Two counts of murder filed against 16-year-old in weekend shooting

Prosecutors file charges in juvenile court

The police are gone and so is the yellow crime scene tape.

On Monday, the only reminder that two people were shot to death Saturday at 1311 Del. were two bunches of flowers someone had placed on the front porch, and a handwritten sign taped to the porch railing.

“Roland, RIP

“We will remember”

A small group of people stood in the driveway at the house and quietly talked about their friend, Roland Klundt, 20, a Baker University scholarship student and 2006 Lawrence High School graduate.

“There is no way to express what an incredible person he was,” said Rachel Buckner.

Klundt was shot to death early Saturday morning in what Lawrence police described as a robbery. Also killed was one of the suspects, Gage Hauk, 18, McLouth, police said.

Klundt was identified by friends as the victim occupying the house, but police said they were still waiting for confirmation of the identity from the Douglas County Coroner.

Late Monday, Kellam D. Jones, 16, Lawrence, was charged with two counts of felony first-degree murder and one count of attempted aggravated robbery. He is in the Douglas County Juvenile Detention Center and will have a court appearance this afternoon. The law allows someone to be charged with murder in the commission of a felony – even if the murder wasn’t committed by their hand.

Jones is charged as a juvenile, but prosecutors can file a motion later to have him charged as an adult.

Officials had not released Jones’ name before the charges were filed.

Hauk and Jones allegedly went to the Delaware Street home to commit a robbery, police spokesman Sgt. Paul Fellers said. The occupant shot Hauk. Then, Jones shot the occupant, Fellers said.

Jones fled on foot. An investigation led police Jones on Sunday, Fellers said. After questioning, he was arrested.

Police found a shotgun in the house and evidence that a second weapon was involved. A rifle was later found about a block away, Fellers said. The man in the house was acquainted with Hauk and Jones, Fellers said.

“I think it would be fair to say they were known,” he said.

Police responded to the 1300 block of Delaware about 2:45 a.m. Saturday after receiving several reports of gunshots in the area. A neighborhood search led to the discovery of the two bodies, Fellers said.

An older model Acura Integra parked along the side of 14th Street west of Delaware was towed away by police Saturday. Fellers said he had no information about whether it was involved with the shooting investigation.

Police are continuing to investigate the case and anyone with information is asked to call investigators at 830-7430.

Before the Delaware Street incident police were investigating reports of gunshots fired in the area of 19th and New Hampshire streets. Fellers said police are investigating that shooting and the Delaware Street shooting as two separate incidents.

Klundt lived in the house with his brother, Levi Klundt, friends and acquaintances said. The two had lived there since last summer. Levi was not at the house when the shooting occurred. The brothers often had friends over and they were pet lovers. They sometimes had several cats, a dog and ferrets, friends said.

Ryan Storck described Roland Klundt as one of the most interesting people he’s ever met and a whiz at math.

“He was so alive until a few days ago,” Storck said. “I still can’t believe he’s gone.”

“Things like this shouldn’t happen to people like Roland,” said Ryan Townes, another friend.

In McLouth, Hauk’s relatives also were grieving. He had a huge family, including his mother and two little brothers, said his aunt, Kobi Shelton. He also had a young daughter.

“Unfortunately, all it takes is meeting one bad person to make something go bad in his life,” she said. “He is a good-hearted, good kid who has a strong, loving family behind him.”

Jamie Stauch, a long-time family friend, agreed.

“People make bad choices but that doesn’t sum up their life,” she said.