Man Faces Charges in Topeka Deaths of Father and Sister

A Man Charged in the Murders of His Father and Sister, as Well as the Abduction of a Young Child

A 32-year-old man has been charged with the murders of his father and sister in Topeka, as well as the abduction of his sister's 2-year-old son. The child was later found and rescued in Illinois. Christopher K.W. Barnshaw is currently in custody in Coles County, Illinois.

According to the district attorney’s office, Barnshaw faces two counts of intentional, premeditated first-degree murder for the deaths of Sean E. Thornton, 55, and Ashley T. Brown, 29. Both were residents of Topeka. Ashley Brown was the mother of Zabe Mendez, the young boy who was taken during the incident.

In addition to the murder charges, Barnshaw was also charged with one count each of kidnapping, aggravated child endangerment, and aggravated burglary of a dwelling. He remains in custody while authorities work to bring him back to Shawnee County, where his bond has been set at $10 million.

Timeline of the Incident

The killings occurred on or around July 20 in the 500 block of NE Wabash Avenue. Details about how the victims died have not been disclosed. However, Topeka Police Chief Chris Vallejo mentioned that Zabe was believed to have been abducted from that location on July 18.

On July 22, police responded to a request to check on the welfare of Thornton and Brown at their home. They discovered both individuals deceased at approximately 9:50 a.m. The police then realized that Zabe was missing and issued an Amber Alert, sharing details about Barnshaw and the vehicle he was thought to be driving.

The Rescue of Zabe

Mattoon police, located in east-central Illinois, spotted the car around the early afternoon of July 22—seven minutes after being notified that Barnshaw was a suspect in a double murder and was believed to be driving it in their city. They pulled the vehicle over, safely recovered Zabe from the back seat, and arrested Barnshaw, who was carrying a concealed firearm.

If Barnshaw waives extradition, he will be returned to Kansas "very soon." If not, the process could take several months.

Topeka Experiencing a Surge in Violence

Thornton and Brown are the 12th and 13th homicide victims in Topeka this year. The city has seen four homicides in less than a week, marking a troubling trend.

Earlier in the week, Terry Keller, 72, was found deceased on July 15 in a vehicle near Central Park Community Center, while Gerald Avery, 33, was fatally shot on July 21 at a Kwik Shop. An arrest has been made in connection with Keller’s death, but no one has been charged in Avery’s case.

Topeka’s communications director, Daniel Garrett, announced that police would hold a news conference on July 24 at their headquarters to address questions from the public regarding events over the past two weeks.

This case highlights the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in addressing violent crime in the community. As the investigation continues, the focus remains on ensuring justice for the victims and their families.