Arrest made in southeast Topeka killing that was Topeka's seventh homicide for January
Topeka recorded its seventh homicide victim for January on Tuesday when a man was fatally shot in the southeast part of the city.
The victim was identified as Michael R. Comp, 40, of Topeka, by Topeka police Lt. Donna Eubanks.
Wesley Tyrone Rayton Sr., 47, of Topeka, was booked at 10:10 p.m. Tuesday into the Shawnee County Jail in connection with one count each of first-degree murder in the commission of a felony, aggravated assault and the criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle, Shawnee County Jail records said.
Rayton was being held Wednesday without bond, those records said. Formal charges hadn't been filed.
More:Half of Topeka's homicide victims were female in 2021, when seven women and girls were killed
Officers were called about 12:40 p.m. Tuesday to the shooting scene in the 900 block of S.E. 34th, near its intersection with S.E. Virginia Avenue, said Rosie Nichols, public safety communications specialist for Topeka's city government.
S.E. Virginia runs north and south and is located four blocks east of S.E. Adams Street.
The victim was found at the scene, where he was pronounced deceased soon afterward, Nichols said.
Rayton served prison time for aggravated battery committed in April 1995 in Shawnee County, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records.
More:These were Topeka's 2022 homicide victims. They ranged in age from 6 months to 81 years
City has seven homicide victims so far in 2023
The seven homicide victims recorded in January is Topeka's highest for one month since it saw seven in August 2016.
Topeka's first six homicide victims this month prior to Saturday had been the following:
• Shawn A. Carter, 45, found fatally shot the morning of Jan. 8 in the 1300 block of S.E. Madison. No arrests have been made.
• Jackson Tilton, 16 months, who died Jan. 8, four days after he was hospitalized with severe brain injuries. Dustin J. Kelley Sr., 40, faces charges that included first-degree murder in the commission of a felony. Kelley was the boyfriend of Tilton's mother.
• Genny L. Fitzpatrick, 30, Peyton L. Tyler, 9, and Kourtney K. Tyler, 1, who died in a fire reported just before 5 a.m. Jan. 20 at 916 S.W. Warren Ave. Kyle J. Tyler, 32, faces charges that include three counts of first-degree murder in the commission of a felony. Kyle Tyler was the boyfriend of Fitzpatrick and the father of Peyton and Kourtney Tyler, said Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay.
• Jeremy Jason Neal, 48, fatally shot Saturday morning at 405 S.W. Tyler. Skyler J.M. Wilson, 33, was arrested in connection with crimes that included first-degree murder.
Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Shooting death of Michael Comp is city's seventh homicide in January
