On Valentine's Day in 2021, a tragic event unfolded in the small city of Phillipsburg, Kansas. In the early morning hours of February 14, deputies from the Phillips County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a residence in the 600 block of 7th Street following a report of a shooting. At the scene, they discovered 43-year-old Janna Lea Constable, a White female, who had succumbed to her injuries.
Her death, which occurred at her own home, was initially considered a suicide.
Janna was a mother of three who was born in Wichita and had moved to Phillipsburg with her family as a child, graduating from Phillipsburg High School in 1995. She was known for her love of cooking, drawing, fishing, and gardening, and she cherished spending time with her family, friends, and especially her grandson. However, the initial ruling of her death did not sit right, and new information prompted the Sheriff's Office to reopen the investigation in August 2021. The case was then passed to the County Attorney's Office for criminal prosecution and subsequently to the Kansas Attorney General's office for review.
For years, the case remained under investigation, leaving her loved ones without answers. Then, on July 22, 2024, a significant breakthrough occurred on what would have been Janna's 47th birthday. The Phillips County Sheriff's Office executed an arrest warrant for 37-year-old Kevin Lee Hadley, a resident of Phillipsburg.
Hadley was taken into custody and booked into the Phillips County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder, interference with a law enforcement officer, and possession of a firearm by an intoxicated person. His bond was set at $125,000. While an arrest has been made, the Phillips County Sheriff's Department has reminded the public that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The arrest marks a pivotal turn in the long-standing investigation into the untimely death of Janna Constable, bringing a glimmer of hope for justice to her family and community.
