&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating three suspects on multiple allegations after caught in an alleged stolen vehicle.

Just after 7p.m. May 28, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a Ford pickup that was being stolen from private property located at 142nd&nbsp;and T. Road in southeastern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp; A Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy located the vehicle and three male subjects on 142nd&nbsp;between U.4 and V. Roads.&nbsp; All three men were arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail.

Philip D. Lister, 61, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of felony possession of stolen property, possession of opiates, and possession of methamphetamine.

Michael Ray Youngs, 52, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of felony theft of property, criminal damage to property and possession of a hallucinogenic drug.

Thomas Wesley Denny, 41, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of felony possession of stolen property and criminal damage to property.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748458727934.png" alt="Denny photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Denny photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating three suspects on multiple allegations after caught in an alleged stolen vehicle.Just after 7p.m. May 28, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a Ford pickup that was being stolen from private property located at 142nd&nbsp;and T. Road in southeastern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp; A Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy located the vehicle and three male subjects on 142nd&nbsp;between U.4 and V. Roads.&nbsp; All three men were arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748458673294.png" alt="Lister photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Lister photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Philip D. Lister, 61, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of felony possession of stolen property, possession of opiates, and possession of methamphetamine.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748458836186.png" alt="Youngs photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Youngs photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Michael Ray Youngs, 52, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of felony theft of property, criminal damage to property and possession of a hallucinogenic drug.Thomas Wesley Denny, 41, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of felony possession of stolen property and criminal damage to property.

Sheriff: Suspects caught in pickup stolen from rural Kansas home

FINNEY COUNTY—A southwest Kansas man is under investigation after a crash into a home.

Just after 11 p.m. Thursday, First Responders were dispatched to an injury accident in&nbsp; the 2000 block of Antler Ridge Drive in Garden City, according to a media release.

First responders found a Buick LeSabre had collided with a home. The investigation revealed that the driver, identified as 34-year-old Christopher Peterson, 34, was eastbound on Fair Street at a high rate of speed and lost control of his vehicle. 

The car struck and jumped a curb and veered across a yard before crashing into a house on Antler Ridge Drive. The impact caused the Buick to strike a parked vehicle inside the garage before coming to a rest. Fortunately, the home was unoccupied at the time of the crash.

Peterson was initially reported to be trapped inside the vehicle and refused treatment for minor injuries. Further investigation revealed Peterson was allegedly driving under the influence, and he was arrested. He was bookedk into the Finney County Jail on requested charges of DUI, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Speed Too Fast For Conditions, Driving Left of Center, and No Proof of Insurance.Another stark and sobering reminder of the dangers of impaired driving.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748632436339.png" alt="Photo Garden City Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Garden City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—A southwest Kansas man is under investigation after a crash into a home.Just after 11 p.m. Thursday, First Responders were dispatched to an injury accident in&nbsp; the 2000 block of Antler Ridge Drive in Garden City, according to a media release.First responders found a Buick LeSabre had collided with a home. The investigation revealed that the driver, identified as 34-year-old Christopher Peterson, 34, was eastbound on Fair Street at a high rate of speed and lost control of his vehicle. The car struck and jumped a curb and veered across a yard before crashing into a house on Antler Ridge Drive. The impact caused the Buick to strike a parked vehicle inside the garage before coming to a rest. Fortunately, the home was unoccupied at the time of the crash.Peterson was initially reported to be trapped inside the vehicle and refused treatment for minor injuries. Further investigation revealed Peterson was allegedly driving under the influence, and he was arrested. He was bookedk into the Finney County Jail on requested charges of DUI, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Speed Too Fast For Conditions, Driving Left of Center, and No Proof of Insurance.Another stark and sobering reminder of the dangers of impaired driving.&nbsp;

Driver jailed after crash into home in SW Kansas 

FORD COUNTY&nbsp;– Agents with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested a Kansas law enforcement officer for child sex crimes.

On Friday, May 30, just before 7 a.m., KBI agents arrested 42-year-old Erik Lalicker, of Ashland, in Dodge City. Lalicker was arrested for seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to a media release from the KBI.

Lalicker served as a Kansas Gaming and Racing Commission (KGRC) Enforcement Agent. Lalicker is currently on administrative leave pending the investigation.

The KBI Child Victims Unit began investigating after a cyber tip was submitted to National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Following the arrest, Lalicker was booked into the Ford County Jail on a $75,000 bond.&nbsp; All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748639710129.png" alt="Lalicker photo Ford County" />
 <figcaption>Lalicker photo Ford County</figcaption>
 </figure>FORD COUNTY&nbsp;– Agents with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested a Kansas law enforcement officer for child sex crimes.On Friday, May 30, just before 7 a.m., KBI agents arrested 42-year-old Erik Lalicker, of Ashland, in Dodge City. Lalicker was arrested for seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to a media release from the KBI.Lalicker served as a Kansas Gaming and Racing Commission (KGRC) Enforcement Agent. Lalicker is currently on administrative leave pending the investigation.The KBI Child Victims Unit began investigating after a cyber tip was submitted to National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).Following the arrest, Lalicker was booked into the Ford County Jail on a $75,000 bond.&nbsp; All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Kansas law enforcement officer accused of child sex crimes

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in the shooting death of a pregnant Kansas woman made his first court appearance in the case Thursday.

Matthew Criscenzo, 19 of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder and aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office The deadly shooting&nbsp; occurred early Sunday in Wichita.

Police identified he victim as 20-year-old Naomi Oglesby, a resident of Wichita. At the time of the incident, she was pregnant, according to Office Rick Pena. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, she was pronounced dead at 5:04 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-naomis-family-after-her-untimely-loss?attribution_id=sl:2d18a7a3-5ebf-4f8e-b662-ed72c4175c96&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1748307018&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_content=amp13_t1-amp14_c-amp15_t2&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=email"> Click here to visit the online fundraiser.</a>

Doctors were able to deliver her infant, who continues receiving care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at a Wichita hospital.&nbsp; 

Police arrested Criscenso in the 700 Block of Laura Street just before 10a.m. Sunday and booked him into jail. Criscenso is due back in court on June 12. He is being held on a half-million dollar bond, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748259337812.png" alt="CRISCENZO photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>CRISCENZO photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in the shooting death of a pregnant Kansas woman made his first court appearance in the case Thursday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748340707658.png" alt="Naomi Oglesby photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Naomi Oglesby photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Matthew Criscenzo, 19 of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder and aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office The deadly shooting&nbsp; occurred early Sunday in Wichita.Police identified he victim as 20-year-old Naomi Oglesby, a resident of Wichita. At the time of the incident, she was pregnant, according to Office Rick Pena. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, she was pronounced dead at 5:04 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-naomis-family-after-her-untimely-loss?attribution_id=sl:2d18a7a3-5ebf-4f8e-b662-ed72c4175c96&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1748307018&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_content=amp13_t1-amp14_c-amp15_t2&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=email"> Click here to visit the online fundraiser.</a>Doctors were able to deliver her infant, who continues receiving care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at a Wichita hospital.&nbsp; Police arrested Criscenso in the 700 Block of Laura Street just before 10a.m. Sunday and booked him into jail. Criscenso is due back in court on June 12. He is being held on a half-million dollar bond, according to the district attorney's office.

Suspect in murder of pregnant Kansas woman faces a judge

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Members of the Kansas satanist group appear to be off the hook for criminal charges that stemmed from a highly anticipated, hotly criticized black mass demonstration at the Statehouse that resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/28/loud-boisterous-rival-protests-of-religious-freedom-among-catholics-and-satanists-turn-violent/">clashes</a>&nbsp;with Catholics and, ultimately, their arrests.

Shawnee County prosecutors decided Wednesday not to pursue charges against Michael Stewart, leader of the Satanic Grotto, and two other group members. After the court hearing, Stewart returned to the Statehouse to discuss the details of his next protest with law enforcement.

Attracting nationwide attention, Stewart’s satanic protest in March drew ire from elected and religious officials. Hundreds gathered at the Statehouse in Topeka&nbsp;on March 28, some in support of the satanic organization, which is a nonprofit not affiliated with the Church of Satan, and others in vehement opposition.

About 11:30 a.m., following speeches, prayers, chants and sign-waving on the lawn of the Statehouse in Topeka, Stewart entered the building to perform a satanic ceremony, called the black mass, which can involve desecrating a host. Across the street,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/28/kansas-city-archbishop-preaches-against-satanism-atheism-in-prayerful-ceremonies/">a Catholic mass and prayer service</a>&nbsp;took place, where archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann lambasted nonbelievers. Naumann also&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/18/kansas-legislators-archbishop-take-action-against-satanists-and-their-planned-black-mass/">tried to sue</a>&nbsp;Stewart before the protests, falsely accusing him of stealing a consecrated host.&nbsp;

Stewart had a permit to demonstrate outside on Statehouse grounds and was warned as he entered the building that any protest would violate that permit.

He walked to the first-floor rotunda, accompanied by supporters, reporters and watchful counter-protestors and began a dedication to Satan.

A man and woman with young children interrupted him, physically intervening. Stewart turned away, and then a counter-protestor, Marcus Schroeder, attempted twice to grab papers from Stewart’s hands. On Schroeder’s second reach, Stewart punched him twice in the face before a law enforcement officer took his legs out from underneath him.

Stewart and two supporters were booked in jail and charged with unlawful gathering. Stewart faced an additional charge of disorderly conduct.

At a hearing Wednesday, county prosecutors said they don’t plan to pursue charges at this time, Stewart told Kansas Reflector. However, the statute of limitations lasts five years.

A call to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office seeking confirmation of the charges was not immediately returned Wednesday.

After the hearing, Stewart traveled a few blocks to the Capitol building, where he talked about plans for a nighttime protest in August with a law enforcement officer to preemptively soothe any concerns.

Planned for early August, Stewart envisions the “Witches Hour Protest” taking place from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. on the Statehouse’s south lawn.

He plans to extend the invitation to Wiccans, pagans and “any kind of witchy inclined hippie we can find.”

“We’re happy that we’re able to get back at it,” Stewart said.

He added the members of the grotto have been “restless,” as they awaited their fate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743299018628.png" alt="Law enforcement officers inside the Kansas Capitol rotunda tackle and detain Michael Stewart, president of the Satanic Grotto organization, for violating a permit that limited protests to the exterior of the building. Hundreds of Catholics conducted a counter-protest in opposition of Satanic Grotto’s presence in Topeka. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement officers inside the Kansas Capitol rotunda tackle and detain Michael Stewart, president of the Satanic Grotto organization, for violating a permit that limited protests to the exterior of the building. Hundreds of Catholics conducted a counter-protest in opposition of Satanic Grotto’s presence in Topeka. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Members of the Kansas satanist group appear to be off the hook for criminal charges that stemmed from a highly anticipated, hotly criticized black mass demonstration at the Statehouse that resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/28/loud-boisterous-rival-protests-of-religious-freedom-among-catholics-and-satanists-turn-violent/">clashes</a>&nbsp;with Catholics and, ultimately, their arrests.Shawnee County prosecutors decided Wednesday not to pursue charges against Michael Stewart, leader of the Satanic Grotto, and two other group members. After the court hearing, Stewart returned to the Statehouse to discuss the details of his next protest with law enforcement.Attracting nationwide attention, Stewart’s satanic protest in March drew ire from elected and religious officials. Hundreds gathered at the Statehouse in Topeka&nbsp;on March 28, some in support of the satanic organization, which is a nonprofit not affiliated with the Church of Satan, and others in vehement opposition.About 11:30 a.m., following speeches, prayers, chants and sign-waving on the lawn of the Statehouse in Topeka, Stewart entered the building to perform a satanic ceremony, called the black mass, which can involve desecrating a host. Across the street,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/28/kansas-city-archbishop-preaches-against-satanism-atheism-in-prayerful-ceremonies/">a Catholic mass and prayer service</a>&nbsp;took place, where archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann lambasted nonbelievers. Naumann also&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/18/kansas-legislators-archbishop-take-action-against-satanists-and-their-planned-black-mass/">tried to sue</a>&nbsp;Stewart before the protests, falsely accusing him of stealing a consecrated host.&nbsp;Stewart had a permit to demonstrate outside on Statehouse grounds and was warned as he entered the building that any protest would violate that permit.He walked to the first-floor rotunda, accompanied by supporters, reporters and watchful counter-protestors and began a dedication to Satan.A man and woman with young children interrupted him, physically intervening. Stewart turned away, and then a counter-protestor, Marcus Schroeder, attempted twice to grab papers from Stewart’s hands. On Schroeder’s second reach, Stewart punched him twice in the face before a law enforcement officer took his legs out from underneath him.Stewart and two supporters were booked in jail and charged with unlawful gathering. Stewart faced an additional charge of disorderly conduct.At a hearing Wednesday, county prosecutors said they don’t plan to pursue charges at this time, Stewart told Kansas Reflector. However, the statute of limitations lasts five years.A call to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office seeking confirmation of the charges was not immediately returned Wednesday.After the hearing, Stewart traveled a few blocks to the Capitol building, where he talked about plans for a nighttime protest in August with a law enforcement officer to preemptively soothe any concerns.Planned for early August, Stewart envisions the “Witches Hour Protest” taking place from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. on the Statehouse’s south lawn.He plans to extend the invitation to Wiccans, pagans and “any kind of witchy inclined hippie we can find.”“We’re happy that we’re able to get back at it,” Stewart said.He added the members of the grotto have been “restless,” as they awaited their fate.

Kansas satanists plan new protest, won’t face charges in Catholic clash at Statehouse

PAWNEE COUNTY – Dustin Barnes, 48 of Larned, appeared Wednesday morning in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff for Preliminary Hearing on felony charges of&nbsp; Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer resulting in bodily harm; and Interference with Law Enforcement; Resisting Felony Arrest, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

Prior to the commencement of the hearing, the parties advised the Court they had reached a plea agreement.  In exchange for the defendant’s plea to Count 1 as amended, the State agreed to dismiss Count 2 and amend Count 1 to simply Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer, a Class A person misdemeanor. Barnes entered a Guilty plea to the amended charge of Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer.  

In support of the plea, Pawnee County Attorney Douglas McNett advised the Court that had the matter preceded to trial the State would have presented evidence that the defendant was previously charged with separate physical altercations that occurred at the Pawnee Plaza in Larned, Kansas on December 10, 2024, and January 13, 2025.  Barnes subsequently entered a No Contest plea to Disorderly Conduct on March 31, 2025, due to the incidents and was ordered to pay court costs and a fine.

  As a result of the altercations, however, the facility gave Barnes a “No Trespass Advisory” and directed he not to be on the premises again.  On the morning of May 12, 2025, Larned Police Department Dispatch was notified that Barnes had been banging on the door of the facility manager’s Larned residence. No charges were requested by the manager at that time, but the family asked law enforcement to notify Barnes not to come back to the residence.

Later that morning, a Larned Police Department Sergeant located Barnes walking west of the Edwards Park Public Golf Course near the driving range and golf cart storage buildings. Before the officer could exit his patrol vehicle, Barnes struck the officer through the open driver side window an estimated eight to ten times with a closed fist. 

 As a result, the officer deployed his taser through the open window.  A taser was deployed a second time when Barnes refused to comply with commands to put his hands behind his back and began walking away. The officer was treated at the scene for minor injuries.  Pursuant to protocol, EMS also checked the defendant and determined he did not suffer any injuries other than the puncture wounds from the taser deployment.  The attack on the officer was captured by the officer’s patrol car in-car video.  The second deployment of non-lethal force was captured on the officer’s body cam which activated once the officer exited the patrol vehicle.

After accepting the plea,&nbsp; Magistrate Judge Julie Cowell sentenced Barnes to 12 months on probation with an underlying 12 month jail sentence.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748611701452.png" alt="Image from video of attack on the officer released by the county attorney" />
 <figcaption>Image from video of attack on the officer released by the county attorney</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY – Dustin Barnes, 48 of Larned, appeared Wednesday morning in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff for Preliminary Hearing on felony charges of&nbsp; Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer resulting in bodily harm; and Interference with Law Enforcement; Resisting Felony Arrest, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747164341960.png" alt="Barnes photo Pawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Barnes photo Pawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>Prior to the commencement of the hearing, the parties advised the Court they had reached a plea agreement. In exchange for the defendant’s plea to Count 1 as amended, the State agreed to dismiss Count 2 and amend Count 1 to simply Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer, a Class A person misdemeanor. Barnes entered a Guilty plea to the amended charge of Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer. In support of the plea, Pawnee County Attorney Douglas McNett advised the Court that had the matter preceded to trial the State would have presented evidence that the defendant was previously charged with separate physical altercations that occurred at the Pawnee Plaza in Larned, Kansas on December 10, 2024, and January 13, 2025. Barnes subsequently entered a No Contest plea to Disorderly Conduct on March 31, 2025, due to the incidents and was ordered to pay court costs and a fine. As a result of the altercations, however, the facility gave Barnes a “No Trespass Advisory” and directed he not to be on the premises again. On the morning of May 12, 2025, Larned Police Department Dispatch was notified that Barnes had been banging on the door of the facility manager’s Larned residence. No charges were requested by the manager at that time, but the family asked law enforcement to notify Barnes not to come back to the residence.Later that morning, a Larned Police Department Sergeant located Barnes walking west of the Edwards Park Public Golf Course near the driving range and golf cart storage buildings. Before the officer could exit his patrol vehicle, Barnes struck the officer through the open driver side window an estimated eight to ten times with a closed fist. As a result, the officer deployed his taser through the open window. A taser was deployed a second time when Barnes refused to comply with commands to put his hands behind his back and began walking away. The officer was treated at the scene for minor injuries. Pursuant to protocol, EMS also checked the defendant and determined he did not suffer any injuries other than the puncture wounds from the taser deployment. The attack on the officer was captured by the officer’s patrol car in-car video. The second deployment of non-lethal force was captured on the officer’s body cam which activated once the officer exited the patrol vehicle.After accepting the plea,&nbsp; Magistrate Judge Julie Cowell sentenced Barnes to 12 months on probation with an underlying 12 month jail sentence.&nbsp;

Plea deal for Kansas man in attack that injured police officer

NEW CENTURY, Kansas. –&nbsp;Kansas Department of Corrections resident Anthony Mansfield has been placed on escape status at approximately 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday after not returning to the Johnson County Department of Corrections (JCDOC) Adult Residential Center (ARC) or reporting to his job Wednesday, according to a media release from the KDOC.

Mansfield, a 36-year old white male, is considered dangerous. He was reported missing when the resident could not be located at the minimum-security unit. This walkaway does not impact the security or operations of the medium-maximum secure compound.

Mansfield is 5-feet, 8-inches tall, and weighs 185 pounds with an average build. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a&nbsp;white t-shirt with black designs, long black sleeve undershirt, brown boots, brown baseball hat and stonewashed jeans .

Mansfield was convicted in Johnson County for eight-months of incarceration for criminal damage to property convictions. He is serving that sentence at the JCDOC-ARC from which he walked away. Under an agreement between the KDOC and JCDOC, residents who have release plans that are appropriate to Johnson County are housed at the ARC.

Anyone with information on Mansfield can call EAI at 816-266-2102, JCDOC at 913-715-6539, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745669722214.jpeg" alt="Image from an earlier arrest in Missouri" />
 <figcaption>Image from an earlier arrest in Missouri</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW CENTURY, Kansas. –&nbsp;Kansas Department of Corrections resident Anthony Mansfield has been placed on escape status at approximately 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday after not returning to the Johnson County Department of Corrections (JCDOC) Adult Residential Center (ARC) or reporting to his job Wednesday, according to a media release from the KDOC.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748524255503.png" alt="Mansfield photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Mansfield photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>Mansfield, a 36-year old white male, is considered dangerous. He was reported missing when the resident could not be located at the minimum-security unit. This walkaway does not impact the security or operations of the medium-maximum secure compound.Mansfield is 5-feet, 8-inches tall, and weighs 185 pounds with an average build. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a&nbsp;white t-shirt with black designs, long black sleeve undershirt, brown boots, brown baseball hat and stonewashed jeans .Mansfield was convicted in Johnson County for eight-months of incarceration for criminal damage to property convictions. He is serving that sentence at the JCDOC-ARC from which he walked away. Under an agreement between the KDOC and JCDOC, residents who have release plans that are appropriate to Johnson County are housed at the ARC.Anyone with information on Mansfield can call EAI at 816-266-2102, JCDOC at 913-715-6539, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911.

Dangerous inmate still missing from Kan. work release facility

CALICO ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas authorities are looking at whether a job in the prison kitchen played a role in the weekend escape of a convicted former police chief known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-prison-escape-police-chief-grant-hardin-934e7fe6a45d3eafb18443f5b2bc5680?utm_source=Facebook&amp;utm_medium=share&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawKjFE9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETF4MmxjbUJyV05JWjVpTWZxAR7HdBxBzlrOzjOfYiCdChZPCLBAhbxLUw0ibnBZA-1ZgEI9955QwHFHVGhqmw_aem_bQ6Hm8suIdhTYD_ucbzvWg">the “Devil in the Ozarks.”</a>

Grant Hardin, 56, was housed in a maximum-security wing of the medium-security Calico Rock prison, where he also held a job in the kitchen, Arkansas Department of Corrections spokesperson Rand Champion said Thursday. Authorities have said Hardin escaped Sunday by donning an outfit designed to look like a law enforcement uniform.

“His job assignment was in the kitchen, so just looking to see if that played a part in it as well,” Champion told The Associated Press.

The kitchen is divided into two shifts of about 25 workers each, according to a 2021 accreditation report that involved an extensive review of the prison. In the kitchen, “tools and utensils were stored on shadow boards with proper controls for sign out/in of all tools,” the report states. “A check of the inventory control sheets found them to be accurate and up to date.”

The kitchen is in one of 16 buildings on over 700 acres (280 hectares) of prison land. The sprawling grounds include a garden, two greenhouses, and extensive pasture lands where a herd of more than 100 horses is raised and trained by staff and inmates.

Hardin, the former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-chief-arkansas-prison-escape-grant-hardin-280127e9737bc8e8e0d6388d7f268bd1">was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape</a>. He was the subject of the TV documentary “Devil in the Ozarks.”

A prison expert said corrections officials are likely investigating whether the kitchen job gave Hardin access to other parts of the prison or to tools in the kitchen that could have helped him, including fashioning the makeshift uniform.

Bryce Peterson, a criminal justice expert at security-based research organization CNA, said prison escapes are usually a combination of motivation and opportunity.

“You wouldn't immediately think of a kitchen as a source of a bunch of escape tools,” Peterson said. “But these people are really smart and what they're thinking about day in and day out is how they can escape if that's what their motivation is.”

Local, state and federal law enforcement are continuing their search for Hardin, and the FBI announced Thursday it was offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to his arrest. Champion said officials remained confident that Hardin was in the north-central Arkansas area.

Officials have said there are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-prison-escape-police-chief-grant-hardin-441d37501f2ab0de8af27501546dfb13">plenty of hideouts</a>&nbsp;in the Ozark Mountains area, from caves to campsites.

Authorities on Thursday continued to stop cars at a checkpoint near Calico Rock, and fliers featuring photos of Hardin could be seen in local store windows.

Elsewhere Thursday, a sheriff's office in southern Missouri said it had received a report of a sighting of someone resembling Hardin's description in the Moody/Bakersfield area, less than an hour's drive north of Calico Rock.

Deputies with the Howell County Sheriff's Office responded but were unable to locate anyone though agents were continuing to canvass the area, the agency said in a Facebook post.

“At this time, we have no information indicating with any degree of certainty this suspicious person was the escapee or that he is even in the state of Missouri,” the post said.

Champion said Arkansas authorities were aware of the tip and were looking into it.

The department late Wednesday said search teams also responded to Faulkner County in the central Arkansas area after receiving a tip.

Champion did not immediately know how many other inmates were housed in the prison’s maximum-security wing.

Hardin's assignment to the prison, formally known as the North Central Unit, has drawn questions from legislators in the area and family members of the former chief's victims.

Hardin received culinary training at some point during his incarceration, said Cheryl Tillman, whose brother James Appleton was shot to death by Hardin in 2017.

Tillman said she was aware that Hardin had been working in the kitchen at the Calico Rock prison and questioned why he would be allowed to do so.

“It sounds like to me that he was given free range down there,” she said this week during an interview.

Now that he’s free, “it makes it uneasy for all of us, the whole family,” she said.

DeMillo reported from Little Rock, Arkansas, Martin from Atlanta, and Riddle from Montgomery, Alabama.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748309291610.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>CALICO ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas authorities are looking at whether a job in the prison kitchen played a role in the weekend escape of a convicted former police chief known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-prison-escape-police-chief-grant-hardin-934e7fe6a45d3eafb18443f5b2bc5680?utm_source=Facebook&amp;utm_medium=share&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawKjFE9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETF4MmxjbUJyV05JWjVpTWZxAR7HdBxBzlrOzjOfYiCdChZPCLBAhbxLUw0ibnBZA-1ZgEI9955QwHFHVGhqmw_aem_bQ6Hm8suIdhTYD_ucbzvWg">the “Devil in the Ozarks.”</a>Grant Hardin, 56, was housed in a maximum-security wing of the medium-security Calico Rock prison, where he also held a job in the kitchen, Arkansas Department of Corrections spokesperson Rand Champion said Thursday. Authorities have said Hardin escaped Sunday by donning an outfit designed to look like a law enforcement uniform.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748562682920.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>“His job assignment was in the kitchen, so just looking to see if that played a part in it as well,” Champion told The Associated Press.The kitchen is divided into two shifts of about 25 workers each, according to a 2021 accreditation report that involved an extensive review of the prison. In the kitchen, “tools and utensils were stored on shadow boards with proper controls for sign out/in of all tools,” the report states. “A check of the inventory control sheets found them to be accurate and up to date.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748354598066.png" alt="Photo of the escape -Arkansas Dpt. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Photo of the escape -Arkansas Dpt. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>The kitchen is in one of 16 buildings on over 700 acres (280 hectares) of prison land. The sprawling grounds include a garden, two greenhouses, and extensive pasture lands where a herd of more than 100 horses is raised and trained by staff and inmates.Hardin, the former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-chief-arkansas-prison-escape-grant-hardin-280127e9737bc8e8e0d6388d7f268bd1">was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape</a>. He was the subject of the TV documentary “Devil in the Ozarks.”A prison expert said corrections officials are likely investigating whether the kitchen job gave Hardin access to other parts of the prison or to tools in the kitchen that could have helped him, including fashioning the makeshift uniform.Bryce Peterson, a criminal justice expert at security-based research organization CNA, said prison escapes are usually a combination of motivation and opportunity.“You wouldn't immediately think of a kitchen as a source of a bunch of escape tools,” Peterson said. “But these people are really smart and what they're thinking about day in and day out is how they can escape if that's what their motivation is.”Local, state and federal law enforcement are continuing their search for Hardin, and the FBI announced Thursday it was offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to his arrest. Champion said officials remained confident that Hardin was in the north-central Arkansas area.Officials have said there are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-prison-escape-police-chief-grant-hardin-441d37501f2ab0de8af27501546dfb13">plenty of hideouts</a>&nbsp;in the Ozark Mountains area, from caves to campsites.Authorities on Thursday continued to stop cars at a checkpoint near Calico Rock, and fliers featuring photos of Hardin could be seen in local store windows.Elsewhere Thursday, a sheriff's office in southern Missouri said it had received a report of a sighting of someone resembling Hardin's description in the Moody/Bakersfield area, less than an hour's drive north of Calico Rock.Deputies with the Howell County Sheriff's Office responded but were unable to locate anyone though agents were continuing to canvass the area, the agency said in a Facebook post.“At this time, we have no information indicating with any degree of certainty this suspicious person was the escapee or that he is even in the state of Missouri,” the post said.Champion said Arkansas authorities were aware of the tip and were looking into it.The department late Wednesday said search teams also responded to Faulkner County in the central Arkansas area after receiving a tip.Champion did not immediately know how many other inmates were housed in the prison’s maximum-security wing.Hardin's assignment to the prison, formally known as the North Central Unit, has drawn questions from legislators in the area and family members of the former chief's victims.Hardin received culinary training at some point during his incarceration, said Cheryl Tillman, whose brother James Appleton was shot to death by Hardin in 2017.Tillman said she was aware that Hardin had been working in the kitchen at the Calico Rock prison and questioned why he would be allowed to do so.“It sounds like to me that he was given free range down there,” she said this week during an interview.Now that he’s free, “it makes it uneasy for all of us, the whole family,” she said.___DeMillo reported from Little Rock, Arkansas, Martin from Atlanta, and Riddle from Montgomery, Alabama.

FBI: Reward offered for 'Devil in the Ozarks' prison escapee

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A Ness County couple who were convicted of mistreatment of a former Air Force nurse who served in Vietnam were sentenced to probation on Wednesday.

L<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/032dc57b-89f7-4905-ba23-e72dd8543a9a">ynn and Opal Schmidt of Ransom were arrested in July&nbsp;each on a charge of mistreatment of a dependent adult, and they entered pleas in Ness County District Court on March 20.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/441aea96-981d-4ed7-a86b-d273b232e533">The victim's friend, Renata Craft, wrote letters</a>&nbsp;and contacted veterans organizations to attend the couple's sentencing hearing, and supporters of the victim packed the court to capacity on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The Ness County Attorney issued the following statement on the sentencing on Wednesday.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA Ness County couple who were convicted of mistreatment of a former Air Force nurse who served in Vietnam were sentenced to probation on Wednesday.L<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/032dc57b-89f7-4905-ba23-e72dd8543a9a">ynn and Opal Schmidt of Ransom were arrested in July&nbsp;each on a charge of mistreatment of a dependent adult, and they entered pleas in Ness County District Court on March 20.</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/441aea96-981d-4ed7-a86b-d273b232e533">The victim's friend, Renata Craft, wrote letters</a>&nbsp;and contacted veterans organizations to attend the couple's sentencing hearing, and supporters of the victim packed the court to capacity on Wednesday.&nbsp;The Ness County Attorney issued the following statement on the sentencing on Wednesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748532327901.jpeg" alt=" " />
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748532342884.jpeg" alt=" " />
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Kan. couple sentenced for mistreatment of elder veteran 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in connection with sex crimes involving a runaway teen is due back in udge Quentin Pittman's courtroom Thursday afternoon for a preliminary hearing, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's ofice.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/inmatesearch/Details.aspx?Id=747078">Samuel Loredo, 22, is charged</a> with 3 counts of Criminal Sodomy, 2 counts of Indecent Liberties with a Child, 1 count of Indecent Solicitation of a Child, 1 count of Aggravated Interference With Parental Custody, and 2 counts of Contributing to a Child’s Misconduct, according to the District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just after noon November 18, law enforcement in Murray, Kentucky informed the Wichita Police Department that a 14-year-old runaway may be in Wichita based on their investigation, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

Wichita police responded to the area of 2300 N Woodlawn where it was believed that the child may have been. Patrol and Investigations began working together to find additional information to locate the juvenile and determine the circumstances around their presence in Wichita.

Throughout the afternoon and the evening detectives with the Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit worked to conduct additional interviews. Through those interviews, detectives determined that Loredo was communicating with the 14-year-old and arranged for the juvenile to travel to Wichita.

As a result of the investigation, police arrested&nbsp; Loredo, and booked him into Sedgwick County Jail.

Officers with the Wichita Police Department NET team located the juvenile wandering the area.&nbsp; &nbsp;Loredo remains jailed on bonds totaling&nbsp;$1,870,000.00, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732208663228.png" alt="Loredo photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Loredo photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in connection with sex crimes involving a runaway teen is due back in udge Quentin Pittman's courtroom Thursday afternoon for a preliminary hearing, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's ofice.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/inmatesearch/Details.aspx?Id=747078">Samuel Loredo, 22, is charged</a> with 3 counts of Criminal Sodomy, 2 counts of Indecent Liberties with a Child, 1 count of Indecent Solicitation of a Child, 1 count of Aggravated Interference With Parental Custody, and 2 counts of Contributing to a Child’s Misconduct, according to the District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just after noon November 18, law enforcement in Murray, Kentucky informed the Wichita Police Department that a 14-year-old runaway may be in Wichita based on their investigation, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.Wichita police responded to the area of 2300 N Woodlawn where it was believed that the child may have been. Patrol and Investigations began working together to find additional information to locate the juvenile and determine the circumstances around their presence in Wichita.Throughout the afternoon and the evening detectives with the Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit worked to conduct additional interviews. Through those interviews, detectives determined that Loredo was communicating with the 14-year-old and arranged for the juvenile to travel to Wichita.As a result of the investigation, police arrested&nbsp; Loredo, and booked him into Sedgwick County Jail.Officers with the Wichita Police Department NET team located the juvenile wandering the area.&nbsp; &nbsp;Loredo remains jailed on bonds totaling&nbsp;$1,870,000.00, according to online jail records.

Preliminary Hearing: Kan. man accused of sex crimes with runaway teen

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man accused in connection with a fatal crash that killed a motorcyclist made his first court appearance Wednesday.

Serafin Hernandez-Torres, 57 of Wichita, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 5:30p.m. May 22, police responded to the crash between a pickup driven by Hernandez-Torres and motorcycle&nbsp;driven by 27-year-old Allan Smith of Wichita near the intersection of Harry and Water in Wichita.&nbsp;

EMS transported Smith to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; Police arrested Hernandez-Torres.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a $150,000 bond and is due back in court June 9, according to the district attorney's office.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748465345464.png" alt="Hernandez-Torres photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Hernandez-Torres photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A man accused in connection with a fatal crash that killed a motorcyclist made his first court appearance Wednesday.Serafin Hernandez-Torres, 57 of Wichita, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748526471646.png" alt="First responders near the scene of the fatal crash -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders near the scene of the fatal crash -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 5:30p.m. May 22, police responded to the crash between a pickup driven by Hernandez-Torres and motorcycle&nbsp;driven by 27-year-old Allan Smith of Wichita near the intersection of Harry and Water in Wichita.&nbsp;EMS transported Smith to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; Police arrested Hernandez-Torres.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a $150,000 bond and is due back in court June 9, according to the district attorney's office.&nbsp;

Pickup driver accused in crash that killed Kansas motorcyclist

HARTFORD, CT —Julius Jordan Priester,&nbsp; 24, of Wichita, has been arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint with a charge related to his assault of a crew member on a flight from Bradley International Airport Tuesday night, according to David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on May 27,&nbsp; Priester was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 3359 that departed from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, at approximately 9:30 p.m. bound for Chicago.&nbsp; 

Thirty minutes to an hour into the flight, Priester stood up, began to take off his shirt, then ran to the back of the plane yelling “Help me.”&nbsp; He then grabbed a flight attendant (“the victim”), who was seated, shouted “you’re coming with me,” and forcefully brought the victim to the ground.&nbsp; 

Priester then attempted to drag the victim up the aisle. With the assistance of intervening passengers, Priester was returned to his seat where he continued to act erratically and made incoherent statements.&nbsp; The captain declared an emergency and the flight was diverted back to Bradley Airport.&nbsp; After the plane landed safely at Bradley, Priester was removed by Connecticut State Police and taken by ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation.

Priester appeared Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford.&nbsp; He is detained pending a bond hearing that is scheduled for May 30.

The complaint charges Priester with interference with flight crew members and attendants, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police.&nbsp; The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738800637991.jpg" alt="File photo AP" />
 <figcaption>File photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>HARTFORD, CT —Julius Jordan Priester,&nbsp; 24, of Wichita, has been arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint with a charge related to his assault of a crew member on a flight from Bradley International Airport Tuesday night, according to David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on May 27,&nbsp; Priester was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 3359 that departed from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, at approximately 9:30 p.m. bound for Chicago.&nbsp; Thirty minutes to an hour into the flight, Priester stood up, began to take off his shirt, then ran to the back of the plane yelling “Help me.”&nbsp; He then grabbed a flight attendant (“the victim”), who was seated, shouted “you’re coming with me,” and forcefully brought the victim to the ground.&nbsp; Priester then attempted to drag the victim up the aisle. With the assistance of intervening passengers, Priester was returned to his seat where he continued to act erratically and made incoherent statements.&nbsp; The captain declared an emergency and the flight was diverted back to Bradley Airport.&nbsp; After the plane landed safely at Bradley, Priester was removed by Connecticut State Police and taken by ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation.Priester appeared Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford.&nbsp; He is detained pending a bond hearing that is scheduled for May 30.The complaint charges Priester with interference with flight crew members and attendants, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police.&nbsp; The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.

Feds: Shirtless airline passenger from Kan. tackled flight attendant

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man arrested in connection with church vandalism in Wichita was back in court for an arraignment hearing on Wednesday.

&nbsp;Michael Gonzalez, 23,&nbsp; from Saline County was arraigned on felony charges: of burglary and criminal desecration and two misdemeanor charges of theft and criminal damage to property, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Just after 8:30a.m. March 15, police responded to a reported burglary at St. Patrick Catholic Church, located in the 2000 block of N. Arkansas Street in Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesman Brad Wright.

Officers discovered significant vandalism, including hate speech and damage to items such as statues, candles, and glass. Notably, a United States flag had been burned.

Recognizing the severity of this crime, Wichita Police and investigators—alongside federal law enforcement partners including the FBI and ATF—immediately launched a full-scale investigation. The Wichita Police dedicated Crime Scene Investigation team worked diligently to analyze evidence, leading to the swift identification of a suspect.

Officers from the Wichita Police Field Community Response Teams were provided with critical intelligence and began searching for the suspect. At approximately 2:20 a.m. March 16, officers located and arrested Gonzalez in the 2800 block of N. Hillside in Wichita without incident.

&nbsp;Gonzalez remains jailed on a $500,000 bond and is due back in court July 25, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742206082557.png" alt="Gonzalez photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Gonzalez photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man arrested in connection with church vandalism in Wichita was back in court for an arraignment hearing on Wednesday.&nbsp;Michael Gonzalez, 23,&nbsp; from Saline County was arraigned on felony charges: of burglary and criminal desecration and two misdemeanor charges of theft and criminal damage to property, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkscathconf%2Fposts%2Fpfbid026eKsJvXV69VEGsohrDBXEqgNBZTzKu7Cj7ps1ZDko1i6pe3eG8iNdZ1LAwzeXr4Cl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="819" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Just after 8:30a.m. March 15, police responded to a reported burglary at St. Patrick Catholic Church, located in the 2000 block of N. Arkansas Street in Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesman Brad Wright.Officers discovered significant vandalism, including hate speech and damage to items such as statues, candles, and glass. Notably, a United States flag had been burned.Recognizing the severity of this crime, Wichita Police and investigators—alongside federal law enforcement partners including the FBI and ATF—immediately launched a full-scale investigation. The Wichita Police dedicated Crime Scene Investigation team worked diligently to analyze evidence, leading to the swift identification of a suspect.Officers from the Wichita Police Field Community Response Teams were provided with critical intelligence and began searching for the suspect. At approximately 2:20 a.m. March 16, officers located and arrested Gonzalez in the 2800 block of N. Hillside in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;Gonzalez remains jailed on a $500,000 bond and is due back in court July 25, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas man arraigned for alleged church vandalism

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the U.S. will begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students, including those studying in “critical fields.”

China is the second-largest country of origin for international students in the United States, behind only India. In the 2023-2024 school year, more than 270,000 international students were from China, making up roughly a quarter of all foreign students in the United States.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields,” Rubio wrote.

The action comes at a time of intensifying scrutiny of the ties between U.S. higher education and China. House Republicans this month pressed Duke University to cut its ties with a Chinese university, saying it allowed Chinese students to gain access to federally funded research at Duke.

Last year, House Republicans issued a report warning that hundreds of millions of dollars in defense funding was going to research partnerships linked to the Chinese government, providing “back-door access to the very foreign adversary nation whose aggression these capabilities are necessary to protect against.”

The Department of Homeland Security raised similar issues in a letter barring international students at Harvard University last week. Secretary Kristi Noem accused Harvard of “coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party,” citing research collaborations with Chinese scholars. It also accused Harvard of training members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a Chinese paramilitary group.

The announcement came a day after Rubio&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-visa-social-media-d71aa33ff756c1383b362f69bf5b7a17">halted the scheduling</a>&nbsp;of new visa interviews for international students as the department prepares guidelines for increased vetting of their activity on social media.

The crackdown on visas adds to uncertainty for international students

Together, the announcements from the State Department added to uncertainty for America’s international students, who have faced intensifying scrutiny from President Donald Trump’s administration.

Earlier this year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested and tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mahmoud-khalil-columbia-protester-ruling-deport-fd9e80583af3109d7de0a5264e79ea61">deport students</a>&nbsp;who had been involved in campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war. And the Trump administration abruptly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-student-f1-visa-revoked-college-f12320b435b6bf9cf723f1e8eb8c67ae">terminated the legal status</a>&nbsp;of thousands of international students before reversing itself and then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-student-visa-f1-sevis-status-716ce8e67e2c3093eba4092e57ba1612">expanding the grounds</a>&nbsp;on which students can lose permission to study in the U.S.

University of Wisconsin student Vladyslav Plyaka was planning to visit Poland to see his mother and renew his visa, but he doesn’t know when that will be possible now that visa appointments are suspended. He also doesn’t feel safe leaving the U.S. even when appointments resume.

“I don’t think I have enough trust in the system at this point,” said Plyaka, who came to the U.S. from Ukraine as an exchange student in high school and stayed for college. “I understand it probably is done for security measures, but I would probably just finish my education for the next two or three years and then come back to Ukraine.”

The Trump administration last week moved to block Harvard University from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-international-students-trump-what-to-know-6defa20d617f1ef297402e0d84c55e1e">enrolling any international students</a>, a decision that has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-foreign-students-enrollment-trump-lawsuit-94b65866c563e67a7a7a3c79e90144d6">put on hold</a>&nbsp;by a federal judge, pending a lawsuit.

Trump said Wednesday that Harvard, whose current student population is made up of more than a quarter of international students, should limit that percentage to about 15%.

“I want to make sure the foreign students are people that can love our country,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

The action on Chinese students renews a priority from Trump’s first administration to clamp down on academic ties between the United States and China, which Republicans have called a threat to national security. In April, Trump ordered the Education Department to ramp up enforcement of a federal rule requiring colleges to disclose information about funding from foreign sources.

During his first term, the Education Department opened 19 investigations into foreign funding at U.S. universities and found that they underreported money flowing from China, Russia and other countries described as foreign adversaries.

Hours before Rubio announced the change, Eastern Michigan University announced it was ending engineering partnerships with two Chinese universities, responding to Republican pressure. Rep. John Moolenaar, the Republican chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, recently urged Eastern Michigan and other universities to end partnerships with Chinese universities.

Around 1.1 million international students were in the United States last year — a source of essential revenue for tuition-driven colleges. International students are not eligible for federal financial aid. Often, they pay full price.

Northeastern University, which has more than 20,000 international students, has set up “contingency plans” for those who hit visa delays, said spokesperson Renata Nyul, without elaborating.

“This is a very dynamic situation, and we are closely monitoring the developments in real time to assess any potential impacts,” she said.

The US plans more in-depth reviews of visa applicants’ social media

In his announcement on China, Rubio said the government also will “revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.”

Visa applicants have been required to provide social media handles to the State Department since 2019. The cable Tuesday did not indicate what kind of additional scrutiny the new guidelines would cover, but suggested the new reviews may be more resource-intensive.

The additional vetting will deter students from coming to the U.S., said Jonathan Friedman of PEN America, a literary and free expression organization.

“The details remain vague, but this policy risks upending the long-standing place of the U.S. as a beacon for intellectual and cultural exchange with the world,” Friedman said.

The move to cut off international enrollment at Harvard stems from a dispute with the Department of Homeland Security, which has demanded that it provide information about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harvard-tax-exempt-status-international-students-07a10958bf078cb04b59d1fc9a3a27a8">foreign students</a>&nbsp;that might implicate them in violence or protests that could lead to their deportation. Harvard says it complied with the records request, but the agency said its response fell short.

On Wednesday, Trump said more scrutiny of Harvard’s students is necessary.

“They’re taking people from areas of the world that are very radicalized, and we don’t want them making trouble in our country,” Trump said.

The Trump administration has cut over $2.6 billion in federal grants for Harvard as it presses demands for changes to policies and governance at the Ivy League school, which the president has described as a hotbed of liberalism and antisemitism. Harvard has pushed back and filed a lawsuit against the administration.

Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim in Washington and Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco contributed to this report.

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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746019461996.png" alt="Student Visa image courtesy SUNY Schenectady" />
 <figcaption>Student Visa image courtesy SUNY Schenectady</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the U.S. will begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students, including those studying in “critical fields.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.&mdash; Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/1927859105282015532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>China is the second-largest country of origin for international students in the United States, behind only India. In the 2023-2024 school year, more than 270,000 international students were from China, making up roughly a quarter of all foreign students in the United States.“Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields,” Rubio wrote.The action comes at a time of intensifying scrutiny of the ties between U.S. higher education and China. House Republicans this month pressed Duke University to cut its ties with a Chinese university, saying it allowed Chinese students to gain access to federally funded research at Duke.Last year, House Republicans issued a report warning that hundreds of millions of dollars in defense funding was going to research partnerships linked to the Chinese government, providing “back-door access to the very foreign adversary nation whose aggression these capabilities are necessary to protect against.”The Department of Homeland Security raised similar issues in a letter barring international students at Harvard University last week. Secretary Kristi Noem accused Harvard of “coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party,” citing research collaborations with Chinese scholars. It also accused Harvard of training members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a Chinese paramilitary group.The announcement came a day after Rubio&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-visa-social-media-d71aa33ff756c1383b362f69bf5b7a17">halted the scheduling</a>&nbsp;of new visa interviews for international students as the department prepares guidelines for increased vetting of their activity on social media.<h2>The crackdown on visas adds to uncertainty for international students</h2>Together, the announcements from the State Department added to uncertainty for America’s international students, who have faced intensifying scrutiny from President Donald Trump’s administration.Earlier this year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested and tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mahmoud-khalil-columbia-protester-ruling-deport-fd9e80583af3109d7de0a5264e79ea61">deport students</a>&nbsp;who had been involved in campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war. And the Trump administration abruptly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-student-f1-visa-revoked-college-f12320b435b6bf9cf723f1e8eb8c67ae">terminated the legal status</a>&nbsp;of thousands of international students before reversing itself and then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-student-visa-f1-sevis-status-716ce8e67e2c3093eba4092e57ba1612">expanding the grounds</a>&nbsp;on which students can lose permission to study in the U.S.University of Wisconsin student Vladyslav Plyaka was planning to visit Poland to see his mother and renew his visa, but he doesn’t know when that will be possible now that visa appointments are suspended. He also doesn’t feel safe leaving the U.S. even when appointments resume.“I don’t think I have enough trust in the system at this point,” said Plyaka, who came to the U.S. from Ukraine as an exchange student in high school and stayed for college. “I understand it probably is done for security measures, but I would probably just finish my education for the next two or three years and then come back to Ukraine.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748477767825.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Trump administration last week moved to block Harvard University from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-international-students-trump-what-to-know-6defa20d617f1ef297402e0d84c55e1e">enrolling any international students</a>, a decision that has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-foreign-students-enrollment-trump-lawsuit-94b65866c563e67a7a7a3c79e90144d6">put on hold</a>&nbsp;by a federal judge, pending a lawsuit.Trump said Wednesday that Harvard, whose current student population is made up of more than a quarter of international students, should limit that percentage to about 15%.“I want to make sure the foreign students are people that can love our country,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.The action on Chinese students renews a priority from Trump’s first administration to clamp down on academic ties between the United States and China, which Republicans have called a threat to national security. In April, Trump ordered the Education Department to ramp up enforcement of a federal rule requiring colleges to disclose information about funding from foreign sources.During his first term, the Education Department opened 19 investigations into foreign funding at U.S. universities and found that they underreported money flowing from China, Russia and other countries described as foreign adversaries.Hours before Rubio announced the change, Eastern Michigan University announced it was ending engineering partnerships with two Chinese universities, responding to Republican pressure. Rep. John Moolenaar, the Republican chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, recently urged Eastern Michigan and other universities to end partnerships with Chinese universities.Around 1.1 million international students were in the United States last year — a source of essential revenue for tuition-driven colleges. International students are not eligible for federal financial aid. Often, they pay full price.Northeastern University, which has more than 20,000 international students, has set up “contingency plans” for those who hit visa delays, said spokesperson Renata Nyul, without elaborating.“This is a very dynamic situation, and we are closely monitoring the developments in real time to assess any potential impacts,” she said.<h2>The US plans more in-depth reviews of visa applicants’ social media</h2>In his announcement on China, Rubio said the government also will “revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.”Visa applicants have been required to provide social media handles to the State Department since 2019. The cable Tuesday did not indicate what kind of additional scrutiny the new guidelines would cover, but suggested the new reviews may be more resource-intensive.The additional vetting will deter students from coming to the U.S., said Jonathan Friedman of PEN America, a literary and free expression organization.“The details remain vague, but this policy risks upending the long-standing place of the U.S. as a beacon for intellectual and cultural exchange with the world,” Friedman said.The move to cut off international enrollment at Harvard stems from a dispute with the Department of Homeland Security, which has demanded that it provide information about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harvard-tax-exempt-status-international-students-07a10958bf078cb04b59d1fc9a3a27a8">foreign students</a>&nbsp;that might implicate them in violence or protests that could lead to their deportation. Harvard says it complied with the records request, but the agency said its response fell short.On Wednesday, Trump said more scrutiny of Harvard’s students is necessary.“They’re taking people from areas of the world that are very radicalized, and we don’t want them making trouble in our country,” Trump said.The Trump administration has cut over $2.6 billion in federal grants for Harvard as it presses demands for changes to policies and governance at the Ivy League school, which the president has described as a hotbed of liberalism and antisemitism. Harvard has pushed back and filed a lawsuit against the administration.___Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim in Washington and Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco contributed to this report.___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.

US to begin revoking visas of some Chinese students

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.&nbsp;

On May 22, police began investigating a report of auto burglary and theft from a fenced-in business in the 900 block of MacArthur in Great Bend, according to a media release.

 A short time later, officers discovered a campsite along the shore of MacArthur Lake in the community.

 Among the campsite, there was a large amount of trash and debris.The lake is managed as a public park and city ordinance prohibits camping or littering in the area. Officers located 40-year-old Ashley Corn and 26-year-old Tre Fiesterman at the campsite. While speaking with Corn, officers observed several items that had been reported stolen from the earlier incident.

Detectives arrived on scene and learned of a second location where stolen items from a separate incident were being stored. During the investigation, methamphetamine and marijuana were also located and seized. Both Corn and Fiesterman were arrested and booked into the Barton County Jail

Several other items were collected from the campsite and police released pictures of the items. Due to the nature of the crimes involved, the possibility exists that some of these items may also have been stolen. If you have any information regarding these items, please contact the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748462022086.jpeg" alt="Photo Great Bend Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Great Bend Police</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.&nbsp;On May 22, police began investigating a report of auto burglary and theft from a fenced-in business in the 900 block of MacArthur in Great Bend, according to a media release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748462349234.jpeg" alt="Fiesterman photo Great Bend Police" />
 <figcaption>Fiesterman photo Great Bend Police</figcaption>
 </figure> A short time later, officers discovered a campsite along the shore of MacArthur Lake in the community.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748515644932.png" alt="Corn photo Great Bend Police" />
 <figcaption>Corn photo Great Bend Police</figcaption>
 </figure> Among the campsite, there was a large amount of trash and debris.The lake is managed as a public park and city ordinance prohibits camping or littering in the area. Officers located 40-year-old Ashley Corn and 26-year-old Tre Fiesterman at the campsite. While speaking with Corn, officers observed several items that had been reported stolen from the earlier incident.Detectives arrived on scene and learned of a second location where stolen items from a separate incident were being stored. During the investigation, methamphetamine and marijuana were also located and seized. Both Corn and Fiesterman were arrested and booked into the Barton County JailSeveral other items were collected from the campsite and police released pictures of the items. Due to the nature of the crimes involved, the possibility exists that some of these items may also have been stolen. If you have any information regarding these items, please contact the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120.

Police make arrest, recover items from Kansas  burglary

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas violent offender accused of attacking two woman in downtown Wichita earlier this month made his first court appearance for the crime on Tuesday.

Ishara Samson, 34 of Wichita, is charged with two counts of battery and&nbsp; an offender registration violation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On May 3, two women reported a suspect, later identified as Samson, attacked them while they were walking near Douglas and St. Francis in downtown Wichita, according to police.&nbsp; Samson was was arrested at a homeless shelter.

He has been listed as a registered violent offender in Kansas since October 2022 after conviction on charges of&nbsp; Aggravated battery; Knowingly use weapon cause great body harm/disfigure/death after an&nbsp;attack with a sword.&nbsp;

He’s being held in the Sedgwick County Jail on a $100,000 bond and is due back in court on June 9, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748381720990.png" alt="Samson photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Samson photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas violent offender accused of attacking two woman in downtown Wichita earlier this month made his first court appearance for the crime on Tuesday.Ishara Samson, 34 of Wichita, is charged with two counts of battery and&nbsp; an offender registration violation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On May 3, two women reported a suspect, later identified as Samson, attacked them while they were walking near Douglas and St. Francis in downtown Wichita, according to police.&nbsp; Samson was was arrested at a homeless shelter.He has been listed as a registered violent offender in Kansas since October 2022 after conviction on charges of&nbsp; Aggravated battery; Knowingly use weapon cause great body harm/disfigure/death after an&nbsp;attack with a sword.&nbsp;He’s being held in the Sedgwick County Jail on a $100,000 bond and is due back in court on June 9, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas registered offender back in jail after alleged attack

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement continue their investigation of a weekend accident that injured five people.

Just after 6 a.m. Saturday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a single vehicle accident in the 9400 block of SW Hoch Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

First responders discovered a red 2017 Ford pickup truck was traveling northbound when it left the roadway to the east and the driver overcorrected.&nbsp; The pickup rolled and five passengers, four adults and one teenager, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and received medical care at a local hospital.

Police arrested the driver, 35-year-old Aaron C. Botkin, 35, of Auburn and&nbsp; booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated battery; recklessly cause great bodily harm/disfigurement, Aggravated endangering a child; reckless situation to a child &lt; 18, Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs, Failure to wear seatbelt and&nbsp;Improper driving on laned roadway

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748440881013.png" alt="Botkin photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Botkin photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement continue their investigation of a weekend accident that injured five people.Just after 6 a.m. Saturday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a single vehicle accident in the 9400 block of SW Hoch Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.First responders discovered a red 2017 Ford pickup truck was traveling northbound when it left the roadway to the east and the driver overcorrected.&nbsp; The pickup rolled and five passengers, four adults and one teenager, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and received medical care at a local hospital.Police arrested the driver, 35-year-old Aaron C. Botkin, 35, of Auburn and&nbsp; booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated battery; recklessly cause great bodily harm/disfigurement, Aggravated endangering a child; reckless situation to a child &lt; 18, Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs, Failure to wear seatbelt and&nbsp;Improper driving on laned roadway

Kan. man accused of DUI after crash that injured 4 adults, teen

Geary County Sheriff Nate Boeckman provided a rundown on case numbers for the past two weeks to the Geary County Commission on Monday. The Sheriff's Department worked 523 incidents combined, made 30 arrests, conducted two DUI investigaions, one drug investigation, handled three assault and battery cases and there were 214 total traffic stops. There were an average of 87 inmates in the Geary County Detention Center.

Geary County Sheriff Nate Boeckman provided a rundown on case numbers for the past two weeks to the Geary County Commission on Monday. The Sheriff's Department worked 523 incidents combined, made 30 arrests, conducted two DUI investigaions, one drug investigation, handled three assault and battery cases and there were 214 total traffic stops. There were an average of 87 inmates in the Geary County Detention Center.

Biweekly Sheriff's Department case numbers

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.

Thomas Carter, Failure to appear (Two counts), Probation violation (Two counts), arrested 05/27

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/2025/5/1748445313102.jpeg" alt="Mercedez Palmer, Traffic contraband into correctional facility; Probation violation, arrested 05/27" />
 <figcaption>Mercedez Palmer, Traffic contraband into correctional facility; Probation violation, arrested 05/27</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.Thomas Carter, Failure to appear (Two counts), Probation violation (Two counts), arrested 05/27Recent 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 May 28

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MARGERY%20A.%20BECK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MARGERY A. BECK Associated Press</a>

Sarah Milgrim, one of two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-9e77d16a88d634b0dde5b2455c96dddf">Israeli Embassy staffers fatally shot</a>&nbsp;last week in an apparently politically motivated ambush in Washington, D.C., was remembered Tuesday during a private funeral in the Kansas community where she grew up.

Milgrim, a 26-year-old from the Kansas City suburb of Prairie Village, Kansas, was leaving a reception for young diplomats at the Capital Jewish Museum alongside 30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky on May 21 when they were shot to death. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-10307b3b1a2a337e76730736b12ebbcb">suspect</a>, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez, was arrested and shouted “Free Palestine” as he was led away. Charging documents said he later told police, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.”

Lischinsky had bought an engagement ring before the shooting and was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israeli-embassy-victims-washington-shooting-couple-engagement-efbe6ba65306a314a782d388ce3fba65">planning to propose</a>&nbsp;to Milgrim in the coming days, those who knew the couple have said.

Instead of an upcoming wedding, those close to Milgrim eulogized her at a private service Tuesday at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kansas, the temple she attended as a child with her family.

Rabbi Doug Alpert of Congregation Kol Ami in Kansas City, Missouri, gave an impassioned eulogy as scores of attendees sniffled and softly sobbed.

Alpert first drew laughs as he relayed early childhood memories from her parents, Bob and Nancy Milgrim, including her love of hiding as a young child that earned her the label of “sneaky.” They also recalled her as creative, funny and preternaturally empathetic to animals. She was a vegetarian for most of her childhood and once saved an abandoned baby bunny using her mother's oven mitts, which she promptly then returned to their kitchen drawer unwashed.

But laughter soon turned to tears as Alpert noted the backlash Milgrim faced from strangers and even some acquaintances when she joined the Israeli Embassy staff and expressed her desire for a peaceful solution to end the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

“We would like nothing more right now than to ask Sarah, to talk to Sarah, to learn from such a beacon of light amidst a world of darkness," Alpert said. "We’ve been cheated out of that opportunity. And for the Milgrim family, cheated out of so much more.”

Milgrim's boss at the embassy, Sawsan Hasson, recounted how Milgrim championed women's and LGBTQ rights and always stuck to her mission of peace and bringing people together — especially those opposed to one another on religion, politics and ideology.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747923211105.png" alt="Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky-courtesy phot" />
 <figcaption>Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky-courtesy phot</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MARGERY%20A.%20BECK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MARGERY A. BECK Associated Press</a>Sarah Milgrim, one of two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-9e77d16a88d634b0dde5b2455c96dddf">Israeli Embassy staffers fatally shot</a>&nbsp;last week in an apparently politically motivated ambush in Washington, D.C., was remembered Tuesday during a private funeral in the Kansas community where she grew up.Milgrim, a 26-year-old from the Kansas City suburb of Prairie Village, Kansas, was leaving a reception for young diplomats at the Capital Jewish Museum alongside 30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky on May 21 when they were shot to death. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-10307b3b1a2a337e76730736b12ebbcb">suspect</a>, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez, was arrested and shouted “Free Palestine” as he was led away. Charging documents said he later told police, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.”Lischinsky had bought an engagement ring before the shooting and was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israeli-embassy-victims-washington-shooting-couple-engagement-efbe6ba65306a314a782d388ce3fba65">planning to propose</a>&nbsp;to Milgrim in the coming days, those who knew the couple have said.Instead of an upcoming wedding, those close to Milgrim eulogized her at a private service Tuesday at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kansas, the temple she attended as a child with her family.Rabbi Doug Alpert of Congregation Kol Ami in Kansas City, Missouri, gave an impassioned eulogy as scores of attendees sniffled and softly sobbed.Alpert first drew laughs as he relayed early childhood memories from her parents, Bob and Nancy Milgrim, including her love of hiding as a young child that earned her the label of “sneaky.” They also recalled her as creative, funny and preternaturally empathetic to animals. She was a vegetarian for most of her childhood and once saved an abandoned baby bunny using her mother's oven mitts, which she promptly then returned to their kitchen drawer unwashed.But laughter soon turned to tears as Alpert noted the backlash Milgrim faced from strangers and even some acquaintances when she joined the Israeli Embassy staff and expressed her desire for a peaceful solution to end the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.“We would like nothing more right now than to ask Sarah, to talk to Sarah, to learn from such a beacon of light amidst a world of darkness," Alpert said. "We’ve been cheated out of that opportunity. And for the Milgrim family, cheated out of so much more.”Milgrim's boss at the embassy, Sawsan Hasson, recounted how Milgrim championed women's and LGBTQ rights and always stuck to her mission of peace and bringing people together — especially those opposed to one another on religion, politics and ideology.“This morning, you and Yaron were meant to be in Israel, celebrating with his family,” Hasson said. “Instead, through an unthinkable tragedy, you have brought Israel here to Kansas to meet your own loving family in your hometown. Somehow, even in your passing, you have created connection and unity.”Milgrim earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Kansas in 2021. She was remembered as a warm, uplifting presence at Shabbat dinners and holiday gatherings at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life on campus.After graduating, Milgrim worked at at a Tel Aviv-based organization centered on technology training and conflict dialogue for young Palestinians and Israelis, according to her LinkedIn profile. She had been trained in religious engagement and peacebuilding by the United States Institute of Peace, an organization that promotes conflict resolution and was created by the U.S. Congress.After earning a master’s degree in international affairs from American University in 2023, she went to work at the Israeli Embassy, where her job involved organizing events and missions to Israel.Milgrim would have been teenager when her Kansas community was rocked by another deadly antisemitic attack in 2014. Frazier Glenn Miller Jr., an avowed anti-Semite and white supremacist,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-cab94ee0c9c84db0ae5c4e69f02a7a3c">fatally shot</a>&nbsp;three people at two Jewish sites in Overland Park in April of that year. At his trial, Miller openly stated that he targeted Jews for death — though none of his victims were Jewish. Miller was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/049dd23899154d8ba71e596143520fa8">convicted</a>&nbsp;in August 2015 and later sentenced to death.Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, last week lauded Milgrim for her work with women’s groups, LGBTQ communities and multi-faith groups and said Milgrim was studying whether friendships between Arabs and Israelis could promote peace.“We knew something like this could happen,” she said. “I just don’t think we thought it would happen to her.”