photo by: McPherson County Sheriff's Office

Ansley Katherine Fogle

A woman was sentenced to probation Friday in Douglas County District Court for obstructing the apprehension of a man who was accused of murder.

The woman, Ansley Fogle, 25, of Topeka, pleaded guilty in July to one count of a low-level felony: obstructing apprehension by harboring or concealing a person who has been charged with a felony.

Judge Stacey Donovan sentenced her to nine months in prison on Friday, then suspended the sentence to 18 months of probation with Douglas County Community Corrections in accordance with Kansas sentencing guidelines.

As previously reported by the Journal-World, Fogle worked to conceal her boyfriend, Mehki McDaniel, from police after Peyton Whitaker, 18, of Topeka, was shot on Nov. 24, 2021, in the 200 block of Yorkshire Drive in Lawrence. McDaniel, was originally charged with second-degree murder and six counts of theft of a firearm, but he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of theft on April 19.

On July 19, Donovan sentenced McDaniel to 34 months for the involuntary manslaughter count and six months each for the two theft counts, for a total sentence of 46 months, to run consecutively.

photo by: McPherson County Sheriff’s Office

Mehki McDaniel

During Fogle’s sentencing on Friday, Whitaker’s mother, Amanda Monaghan, spoke at the sentencing and read a letter written by Whitaker’s grandmother, Leanne Quinn.

In the letter Quinn said that Fogle was the reason Whitaker was at the house the night he was killed and that Fogle was the mutual acquaintance between Whitaker and the homeowner. Quinn said that Fogle has attacked her family on social media and has no remorse for what happened to her grandson.

“He wouldn’t have left you to die. You deserve consequences more severe than what the state is offering. God have mercy on your immature and hateful soul,” Monaghan read from the letter.

Senior Assistant District Attorney David Greenwald said that Fogle deserved the aggravated level of sentence because, even if the shooting was an accident, Fogle and McDaniel failed to offer any help to Whitaker as he lay dying and then she tried to help cover it up.

Fogle’s defense attorney, Michael Clarke, addressed the family and said he understood their anger and grief.

Donovan then asked Fogle if she had anything to say before the sentence was read.

“All I can say is, I do have remorse,” Fogle replied.

Donovan then ordered Fogle to not have any contact with the victim’s family, especially on social media, and to undergo a mental health examination and comply with any recommendations for cognitive behavior classes from her probation officer.