Corporal Jason Eugene Harwood, 40, was killed in the line of duty on September 7, 2014, after a traffic stop in the 3200 block of SE Sixth Avenue in east Topeka. At about 4:45 p.m. an occupant of the stopped vehicle opened fire, fatally wounding Harwood. He was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead a short time later; he was survived by his wife and two sons.

The investigation quickly identified suspects. Ross Preston Lane, 30 at the time, was identified as the shooter. After fleeing the scene he contacted Randy Ridens Jr., who picked him up on a stolen motorcycle; the pair’s escape was hampered when the motorcycle broke down in Douglas County. Lane later arranged to turn himself in to law enforcement in Lawrence that same evening, and Ridens was taken into custody.

Lane was charged with capital murder, ultimately pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Ridens faced charges of possession of stolen property, obstruction, and a probation violation for assisting Lane after the murder. Did anyone in the Topeka area have information about Harwood’s final shift or the moments leading up to the stop?