Michael McKeown cold case: Phoenix man, 75, arrested for 1982 murder of Kansas 44-year-old
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
HUTCHINSON, KANSAS: In a significant breakthrough, 75-year-old Jerry Allen of Phoenix has been apprehended in connection with a cold case dating back to 1982.
The arrest is linked to the shooting death of 44-year-old Michael McKeown, whose body was discovered in a car parked outside his Hutchinson, Kansas, apartment on March 24, 1982.
Hutchinson Police and KBI uncover new evidence in Michael McKeown's homicide
The investigation into the cold case involved the Hutchinson Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). It was suggested that McKeown had sustained gunshot wounds the previous night while in his car, parked in the vicinity of his residence at 320 E. Sherman St, as per AP.
The KBI pursued the case actively over the past year, conducting crucial interviews across three states and bolstering the evidence necessary to proceed with charges. These efforts yielded crucial evidence, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant for Allen.
Suspect arrested in Phoenix after multi-state investigation
On January 25, Phoenix police, acting on the KBI's warrant, took Allen into custody at his residence near 44th Street and Thunderbird Road.
Subsequently, he was booked into the Maricopa County jail on charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Allen willingly waived extradition and was transported to Kansas, where he arrived on Wednesday, March 6, and was booked into the Reno County Jail.
Unrevealed ties and formal charges await as Phoenix suspect remains in custody
Key details surrounding the nearly 42-year-old cold case, such as the nature of the relationship between Allen and McKeown, remain undisclosed. As of Wednesday, the suspect remains behind bars on a $2.5 million bond and the KBI plans to formally charge him on Friday during his initial court appearance.
The legal proceedings for the case will be handled by the Reno County District Attorney's Office.
