WAKEENEY — A 36-year-old man is being held in the Trego County jail after his arrest Thursday on suspicion of first-degree murder.
The Kansas Attorney General’s Office said Jason Scott Force, Oakley, reportedly was arrested by the Gove County Sheriff’s Office in Quinter at approximately 10 p.m. Thursday after a manhunt that included patrols on the north side of Hays. No details on the incident leading to the arrest have been made available. Pending charges also include felony child abuse.
Ellis County Sheriff Ed Harbin told Hays Post local law enforcement received a call at approximately 3:30 p.m. from Gove County officials on an attempt to locate the suspect, whose cellphone reportedly was “pinged” off a tower north of Catharine. Later, the phone pinged near Walmart, where a pickup registered to the suspect reportedly was located.
The Hays search was called off after yet another cellphone ping, this time west of WaKeeney.
A first appearance in court was scheduled this morning. Assistant Kansas Attorney General Nicole Romine reportedly will handle the case.
Harbin said several law enforcement agencies, also including the Hays Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol, participated in the investigation, calling it a “joint effort” to locate the suspect.
Check Hays Post for more as information becomes available.