In the early morning hours of Saturday, February 29, 2020, the life of 51-year-old Kelly Parker Sr. was tragically cut short in Topeka, Kansas. Officers from the Topeka Police Department were dispatched to a residence in the 1400 block of SW Van Buren following a report of a shooting. Upon their arrival shortly before 1:00 a.m., they discovered Mr. Parker deceased inside the home.
It was determined that he had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head.
The investigation into the death of Kelly Parker Sr., a male, quickly focused on a domestic disturbance as the likely catalyst for the violence. The immediate follow-up by law enforcement led them to a person of interest who was present at the scene. This individual was taken into custody for questioning in the hours following the discovery of the body.
The inquiry resulted in the arrest of a suspect in connection with the shooting. Raishawn Smith-Parker, a 47-year-old woman from Topeka, was taken into custody and transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. She was subsequently charged with second-degree murder in the death of Kelly Parker Sr. and was held on a $500,000 bond. The case then moved into the hands of the Shawnee County District Attorney for prosecution.
