Lawrence police said a 52-year-old Lawrence man found dead at a Lawrence hotel Tuesday died from injuries suffered in a domestic incident with a female acquaintance earlier in the day.
Late Thursday afternoon, police identified the man as Donald E. Wiggins.
Sgt. Matt Sarna, a police spokesman, said a 42-year-old Lawrence woman also was hurt during the fight. Sarna would not say where or what time the altercation occurred.
Police were called at 9:10 a.m. Tuesday to the Howard Johnson Hotel, 2222 W. Sixth St., after someone found Wiggins unresponsive.
After Wiggins’ body was discovered, officers located the woman, Sarna said. He said police were not called to the earlier altercation between the two and, when she was found, the woman declined medical attention.
The woman has not been arrested pending further investigation, Sarna said Thursday, and he said details would eventually be forwarded to the district attorney’s office for a decision about any formal charges.
“Detectives from the Lawrence Police Department are working closely with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office and the Douglas County Coroner’s Office to determine the exact cause of death,” Sarna said.
Officers are also still interviewing potential witnesses and asked anyone with information to call police at 785-832-7650 or Douglas County Crime Stoppers at 785-843-TIPS (8477).
In a somewhat similar case in March 2010, Douglas County prosecutors ultimately decided not to file charges against a 36-year-old man who was arrested after officers found 46-year-old Douglas Fleming dead at his Old West Lawrence home. Fleming and the man were involved in a fight two days earlier, and Fleming died from a head injury, police said.
District Attorney Charles Branson said after reviewing the case there were insufficient facts to establish probable cause that a crime occurred. The 36-year-old man had told officers he was attacked by Fleming and had defended himself.
Comments
smitty 1 year, 10 months ago
Self defence? Delayed head injury damage? Guess his brother had it right.
Did_I_say_that 1 year, 10 months ago
The Topeka Capital-Journal has a quote that is relevant:
"It appears at this time that Wiggins and a female acquaintance were involved in a domestic dispute earlier in the day and Wiggins later died as a result of injuries sustained during that altercation," Sarna said.
http://cjonline.com/news/2011-07-07/police-id-lawrence-man-killed-tuesday#.ThY6VGF-tTk
smitty 1 year, 10 months ago
we always must go to another news source to get quotes from our own LE...it's JW policy, it seems.
George Diepenbrock 1 year, 10 months ago
This is the same information included in our story. It's just used in a direct quote.
George Diepenbrock Reporter Lawrence Journal-World 785-832-7144 gdiepenbrock@ljworld.com
Wallythewalrus 1 year, 10 months ago
Wow, I think I may have known that guy from years back. If it is the same Wiggins, he survived cancer as a young man. This is sad.
tonytman 1 year, 10 months ago
how about telling use were wiggins is from was he agraduate of lawrence high or what come on LJW do some more reseach and make it complete .
smitty 1 year, 10 months ago
Up in the right hand corner is a search box. When Donald E Wiggins is entered and searched this is what comes up in the JW archive. Crimes from age 32 on, major crimes and the last one was violence against his ex-girlfriend in '97.
tonytman, keep on posting and asking questions. There will always be an arrogant SOB around to criticise your grammar and spelling. It's just their way to say they are better than you while proving they are not.
http://www2.ljworld.com/search/?q=donald+e+wiggins
jimroberts 1 year, 10 months ago
If your use of grammar is indicative of your reading comprehension, there is no amount of information in a story that help you.
chelseadiane 1 year, 10 months ago
That's just mean. Why would you say something just to hurt someone?
jimroberts 1 year, 10 months ago
If your use of grammar is indicative of your reading comprehension, there is no amount of information in a story that could help you.
notwhatyouthink 1 year, 10 months ago
Two Lawrence people are in a hotel in Lawrence, What does that tell you?
smitty 1 year, 10 months ago
A/C is broken at home?
cheeseburger 1 year, 10 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
cheeseburger 1 year, 10 months ago
Yeah, right smitty! Pull your head out of the sand much?
jocknavals 1 year, 10 months ago
He said, "I want some o' them cookies." She reeled at the improper usage, and swung back with a heavy dangling modifier, "Leave my cookies alone, stinking like a dead cat." Stunned, he fell to the floor, dead.
2002 1 year, 10 months ago
Meth is a very bad drug
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