Travis Larsen, 37, of Topeka, Kansas, was shot and killed just after midnight on January 15, 2018. Police found him deceased in his vehicle in a tree line near 22nd Park and Mulvane with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.

Investigators identified 21-year-old Zachary Buck-Schrag of Topeka as a person of interest; Buck-Schrag turned himself in to the Lawrence Police Department later that day and was arrested on Felony Murder, Criminal Discharge of a Firearm, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Court records described an encounter that began at a service station, escalated after an alleged pursuit and a collision between vehicles, and ended when Buck-Schrag fired multiple shots, one striking Larsen in the head. The court rejected Buck-Schrag’s self-defense claim and a jury convicted him of first-degree felony murder and related charges.

Larsen was a Washburn University student studying Human Services Addiction Treatment Administration and volunteered with Positive Connections. Family and friends remembered him for his vibrant personality, love of outdoor activities, and dedication to helping others. Was anyone in the Topeka area aware of tensions that night between the parties or who might have seen the vehicles involved?