On the afternoon of January 3, 2026, Stella M. Mahkuk, 43, of Topeka was shot in the 800 block of SW Tyler. Police were called just after 2 p.m.; medics found her with injuries severe enough to require emergency transport to a nearby hospital. Her obituary records she died at Stormont Vail Hospital on January 4, 2026, and she was remembered as a loved one whose life ended far too soon. She was also identified in community remembrance as Prairie Band Potawatomi.

Authorities had not announced an arrest, identified a suspect or suspects, described a motive, or released charging documents in the days after the shooting. What led to the shooting and who fired remain unanswered.

Did anyone in Topeka see or hear anything in the 800 block of SW Tyler around 2 p.m. on January 3 that could help clarify what happened?