In the quiet, rural landscape of Plainville, Kansas, the morning of September 9, 2019, was shattered by a grim discovery. Mark E. Reif, a 56-year-old Caucasian male, was found deceased in his home by a family member. The subsequent 911 call, placed at approximately 9:10 a.m., brought deputies from the Rooks County Sheriff's Office to the residence at 2610 19th Road. Upon their arrival around 9:20 a.m., it was tragically clear that Reif had died from gunshot wounds, immediately launching a homicide investigation with the assistance of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation into the death of the local rancher and owner of a welding and construction business moved swiftly. Within days, the KBI identified a suspect: 47-year-old Jon Flowers of Inman, Kansas. Investigators interviewed Flowers at his Rice County home on the evening of Wednesday, September 11, and the morning of Thursday, September 12, while also executing multiple search warrants at his residence. The nature of the connection between Reif and Flowers was not immediately made public, but authorities assured the community that the violence was not believed to be random.
The case took a startling turn on Saturday, September 14. When Jon Flowers failed to show up for work and was unresponsive to his family, the Rice County Sheriff's Office was called for a welfare check at his home. Upon entering the residence, deputies found Flowers deceased. Preliminary autopsy results indicated that Flowers had died by suicide. The investigation later confirmed that Flowers had acted alone in the murder of Mark Reif. This conclusion was solidified by forensic evidence; a cartridge case found at the murder scene was matched to a pistol owned by Flowers. Furthermore, the bullet recovered from Reif's autopsy was also fired from the same weapon. A suicide note discovered near Flowers' body claimed responsibility for the killing, bringing a somber and definitive close to the investigation into the death of Mark Reif.
