Topeka police were investigating the city’s seventh homicide of the month on Tuesday.
Topeka recorded its seventh homicide victim for January on Tuesday when a man was shot and killed in the southeast part of the city.
The victim was identified as Michael R. Comp, 40, of Topeka, by Topeka Police Lieutenant Donna Eubanks.
Wesley Tyrone Rayton Sr., 47, of Topeka, was incarcerated at 10:10 pm Tuesday in 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 say.
Rayton was held without bail Wednesday, those records said. Formal charges had not been filed.
Moreover:Half of Topeka homicide victims were women in 2021, when seven women and girls were killed
Officers were called at about 12:40 p.m. Tuesday to the scene of the shooting in the 900 block of SE 34th, near the intersection with SE Virginia Avenue, said Rosie Nichols, public safety communications specialist for the Topeka city government .
SE Virginia runs north-south and is four blocks east of SE Adams Street.
The victim was found at the scene, where she was pronounced dead shortly after, Nichols said.
Rayton served a prison sentence for aggravated battery committed in April 1995 in Shawnee County, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records.
Moreover:These were the Topeka murder victims in 2022. They ranged in age from 6 months to 81 years old
The city has seven homicide victims so far in 2023
January’s seven homicide fatalities are the most in Topeka for a month since it saw seven in August 2016.
Topeka’s top six homicide victims this month prior to Saturday were as follows:
• Shawn A. Carter, 45, found shot and killed on the morning of January 8 in the 1300 block of SE Madison. No arrests were made.
• Jackson Tilton, 16 months, died Jan. 8, four days after being 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 Tilton’s mother’s boyfriend.
The story continues
• Genny L. Fitzpatrick, 30, Peyton L. Tyler, 9, and Kourtney K. Tyler, 1, who died in a fire reported shortly before 5 a.m. January 20 at 916 SW Warren Ave. Kyle J. Tyler, The 32-year-old faces charges that include three counts of first-degree murder in the commission of a felony. Kyle Tyler was Fitzpatrick’s boyfriend and the father of Peyton and Kourtney Tyler, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said.
• Jeremy Jason Neal, 48, shot dead Saturday morning at 405 SW Tyler. Skyler JM Wilson, 33, was arrested in connection with crimes that included first-degree murder.
Contact Tim Hrenchir at [email protected] or 785-213-5934.
This article originally appeared in the Topeka Capital-Journal: Shooting death of Michael Comp is city’s seventh homicide in January
