Thomas Thaine “Tom” Madden, a 65-year-old White/Caucasian male farmer and rancher from Raymond, Kansas, died on April 29, 2019, a victim of a tragic and violent series of events initiated by his own son. The incident that led to his death began that afternoon near the town of Sterling when the Rice County Undersheriff attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Thomas's son, 37-year-old David Madden. David, a former Marine, was wanted on a federal firearms charge and was also a suspect in the 2015 disappearance of his girlfriend. Instead of surrendering, David shot the undersheriff multiple times and fled the scene.
With a woman and a child in the car, David first drove to his own residence in Alden to gather more weapons and ammunition. From there, he proceeded to his father's home in a rural area near Raymond. It is believed that shortly after arriving, David fatally shot his father, Thomas Madden. The situation escalated when Rice County Sheriff Bryant Evans and a deputy arrived at the property. David Madden opened fire on them, striking the sheriff in the leg.
What followed was a tense standoff that lasted for hours as numerous law enforcement agencies surrounded the home. During the standoff, officers made a grim discovery inside the residence: the body of Thomas Madden. The confrontation ended just after midnight when authorities found David Madden's body as well. Investigators concluded that the son had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after murdering his father and shooting two law enforcement officers.
In the aftermath of the murder-suicide, further investigation led to arrests connected to the case. The woman who was with David Madden during the initial shooting, Erin Baker, was charged with aggravated child endangerment and obstruction for her role in the events of that day, including driving David to retrieve weapons and then to his father's home. She later received a sentence of jail time and probation. Additionally, David's mother, Shirley Loder, was charged with criminal distribution of a firearm, accused of giving her son one of the guns used during his violent spree.
