inadvertently activated the speaker. This revealed a conversation indicating the occupants were aware of law enforcement’s presence.

Despite repeated attempts to negotiate, the individuals refused to exit, prompting the activation of the SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiations Team.

While waiting for the search warrant, one suspect exited the residence and was taken into custody without incident. During the subsequent search of the home, two additional suspects were found hiding in the attic and were also taken into custody.

Two suspects remain at large, and investigators are actively working to identify and locate them.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Sedgwick County jail records 33-year-old Andrew Denning is being held on a requested charge of Aggravated robbery, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, ID theft, theft of property or services, probation violation and numerous drug allegations.&nbsp; Trinity Cook, 19; and George Bos, 62, are being held on requested charges of aggravated robbery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736723276240.png" alt="Photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating a residential robbery have made three arrests and continue searching for additional suspects.Earlyi Sunday, two victims reported that suspects entered their home in the 1000 block of Ellis Street in Wichita armed with shotguns and handguns, forcing them into a bedroom at gunpoint, according to Wichita Police Department spokesperson Andrew Ford.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736767403069.png" alt="George Bos-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>George Bos-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>The victims were then restrained with zip ties while the suspects stole several electronic devices and three handguns. The victims, who were familiar with the suspects, began searching for their stolen property after the incident. One victim discovered that his phone and vehicle keys were missing and tracked their location to the 13600 block of West Nantucket in Wichita, a residence believed to be associated with one of the suspects.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736767350735.png" alt="Trinity Cook-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Trinity Cook-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Wichita Police responded to the Nantucket address, established a perimeter, and attempted to mcommunicate with the occupants. Officers engaged with individuals inside the residence through a Ring doorbell camera, during which an occupant inadvertently activated the speaker. This revealed a conversation indicating the occupants were aware of law enforcement’s presence.Despite repeated attempts to negotiate, the individuals refused to exit, prompting the activation of the SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiations Team.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736767770109.png" alt="Andrew Denning" />
 <figcaption>Andrew Denning</figcaption>
 </figure>While waiting for the search warrant, one suspect exited the residence and was taken into custody without incident. During the subsequent search of the home, two additional suspects were found hiding in the attic and were also taken into custody.Two suspects remain at large, and investigators are actively working to identify and locate them.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to Sedgwick County jail records 33-year-old Andrew Denning is being held on a requested charge of Aggravated robbery, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, ID theft, theft of property or services, probation violation and numerous drug allegations.&nbsp; Trinity Cook, 19; and George Bos, 62, are being held on requested charges of aggravated robbery.

Robbery suspects with shotguns forced their way into Kan. home

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22CHRISTOPHER%20WEBER%20and%20HOLLY%20RAMER%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By CHRISTOPHER WEBER and HOLLY RAMER &nbsp;Associated Press</a>

LOS ANGELES (AP) — After a weekend spent blocking the explosive growth of fires that destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people in the Los Angeles area, firefighters got a slight break with calmer weather but cast a wary eye on a forecast for yet more wind.

Should that happen, already burned homes and valleys could flare anew, sending embers to unburned territory miles downwind. New fires could add to the complication.

The death toll surged late Sunday with an update from the Los Angeles County medical examiner. At least 16 people were missing, a number authorities said was also likely to rise.

The relative calm Sunday allowed some people to return to previously evacuated areas, however.

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday, with sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph) and gusts in the mountains reaching 70 mph (113 kph). The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, warned fire behavior analyst Dennis Burns at a community meeting Sunday night.

“It will kind of ebb and flow over the next couple days,” Burns said. “Tomorrow night, it will really ramp up.”

Spotting — new fires caused by blowing embers — could happen as much as 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) or more downwind of areas that have already burned, Burns said.

Despite their recent losses, stress, and uncertainty, the crowd in a Pasadena City College gym was mostly respectful, in contrast with harsh criticism elsewhere for Los Angeles and California leaders. Applause followed each of the experts, police, firefighters and community leaders who spoke.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said 70 additional water trucks arrived to help firefighters fend off flames spread by renewed gusts. “We are prepared for the upcoming wind event,” Marrone said.

Fire retardant dropped by aircraft will act as a barrier along hillsides, officials said.

Fierce Santa Ana winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires sparked last week into infernos that leveled entire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-pacific-palisades-wildfires-los-angeles-4b67b7f29d0d6eb7321a52ef60c17d60">neighborhoods</a>&nbsp;around the city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fire-devastation-climate-change-santa-ana-winds-a46e2bb6785b1e325f6076fb22c8fcc5">eight months.</a>

Twelve people were missing within the Eaton Fire zone and four were missing from the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Investigators were reconciling whether some of the missing might be among the dead but so far no children were among those reported missing, he said.

Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 24 over the weekend. Eight deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 16 to the Eaton Fire, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.

The toll could rise still more as cadaver dogs conducted systematic searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities established a center where people could report the missing.

Officials also were building an online database to allow evacuated residents to see if their homes were damaged or destroyed. In the meantime, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley urged people to stay away from scorched neighborhoods.

“There are still active fires that are burning within the Palisades area, making it extremely, extremely dangerous for the public," Crowley said at a Sunday morning briefing. “There’s no power, there’s no water, there’s broken gas lines, and we have unstable structures.”

Officials warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.

About 150,000 people in Los Angeles County remained under evacuation orders, with more than 700 residents taking refuge in nine shelters, Luna said. Officials said most of the orders in the Palisades area were unlikely to be lifted before the red flag warnings expire Wednesday evening.

“Please rest assured that first thing Thursday we will begin talking about repopulation,” Marrone said.

In all, four fires had consumed more than 62 square miles (160 square kilometers), an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades Fire was 11% contained and containment on the Eaton Fire reached 27%. Those two blazes alone accounted for 59 square miles (nearly 153 square kilometers).

Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes nearly 1,400 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico.

Fighting to save public and private areas

After a fierce battle Saturday, firefighters managed to fight back flames in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities near Pacific Palisades not far from the coast, where swooping helicopters dumped water as the blaze charged downhill.

The fire ran through chaparral-covered hillsides and also briefly threatened to jump over Interstate 405 and into densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.

Looting continued to be a concern, with authorities reporting more arrests as the devastation grew. Those arrested included two people who posed as firefighters going into houses, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Michael Lorenz said.

With California National Guard troops on hand to guard properties, Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X: “California will NOT allow for looting.”

The fires that began Tuesday just north of downtown LA had burned more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wildfire-structure-damage-3f319dfaa36e583c06c8d49bd835084e">12,000 structures</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-possible-causes-6112488f835e45f53c67d4d03d7a1e4f">No cause</a>&nbsp;for the largest fires was determined.

Early estimates suggest they could be the nation's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-natural-disasters-losses-insurance-recovery-d2f24e44d75503118643151eaee947fb">costliest ever</a>, as much as $150 billion according to an AccuWeather estimate.

Along with crews from other states and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/california-wildfires-gavin-newsom-mexico-los-angeles-area-wildfires-d0e244ec61e04838ba6d8bcde8522e31">Mexico</a>, hundreds of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-covid-health-california-climate-and-environment-701ee89ceb4b7ba3e1a412b83c2a2f3f">inmates</a>&nbsp;from California’s prison system were also helping fight the fires. Nearly 950 prison firefighters were removing timber and brush ahead of the fires to slow their spread, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-injuries-deaths-0ff52ff1735d7e9f858248177a2a60c3">practice is controversial</a>&nbsp;as the inmates are paid little for dangerous and difficult work: $10.24 each day, with more for 24-hour shifts, according to the corrections department.

Newsom issued an executive order Sunday aimed at fast-tracking rebuilding by suspending some environmental regulations and ensuring that property tax assessments were not increased.

“We’ve got to let people know that we have their back,” he said. “We want you to come back, rebuild, and rebuild with higher quality building standards, more modern standards."

More than 24,000 people had registered for federal assistance made available by a major disaster declaration by President Joe Biden, according to the White House.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Sunday that she had spoken with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration and expected that he would visit the city.

Bass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayor-karen-bass-la-fires-leadership-99e52cf69cc656ee7e0328c6b609be74">faces a critical test of her leadership</a>&nbsp;during the city's greatest crisis in decades, but allegations of leadership failures, political blame and investigations have begun.

Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants had run dry.

Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press journalists Julie Walker in New York, Sophia Tareen in Chicago and Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736723986016.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22CHRISTOPHER%20WEBER%20and%20HOLLY%20RAMER%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By CHRISTOPHER WEBER and HOLLY RAMER &nbsp;Associated Press</a>LOS ANGELES (AP) — After a weekend spent blocking the explosive growth of fires that destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people in the Los Angeles area, firefighters got a slight break with calmer weather but cast a wary eye on a forecast for yet more wind.Should that happen, already burned homes and valleys could flare anew, sending embers to unburned territory miles downwind. New fires could add to the complication.The death toll surged late Sunday with an update from the Los Angeles County medical examiner. At least 16 people were missing, a number authorities said was also likely to rise.The relative calm Sunday allowed some people to return to previously evacuated areas, however.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">HAPPENING NOW: Your Cal Guard helicopters are in the fight! These air assets are dropping water on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PalisadesFire?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PalisadesFire</a> joining CAL FIRE’s massive efforts to contain these devastating blazes. <a href="https://twitter.com/USNorthernCmd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USNorthernCmd</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CAgovernor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CAgovernor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CAL_FIRE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CAL_FIRE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Cal_OES?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cal_OES</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/USNationalGuard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USNationalGuard</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/forestservice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@forestservice</a> <a href="https://t.co/7uxoh3x3gR">pic.twitter.com/7uxoh3x3gR</a>&mdash; The California National Guard (@TheCalGuard) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheCalGuard/status/1878582169976881502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday, with sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph) and gusts in the mountains reaching 70 mph (113 kph). The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, warned fire behavior analyst Dennis Burns at a community meeting Sunday night.“It will kind of ebb and flow over the next couple days,” Burns said. “Tomorrow night, it will really ramp up.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SantaAnaWind?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SantaAnaWind</a> combined with dry air and very dry vegetation will maintain high WILDFIRE RISK through Wednesday. Continue to practice fire safety by avoiding work that creates sparks, report any smoke, and stay informed. Gather items you will need, should you be evacuated. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CAwx</a> <a href="https://t.co/V7yPdDdHrb">pic.twitter.com/V7yPdDdHrb</a>&mdash; NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSLosAngeles/status/1878255936319733840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Spotting — new fires caused by blowing embers — could happen as much as 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) or more downwind of areas that have already burned, Burns said.Despite their recent losses, stress, and uncertainty, the crowd in a Pasadena City College gym was mostly respectful, in contrast with harsh criticism elsewhere for Los Angeles and California leaders. Applause followed each of the experts, police, firefighters and community leaders who spoke.Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said 70 additional water trucks arrived to help firefighters fend off flames spread by renewed gusts. “We are prepared for the upcoming wind event,” Marrone said.Fire retardant dropped by aircraft will act as a barrier along hillsides, officials said.Fierce Santa Ana winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires sparked last week into infernos that leveled entire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-pacific-palisades-wildfires-los-angeles-4b67b7f29d0d6eb7321a52ef60c17d60">neighborhoods</a>&nbsp;around the city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fire-devastation-climate-change-santa-ana-winds-a46e2bb6785b1e325f6076fb22c8fcc5">eight months.</a>Twelve people were missing within the Eaton Fire zone and four were missing from the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Investigators were reconciling whether some of the missing might be among the dead but so far no children were among those reported missing, he said.Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 24 over the weekend. Eight deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 16 to the Eaton Fire, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.The toll could rise still more as cadaver dogs conducted systematic searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities established a center where people could report the missing.Officials also were building an online database to allow evacuated residents to see if their homes were damaged or destroyed. In the meantime, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley urged people to stay away from scorched neighborhoods.“There are still active fires that are burning within the Palisades area, making it extremely, extremely dangerous for the public," Crowley said at a Sunday morning briefing. “There’s no power, there’s no water, there’s broken gas lines, and we have unstable structures.”Officials warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.About 150,000 people in Los Angeles County remained under evacuation orders, with more than 700 residents taking refuge in nine shelters, Luna said. Officials said most of the orders in the Palisades area were unlikely to be lifted before the red flag warnings expire Wednesday evening.“Please rest assured that first thing Thursday we will begin talking about repopulation,” Marrone said.In all, four fires had consumed more than 62 square miles (160 square kilometers), an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades Fire was 11% contained and containment on the Eaton Fire reached 27%. Those two blazes alone accounted for 59 square miles (nearly 153 square kilometers).Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes nearly 1,400 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico.<h2>Fighting to save public and private areas</h2>After a fierce battle Saturday, firefighters managed to fight back flames in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities near Pacific Palisades not far from the coast, where swooping helicopters dumped water as the blaze charged downhill.The fire ran through chaparral-covered hillsides and also briefly threatened to jump over Interstate 405 and into densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.<h2>Arrests for looting</h2>Looting continued to be a concern, with authorities reporting more arrests as the devastation grew. Those arrested included two people who posed as firefighters going into houses, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Michael Lorenz said.With California National Guard troops on hand to guard properties, Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X: “California will NOT allow for looting.”<h2>Historical cost</h2>The fires that began Tuesday just north of downtown LA had burned more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wildfire-structure-damage-3f319dfaa36e583c06c8d49bd835084e">12,000 structures</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-possible-causes-6112488f835e45f53c67d4d03d7a1e4f">No cause</a>&nbsp;for the largest fires was determined.Early estimates suggest they could be the nation's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-natural-disasters-losses-insurance-recovery-d2f24e44d75503118643151eaee947fb">costliest ever</a>, as much as $150 billion according to an AccuWeather estimate.<h2>Inmate firefighters on the front lines</h2>Along with crews from other states and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/california-wildfires-gavin-newsom-mexico-los-angeles-area-wildfires-d0e244ec61e04838ba6d8bcde8522e31">Mexico</a>, hundreds of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-covid-health-california-climate-and-environment-701ee89ceb4b7ba3e1a412b83c2a2f3f">inmates</a>&nbsp;from California’s prison system were also helping fight the fires. Nearly 950 prison firefighters were removing timber and brush ahead of the fires to slow their spread, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-injuries-deaths-0ff52ff1735d7e9f858248177a2a60c3">practice is controversial</a>&nbsp;as the inmates are paid little for dangerous and difficult work: $10.24 each day, with more for 24-hour shifts, according to the corrections department.<h2>Rebuilding will be a challenge</h2>Newsom issued an executive order Sunday aimed at fast-tracking rebuilding by suspending some environmental regulations and ensuring that property tax assessments were not increased.“We’ve got to let people know that we have their back,” he said. “We want you to come back, rebuild, and rebuild with higher quality building standards, more modern standards."More than 24,000 people had registered for federal assistance made available by a major disaster declaration by President Joe Biden, according to the White House.Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Sunday that she had spoken with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration and expected that he would visit the city.<h2>Leadership accused of skimping</h2>Bass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayor-karen-bass-la-fires-leadership-99e52cf69cc656ee7e0328c6b609be74">faces a critical test of her leadership</a>&nbsp;during the city's greatest crisis in decades, but allegations of leadership failures, political blame and investigations have begun.Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants had run dry.___Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press journalists Julie Walker in New York, Sophia Tareen in Chicago and Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, contributed.

Los Angeles fire death toll surges; firefighters brace for more fierce winds

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a rural Kansas burglary have made two arrests.

&nbsp;Between January 3rd and January 5th, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office responded to several burglary and theft reports near Osage City and one near Overbrook, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. These incidents prompted an immediate response by deputies and investigators who began working diligently to gather information and follow leads.

Through their efforts, deputies and investigators developed key information regarding potential suspects involved in these crimes. A search warrant was executed, and most of the stolen property was recovered.

Deputies took two suspects into custody as a result of the ongoing investigation: Colton R. Hill, 23, of Osage City is being held on requested charges of Felony burglary, Attempted burglary, Felony theft, Misdemeanor theft, Driving while license suspended and Illegal registration.

Brian R. Stevenson, 52, of Pomona was jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;Felony burglary, Attempted burglary, Felony theft and Misdemeanor theft.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736542042881.png" alt="Stevenson-photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Stevenson-photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a rural Kansas burglary have made two arrests.&nbsp;Between January 3rd and January 5th, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office responded to several burglary and theft reports near Osage City and one near Overbrook, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. These incidents prompted an immediate response by deputies and investigators who began working diligently to gather information and follow leads.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736541994662.png" alt="Hill photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Hill photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>Through their efforts, deputies and investigators developed key information regarding potential suspects involved in these crimes. A search warrant was executed, and most of the stolen property was recovered.Deputies took two suspects into custody as a result of the ongoing investigation: Colton R. Hill, 23, of Osage City is being held on requested charges of Felony burglary, Attempted burglary, Felony theft, Misdemeanor theft, Driving while license suspended and Illegal registration.Brian R. Stevenson, 52, of Pomona was jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;Felony burglary, Attempted burglary, Felony theft and Misdemeanor theft.

Suspects accused in series of rural Kansas burglaries

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged arson fire at a home in Kansas City.

Just before 6p.m. Saturday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported house fire in the 2500 block of Mersington Avenue, according to Battalion Chief MIchael Hopkins.

Crews reported smoke and fire showing from a two-story vacant house.&nbsp; Searches of the structure came back all clear. No injuries were reported. After investigation the cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary in nature due to multiple start locations.&nbsp;

Police have not reported any suspects or arrests as the investigation continues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736712509892.png" alt="Photo KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged arson fire at a home in Kansas City. Just before 6p.m. Saturday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported house fire in the 2500 block of Mersington Avenue, according to Battalion Chief MIchael Hopkins.Crews reported smoke and fire showing from a two-story vacant house.&nbsp; Searches of the structure came back all clear. No injuries were reported. After investigation the cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary in nature due to multiple start locations.&nbsp;Police have not reported any suspects or arrests as the investigation continues.

Fire intentionally set at home in Kansas City 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon with a history of crime including his involvement in a 2019 fatal crash in a stolen SUV that killed two people was sentenced for murder on Friday

 Judge David Dahl 44-year-old Christopher English to over 70 years in prison: 618 months (51-and-a-half years) for first-degree murder, 216 months (18 years) for criminal discharge of a firearm and eight months on a charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon. according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In December, a jury found English guilty of first-degree murder, criminal discharge of a firearm, and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

In December of 2020, police responded to a shooting call at a residence in the 1800 block of South Main in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

Upon arrival, they located 49-year-old Michael Horn with a gunshot wound to his head. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he died.&nbsp; In July of 2022, police arrested English in connection with Horn's murder.

In 2019, English was on parole and a passenger in a stolen BMW sport utility vehicle driven by Mia Collins who led officers on a chase. After about one mile, the car collided with a car and another SUV at an intersection.

The crash killed 70-year-old Maria Wood and 12-year-old Rosemary McElroy and critically injured 36-year-old Jenny Wood, a popular Wichita musician known for performing with children.&nbsp; Collins was sentenced to life in prison.

English has previous convictions for drugs and weapons, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp; &nbsp;He will be sentenced on Jan. 10, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659213439450.png" alt="English-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>English-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon with a history of crime including his involvement in a 2019 fatal crash in a stolen SUV that killed two people was sentenced for murder on Friday Judge David Dahl 44-year-old Christopher English to over 70 years in prison: 618 months (51-and-a-half years) for first-degree murder, 216 months (18 years) for criminal discharge of a firearm and eight months on a charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon. according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In December, a jury found English guilty of first-degree murder, criminal discharge of a firearm, and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.In December of 2020, police responded to a shooting call at a residence in the 1800 block of South Main in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.Upon arrival, they located 49-year-old Michael Horn with a gunshot wound to his head. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he died.&nbsp; In July of 2022, police arrested English in connection with Horn's murder.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733836413213.png" alt="Collins photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Collins photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>In 2019, English was on parole and a passenger in a stolen BMW sport utility vehicle driven by Mia Collins who led officers on a chase. After about one mile, the car collided with a car and another SUV at an intersection.The crash killed 70-year-old Maria Wood and 12-year-old Rosemary McElroy and critically injured 36-year-old Jenny Wood, a popular Wichita musician known for performing with children.&nbsp; Collins was sentenced to life in prison.English has previous convictions for drugs and weapons, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp; &nbsp;He will be sentenced on Jan. 10, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas felon returning to prison for murder

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/carolyn-thompson">CAROLYN THOMPSON</a> Associated Press

Schools around the country are reviewing what to do if immigration agents come knocking as President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;prepares to take office after campaigning on a pledge to deport&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mass-deportations-immigration-844f3050ba99552b900ed9f3a1dec22d">millions of people</a>.

In several large cities, school systems are speaking up for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-students-education-plyler-d16e72263e68fd7fa12991ae5057897d">rights of immigrant students</a>&nbsp;to attend school, regardless of whether they are in the country legally, and saying they would not assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. In California, officials this week offered guidance to schools on state law limiting local participation in immigration enforcement.

“I know there is a lot of fear and anxiety around the incoming administration’s anticipated changes to immigration policy,” California Attorney General Bonta said, “and I want to make sure students, their parents, and their teachers and school administrators are prepared.”

The 54-page California guide outlines state and federal protections for students and procedures for responding to law enforcement requests ranging from documents to interviews with students.

Many communities debated how much and whether schools should cooperate with immigration authorities during Trump’s first administration, when school systems including Chicago’s took&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-government-cfcba9a16bde49af9f2fb7f4f064f504">stands against immigration enforcement</a>.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agents have long abided guidance that deters arresting parents or students at schools and other sensitive locations that provide access to things like medical care and food and shelter. But Trump’s re-election and campaign rhetoric on immigration policy have sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-mass-deportations-kobach-kansas-1918efac421cf5772a932917757a4642">discussions over whether those policies will stand.</a>

“Although the protected area policy remains in effect ... it may be modified, superseded, or withdrawn at any time with little notice,” the California guidance said. “Because of this, and because exceptions to the policy exist, local educational agencies should have plans in place in the event that a law-enforcement officer requests information or access to a school site or a student for immigration-enforcement purposes.”

A Trump transition spokesperson did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

An estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/US" target="_blank">733,000 school-aged children</a>&nbsp;are in the U.S. illegally, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Educators are acting at least in part to address the concerns of immigrant families and assure them their children are welcome and safe at school.

“We understand that fear and uncertainty, especially concerning the potential deportation of family members, can significantly impact our students’ well-being, their attendance, and their ability to learn,” Des Moines, Iowa Public Schools, where one of four students are English language learners, said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dmschools.org/news_release/board-gives-statement-on-families-immigration-concerns/" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;last month. The district affirmed a 2017 resolution limiting interactions with ICE officials to the superintendent.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpsboe.org/content/actions/2024_11s/24-1114-RS2.pdf" target="_blank">resolution</a>&nbsp;passed by Chicago Public Schools’ Board of Education in November said schools would not assist ICE in enforcing immigration law. Agents would not be allowed into schools without a criminal warrant, it said. And New York City principals last month were reminded by the district of policies including one against collecting information a student’s immigration status.

Vermont principal Chris Young said his district, whose students include children of migrant workers and farm workers, has a longstanding policy of requiring outside law enforcement to produce a warrant if they want access to students.

“Clearly, students who are worried about their parents being deported or being deported themselves, I think, are high on our list of kids to worry about,” said Young, principal at North County Union High School and president-elect of the Vermont Principals Association.

“We would like them to think that school is obviously a safe place and we are doing everything we can to bolster our policies around who can and can’t be in the buildings,” he said, “and we want to make sure that we’re just keeping the needs of the kids at the forefront.”

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/carolyn-thompson">CAROLYN THOMPSON</a> Associated PressSchools around the country are reviewing what to do if immigration agents come knocking as President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;prepares to take office after campaigning on a pledge to deport&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mass-deportations-immigration-844f3050ba99552b900ed9f3a1dec22d">millions of people</a>.In several large cities, school systems are speaking up for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-students-education-plyler-d16e72263e68fd7fa12991ae5057897d">rights of immigrant students</a>&nbsp;to attend school, regardless of whether they are in the country legally, and saying they would not assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. In California, officials this week offered guidance to schools on state law limiting local participation in immigration enforcement.“I know there is a lot of fear and anxiety around the incoming administration’s anticipated changes to immigration policy,” California Attorney General Bonta said, “and I want to make sure students, their parents, and their teachers and school administrators are prepared.”The 54-page California guide outlines state and federal protections for students and procedures for responding to law enforcement requests ranging from documents to interviews with students.Many communities debated how much and whether schools should cooperate with immigration authorities during Trump’s first administration, when school systems including Chicago’s took&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-government-cfcba9a16bde49af9f2fb7f4f064f504">stands against immigration enforcement</a>.U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agents have long abided guidance that deters arresting parents or students at schools and other sensitive locations that provide access to things like medical care and food and shelter. But Trump’s re-election and campaign rhetoric on immigration policy have sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-mass-deportations-kobach-kansas-1918efac421cf5772a932917757a4642">discussions over whether those policies will stand.</a>“Although the protected area policy remains in effect ... it may be modified, superseded, or withdrawn at any time with little notice,” the California guidance said. “Because of this, and because exceptions to the policy exist, local educational agencies should have plans in place in the event that a law-enforcement officer requests information or access to a school site or a student for immigration-enforcement purposes.”A Trump transition spokesperson did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.An estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/US" target="_blank">733,000 school-aged children</a>&nbsp;are in the U.S. illegally, according to the Migration Policy Institute.Educators are acting at least in part to address the concerns of immigrant families and assure them their children are welcome and safe at school.“We understand that fear and uncertainty, especially concerning the potential deportation of family members, can significantly impact our students’ well-being, their attendance, and their ability to learn,” Des Moines, Iowa Public Schools, where one of four students are English language learners, said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dmschools.org/news_release/board-gives-statement-on-families-immigration-concerns/" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;last month. The district affirmed a 2017 resolution limiting interactions with ICE officials to the superintendent.A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpsboe.org/content/actions/2024_11s/24-1114-RS2.pdf" target="_blank">resolution</a>&nbsp;passed by Chicago Public Schools’ Board of Education in November said schools would not assist ICE in enforcing immigration law. Agents would not be allowed into schools without a criminal warrant, it said. And New York City principals last month were reminded by the district of policies including one against collecting information a student’s immigration status.Vermont principal Chris Young said his district, whose students include children of migrant workers and farm workers, has a longstanding policy of requiring outside law enforcement to produce a warrant if they want access to students.“Clearly, students who are worried about their parents being deported or being deported themselves, I think, are high on our list of kids to worry about,” said Young, principal at North County Union High School and president-elect of the Vermont Principals Association.“We would like them to think that school is obviously a safe place and we are doing everything we can to bolster our policies around who can and can’t be in the buildings,” he said, “and we want to make sure that we’re just keeping the needs of the kids at the forefront.”<h2>___</h2>The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Schools are weighing responses to possible immigration raids

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating suspect on multiple allegations after a drug bust at a Kansas home where two young children were living.

Deputies conducting surveillance at a residence at 601 E. Edison in Independence observed activity leading to a vehicle stop conducted by the Independence Police Department, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.

The driver, identified as 59-year-old Bobbie Austin Jr. of Independence, was found in possession of over 7 pounds of suspected marijuana and was taken into custody. Based on evidence gathered, deputies obtained a search warrant for 601 E. Edison. 

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Independence Police Department, and Kansas Bureau of Investigations executed the warrant. Several individuals were located at the residence, including 65-year-old Clifford Craft; 34-year-old&nbsp; Dylan Craft; 41-year-old Tabitha Parks and 25-year-old Chase Vankirk all of Independence, Kansas,

Two juveniles, aged six and four, were also present. Law enforcement seized suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and various pills from the residence. 

The juveniles were placed in police protective custody, and all adults were arrested and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections.Recommended Charges:

Bobbie Austin Jr was jailed on requested charges of Distribution of marijuana (450 grams to 30 kilograms).

Clifford Craft was jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of depressants and aggravated child endangerment.

Dylan Craft as jailed on requested charges of Possession of marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia; aggravated child endangerment.

Tabitha Parks was jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia.

Chase Vankirk was jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia; interference with a law enforcement officer.

This investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be recommended, according to Sheriff Wade.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736462567725.png" alt="Dylan Craft -photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Dylan Craft -photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating suspect on multiple allegations after a drug bust at a Kansas home where two young children were living.Deputies conducting surveillance at a residence at 601 E. Edison in Independence observed activity leading to a vehicle stop conducted by the Independence Police Department, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.The driver, identified as 59-year-old Bobbie Austin Jr. of Independence, was found in possession of over 7 pounds of suspected marijuana and was taken into custody. Based on evidence gathered, deputies obtained a search warrant for 601 E. Edison. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736462763377.png" alt="Clifford Craft-photo Montgomery&nbsp; Co." />
 <figcaption>Clifford Craft-photo Montgomery&nbsp; Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Independence Police Department, and Kansas Bureau of Investigations executed the warrant. Several individuals were located at the residence, including 65-year-old Clifford Craft; 34-year-old&nbsp; Dylan Craft; 41-year-old Tabitha Parks and 25-year-old Chase Vankirk all of Independence, Kansas,Two juveniles, aged six and four, were also present. Law enforcement seized suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and various pills from the residence. The juveniles were placed in police protective custody, and all adults were arrested and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections.Recommended Charges:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736462593726.png" alt="Parks-photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Parks-photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Bobbie Austin Jr was jailed on requested charges of Distribution of marijuana (450 grams to 30 kilograms).Clifford Craft was jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of depressants and aggravated child endangerment.Dylan Craft as jailed on requested charges of Possession of marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia; aggravated child endangerment.Tabitha Parks was jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736462652443.png" alt="Vankirk photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Vankirk photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>Chase Vankirk was jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia; interference with a law enforcement officer.This investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be recommended, according to Sheriff Wade.

Police found drugs and 2 small children at Kansas home

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating what is now determined as a homicide from last summer and have identified the victim.

Just after 10:30a.m. August 13, police responded to a Topeka hospital after in individual arrived with life-threatening injuries, according to department spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

It was also reported that medical personnel had responded to a medical call in the 1200 Block of NW Central in Topeka. A man was transported for treatment of life-threatening injuries.

The individual identified as 43-year-old Ocelopanhuetzi Texotic Martinez, 43, of Topeka died September 1.&nbsp; After an autopsy, Topeka Police investigators determined the incident to be a homicide. Police have not reported an arrest in the case.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating what is now determined as a homicide from last summer and have identified the victim.Just after 10:30a.m. August 13, police responded to a Topeka hospital after in individual arrived with life-threatening injuries, according to department spokesperson Rosie Nichols.It was also reported that medical personnel had responded to a medical call in the 1200 Block of NW Central in Topeka. A man was transported for treatment of life-threatening injuries.The individual identified as 43-year-old Ocelopanhuetzi Texotic Martinez, 43, of Topeka died September 1.&nbsp; After an autopsy, Topeka Police investigators determined the incident to be a homicide. Police have not reported an arrest in the case.

Police: Autopsy shows Kan. man's death a homicide

This story is the first in a four-part series on the life and death of Hays, Kansas, resident Karen Schumacher, who died at the hands of her husband in 2022.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/277704cd-f369-48f7-bfca-bdbdba1e8959">If you are a victim of domestic violence, find help here</a>.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

On March 21, 2022, an ambulance was called to 324 W. 24th St. in Hays.&nbsp;

Karen Schumacher was transported to Hays Medical Center, where further examination showed significant trauma to her head, face and chest, upper extremities, lower ribs, and upper abdomen.

Jeremiah, Karen's only son, said she was bruised from head to toe.

Karen died at 9:03 on the morning of March 22. She was 60 years old, a mother, grandmother, sister and friend.&nbsp;

Her husband, Jay Schumacher, was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder.

The violence that ended in Karen's death in 2022 started decades earlier, according to Karen's friends and family and letters Karen wrote and hid from her husband throughout the family's home.

Karen was caught in a cycle of control, cruelty and violence that was at first hidden and is far too common for other women.

Karen's family and friends have given a voice to Karen's story in hopes of eliciting change in a system that they say betrayed Karen. They hope telling her story will prevent what happened to her from happening to someone else.

Karen and Jay met at a party. Karen became pregnant with her only child, Jeremiah, who was born shortly after they were married. A fairy tale romance, it was not. Cracks in the marriage appeared soon after Jeremiah was born.

Jay was a trucker. He drove at night and would sleep in the basement during the day.

"When I came over, she had to silence me," Sue Rohr, Karen's sister, said. "'Shh. If I wake up Jay, he's going to go off on me.' We had to talk outside or go for a drive or a walk because she said even walking on the floor, he would come up and go off on her. I didn't know what 'go off' meant."

Sue said she did not understand until many years later that “go off on her” meant a beating.

Four months after Jeremiah was born, Karen met her sister, Sue, for a visit, and Karen had a black eye. Sue asked what had happened, and Karen said she was changing Jeremiah’s diaper, and he kicked her.

"A little baby kick wouldn't give her a black eye. Jay was in the kitchen. I went over and said, 'If I ever see any marks on my sister, I will report you to the police,'" Sue said.

"Unbeknownst to me," Sue said, "that was when he started punching her in the head." Sue added Jay would hit Karen beneath the hairline so the bruises wouldn't show.

Sue said this pattern of head trauma would become evident years later, according to a neurologist hired by Karen's family.

Sue saw no more black eyes. Karen kept the violence in the household silent, hidden. Sue thought her sister was safe.

Scarlett Deutscher waited tables with Karen at a local family-owned Mexican restaurant, and the two women struck up a friendship.

Deutscher described the crew at the restaurant as one big family.

“Back then, Karen was lots of fun. She was always laughing. She was always singing, always very positive. You would not know anything was ever wrong with her. She was very happy, always late, but that was Karen, late for everything,”&nbsp;Deutscher giggled.

Deutscher&nbsp;and Karen shared their lives between service and tabs, both of them suffering in similar ways. Deutscher was also struggling with an abusive partner.&nbsp;

"We talked about stuff that had happened in the past that she kind of let on about. I know she didn't share too much because everyone knew Jay,"&nbsp;Deutscher  said. "She didn't want to say too much because of what could happen to her or how he would take it out on her and Jeremiah."

Deutscher said Karen came to work one day with broken glasses that she taped back together.

"If she would wear a shorter shirt, you might see something,"&nbsp;Deutscher said of Karen's bruises. "She always played it off as 'I ran into something.' Or 'I'm a klutz.'"

In a recent interview with the Hays Post,&nbsp;Deutscher said she now regrets not doing more to help her friend then and the years prior to her death.

“We didn’t talk about it too much because I was going through things back then, too,”&nbsp;Deutscher said, “a boyfriend and being through domestic abuse through him. I was working through my own turmoil.”

“Knowing how I was then and how I am now. I was so weak back then,”&nbsp;Deutscher began to cry.

"I got away, and after a good year to year and a half of listening to 'I won't do this anymore. I love you' and sending flowers that were supposed to make everything better."

“I was just a low place in my life, that I just felt like I couldn’t do anything without him,” she said.

Deutscher escaped her abuser. She has been happily married to her current husband for 17 years.

Deutscher said it took courage and support from her family to leave.&nbsp;

"It took just knowing that I could do better. Knowing that I really didn't need this person in my life anymore," she said. "I couldn't let my kids see me like that anymore, knowing he could possibly do more."

As&nbsp;Deutscher struggled to leave her abuser, Jay was closing his grasp tighter around Karen. There were other signs that all was not well in the Schumacher household.

Sue and&nbsp;Deutscher said Jay was in control of the family finances.&nbsp;

"Most Friday nights, she would tell me she was supposed to buy groceries, and 'Jay gave me 20 bucks to buy groceries for the week,'"&nbsp;Deutscher said.

"He controlled everything. He controlled the car she drove. I don't think she even had access to their finances, to be honest," she said.

Karen sometimes worked multiple jobs, including waitressing and cleaning houses. Sue said Jay forced her to give him all of her tips.

Jeremiah recalled his mother cashing in quarters to buy enough gasoline to get to work.

He allowed her money for diapers and pet food. Sue said Jay wouldn't even pay for essentials like bras for Karen.&nbsp;

Jeremiah, who is now 44, described the violence he witnessed in the house. As a young boy, he thought he was the source of his father's anger and violence.

He described his parents' relationship as "hot and cold."

“They were either great, or they weren’t. There was really no in-between,” Jeremiah said. “Dad would come in with a smile on his face, and five minutes later, he would be screaming at the top of his lungs, throwing things, up in people’s faces. No good. We all lived on eggshells.”

Jeremiah said he saw his father hit his mother many times, but no one intervened. He described an incident when the family was living in Victoria. Jeremiah was about 7.

"We had a cop that lived across the street," Jeremiah said. "Any time that dad would get on his big tirades, I would open my window and scream at the top of my lungs, hoping that someone would come help. 

"One night, that cop shows up in his underwear and a white wife beater and beats on the door, and I thought we were finally getting some help. Dad answered the door, and he said, 'Jay, get this over in a hurry. I've got to get some sleep. I've got to work in the morning.'"

“So after that, I figured it was normal,” he said. “I thought that’s what everybody went through.”

The beatings didn't stop with his mother.

"I was terrified of him, always. Absolutely terrified," Jeremiah said of his father. "I got beat profusely because the toilet lid fell down when I went to go to the bathroom as a child when he was sleeping. It was so terrifying that I would take water bottles and milk jugs to pee in my room because I was too afraid to leave."

Jeremiah tried to avoid his father and spent as much time away from the house as possible.

“But if I got in any trouble, if I forgot to do a chore or anything like that, I would be grounded for two weeks or a month or two, or God knows how long,” he said, “And I would have to hide in my room the entire time.”

Jeremiah said the length of the grounding often depended on how long it took the bruises to heal.

“I couldn’t come out. If I did, I had to be church mouse quiet because otherwise, that other shoe could fall at any minute,” he said.

Then there were the words he used as fists.

"I was told that I was worthless, that I should have been aborted, that he would kill me and make one just like me," he said.

“As a little kid, seeing the thing that my dad did, it scared the hell out of me,” he said.

Jeremiah didn't know until much later in his adulthood what Jay was telling his mother—something so awful she chose not to leave her husband in the face of so much violence and cruelty.

Jeremiah moved out of his parents' house when he was 19. He thought the violence for his mother stopped. He had always been told he was the reason his father was violent.

As an adult, Jeremiah begged his mother to leave.

"'He's not going to do anything here,'" Jeremiah said to his mother, pleading with her to come live with him. "'Fuck, Mom, why didn't you leave when I was a kid and get me out of this and get us out of this?'"

“She looked at me and said, ‘Your dad told me if I ever tried to leave, he would gut you like a deer in front of me just so I could watch you die before he killed me.’”

Jeremiah said he thought he knew what his father was capable of, but that statement shook him.

“I was pretty taken aback,” Jeremiah said. “I knew my dad never liked me for the most part unless I was useful for something, but I didn’t know he would kill me or that was a thing he would say to her until that day.”

What mattered was that Karen believed it.

Although Karen tried to leave many times and even separated from Jay in preparation for a divorce,&nbsp;Deutscher said she believed the threat against Jeremiah ultimately kept Karen in the relationship.

“Her worry was money and that he would come after her and Jeremiah,”&nbsp;Deutscher said.

"As moms, we want to protect our children and grandkids, the people who we love the most," said Deutscher, a mother and grandmother herself. "That was a worry. What he might do is why she actually didn't go through with the divorce."

Editor's note: Scarlett Deutscher is an employee of Eagle Media, the parent company of the Hays Post.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736611103393.png" alt="Graphics and video by Jordan Schaffer" />
 <figcaption>Graphics and video by Jordan Schaffer</figcaption>
 </figure>This story is the first in a four-part series on the life and death of Hays, Kansas, resident Karen Schumacher, who died at the hands of her husband in 2022.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/277704cd-f369-48f7-bfca-bdbdba1e8959">If you are a victim of domestic violence, find help here</a>.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ghy04fyZPaM?si=J9XFFvlGs-Q9iXwq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostOn March 21, 2022, an ambulance was called to 324 W. 24th St. in Hays.&nbsp;Karen Schumacher was transported to Hays Medical Center, where further examination showed significant trauma to her head, face and chest, upper extremities, lower ribs, and upper abdomen.Jeremiah, Karen's only son, said she was bruised from head to toe.Karen died at 9:03 on the morning of March 22. She was 60 years old, a mother, grandmother, sister and friend.&nbsp;Her husband, Jay Schumacher, was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder.The violence that ended in Karen's death in 2022 started decades earlier, according to Karen's friends and family and letters Karen wrote and hid from her husband throughout the family's home.Karen was caught in a cycle of control, cruelty and violence that was at first hidden and is far too common for other women.Karen's family and friends have given a voice to Karen's story in hopes of eliciting change in a system that they say betrayed Karen. They hope telling her story will prevent what happened to her from happening to someone else.Karen and Jay met at a party. Karen became pregnant with her only child, Jeremiah, who was born shortly after they were married. A fairy tale romance, it was not. Cracks in the marriage appeared soon after Jeremiah was born.Jay was a trucker. He drove at night and would sleep in the basement during the day."When I came over, she had to silence me," Sue Rohr, Karen's sister, said. "'Shh. If I wake up Jay, he's going to go off on me.' We had to talk outside or go for a drive or a walk because she said even walking on the floor, he would come up and go off on her. I didn't know what 'go off' meant."Sue said she did not understand until many years later that “go off on her” meant a beating.Four months after Jeremiah was born, Karen met her sister, Sue, for a visit, and Karen had a black eye. Sue asked what had happened, and Karen said she was changing Jeremiah’s diaper, and he kicked her."A little baby kick wouldn't give her a black eye. Jay was in the kitchen. I went over and said, 'If I ever see any marks on my sister, I will report you to the police,'" Sue said."Unbeknownst to me," Sue said, "that was when he started punching her in the head." Sue added Jay would hit Karen beneath the hairline so the bruises wouldn't show.Sue said this pattern of head trauma would become evident years later, according to a neurologist hired by Karen's family.Sue saw no more black eyes. Karen kept the violence in the household silent, hidden. Sue thought her sister was safe.Scarlett Deutscher waited tables with Karen at a local family-owned Mexican restaurant, and the two women struck up a friendship.Deutscher described the crew at the restaurant as one big family.“Back then, Karen was lots of fun. She was always laughing. She was always singing, always very positive. You would not know anything was ever wrong with her. She was very happy, always late, but that was Karen, late for everything,”&nbsp;Deutscher giggled.Deutscher&nbsp;and Karen shared their lives between service and tabs, both of them suffering in similar ways. Deutscher was also struggling with an abusive partner.&nbsp;"We talked about stuff that had happened in the past that she kind of let on about. I know she didn't share too much because everyone knew Jay,"&nbsp;Deutscher said. "She didn't want to say too much because of what could happen to her or how he would take it out on her and Jeremiah."But there were subtle signs.Deutscher said Karen came to work one day with broken glasses that she taped back together."If she would wear a shorter shirt, you might see something,"&nbsp;Deutscher said of Karen's bruises. "She always played it off as 'I ran into something.' Or 'I'm a klutz.'"In a recent interview with the Hays Post,&nbsp;Deutscher said she now regrets not doing more to help her friend then and the years prior to her death.“We didn’t talk about it too much because I was going through things back then, too,”&nbsp;Deutscher said, “a boyfriend and being through domestic abuse through him. I was working through my own turmoil.”“Knowing how I was then and how I am now. I was so weak back then,”&nbsp;Deutscher began to cry."I got away, and after a good year to year and a half of listening to 'I won't do this anymore. I love you' and sending flowers that were supposed to make everything better."“I was just a low place in my life, that I just felt like I couldn’t do anything without him,” she said.Deutscher escaped her abuser. She has been happily married to her current husband for 17 years.Deutscher said it took courage and support from her family to leave.&nbsp;"It took just knowing that I could do better. Knowing that I really didn't need this person in my life anymore," she said. "I couldn't let my kids see me like that anymore, knowing he could possibly do more."<h2>Beyond the bruises</h2>As&nbsp;Deutscher struggled to leave her abuser, Jay was closing his grasp tighter around Karen. There were other signs that all was not well in the Schumacher household.Sue and&nbsp;Deutscher said Jay was in control of the family finances.&nbsp;"Most Friday nights, she would tell me she was supposed to buy groceries, and 'Jay gave me 20 bucks to buy groceries for the week,'"&nbsp;Deutscher said."He controlled everything. He controlled the car she drove. I don't think she even had access to their finances, to be honest," she said.Karen sometimes worked multiple jobs, including waitressing and cleaning houses. Sue said Jay forced her to give him all of her tips.Jeremiah recalled his mother cashing in quarters to buy enough gasoline to get to work.He allowed her money for diapers and pet food. Sue said Jay wouldn't even pay for essentials like bras for Karen.&nbsp;<h2>'I figured it was normal'</h2>Jeremiah, who is now 44, described the violence he witnessed in the house. As a young boy, he thought he was the source of his father's anger and violence.He described his parents' relationship as "hot and cold."“They were either great, or they weren’t. There was really no in-between,” Jeremiah said. “Dad would come in with a smile on his face, and five minutes later, he would be screaming at the top of his lungs, throwing things, up in people’s faces. No good. We all lived on eggshells.”Jeremiah said he saw his father hit his mother many times, but no one intervened. He described an incident when the family was living in Victoria. Jeremiah was about 7."We had a cop that lived across the street," Jeremiah said. "Any time that dad would get on his big tirades, I would open my window and scream at the top of my lungs, hoping that someone would come help. "One night, that cop shows up in his underwear and a white wife beater and beats on the door, and I thought we were finally getting some help. Dad answered the door, and he said, 'Jay, get this over in a hurry. I've got to get some sleep. I've got to work in the morning.'"“So after that, I figured it was normal,” he said. “I thought that’s what everybody went through.”The beatings didn't stop with his mother."I was terrified of him, always. Absolutely terrified," Jeremiah said of his father. "I got beat profusely because the toilet lid fell down when I went to go to the bathroom as a child when he was sleeping. It was so terrifying that I would take water bottles and milk jugs to pee in my room because I was too afraid to leave."Jeremiah tried to avoid his father and spent as much time away from the house as possible.“But if I got in any trouble, if I forgot to do a chore or anything like that, I would be grounded for two weeks or a month or two, or God knows how long,” he said, “And I would have to hide in my room the entire time.”Jeremiah said the length of the grounding often depended on how long it took the bruises to heal.“I couldn’t come out. If I did, I had to be church mouse quiet because otherwise, that other shoe could fall at any minute,” he said.Then there were the words he used as fists."I was told that I was worthless, that I should have been aborted, that he would kill me and make one just like me," he said.“As a little kid, seeing the thing that my dad did, it scared the hell out of me,” he said.Jeremiah didn't know until much later in his adulthood what Jay was telling his mother—something so awful she chose not to leave her husband in the face of so much violence and cruelty.Jeremiah moved out of his parents' house when he was 19. He thought the violence for his mother stopped. He had always been told he was the reason his father was violent.<h2>Gut him like a deer</h2>As an adult, Jeremiah begged his mother to leave."'He's not going to do anything here,'" Jeremiah said to his mother, pleading with her to come live with him. "'Fuck, Mom, why didn't you leave when I was a kid and get me out of this and get us out of this?'"“She looked at me and said, ‘Your dad told me if I ever tried to leave, he would gut you like a deer in front of me just so I could watch you die before he killed me.’”Jeremiah said he thought he knew what his father was capable of, but that statement shook him.“I was pretty taken aback,” Jeremiah said. “I knew my dad never liked me for the most part unless I was useful for something, but I didn’t know he would kill me or that was a thing he would say to her until that day.”What mattered was that Karen believed it.Although Karen tried to leave many times and even separated from Jay in preparation for a divorce,&nbsp;Deutscher said she believed the threat against Jeremiah ultimately kept Karen in the relationship.“Her worry was money and that he would come after her and Jeremiah,”&nbsp;Deutscher said."As moms, we want to protect our children and grandkids, the people who we love the most," said Deutscher, a mother and grandmother herself. "That was a worry. What he might do is why she actually didn't go through with the divorce."Editor's note: Scarlett Deutscher is an employee of Eagle Media, the parent company of the Hays Post.

A Voice for Karen: Living behind a curtain of silence

JACKSON COUNTY–Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.

Just after 11p.m. January 7, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 1999 Buick Park Avenue, near 150th&nbsp;and Q. Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

&nbsp; The driver, Jade Taylor Mendoza, 24, of Topeka, was arrested on requested charges that include possession of fentanyl, possession of cocaine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, improper driving on laned roadway, improper turn signal, fail to provide proof of insurance.

The passenger, Joseph Lee Purvis, 43, of Meriden, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony interference with LEO and a Wabaunsee County Warrant for failure to appear.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736426784495.png" alt="Purvis" />
 <figcaption>Purvis</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY–Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.Just after 11p.m. January 7, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 1999 Buick Park Avenue, near 150th&nbsp;and Q. Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736426747498.png" alt="Mendoza-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Mendoza-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp; The driver, Jade Taylor Mendoza, 24, of Topeka, was arrested on requested charges that include possession of fentanyl, possession of cocaine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, improper driving on laned roadway, improper turn signal, fail to provide proof of insurance.The passenger, Joseph Lee Purvis, 43, of Meriden, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony interference with LEO and a Wabaunsee County Warrant for failure to appear.

Kansas couple caught with fentanyl and cocaine

RENO COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating an armed robbery in Hutchinson have made an arrest.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Just before 5 p.m. December 30, a man entered the Selectel Wireless, 1500 E 11th Avenue in Hutchinson, brandished a dark colored handgun at the store clerk, and then demanded money and various electronic items. An undisclosed amount of cash was taken along with several electronic items.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735663974802.jpeg" alt="Photo&nbsp; Hutchinson Police Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo&nbsp; Hutchinson Police Department</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating an armed robbery in Hutchinson have made an arrest.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just before 5 p.m. December 30, a man entered the Selectel Wireless, 1500 E 11th Avenue in Hutchinson, brandished a dark colored handgun at the store clerk, and then demanded money and various electronic items. An undisclosed amount of cash was taken along with several electronic items.On Friday Detectives with Hutchinson Police Department arrested 19-year-old Zayne M. Bruce and 17-year-old Kaidyn Emmerich both from Hutchinson. They are being held on requested charges for Armed Robbery and Theft.