Topeka, Kansas – The city of Topeka is reeling from a series of violent incidents that culminated in the tragic death of 40-year-old Kathleen Hayes, now officially recognized as the city’s seventh homicide victim of 2025. The shocking sequence of events began with Hayes’ fatal shooting in the Highland Park neighborhood and escalated into a bank robbery and high-speed police chase involving the prime suspect, 47-year-old Anthony Marshall Jr., who ultimately died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during the pursuit. This complex case has left law enforcement officials, community leaders, and residents grappling with profound questions about violence prevention, mental health intervention, and community safety in the Kansas capital.

The Fateful Morning on S.E. Minnesota Avenue

The tragedy unfolded shortly before 9:00 a.m. on Monday morning in a modest two-story yellow home at 2700 S.E. Minnesota Avenue, a typically quiet residential street in Topeka’s Highland Park neighborhood. According to police dispatch records obtained by our investigative team, the first 911 call came in at approximately 8:43 a.m., reporting a domestic disturbance at the location. Neighbors described hearing raised voices followed by what sounded like a single gunshot moments before emergency services were contacted.

Topeka Police Department officers arrived on scene within six minutes of the initial call, a response time that Police Chief Bryan Wheeles described as “within our target threshold for high-priority calls.” What they encountered was a grim scene – Kathleen Hayes, a lifelong Topeka resident, lay fatally wounded from an apparent gunshot wound to the upper torso. Emergency medical personnel pronounced her dead at the scene at 8:57 a.m., marking the seventh homicide in Topeka for 2025, a concerning statistic that puts the city on pace to potentially exceed its annual average of 15-20 homicides.

The Victim: Kathleen Hayes’ Life and Legacy

Kathleen Marie Hayes, born August 12, 1984, was a Topeka native who graduated from Highland Park High School in 2002. Friends and family remember her as a vibrant, compassionate woman who worked as a certified nursing assistant at Stormont Vail Hospital for nearly a decade before transitioning to home healthcare services in 2020. Colleagues describe her as exceptionally dedicated to her patients, often going above and beyond her professional duties.

“Kathleen had this incredible ability to make people feel seen and cared for,” recalled Marcia Jensen, a fellow CNA who worked with Hayes for seven years. “She wasn’t just doing a job – she truly believed in serving others. This loss is devastating for everyone who knew her.”

Hayes was unmarried with no children but maintained close relationships with her extended family, including two sisters and a brother who all reside in the Topeka area. Her cousin, David Hayes, spoke to the media about the family’s grief: “We’re struggling to understand how something like this could happen to someone who brought so much light into the world. Kathleen was the glue that held our family together during tough times.”

The Rapidly Unfolding Investigation

Police investigators quickly identified Anthony Marshall Jr. as the prime suspect in Hayes’ killing. Marshall, a 47-year-old Topeka resident with a documented but relatively minor criminal history (primarily traffic violations and a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge from 2018), was reportedly acquainted with Hayes, though the exact nature of their relationship remains unclear.

What happened next shocked even veteran law enforcement officials. At 9:07 a.m. – just 24 minutes after Hayes was pronounced dead and while first responders were still processing the homicide scene – Marshall allegedly robbed the Equity Bank branch at 3825 S.W. 29th Street, approximately 3.5 miles from the homicide location. Security footage reviewed by investigators shows a man matching Marshall’s description entering the bank alone and presenting a note demanding money. No weapon was visibly displayed during the robbery, and tellers complied without physical confrontation.

The Dramatic Pursuit and Fatal Conclusion

The investigation took a dramatic turn on Tuesday when Kansas Highway Patrol troopers spotted a vehicle matching the description of the bank robbery suspect traveling southbound on Interstate 135 near McPherson. What began as a routine traffic stop quickly escalated into a high-speed chase reaching speeds exceeding 100 mph, according to dashcam footage later released by authorities.

The pursuit ended tragically near the McPherson County line when Marshall’s vehicle left the roadway and came to rest in a grassy median. Preliminary reports indicate that as troopers approached the disabled vehicle, they heard a single gunshot from inside. Marshall was found with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel at 11:17 a.m.

Community Impact and Rising Violence in Topeka

The dual tragedies have sent shockwaves through Topeka, particularly in the Highland Park neighborhood where Hayes was killed. Highland Park, a historically working-class area of East Topeka, has seen fluctuating crime rates over the past decade but had shown improvement in recent years according to city crime statistics.

Local business owner Hector Ramirez, whose convenience store sits just two blocks from the homicide scene, expressed the community’s dismay: “This isn’t the kind of thing we’re used to seeing around here. People are scared, they’re angry, and they want answers about how something like this could happen in broad daylight.”

The incident marks Topeka’s seventh homicide of 2025, putting the city on a concerning trajectory compared to previous years. Crime analyst Dr. Lisa Chen from Washburn University notes that while the numbers remain below major metropolitan areas, the pattern bears examination: “When we see violent crimes occurring in previously stable neighborhoods, it often indicates broader societal stressors at work – economic pressures, mental health crises, or breakdowns in community support systems.”

Law Enforcement Response and Ongoing Investigation

The Topeka Police Department has assigned nearly two dozen officers and detectives to the case, working in coordination with the FBI (due to the bank robbery crossing state lines) and Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen emphasized that while the primary suspect is deceased, the investigation remains active.

“We owe it to Kathleen Hayes’ family and to the Topeka community to fully understand every aspect of these events,” Koenen stated at a press briefing. “This includes determining the relationship between the victim and suspect, establishing a clear timeline of events, and examining whether there were any warning signs that might have prevented this tragedy.”

Investigators are particularly focused on several key questions:

• The nature of the relationship between Hayes and Marshall

• Possible motives for the initial violence

• Why Marshall proceeded directly from the homicide to commit a bank robbery

• Whether Marshall had any known mental health issues or recent life crises

• The sequence of events leading to the fatal police pursuit

Mental Health and Criminal Justice Considerations

The case has reignited discussions about mental health interventions and the criminal justice system in Kansas. Records show Marshall had no violent felony convictions, but acquaintances describe recent erratic behavior. Dr. Aaron Weiss, a forensic psychologist consulting on the case, suggests this may represent a classic case of “crisis escalation.”

“We’re seeing more of these situations where individuals in psychological distress spiral rapidly from non-violent offenses to extreme violence,” Weiss explained. “The challenge for communities is identifying these crises earlier and having intervention systems in place.”

Topeka Mayor Mike Padilla has announced plans to convene a task force examining mental health resources and violence prevention strategies in light of the tragedy. “We can’t simply arrest our way out of these situations,” Padilla said. “We need to look at root causes and prevention.”

Remembering Kathleen Hayes

As investigators continue their work, friends and family are preparing to honor Hayes’ memory. A memorial service is planned for next week at Mount Hope Cemetery, where Hayes often volunteered maintaining historical gravesites. A scholarship fund in her name is being established to support students pursuing nursing degrees at Washburn University.

Her former supervisor at Stormont Vail, Dr. Evelyn Carter, summed up the sentiments of many: “Kathleen represented the best of us – compassion, dedication, and quiet strength. The manner of her death is heartbreaking, but we must remember the way she lived – helping others, lifting people up, making her community better.”

The Bigger Picture: Urban Violence in Middle America

This case reflects broader national trends showing increases in violent crime in midsize cities following the pandemic years. According to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data, cities like Topeka have seen a 14% increase in homicides since 2019, outpacing the national average. Criminologists point to multiple contributing factors including economic instability, reduced social services, and a proliferation of firearms.

As Topeka mourns Kathleen Hayes and confronts the complex aftermath of these events, the community faces difficult questions about safety, mental health resources, and violence prevention. The police investigation continues, with authorities promising transparency as more information becomes available. For now, a city grieves, a family mourns, and a community searches for meaning in the wake of senseless violence.

Anyone with information related to the case is encouraged to contact the Topeka Police Department tipline at (785) 368-9400 or the anonymous Crime Stoppers hotline at (785) 234-0007.