In the quiet town of Holton, Kansas, a tragic event unfolded on September 18, 2018, ending the life of 73-year-old Gaylen R. Bohnenkemper. The White / Caucasian male died from gunshot wounds in his own home.
The incident began in the early morning hours, around 3 a.m., when a distressing call was made to the Jackson County Sheriff's office. A woman reported that her son had shot her husband and that she was barricaded inside a bedroom of their Holton residence.
Deputies responded swiftly, managing to help the woman escape from the home to safety. What followed was a tense standoff that lasted for several hours. The suspect, identified as Gaylen's 49-year-old son, Derrick G. Bohnenkemper, refused to leave the house. During the standoff, he fired shots toward the deputies. The situation finally came to a close around 8:30 a.m. when Derrick Bohnenkemper emerged from the home and was taken into custody. Inside, authorities discovered Gaylen Bohnenkemper deceased.
Derrick Bohnenkemper was subsequently charged with first-degree murder in his father's death, along with several other charges related to the armed standoff with law enforcement. The legal proceedings that followed revealed a history of mental illness, with Derrick Bohnenkemper spending over six months undergoing competency evaluations at Larned State Hospital. His defense attorney described him as a "mild-mannered, soft-spoken man with an unfortunate history of mental illness" who had sought treatment long before the fatal incident and had no prior criminal record.
Ultimately, a plea deal was reached. Derrick Bohnenkemper pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of second-degree murder. The remaining aggravated assault charges against him were dismissed. In February 2021, he was sentenced to 155 months, just under 13 years, in prison. With credit for time already served, his remaining sentence was approximately 10 and a half years.
