BUTLER COUNTY, KANSAS
MURDERS, MYSTERIES & JUST
PLAIN SPOOKY NEWS ARTICLES
A. Jester Arrested on A Charge of Murder ~ May 19, 1871
Our Affliction - Frank (Mrs. T. B.) Murdock Murders Son ~ July 7, 1871
The Wichita Tragedy - Confession of the Murderer ~ February 25, 1874
Body of Unknown Man Found ~ August 22, 1885
Dr. Roy Nance Kills Willis G. Forney ~ July 1, 1887
Left Naked On A Doorstep At Night To Die ~ September 1, 1887
Boy Killed (Perry Lightwine) ~ January 6, 1888
Found Murdered, Four Movers Killed and Robbed in Kansas ~ February 10, 1890
Found Dead in the Flinthills of Kansas - Probably Murdered by Horse Thieves ~ December 7, 1890
Still A Mystery - Milton Bradley ~ September 21, 1893
Ora Tabing Killed ~ January 22, 1894
Paddy Shea Convicted ~ January 11, 1898
Cold Blooded Murder (Frank Reynard) ~ July 29, 1898
Murder Case; Samuel Smith ~ December 9, 1898
Slain with a Pick ~ April 27, 1900
Miss Jessie Morrison Attempts the Life of Mrs. Olin Castle - June 22, 1900
Tragedy at El Dorado ~ June 26, 1900
An Ex-Convict Kills A Woman and Himself in Colorado ~ July 8, 1900
Coyle Bruce Falls From Horse ~ July 20, 1900
Accidentally Killed – Jeff Stearns ~ September 21, 1900
A. J. Boyles Shot Once or Twice & Killed ~ October 12, 1900
Beth Hoxie Shot and Instantly Killed by Step-Brother David ~ October 19, 1900
Jury All Farmers, One Secured Late in Morrison Case ~ November 30, 1900
Mrs. Paul Girod Takes Poison – Laudanum & Carbolic Acid – She Wanted to Die ~ June 20, 1902
Murder at Douglass – Birney Dunn & F. W. Wise, Jr. ~ August 22, 1902
Shot To Death - Fred Kriggins & Harry Rodgers ~ April 27, 1903
Committed Suicide - William Vandine ~ April 27, 1903
Clarence Williams Kills Guy Crabb Instantly ~ December 13, 1903
John Turner – A Suicide ~ January 8, 1904
Death of Sarah Schaefer A Hoax? ~ February 5, 1904
The Null Case ~ January 5, 1906
Murder at Leon, Murderer Escaped (Lew Bloomfield Killed Jess Sessor) ~ September 28, 1906
Anton Biley Kills His Wife and Himself ~ May 15, 1908
Shot By Farm Hand (Frank Pennypacker - Harley Overstreet) ~ January 15, 1909
Farm Hand Kills Employer (Pennypaker - Overstreet) ~ January 16, 1909
Charles Park – Parole Violation ~ August, 1912
Fire Destroy's Old House Where Snyder Slew To; May be Incendiaries Work ~ August 30, 1913
Frank French – Parole Violation ~ December 1, 1913
Detective Slain in Battle with Hobo on Frisco (Roy Ambrose) ~ May 29, 1915
Coroners Jury Seeks Truth About Wounds Which Took The Life of Clarke Browne ~ July 20, 1916
Browne Funeral Was Held Today (Clarke Browne) ~ July 21, 1916
Coroners Jury Will Hear Joe Browne’s Story (Clarke Browne’s death) ~ July 21, 1916
Joe Browne Must Face Charge Of Murder For Death Of His Brother (Clarke Browne) ~ July 21, 1916
Negro Uses Axe To Kill Another; Eludes Officers (Sam Brown) ~ July 28, 1916
Miss Lisle Saxton Dies; Found Dead in Chair ~ November 24, 1916
Latham Cattleman is Run Down and Killed (Sterling P. Yarnall) ~ December 1, 1916
Butler Countians Are Killed In Feud Fight With Montana Bandits (Klegg Brothers ~ January 26, 1917)
Dual Slayer Threatened To Kill Wife And Child Before He Left El Dorado (Rozella Harold and Baby) ~ January 26, 1917
Coroner "Investigates" Tom Lewellyn's Killing ~ July 19, 1917
Find Baby’s Body in Hastily Made Grave ~ March 1, 1918
Murder of Two Oil Men Shrouded in Mystery (Jack Price & Hiram Bracken) ~ September 25, 1918
Oil Man (Fred Hilty) is found Shot Through head in Wichita Hotel ~ March 10, 1919
Confession Clears Mystery in Death of Auto Salesman ~ March 10, 1919
Mystery About Man with Fractured Skull (Archibald Coyle) ~ April 3, 1919
Two Kansans are Killed in Accidental Shooting ~ October 29, 1919
Mystery in Missing Girl ~ January 7, 1920
Former Reisdent is Found Lifeless - (Mike Dwyer) ~ January 1, 1921
Luther Cook Shoots his Wife ~ September 5, 1921
Woman Kills Husband in A Violent Quarrel ~ (Arden Spires (Spiers) ~ July 24, 1923
Leon Murder Recalls Three Other Killings ~ July 25, 1923
New Angle is Seen in Death Boy (Unknown Boy) ~ September 20, 1923
Identification of Boy Still Lacking ~ September 22, 1923
Inquiries Being Made About Boy ~ September 1923
Still Unable to Identify Youth ~ September 24, 1923
Fail to Identify Body of Youth ~ September 25, 1923
Funeral Unknown Youth Tomorrow - September 27, 1923
Hold Service for Youth Late Today ~ September 28, 1923
Hundred Pass Bier of Unidentified Boy ~ September 29, 1923
Letters May Lead to Identification ~ September 1923
Murders Wife and Then Turns Revolver On Self (Clarence & Gladys Money) ~ January 17, 1924
Condition of S. A. Jenkins is Worse ~ April 25, 1924
Four Bullets are Fatal to A Patrolman (Steve Jenkins - Harry Parsons) ~ April 26, 1924
Smith Case to Jurors by Tonight (Ed Smith) ~ April 13, 1927
Ed Smith is Guilty of Murder ~ April 14, 1927
Kills Wife and Then Turns Gun On Himself (Albert & Anna Lierle) ~ April 19, 1927
Children Trapped on Second Floor of Home (Harry, Opal, Raymond & Bernice Miller) ~ January 7, 1928
Delay Charge in Slaying of Beaumont Man (Melvin Norman & David Edgar) ~ June 11, 1929
McCraner Rites are Held Today ~ April 11, 1932
Deputy Marshal Killed (R. J. Hammers) ~ March 15, 1934
Two Persons Slain (Frank Kelly & Wife) ~ September 8, 1934
Robert T. Gahm Kills Wife and Self Today ~ February 11, 1936
Expert Fails to Find Mrs. (David A.) Bash ~ 18 April 1936
William "Man of God," Dies Today/ Cost of Burial ~ February 24, 1938
George King Murder - Wife Claims Self Defense ~ January 1939
“Fritz” Edwards On Trial For Life At Wichita Today (Mrs. Eva L. Moore’s murder) ~ February 28, 1939
Man Killed and Another Cut in An Early Morning Brawl (Columbus Hughes murder) ~ July 4, 1941
Skull Fracture Cause of Death - Missing Monday (Deciderio Martinez) ~ March 23, 1943
Augusta Farmer Takes His Life (George W. Sullivan) ~ June 2, 1943
Body Found in Field (C. H. Rice) ~ January 19, 1947
Murder, Suicide Takes Lives of Oil Hill Man and Wife (Mr. & Mrs. Fred Bramble) ~ February 5, 1949
Slain Man's Widow Called in Neff Case ~ April 30, 1949
Neff Jury in Third Day of Deliberations ~ May 6, 1949
Neff Guilty - Life Sentence Recommended ~ May 7, 1949
Leon Man Dies of Accidental Gunshot Wound - January 20, 1950
Augustan Dies of Wound Caused By Bullet In Brain (Willis Rodden) ~ February 24, 1950
El Dorado Youth Slays Dad in Fight at Home (Edward Knowles) ~ January 11, 1952
Youth Awaits Filling of Formal Charges ~ January 12, 1952
Pleads not Guilty to Homicide Charges ~ January 12, 1952
Knowles Charged in Slaying (John Knowles) ~ January 14, 1952
Bill Cooper Shoots Wife Then Ends His Own Life ~ October 30, 1952
El Doradoan Slain During Row; Shot Seven Times (Ralph O. Brinkley) ~ November 8, 1952
Murder in First Degree (Charles Camp) ~ November 10, 1952
Earl "Montana Red" Brumbo to Stand in Own Defense (William Enoch Byers) ~ May 11, 1953
Camp's Fate Still Rests with Jury (Charles Camp) ~ October 29, 1953
Camp Jury Fails to Reach Verdict ~ October 30, 1953
Elsie Winifred (Nan) Warner Death (Robert Ronald Stewart Trial ~ June 28, 1954
Defendant Testifies at Murder Trial (Warren Applegate, Dana Laraine Applegate) ~ April 12, 1955
This Prowler Wears A Mask (William A. Lee home) ~ July 26, 1962
State Trooper is Shot to death; Three Men Apprehended in Manhunt ~ September 23, 1962
Skeleton To Be Buried But Mystery Remains ~ October 9, 1962
Butler County Funeral Ends Case Of Skeleton of Four Mile Creek ~ October 11, 1962
El Dorado's Mans Body Found (Patrick Lee Watkins) ~ July 13, 1963
Potwin Man is Found Dead (Paul Ullum) ~ July 12, 1963
L. H. Medley to be Charged in Death of El Dorado Man ~ December 14, 1963
Officers Seek Clues, Search For Murderer (William Jennings Burgett) ~ April 28, 1964
Butler Mysteries Lie Buried ~ November 6, 1965
Murder, Suicide Jury Determines (Mrs. Ruby and Joseph Edwards) ~ December 28, 1965
Camp Trip Ends in Death for Two Wichita Boys (Edgar Harvey Adair, Jr. & Jim Ritchie) ~ 1966
Hunt Pushed for Car of Slain Woman (Vickie Lynn Howell) ~ December 25, 1967
Man Shoots Ex-Wife, Self, Police Report (Gene and Connie Bowman) ~ Jan 9, 1968
KBI Awaits Lab Tests In Slaying (Vicki L. Howell) ~ Jan. 10, 1968
Whitewater Man is Shot to Death (Archie Hayes) ~ February 13, 1968
Forrest E. Reeder Murder / Terry Reeder Trial ~ August 15, 1970
El Dorado Woman Charged In Death Of Her Husband (Melba Wyman) ~ March 21, 1974
Augusta Woman (Pauline McDonald) Found Dead ~ May 7, 1974
Services Set for Pauline McDonald ~ May 8, 1974
Woman Shot Here, Dies of Gunshot Wounds (Nancy Guenthner) ~ June 21, 1975
Tom and Darlene Woodyard Murders ~ Noble Johnson Trial ~ September 6, 1975
Mom Killer Sent to Larned (Patricia Shultz) ~ April 17, 1976
Missing El Doradoan's Body Found on Farm Near Wichita ~ August 1, 1977
Suspect in Death of El Dorado Woman is Being Held in Wichita ~ August 9, 1977
Cause of Death Not Determined for Gill (Jeffrey Gill) ~ April 19, 1978
Man Is Fatally Stabbed At Rest Area (Patrick Masters) ~ March 1, 1979
18 Year Old Augusta Woman is Found Dead (Kay Robinson) ~ May 9, 1979
Local Man Killed in Local Motel (Robert "Bob" Andrews) ~ November 25, 1980
Trooper Slain on Turnpike (Ferdinand Fredrick "Bud" Pribbenow) ~ July 12, 1981
Trucker Faces Murder 1; Drug Found On His Person (Sgt. Tom Wolf) ~ April 20, 1982
Shooting Death of El Dorado Driver Remains A Mystery (Kay Gordin) ~ December 20, 1982
Douglass Man Found Shot (Lawrence Hay) ~ December 22, 1982
Train Kills Augusta Man (Loren Kelley) ~ December 22, 1982
Oil Tank Fire Kills Dexter Man, El Dorado Man Badly Burned ~ December 22, 1982
Suspect Held for Douglass Murder ~ December 23, 1982
El Doradoan is Victim of Stabbing ~ December 24, 1982
Towanda Woman Found Dead (Barbara Johnston) ~ March 24, 1983
Murder Charge Filed in Towanda Death (Barbara & Randall Johnston) ~ March 25, 1983
Johnston Services Today ~ March 25, 1983
Randall Johnston Arraigned in Murder Charge ~ March 26, 1983
Johnston Found Hanged in his Butler County Jail Cell ~ March 30, 1983
Pursley Ruled Competent (Lawrence Hay, Jack Pursley) ~ April 7, 1983
Burns Man is Victim of Apparent Drowning at Lake ~ April 26, 1984
Three Are Charged For County Murder (Leland Capps) ~ Jan. 7, 1987
Bernice Richards Drowns in El Dorado Lake ~ July 16, 1987
Gary & Cherie Barnes Murdered in their Rural Leon Home - Three Youths Charged ~ July 17, 1987
Fager Family Murders & William Butterworth Trial ~ January 1, 1988
Eurekan Bound Over for Murder (Trisha Coble) ~ November 17, 1989
Probe Continues After Body Found (Larry Sauer ~ November 27, 1989
Two El Doradoans Dead After Shooting (Ray Haigler & Sheila Moore) ~ April 22, 1990
Fatal Wreck Here (Daryl L. Stewart) ~ May 12, 1990
Mom and Daughter Murdered (Mildred & Janet McDowell) ~ April 12, 1991
Skeletal Remains Found ~ March 14, 1992
Augusta Man Dies In Tragedy (Richard Wheeler) ~ March 22, 1992
Inmate Facing Murder Charge In Death (Keith D. Teufel) ~ July 13, 1992
El Dorado Man Beaten To Death (Timothy O. Hoyt) ~ 1992
El Dorado Man Killed In Accident (David E. Logan II) ~ April 4, 1994
Enos Grandchildren Killed In Plane Crash ~ January 3, 1996
Michael Steven Lutter Charged with Attempted First Degree Murder ~ July 17, 1998
Augusta High School Teacher Killed Today ~ December 15, 2000
Details of Decade Old Murder (Eric Fowler, Torres) ~ January 8, 2002
Murder in Towanda (Ethel Jean Sommers) ~ May 20, 2002
Benton Man Stores Mothers Remains ~ May 20, 2002
Judge Binds Smith for Arraignment (Eduardo A. Garcia) ~ May 20, 2002
El Dorado Boy, 11, Dies at Scene of Head-on-Crash (Austin Alexander) ~ September 16, 2003
Copyright © 2011 to Kansas Genealogy Trails' Butler County host & all Contributors
All rights reserved
