Deputy Sheriff James Kenney, 62, was killed while serving a search warrant on November 16, 1999, at a residence in Morganville near Clay Center, Kansas. A six-year veteran of the Clay County Sheriff’s Department and founder of its canine unit, Kenney and his police dog Copper were searching the home for an escaped inmate when the suspect, 22-year-old Jeffery Hebert, fired a shotgun from an attic, striking and killing both Kenney and Copper. Other officers at the scene then took Hebert into custody. Hebert was charged with capital murder and related offenses.

Kenney’s role as founder of the department’s canine unit and Copper’s presence highlight how quickly a routine warrant can turn deadly when a fugitive is hiding in confined spaces. Families and colleagues remember a veteran deputy whose final callout ended in tragedy.

If anyone knew Deputy Kenney, Copper, or the events that led up to the November 16, 1999 search, please share information that could add context to this case.