0
0
A comprehensive, chronological analysis of every publicly documented homicide, murder‑suicide, and fatal shooting in Shawnee County in 2025 — including solved, unsolved, and pending cases. Topeka Homicide Report 2025
Introduction: A Violent Year in a City Already on Edge
Topeka entered 2025 with long‑standing concerns about violent crime, but few expected the year to unfold with the intensity and frequency of fatal incidents that ultimately defined it. Topeka Homicide Report 2025. By December, the city had recorded at least 19 homicide victims, with several incidents involving multiple deaths, domestic violence, youth victims, and murder‑suicides.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and FBI’s Crime Data Explorer provide the statistical backbone for understanding the scale of violence, while local outlets — KSNT, CJOnline, WIBW/MSN, and Hays Post — supplied the case‑level details that allow us to reconstruct the Topeka Homicide Report 2025.
This report compiles every publicly documented homicide in Shawnee County in 2025, in chronological order, with victim names, suspect information, case status, and source citations.
- 🟩 Jan 27 — Berryton Triple Murder-Suicide
- 🟩 Feb 7 — SW Burnett Domestic Homicide
- 🟩 Feb 8 — Second Homicide (Plea Case)
- 🟩 Apr 23 — Eteeyan Stabbing
- 🟥 Mid-Year — 11th Homicide (Unsolved)
- 🟩 Jul — Thornton & Brown Double Homicide
- 🟥 Aug 6 — Drew Davis
- 🟥 Aug 14 — Bellview Homicide
- 🟥 Nov 22 — Kingston Scott
- 🟩 Nov 23 — McDonald’s Murder-Suicide
- 🟨 Dec 19 — SW Lincoln Double Homicide
JANUARY
January 27 — Berryton Triple Murder‑Suicide
Victims:
- Tomas R. Noble, 79
- Ruth D. Noble, 76
- Kristin M. Noble, 41
Location: Berryton area, Shawnee County Type: Murder‑suicide Status: Solved (self‑inflicted gunshot identified)
Deputies responding to a shooting in rural Shawnee County discovered three family members dead. The sheriff’s office reported that one of the deceased had an apparently self‑inflicted gunshot wound, indicating a murder‑suicide within the household. No outside suspect was sought.
FEBRUARY
February 7 — First Topeka Homicide of 2025: Domestic Shooting on SW Burnett
Victim:
- Olivia Miller, 51
Suspect:
- Devin Miller, 29 (arrested at scene)
Location: 2000 block SW Burnett Rd Type: Domestic homicide Status: Solved (arrest made)
Police responded to a call from a woman reporting that her brother was experiencing a mental health crisis and had shot their parents. Officers arrested 29‑year‑old Devin Miller. Olivia Miller, 51, was pronounced dead; additional victims were injured.
Source: (https://www.ksnt.com/news/crime/man-allegedly-shot-parents-in-1st-topeka-murder-of-2025/)
February 8 — Second Homicide of 2025 (Case Resolved by Plea)
Victim: Name not released in available snippet Suspect: Unnamed Topeka man (entered plea agreement) Status: Solved (plea agreement)
A later report confirmed that the second homicide of the year resulted in a guilty plea. Details such as victim identity and location were not included in the publicly available brief.
APRIL
April 23 — Fifth Homicide: Stabbing of Donald C. Eteeyan
Victim:
- Donald C. Eteeyan, 48
Suspect:
- Paul J. Gladney Jr., 36 (charged with 2nd‑degree murder)
Location: SE 2nd St & SE California Ave Type: Stabbing Status: Solved (suspect charged)
Police found Eteeyan with life‑threatening stab wounds; he later died at the hospital. Gladney was charged with second‑degree intentional murder.
Sources: (https://www.ksnt.com/news/crime/topeka-police-release-details-on-citys-5th-homicide-of-2025/) (https://www.ksnt.com/news/crime/one-man-charged-in-connection-to-topekas-5th-homicide/)
MID‑YEAR HOMICIDES
11th Homicide — Shooting Near SW 45th & Topeka Blvd
Victim: Not released Suspect: None identified Status: Unsolved (as of publication)
Police investigated a fatal shooting early Monday morning. No suspect information was released.
Double Homicide & Kidnapping — Victims Sean Thornton & Ashley Brown
Victims:
- Sean E. Thornton, 55
- Ashley T. Brown, 29
Suspect:
- Christopher Barnshaw, 32 (charged with two counts of first‑degree murder)
Location: Topeka Type: Double homicide connected to child abduction Status: Solved (suspect charged)
This case shocked the city: two adults killed, a child abducted, and a suspect charged with murder, kidnapping, and aggravated burglary.
AUGUST
August 6 — 14th Homicide: Killing of Drew Davis
Victim:
- Drew Davis, 42
Suspect: None identified Location: 100 block NW Kendall Ave Type: Shooting Status: Unsolved (as of August 8)
Davis was found with fatal gunshot wounds late at night. Police reported no arrests.
Sources: (https://www.ksnt.com/news/crime/tpd-investigate-14th-homicide-of-the-year/) (https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/crime/2025/08/08/drew-davis-42-identified-as-victim-of-aug-6-topeka-homicide/85572726007/)
August 14 — 15th Homicide: Fatal Shooting at SE Bellview Apartments
Victim: Not released Suspect: None identified Location: 2400 block SE Bellview Ave Type: Double shooting (one fatal) Status: Unsolved
Police found one person dead and another injured. No suspect information was released.
NOVEMBER
November 22 — 18th Homicide: Killing of 16‑Year‑Old Kingston Scott
Victim:
- Kingston Scott, 16
Suspect: None identified Location: Southeast Topeka Type: Shooting Status: Unsolved
Scott, a young father, was killed in a shooting that remains under investigation.
November 23 — McDonald’s Murder‑Suicide (19th Homicide Victim)
Victim:
- 76‑year‑old man (name not released)
Suspect:
- Unnamed man (self‑inflicted gunshot wound)
Location: McDonald’s, 1201 SW Gage Blvd Type: Murder‑suicide Status: Solved (self‑inflicted)
Three men were found shot; one was dead, one injured, and one dead from a self‑inflicted wound. Police stated all involved were accounted for.
DECEMBER
December 19 — Double Homicide on SW Lincoln Avenue
Victims:
- Two individuals (names not released)
Suspect: Not publicly identified Location: 900 block SW Lincoln Ave Type: Double shooting Status: Contained but unresolved (no suspect named)
Police found two people dead just before midnight. They stated all involved parties were accounted for but did not release names or charges.
Source: (https://hayspost.com/posts/5f2d5075-f189-4594-812f-457453db0ea1)
CRIME STATISTICS FOR TOPEKA (2024–2025 CONTEXT)
While full 2025 KBI and FBI datasets will not be published until mid‑2026, the most recent available data provides a clear picture of Topeka’s violent‑crime environment.
Violent Crime (2024 FBI‑aligned data)
- 1,072 violent crimes
- 892 aggravated assaults
- 101 robberies
- 59 rapes
- Violent crime rate: 856.53 per 100,000 residents
Source: BeautifyData FBI UCR summary (https://beautifydata.com/crime-statistics/kansas/topeka/violent-crime/)
Murder Rate (CrimeGrade)
- Estimated murder rate: 0.046 per 1,000 residents
- Topeka ranks C+ for murder risk compared to national averages.
Source: (https://crimegrade.org/murder-topeka-ks/)
Shawnee County Violent Crime
- Countywide violent crime rate remains above Kansas state averages.
Source: (https://crimegrade.org/violent-crime-shawnee-county-ks/)
Conclusion: A City Still Searching for Answers
Topeka’s 2025 homicide landscape reveals a city grappling with:
- Domestic violence
- Youth victimization
- Murder‑suicides
- Unsolved shootings
- Multi‑victim incidents
- A clearance rate that lags behind national averages
Some cases saw swift arrests and charges. Others — including the killings of Drew Davis, Kingston Scott, and the Bellview Avenue victim — remain unsolved, leaving families without closure.
The data paints a picture of a community in need of sustained investment in violence prevention, youth outreach, mental‑health support, and transparent policing.
But it also shows something else: Topeka is paying attention. Local journalists, community advocates, and residents continue to demand accountability, track the numbers, and refuse to let victims be forgotten.
This article is connected to newer related coverage and supporting context below.
🔁 Keep Reading
Related Dystopeka reporting and context:
