Archive for Saturday, July 5, 2008
Suspect sought in student’s slaying
Body of 25-year-old found in man’s home
Lawrence Police are seeking the public’s help in finding the man who lives at this home at 409 Mich., Adolfo Garcia-Nunez, 46. He was last seen driving a white Ford F-150 pickup truck. The body of Jana Lynne Mackey, a 25-year-old Kansas University student, was found at the home late Thursday. (Clarification: The Farrier family several years ago sold the house at 409 Mich. The Farrier family’s name, however, still appears on the house’s mailbox.)
July 5, 2008
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Murder of Jana Lynne Mackey
Friends and family of a Lawrence murder victim hope to keep her memory alive. On Wednesday, friends and family gathered for a celebration of life to remember Jana Mackey.
Adolfo Garcia-Nunez, 5'08", 150 lbs. (Date of photo: 2006)
A 25-year-old Kansas University law student was found dead late Thursday night in a home at 409 Mich.
Lawrence police have issued an arrest warrant for Adolfo Garcia-Nunez, whom police suspect in the death of the student, Jana Lynne Mackey.
The warrant lists the charge as second-degree murder.
Police Sgt. Paul Fellers said Friday afternoon that the white Ford F-150 pickup truck Garcia-Nunez was last seen driving was found in another state, but Garcia-Nunez was not with the truck.
Police are still looking for Garcia-Nunez, 46, Lawrence. He is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs about 150 pounds. He is a local artist who also goes by the name Fito Garche.
Fellers wouldn’t say whether the suspect was believed to be armed or how the victim, Mackey, was killed. Fellers said more information on the murder investigation would probably be released in the next few days.
About 6 a.m. Friday, Lawrence police officers were gathering evidence at the Michigan Street home where Mackey’s body was found.
According to police, about 4:30 p.m. Thursday one of Mackey’s friends reported her missing. About two hours later, Mackey’s vehicle was found in the parking lot of Lawrence Memorial Hospital. About 11:30 p.m. Thursday, her body was found inside Garcia-Nunez’s home, which is near the hospital.
Mackey and Garcia-Nunez had recently broken off a relationship.
Anyone with information about Garcia-Nunez is asked to call Lawrence police at 832-7509, or leave an anonymous tip on the Crimestoppers hot line, 843-TIPS.
“At this time, we’re working real hard to get it solved,” Fellers said.
Previous offense
Garcia-Nunez has had at least one previous run-in with the law.
He spent time in prison for a September 2004 incident involving an ex-girlfriend. A Sept. 21, 2004, Journal-World article reported that prosecutors claimed in court that Garcia-Nunez and his 29-year-old ex-girlfriend had an encounter at a local nightclub. When she returned early the next morning to her home in North Lawrence, he was waiting inside for her with a knife and was under the influence of alcohol.
According to a police report, he choked her, struck her and cut her on the arm with the knife. She notified police after she was able to get away from the scene.
The woman and Garcia-Nunez had been in a two- or three-year relationship that she broke off in May 2004.
Garcia-Nunez was released on parole in August 2006.
Neighbors shaken
Friday morning, Jesse Baker said he and his girlfriend arrived at their Michigan Street apartment late Thursday night to find their neighborhood full of police officers. He was surprised to see a few of them still there this morning.
“It was kind of a surprise to us,” the KU junior from Topeka said of the activity directly across the street from him.
Baker said he didn’t know anything about the man who lived there.
“My girlfriend said there was a man over there who liked to do art at night,” he said. “He’d hang out there and do art on his porch.”
At the southwest corner of the house is a mostly glassed-in porch or sunroom.
Knowing that a woman’s body was found inside the yellow cinderblock house across the street was “a little scary,” Baker said.
“I don’t like that at all. I’m glad she’s moving in August,” he said of his girlfriend.
Police continued to work inside the house Friday.
KU offers counseling
In a release from KU, Chancellor Robert Hemenway said, “On behalf of the entire university community, I want to express shock and sadness at the death of Jana Mackey. We offer our deepest condolences to her friends and family at this tragic time. KU will cooperate fully with the Lawrence Police in their investigation of Jana’s death.”
Mackey, a second-year law student from Hays, received her KU undergraduate degree in women’s studies in fall 2007.
Counselors from KU’s Counseling and Psychological Services department are being made available to those who knew Mackey.
Latest homicide in city
This marks the first homicide in Lawrence since June 7, when two people died in a shooting at a house in the 1300 block of Delaware Street.
Police and prosecutors allege that Kellam D. Jones, 16, and an accomplice, Gage Hauk, 18, McLouth, had gone to 1311 Del. to commit a robbery. Gunfire erupted, killing Hauk and the occupant of the house, Roland Klundt, 20.
In a news conference following the shooting, Lawrence police said that during the robbery attempt, Klundt shot Hauk and Jones shot Klundt.
Jones is charged as a juvenile with one count of felony murder and one count of attempted aggravated robbery. A second murder charge was dropped this week.
— Staff writers Mike Belt, Jesse Fray, Cody Howard, Janet Reid, Caroline Trowbridge and Dennis Anderson contributed to this report.
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5 July 2008 at 9:35 a.m.
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Fatty_McButterpants (Anonymous) says…
She was in a law school. She was, according to people who knew her, a “bright light in the world”…yet she dated a convicted felon. Not only was he a convicted felon, he was a felon because of abusing his ex-girlfriend. I thought she was supposed to be leading the charge against this type of person, not consorting with them?
5 July 2008 at 9:55 a.m.
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vavs0929 (Anonymous) says…
This is a tragedy! its sad to lose a productive, positive, and dedicated member of society.
Not to downplay the tragic nature of this crime, but I agree with fatty… she was young, bright, educated, and on her way to becoming lawyer…but yet she was dating someone 20 years her senior, not to mention a convicted felon.
It seems very odd to me that she was in this type of relationship. I hope that he is apprehended soon and more light can be shed on this senseless act.
5 July 2008 at 10:08 a.m.
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unknownperson (Anonymous) says…
maybe we wouldnt have so much violence in lawrence if we actually enforced laws like firework laws and got rid of all the homeless people.
5 July 2008 at 10:11 a.m.
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Mike Blur (Mike Blur) says…
Who is “Farrier” (name on the mailbox)? Fito's roommate?
5 July 2008 at 10:12 a.m.
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hawkperchedatriverfront (Anonymous) says…
She probably thought she could “help” him, turn his life around, give her a purpose. Despite that, a casino was going to bring crime to Lawrence.
Expect more tragedies like this in Lawrence. It will be just a matter of time before someone who lives near the Drop In Center is murdered just like Harry Puckett was.
5 July 2008 at 11 a.m.
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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
Be nice folks!
BTW his myspace page claimed he was 36..maybe she didn't know as much about him as some are saying.
I mean, would “You” tell anyone you had done those things to anyone? Would you warn anyone that you went bolistic any time a girl broke up with you?
5 July 2008 at 11:01 a.m.
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gayokay (Anonymous) says…
Please don't blame the victim for her broken man picker. Besides it is entirely possible that the murdered woman broke off the relationship because she discovered his past or realized his abusive patterns. That break up period is a statistically very dangerous time for victims of abuse.
5 July 2008 at 11:22 a.m.
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DemoParty (Anonymous) says…
“Police Sgt. Paul Fellers said Friday afternoon that the white Ford F-150 pickup truck Garcia-Nunez was last seen driving was found in another state, but Garcia-Nunez was not with the truck.”
Why are they withholding information? Don't you think that they should tell everyone exactly where the truck was found so that locals there could be alerted. “Another state” could be KCMO or Florida and all points between. This is not helpful to the public.
It is sad that yet another precious life has been removed from this earth by a selfish act.
5 July 2008 at 11:30 a.m.
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TheEleventhStephanie (Anonymous) says…
I bet they're withholding info because they have a detective in every bar in town listening for gossip, trying to see who knows too much, etc. Probably the same reason they don't say how she was killled.
I hope they find this d-bag. A lot of people know him, and hopefully someone will talk.
This is really sad.
5 July 2008 at 11:48 a.m.
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Kropotkin (Anonymous) says…
I too am disappointed that the Lawrence police chose not to reveal where this alleged murderer's pickup had been found. I assume they may have looked for it based on information, though it could have been abandoned somewhere (like on a bridge, high over some river, which might save the state a lot on prosecution, perhaps).
This apparently isn't a “2nd degree murder.” Jana was probably kidnapped from her car or wouldn't have left the keys in it at the hospital. The crime most likely was premeditated. If this guy is still alive, I hope he gets LWOP.
I wonder why none of the media or university spokespersons mentioned Jana's tireless work for women's choice? Could it be they feel it would make her less appealing as a victim? That too would be tragic.
5 July 2008 at 11:51 a.m.
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KEITHMILES05 (Anonymous) says…
There will be plenty of time to say all the good things about the victim. It isn't like everything has to be put out there immediately.
Same for the alleged killer's truck. The police have good reason not to share all information. Just look at people blogging here. Talk about gossip!
5 July 2008 at 12:12 p.m.
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Mike Blur (Mike Blur) says…
Kropotkin, if you've visited the suspect's myspace page, there are at least 30 pictures of him and her in various states of affectionate repose. So no, it's not a kidnapping in the classical sense. Ultimately of course, it's a woman held against her will, but I'm sure she at least entered the house on her own accord. It's obvious they were in a relationship.
5 July 2008 at 12:23 p.m.
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esl03 (Anonymous) says…
I heard that she was near Mass Street after 6 or so the night that she disappeared, with him. But the person is not entirely sure it was her- but in a white truck. So I wonder, when he left town?
5 July 2008 at 12:24 p.m.
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davidnta (Anonymous) says…
Relationships are complex. Clearly this is a tragedy for everyone, especially to her family and closest friends. She was heading towards a career that would have been productive to society.
Hopefully this guy will be caught soon.
5 July 2008 at 12:26 p.m.
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esl03 (Anonymous) says…
Mike- I did a reverse address search and nothing came up for Farrier @ that address- so maybe it was a cover-up? Hmm…
5 July 2008 at 12:36 p.m.
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Mike Blur (Mike Blur) says…
In a case like this, there are obviously swirling rumors abound. I am hearing strange-r and weird-er rumors almost by the minute. If law enforcement authorities and the LJW can come forth with the latest information (to confirm or deny the rumors that are “out there”) we'd all appreciate it.
5 July 2008 at 12:46 p.m.
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paxsonsu (Anonymous) says…
He was apprehended last night in New Jersey and was found dead in his jail cell apparently after he hung himself.
5 July 2008 at 1:03 p.m.
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somebodynew (Anonymous) says…
pax- care to establish how you know this??? Is it reported somewhere?? I know the LJW is not the most up to date, but I haven't read this .
5 July 2008 at 1:12 p.m.
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bmaestas (Anonymous) says…
paxsonsu wrote:
“He was apprehended last night in New Jersey and was found dead in his jail cell apparently after he hung himself.”
I heard this from a Lawrence city employee this afternoon.
5 July 2008 at 1:15 p.m.
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prospector (Anonymous) says…
mike_blur (Mike Blur) says…
Who is “Farrier” (name on the mailbox)? Fito's roommate?
––––––––––––—
A Farrier shoes horses. Note the horse on the other side.
5 July 2008 at 1:18 p.m.
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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
jonathan…are you checking this out?
5 July 2008 at 1:19 p.m.
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esl03 (Anonymous) says…
Did he really? I just hope they catch him… If he didnt
5 July 2008 at 1:23 p.m.
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venusinfurs (Anonymous) says…
Donald E. Farrier is listed as the owner of the property in the 2006 Douglas County Property Valuations. Maybe he sold the house or rented it to Nunez?
5 July 2008 at 1:35 p.m.
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ctrowbridge (ctrowbridge) says…
Hi. Caroline Trowbridge, assignment director at the News Center, here. We've heard the same rumor about the hanging. Police are promising more information on the investigation with a half-hour. We'll post as soon as we know.
5 July 2008 at 1:39 p.m.
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esl03 (Anonymous) says…
Thanks for the information!
5 July 2008 at 1:59 p.m.
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Jonathan Kealing (Jonathan Kealing) says…
Hi all,
Lawrence police have confirmed that Adolfo Nunez-Garcia was arrested in Elizabeth, N.J., last night. He was booked into jail where he took his own life sometime over night, police said. We have a story in the works and we're trying to track down more information.
Jonathan Kealing
Online editor
5 July 2008 at 2:05 p.m.
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bennyoates (Anonymous) says…
Thank you Mr. Kealing. Maybe this will stop all the speculation. Then again, judging from some of the comments over the last 24 hours, maybe not.
5 July 2008 at 2:21 p.m.
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Bailey Perkins (Bailey Perkins) says…
He faced charges nearly four years ago for assault against a previous girlfriend. People should have realized then, that he had a serious problem.
5 July 2008 at 2:52 p.m.
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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
Thank you Caroline and Jonathan,
Glad to know you're with us this weekend..looks to be a busy one.
Saturday night/Early Sunday morning is still ahead of us!
5 July 2008 at 6:05 p.m.
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trgeist (Anonymous) says…
I have to take a moment to say a few words to those that seem to want to put the blame on Jana for this- you people have absolutely no idea the type of person that Jana was! You ask how and why she would get involved with someone of this type…I will tell you in my personal knowing of Jana that she was the type of person that welcomed strangers, she believed in people and change and then there is always the possibility that she had no knowing of adolfo's past. Jana was a wonderful woman, so wonderful that words cannot describe her perfection and goodness. I don't think of her as guilty of giving this man a chance, I think of her more as an angel of God trying to make better a person, committed and devoted but unfortunately failed, Jana Mackey to me is a marytr for all she went through.She will always remain in our hearts and hole will never be filled.
28 July 2008 at 12:20 a.m.
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brunette7 (Anonymous) says…
the name on the mailbox is from the previous owner….