Ra’Juan Spicer was an 18-year-old from Topeka remembered by family and friends as caring and funny. He attended Shaner Elementary and Topeka West High School. His life ended the evening of October 11, 2023, just after 5:30 p.m., when officers responding to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street found him with a life-threatening gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene. His death was recorded as the city’s 28th homicide of the year.

Investigators identified a person of interest and sought 17-year-old Reginald Rucker-Plakio of Topeka. He was located and taken into custody on November 21, 2023, after a brief foot pursuit near 21st and Auburn Road; detectives executed a search warrant later that day at a residence in the 3400 block of SW Kirklawn Avenue. Rucker-Plakio was booked on requested charges of first-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. By April 2025 prosecutors had charged him as an adult with first-degree premeditated murder and other felonies; a jury trial began but on January 30, 2026 he pleaded guilty to amended charges of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery, with other charges dismissed, and was awaiting sentencing set for March 13.

Does anyone have information about Ra’Juan’s last evening or the area around SW Clay Street that could help fill gaps in the timeline?