On a Sunday morning in June of 2020, the lives of two young men were tragically cut short in a quiet, rural area of Cherokee County, Kansas. One of the victims was Kylan Shook, a 20-year-old Caucasian male from Pittsburg, who was found deceased alongside 27-year-old Blaze Swank of Scammon. The discovery, made near Northwest 19th and Cardinal Lane, prompted an immediate and intensive investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Kylan, who had attended Frontenac and Pittsburg High Schools, was remembered as someone who enjoyed music and drawing, always had a smile on his face, and deeply loved his family and friends.
The investigation into the double homicide led authorities to a suspect, Mark Gerald Hopkins II of Columbus. Hopkins was subsequently charged with capital murder in connection with the shooting deaths of Shook and Swank. The legal proceedings against Hopkins took a dramatic turn in May 2021 when he and another inmate, Michael Wayne Martsolf, escaped from the Cherokee County Jail. The escape prompted a widespread search for the two men, who were considered dangerous. Hopkins was eventually apprehended and returned to custody to face the charges against him.
Ultimately, Mark Hopkins II pleaded guilty to two counts of premeditated first-degree murder for the deaths of Kylan Shook and Blaze Swank. For his crimes, he was sentenced to life in prison, bringing a measure of closure to the families of the victims and the community shaken by the senseless violence. The case left a lasting impact on those who knew Kylan, a young man remembered for his goofy and kind-hearted nature.
