TOPEKA, KAN. – A man and a woman from Manhattan were sentenced Monday to 28 years in federal prison for taking part in the kidnapping of a Junction City woman who was killed during the abduction, according to U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.

 

Larry L. Anderson, 28, Manhattan, Kan. pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death. His girlfriend, Marryssa M. Middleton, 26, Fort Riley, Kan. pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death.

 

The body of Amanda Clemons, 24, of Junction City, was found in

February 2014 in Geary County, Kan. In their pleas, Anderson and Middleton admitted that on Feb. 7, 2014, they and co-defendants met the victim, who was a prostitute, at a hotel in Junction City and kidnapped her. The defendants beat the victim in retribution for comments the victim had made on social media about having a sexual relationship with Anderson. During the beating, the defendants demanded the victim pay $300. They took the victim to another hotel room in an unsuccessful attempt to get the money, after which they transported the victim to a residence on Fort Riley.

 

While there, the defendants allowed the victim to call her mother. The victim’s mother realized the victim was in danger and called Junction City Police. When police called the victim’s number to check on her, and the defendants listened to the call on speaker phone. Fearing arrest, the defendants transported the victim to a bridge in a remote part of Geary County, where they resumed the beating and attacked her with a knife. The victim broke free and jumped off the bridge, falling 15 feet and breaking her ankle. Some of the defendants found the victim in the snow and resumed the assault during which they cut her throat and killed her.

 

Co-defendants include:

Drexel Woody, 26, who lived on Fort Riley at the time of the crime, is set for sentencing June 26.

Shantrell D. Woody, 27, Fort Riley, Kan., formerly an active duty service member, is set for sentencing May 30.

Christopher Pugh, 33, Junction City, Kan., is set for sentencing June 26.

 

Beall commended the Junction City Police Department, the Grandview Plaza Police Department, the Geary County Sheriff’s Office, the Riley County Police Department, the Fort Riley Criminal Investigation Division, the FBI, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag and Geary County Attorney Steven Opat for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A 20-year-old man has been found guilty of trying to kill a Wyandotte County, Kansas, deputy sheriff.

Charles Bowser was convicted Monday of attempted capital murder, a charge that carries a life sentence. Two other men were convicted last year in the same case.

Jurors also found Bowser guilty of several aggravated battery and aggravated robbery counts.

Deputy Scott Wood was inside a convenience store in Kansas City, Kansas, on March 4, 2015, when three armed robbers jumped him and took his gun. He was shot multiple times but was able to radio for help before being shot in the face. He survived.

Prosecutors say the three men committed a string of robberies in Kansas and Missouri before the attack on Wood.

SHAWNEE COUNTY – A child hospitalized in critical condition after an a near drowning at motel pool on Saturday has died, according to Topeka police.

First responders were dispatched to 605 Southwest Fairlawn in Topeka for report of a girl identified on Monday  as 7-year-old Kenya Jones was pulled from a swimming pool unresponsive, according to a media release.

Patrons of the pool began to perform life saving measures until emergency medical crews arrived.  She was transported to a local hospital.

In May of 2013, a 12-year-old boy from Fort Riley died after he was pulled from the same hotel pool.

SALINE COUNTY – Two Kansas teens were injured in an accident just before 4p.m. Monday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer driven by Trent C. Pennington, 17, Salina, was northbound on Simpson Road four miles southeast of Salina.

The driver lost control of the vehicle as it came over a crest at Mentor Road.

The vehicle went off the east side of the road and rolled.

Pennington and a passenger Pennington, Olivia N. Pennington, 15, Salina, were transported to Salina Regional Medical Center.

Another passenger Jessica G. Henry, 15, Salina, was possibly injured. The KHP did not indicate where she was treated.

All three were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

TOPEKA -Gov. Sam Brownback signed a State of Disaster Emergency Proclamation for 29 Kansas counties affected by a severe winter storm, heavy rain and flooding April 28 and continuing.

Counties named in the declaration are Bourbon, Cheyenne, Cherokee, Crawford, Decatur, Finney, Gove, Grant, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Kearny, Labette, Lane, Logan, Marshall, Morton, Neosho, Norton, Rawlins, Scott, Seward, Sheridan, Sherman, Stanton, Stevens, Thomas, Wallace, and Wichita. This includes several counties named in a verbal declaration issued April 29.

The winter storm generated blizzard-like conditions with strong winds and heavy snowfall in the western third of the state, averaging from one to 14 inches. The highest accumulations ranged from 24 to 30 inches with drifts up to 10 feet.

All main highways in the western third of the state were closed and other travel was nearly impossible. The storm brought down numerous power lines and caused other utility damages, leaving thousands of Kansans without power.

In addition to the winter storm, heavy rain caused flooding and flash flooding in the eastern portion of the state. A widespread area received approximately two to four inches of rainfall, causing flooding in many rural areas that damaged homes and made travel difficult.

Joint federal and state Preliminary Damage Assessments are expected to begin this week to determine if there are sufficient damages to warrant a request for a federal disaster declaration.

DOUGLAS COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent one person to the hospital.

Just after 11:45p.m Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 800 Block of New York Street in Lawrence, according to a media release.

Officers found a 36-year-old man sitting on the sidewalk outside of an apartment complex suffering from a gunshot wound. Medics at the scene arranged to have him transported to a Kansas City Area hospital for treatment.

Police identified a 71-year-old man allegedly involved in the shooting.

Investigators are still gathering evidence to determine the nature of the incident. No arrests have been made.

CHEROKEE COUNTY—  Law enforcement authorities are trying to find two acquaintances of a man whose body was found along a southeast Kansas road.

The Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves is describing the death of 64-year-old James McFarland as “suspicious.”

His body was found April 30 near Baxter Springs.

Diana Marie Bohlander 55,  is believed to have had a romantic relationship with McFarland

She and her 21-year-old son Ty Bohlander are being sought.

Groves says McFarland is believed to have been with the mother and son at a campground in Pawnee, Oklahoma, in mid-April.

All three are believed to be homeless. Investigators are trying to figure out how McFarland got to southeast Kansas.

-The AP contributed to this report.

KISMET, Kan. (AP) — An autopsy is planned after a junior college football player in Kansas was found dead.

19-year-old Sean Callahan was found unresponsive Sunday afternoon at a home in Kismet, Kansas. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Authorities say the death is under investigation but is not currently considered suspicious.

Callahan was a sophomore offensive lineman at Garden City Community College. He received an associate degree during spring commencement ceremonies on Friday.

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FINNEY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Seward County are investigating the death of a Garden City Community College football player.

Authorities found Sean Callahan dead in Liberal on Sunday, according to a media release from Garden City Community College.

The 6-foot 4inch, 295 pound offensive lineman is originally from Gardner, Kansas

. He played in all ten games for the Broncbusters last season.

“I’m very sad for Sean’s family, friends, teammates, our college, myself and anyone that had contact with Sean,” Broncbuster Coach Jeff Sims said in a statement.

“He truly was growing and developing into a man with a bright future.”

In December, Garden City won their first national championship with a 25-22 victory over No. 2 Arizona Western in the El Toro Bowl.

SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating an accident that sent a sheriff’s deputy to the hospital

Just after 2p.m. Saturday, a 2001 Buick Century driven by Kelly Rudolph, 70, Salina, pulled out of the parking lot of a bar in the 600 Block of North Santa Fe in Salina.

The Buick collided with a Saline County 2014 Ford Explorer patrol vehicle driven by 46-year-old deputy Eric Appel who was on the way to assist police with another call, according to Salina Police Sgt. Brent Rupert.

Appel was driving northbound in the passing lane, without lights or sirens at the time of the crash. The patrol vehicle then jumped the curb and struck a parked semi.

Both vehicles sustained heavy front-end damage. Appel was transported to Salina Regional Health Center with a possible concussion and later released, according to Rupert.
Rudolph fused transport to the hospital.

Rudolph may have either failed to yield the right-of-way or made an improper turn into the left lane, but alcohol was not a factor, according to Rupert.

Salina police are in charge of the investigation and are collecting computer information from the deputy’s vehicle.

The Latest on the Kansas sentencing of a man who killed his 7-year-old son whose remains were found in the family’s pig sty. (all times local):

2:20 p.m.

A Kansas man has been sentenced to life in prison for the killing of his 7-year-old son, whose remains were found in the family’s pig sty after what authorities described as systematic abuse.

Forty-six-year-old Michael Jones declined the judge’s offer to address the court during his Wyandotte County sentencing hearing Monday related to the 2015 death of Adrian Jones. He pleaded guilty in March to first-degree murder.

The boy’s stepmother, Heather Jones, pleaded guilty to the same charge in November and is serving a life term.

Authorities say Adrian died in September or October 2015, but his death wasn’t reported. His remains were found that November after authorities responding to a domestic disturbance learned he was missing.

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man will be sentenced to life in prison for the killing of his 7-year-old son, who authorities say was subjected to horrific abuse and was “essentially starved to death” before his remains were found in the family’s pig sty.

Forty-six-year-old Michael Jones pleaded guilty in March to first-degree murder in the death of his son, Adrian Jones. He will be sentenced Monday.

The boy’s stepmother, Heather Jones, pleaded guilty to the same charge in November and is serving a life term.

Authorities say Adrian died in September or October 2015, but his death wasn’t reported. His remains were found in November 2015 after authorities responding to a domestic disturbance learned he was missing.

Prosecutors have said the boy was subjected to shocking abuse before he died.