Fugitive Caught in Republic County

A Kansas City man wanted for questioning in connection with a murder has been captured in Republic County.

KNCK Radio in Concordia reports that Zachary Barnes was taken into custody without incident Friday by officers with the Republic County Sheriff’s Department. Barnes was found south of Cuba, in Republic County at 11:10 am Friday. A female suspect, Shannon Dace, has not been located.

The radio station reports that the Republic County Sheriff’s Department says they received information of three individuals possibly wanted in connection with a homicide in Kansas City, Kansas that occurred on August 30th. After confirming information with the Kansas City Police Department and the United States Marshals Service, law enforcement determined that Barnes was wanted for questioning in this investigation.

Officers with the Republic County Sheriff’s Office went to Scandia Thursday to conduct surveillance on a residence where the three subjects were located. Before arrival, Barnes and a female subject had left the area before contact could be made. The female suspect, Shannon Dace, has not been located.

Pike Valley schools and the City of Scandia were put into lockdown procedures as a precautionary measure. Officers did make contact with the third subject, Coty Allison, and he was detained for the US Marshals Service. Allison was later charged with a felony warrant out of Wyandotte County and is being held on those charges.

It was later learned that Barnes and a female subject were taken to a residence in the area of 18th and G Streets in Belleville. Officers responded to the area and locked down the surrounding neighborhood. Republic County schools and other places of businesses were placed in lockdown for their safety. Barnes was not found in the residence of the Belleville area.

At that time, officers with the Concordia Police Department, as well as the Cloud County Sheriff’s Office, Concordia Fire Department, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, the Kansas Highway Patrol and the United States Marshals Service, closed off the 200 block of west 6th street in downtown Concordia and established a perimeter to attempt to detain an outside threat in the area.

Concordia Police Chief Bruce Johnson reported to KNCK News that at 5:25 pm Thursday officers arrested John Eldon Bennett, Jr. of Salina on a felony Saline County warrant. Johnson said Bennett is not connected to Barnes.

Later on Thursday night in the Republic County areas of Cuba and Agenda, information was obtained that the subjects were located in the area. The US Marshals Service and officers searched the area, but the subjects were not located at that time.

Thursday’s incident in Concordia led USD 333 Concordia, Cloud County Community College, the Cloud County Courthouse, Concordia City Offices and local businesses to lock down their doors. Students were finally dismissed from USD 333 Concordia around 6 pm that evening.

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Story from KNCK Radio