photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

Parker John Mays, pictured in February 2018

An Overland Park man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his sister.

Parker John Mays, 27, had been the sole arrest following a “Defend the Flag” protest in Lawrence in February 2018. Then 25, he was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage to property. Lawrence Police Capt. Troy Squire told the Journal-World at the time that Mays kicked a truck, climbed on top of it, fell off and kicked it again.

Mays was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murder after 22-year-old Layne Mays’ mother found her dead inside a home in the 5500 block of West 148th Terrace, according to a news release from the Overland Park Police Department and The Associated Press. Authorities have not said how she died.

Parker Mays’ arrest came as a result of an investigation by OPPD and the Johnson County Crime Lab, according to a news release from the Johnson County district attorney’s office.

The Feb. 3, 2018, protest by “Defend the Flag” group members — some of whom carried Confederate flags down Massachusetts Street — was reportedly in response to a “Drag the Flag” protest that was supposedly scheduled for the same morning.

However, the “Drag the Flag” event never occurred, police said. It was never clear who the organizers of that event were or whether it was even intended to be a real event.

photo by: Johnson County Sheriff’s Office

Parker John Mays, pictured in January 2020

As of Thursday evening, Parker Mays was being held on $1 million cash or surety bond in the Johnson County Jail, online records indicate. He was scheduled to appear in court Friday afternoon.

According to her obituary from a Kansas City-area funeral home, Layne Rebecca Mays enjoyed riding on the equestrian team as a student at Kansas State University.

“Layne was also a talented cellist and painter — especially fond of recreating scenes from films by Walt Disney,” the obituary says.

She is survived by her mother, father, sister and brother Parker Mays; she also had a horse, Austin, and a cat, Ariel, according to the obituary.

The Journal-World requested and, on Thursday, received Parker Mays’ booking photo from his 2018 arrest in Lawrence from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.