Two arrested in death of Kyle Higgins, who was found injured in S.W. Topeka
Two men were being held in connection with first-degree murder after Wednesday's death of a man found seriously injured the previous day in southwest Topeka.
Lorenzo A. Pattmon III, 21, and Rammelo H. Boatwright, 24, were being held in the Shawnee County Jail in connection with crimes linked to the death of Kyle E. Higgins, 37, of Topeka, authorities said.
Higgins died Wednesday at a Topeka hospital where he was taken after being found unresponsive about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 2200 block of S.W. 29th, said Rosie Nichols, public safety communications specialist for Topeka's city government.
Higgins was Topeka's 13th homicide victim this year.
What happened?
Nichols gave this account of what happened:
Topeka police responded just before 4:15 a.m. Tuesday to a report of an armed robbery of a vehicle that had a child in it as it was taken near S.W. 29th and MacVicar by people who were known to the vehicle's owner.
The child was found soon afterward in the 3200 block of S.W. Central Park and taken into police custody.
Soon afterward, police located the vehicle near S.E. 35th and Indiana Avenue and tried to stop it.
The driver led them on a chase, which ended when the vehicle struck a pole near S.E. 29th and Minnesota Avenue.
Both the vehicle's occupants fled on foot before being taken into custody. Both were treated at a Topeka hospital for injuries that weren't considered life-threatening.
Soon afterward, police received a report that an unresponsive man was in the 2200 block of S.W. 29th. They went to the scene, from which Higgins was taken to the hospital where he subsequently died.
Investigators think Higgins' death was related to the earlier armed robbery case, Nichols said.
The case remains under investigation, she said. Higgins' specific cause of death wasn't being made public.
One man in custody is on parole, the other on probation
Pattmon and Boatwright were booked into the Shawnee County Jail, where records showed both were being held on separate $1 million bonds in connection with one count each of first-degree murder in the commission of a felony, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery.
Boatwright was also being held in connection with aggravated battery, aggravated child endangerment and interference was a law enforcement officer, according to jail records.
Formal charges hadn't been filed.
Jail records said Boatwright, who is on parole after serving prison time on Shawnee County convictions for aggravated robbery and the criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, was also being held without bond in connection with violating terms of his parole.
Pattmon, who is on probation, was being held with bond in connection with violating terms of his probation, jail records said.
Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Two arrested in death of Kyle Higgins, found hurt in southwest Topeka
