Jonathan C. Bailes, an 18-year-old man from Topeka, was shot and killed on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at a residence in the Montara area south of Topeka. The first call to emergency services came just after 5:00 p.m.; early confusion over the correct address led deputies to check several nearby blocks before confirming the scene on SW 70th Terrace. Bailes was found dead and pronounced at the scene.

Details about what led to the shooting remain sparse. Officials have not released whether there was an argument, how many people were present, or what relationship, if any, existed between Bailes and the person taken into custody. The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest the next day of a 15-year-old Topeka juvenile, identified later as Brandon E. Stewart Jr., who was booked into the juvenile detention system on requested charges including second-degree murder and interference with law enforcement. Investigators said the public was not believed to be at risk.

If anyone has information about Bailes, the incident that evening, or the residence on SW 70th Terrace, please share what is known with the Sheriff’s Office.