TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), in partnership with the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police (KACP), the Kansas Sheriff’s Association (KSA) and the Kansas Peace Officers Association (KPOA), have developed the Cold Case Playing Cards as a way of generating tips that may help resolve cases of unsolved homicides, missing persons or unidentified remains.
A deck of playing cards – each including information about an unsolved crime in Kansas – will soon be distributed in state prisons and county jails across the state.
Each card in the deck includes brief information about an unsolved crime along with a phone number for anyone with information to call: 1-800-KS-CRIME. These cards highlight case details in the hope that a person or persons familiar with a case will come forward with information leading to its resolution.
The Cold Case Playing Cards will replace current decks of standard playing cards available in prisons and county jails. Decks will be placed in dayrooms and other common areas, and available through the commissary for purchase by KDOC residents.
“Our agency and our state’s criminal justice community have a commitment to the victims of crimes,” said Kansas Secretary of Corrections Jeff Zmuda. “Our staff members see the unresolved pain experienced by the many families we work with. Hearing the responses from surviving family members when notified that their loved one’s case has been selected for the deck has been powerful and humbling. These families have waited a long time for answers, and this brings some hope.”
“Every call or tip that is shared with law enforcement will be vetted by investigators assigned to the case,” said KBI Director Kirk Thompson. “No matter how small, each tip has the potential of being the missing piece of information needed to finally provide justice to crime victims and their families.”
Other states have solved multiple cold case homicides, missing person cases and suspicious deaths by making these cards available.
“Not every tip received leads to resolution of a case, but someone usually knows something,” Secretary Zmuda said. “Within Kansas correctional facilities and jails, we have segments of our population who want to do something good, perhaps atone for past mistakes, and they may have information about unsolved cases. Our hope is that we receive actionable intelligence that leads to solving cases.”
Development of the project began March 2021 and included law enforcement partners, representatives from victim services, facility-based programs, private industry, media and families whose lives have been impacted by homicide. Through a submissions process that began in December 2021, local law enforcement from across Kansas provided 81 cases to be highlighted. A selection committee with representatives from KDOC, KBI, the Kansas Attorney General’s Office and local law enforcement prioritized 59 cases to highlight on the first deck of 52 cards.
Although there are several cold cases in the Golden Belt, none of the cards feature crimes in Barton or the surrounding counties.
The oldest case is from 1976 and the most recent case is from 2020. Unsolved homicide cases are from Cherokee, Dickinson, Doniphan, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Johnson, Leavenworth, Mitchell, Montgomery, Osage, Saline, Sedgwick, Shawnee and Wyandotte counties. Missing person cases are from Leavenworth, Lincoln, Pottawatomie, Saline and Sedgwick counties. The unidentified remains case is from Geary County.
“For many of these cases even after years of investigative work has occurred, questions still remain that need answers before a perpetrator can be held accountable,” Director Thompson said. “It’s our hope that by distributing this deck more attention is drawn to these cases, and that someone comes forward with details that will move us one step closer to providing justice.”
To learn more, see https://www.doc.ks.gov/victim-services/cold-case-playing-cards. The cards may be viewed online at https://www.doc.ks.gov/victim-services/April2022ColdCasePlayingCardsweb.pdf.
Unsolved murders in Great Bend
Unsolved murders in central Kansas include the 1987 death of Roberta Mae Klotz and the 2002 murders of Mandi Alexander and Mary Drake.
On Jan. 7, 1987, 30-year-old Klotz was reported missing. Four days later, she was found strangled, her body stashed in her Great Bend mobile home. For the past 35 years, homicide has remained unsolved.
A double homicide occurred on Sept. 4, 2002, in the Dolly Madison bakery outlet store at 1004 Harrison St. Store employee Alexander, 24, and customer Mary Drake, 79, were killed. The case is listed as unsolved to this day.
Those with information regarding the cases can contact the Great Bend Police Department by calling 620-793-4120, Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300, or any local law enforcement agency.
Missing persons
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation maintains a website of missing Kansans at kbi.ks.gov/MissingPersons. Area Kansans identified as missing person cases as of April 28:
• Aiden Tracy, 16, has been missing from Barton County since April 16, 2022 Note: This person is so longer listed as missing.
• Donald Walters, now 77, has been missing from Barton County since July 7, 2020
• Charles McHenry III, now 33, has been missing from Barton County since May 6, 2016
• Sarai Garcia, now 16, has been missing from Rice County since June 17, 2021
• Megan Fogelsong, now 28, has been missing from Rice County since Nov. 25, 2015
• Colton Barrera, now 31, has been missing from Russell County since Sept. 26, 2008
The public can submit tips about missing persons on the KBI website listed above or via phone at 785-296-4017. Or contact local law enforcement.
This site was updated May 4 to correct the year that Donald Walters went missing and to note one person is no longer missing.
