(AP) — Two people are in custody after Kansas Highway Patrol officers stopped a car Sunday evening near Kansas City, Kan., only to discover two more people locked in the vehicle’s trunk.

Topeka police said Monday that the two people in the trunk are believed to be two victims who were taken Sunday evening during a carjacking in Topeka.

Spokeswoman Kristen Veverka says in a statement that Topeka officers were sent to Kansas City to continue their investigation. Messages left for Topeka police weren’t immediately returned.

The two people who were arrested were being held in Kansas City. They initially fled on foot and were caught by law enforcement officials in the area. The pursuit began near an interchange on Interstate 70 near the Turner Diagonal in Kansas City.

 

The case of th State vs. Antonio Brown Sr. reconvened this morning  at 9 a.m. At the Riely County Court House. The prosecutor Ellen Mitchell for the State of Kansas called on several officers that helped in the investigation of 612 W Prescott in Salina, Kansas for the murder of Clayden Urbanek.

The first witness called to the stand was Officer Christopher Kite, an investigator for the Salina County Sheriff’s office for 6 years. On Oct, 4th 2011 Kite was called to locate Antonio Brown Sr. as a possible suspect in a homicide, and was advised that he had left on foot towards Walgreens. Officer Kite checked Walgreens and several other residences in Salina, including 617 W Prescott, where the owners of the 612 W Prescott lived. Kites watched the house for three hours and did not note any one home.

Prosecution also called Investigator Carlos Londono, who has been with the Salina Police Department for 9 years. Londono responded on Oct. 4 2011 to 612 W Prescott where he met with Lt. Geary of the Salina Police Department. He was then sent to the 600 block of Washington, one block north of the Prescott house, where he found Brittney Betzel’s 2004 Pontiac. Londono started surveillance on the vehicle in case Brown were to return to the vehicle. Shortly after setting up the perimeter, Michael Slate left his mother’s van, which then parked, and approached the vehicle and started searching the car. Londono approached and apprehended Slate in order to bring him in for questioning. Londono then left to 617 W Prescott to search the home, as well as other addresses that were thought to be tied to Brown.

Another police officer that responded to the case was Mathew Halton, a Salina police officer for 13 years, also took the stand. Halton arrived on the scene of 612 W Prescott, where he then applied for a search warrant to the house and Brittney Betzel’s Sunfire. Halton was there for around 7 hours, where he noticed the residence was under renovation, there was little food, and construction materials were found around the home. One piece of evidence stuck out, a drain cover that had been purchased at Ace Hardware.

Jessica Patterson, an evidence technician who also responded to 612 W Prescott and investigated Brittney’s car, was also called to the stand. In her testimony she identified a piece of evidence, a receipt from Ace Hardware on Oct. 4 at 9:49 a.m.
The case is scheduled to run for at least three more days before the jury will deliberate. The Little Apple Post will continue to cover the case, and will update regularly.

10:30 a.m.  A 14-year-old Hutchinson boy will remain in custody for now as he faces two counts of first-degree murder in a suspicious house fire that killed his mother and 11-year-old sister.

Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder said Monday the teen has waived his right to detention hearing, so no proceedings are planned Monday.

Schroeder says he will file a motion later seeking to try the teen as an adult on the murder charges and a charge of the attempted murder of his father, who escaped the blaze without injury. He was also charged with aggravated arson

The fire that engulfed the two-story house started early Thursday. Schroeder says the youth was not at the scene when firefighters arrived but returned to the house hours later.

 

(AP) — A 14-year-old Hutchinson boy charged with two counts of first-degree murder in a suspicious house fire that killed his mother and 11-year-old sister is

scheduled to appear in court Monday.

The hearing will be closed because the charges were filed in juvenile court. Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder has said he will seek to try the teen as an adult on the murder charges and a charge of the attempted murder of his father, who escaped the blaze without injury.

Authorities had initially said the boy also escaped the fire that engulfed the two-story house early Thursday. But Schroeder later said the youth was not at the scene when firefighters arrived but returned to the house hours later.

 

(AP) — Hospitals are complaining that it’s taking longer to get reimbursed since the state switched to a new managed care plan for Medicaid.

When KanCare rolled out in January, most of the state’s Medicaid recipients were moved into plans administered by three private companies.

Cindy Samuelson of the Kansas Hospital Association says that since the switch, hospitals have reported problems getting reimbursed for services they perform. Hospitals also estimate it is taking three to 10 days to authorize treatment.

Samuelson says the state has attempted to deal with the authorization issues, but the problem persists.

The change to KanCare was promoted as a way to save money and improve care. Gov. Sam Brownback announced earlier this month that $37 million had been saved so far.