James “Kraig” Kahler, 46, was scheduled for a first appearance in Osage County District Court at 11 a.m. today, in conjunction with the shooting deaths of his ex-wife and two of his children. Kahler, formerly of Columbia, Mo., had recently moved to the Topeka area, according to the Associated Press.
The killings happened Saturday evening at a home just south of Burlingame in Osage County, about 35 miles northeast of Emporia.
Officers searched about 13 hours for Kahler, after they found one person dead and three critically injured when they responded to a call for help at the home shortly after 6 p.m.
Kahler is being held on one count of capital murder for the alleged premeditated killing of Karen Kahler, 44; Emily Kahler, 18; and Lauren Kahler, 16, according to information from Ashley Anstaett, spokeswoman for the Kansas Attorney General’s office.
Two of the victims died after they were taken to Stormont-Vail HealthCare in Topeka. One was reported in critical condition.
Anstaett said Kahler also is being held on one count of attempted first-degree murder of Karen Kahler’s grandmother, Dorothy Wight, 89, and one count of aggravated burglary at Wight’s home.
The overnight search for Kahler ended in his arrest about 7:30 a.m. today around the intersection of 112th and Auburn Road. Shawnee County Sheriff’s deputies made the arrest, according to a report in the Topeka Capital-Journal.
Kahler had been charged earlier this year in Columbia with third-degree domestic assault, according to a recent report in the Columbia Business Times.
The story, published Sept. 8, stated that Kahler had resigned as the city of Columbia’s water and light director.
City Manager Bill Watkins said in the story that he had asked for and accepted Kahler’s resignation.
“I have no doubts about Kraig’s professional integrity and intelligence,” Watkins was quoted as saying, “but he is experiencing some difficult family issues at this time. In my opinion, this has affected his focus on the department in a way that is not likely to change in the near future.”
Kahler had brought his family from Weatherford, Texas, in July 2008 to run the utilities department, according to Columbia city documents.
In March, he and his wife had a confrontation over her decision to file for divorce. He was charged with third-degree domestic assault, and a Circuit Court trial on the misdemeanor charge was scheduled to take place on Oct. 21.
The city’s report on Kahler stated that he and his wife were parents of three children.
The Associated Press reported that Kahler’s attorney in the domestic case, Rusty Antel, said the couple was divorcing and his client had moved from Columbia to the Topeka area. Court records show the Kahlers’ divorce trial was scheduled for Dec. 21.
Court records showed the Kahlers had been sparring over their children, and that a hearing was scheduled for January.
A neighbor of Karen Kahler said police were twice called to her home over the summer in response to reports that Kahler had slashed his wife’s car tires and ripped out utility cables. Karen Kahler had shared the Columbia home with their teenage daughters and their other child, aged 10.
In Kansas, Anstaett would not comment on whether the third child had been at Wight’s home in Burlingame, 21 miles southwest of Topeka, when the killings took place.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that police radio traffic indicated a 10-year-old child fled the house to call for help.
Phone messages left by AP were not returned by Columbia Mayor Darwin Hindman; city council member Paul Sturtz; Kahler’s successor, Michael Schmitz, and Daniel Pingelton, Karen Kahler’s attorney in the divorce case.
The Burlingame shooting caused Osage County officers to block off the area around the site of the shooting and to ask residents to remain inside their homes on Saturday.
The search for Kahler involved deputies from Shawnee and Osage counties, Auburn and Topeka police, K-9 units and Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter and patrol officers.
The Osage County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation ask that people with information about the incident call Osage County Crimestoppers (877) OSCRIME or (800) KSCRIME.
fawn196166 (anonymous) says...
what on earth is wrong with ppl now days!!!!!!!!!!! this man is really sick...i hope justice is served and that he gets the worse punishment that there is...he kiiled 3 innocent ppl..2 teenage girls whos lives never got started..i hope the 3rd child gets a chance to say his peace when it comes to trial time..im sorry but i have no feelings for some who kills their family ..PERIOD....THIS COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLE IN A BETTER WAY THEN WHAT HE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOPE HE ROTS IN HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 30, 2009 at 4:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
If he was any sort of a man at all he would have ended the manhunt by popping a cap in his own brain pan and saving all of us a lot of trouble and expense. But then what type of real man would shot his children anyway. Give him a fair trial then hang him.
November 30, 2009 at 5:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Landa (anonymous) says...
You know what guys, he did a terrible thing. Who knows what was going through his mind? But, posting things about "I hope he rots in hell" and saying that he should have killed himself are simply inappropriate. None of us know what was going on in that family. It is unfortunate that no one stepped forward and offered help to this family. I know there are SOS services for victims of domestic violence in Osage County, so I would like to know why that office was not contacted to help this family. It is a terrible situation, and I hope that the surviving child can have a relatively normal life and get through this. I also hope that the man who did this gets the help he needs and makes himself right with God before he passes.
December 1, 2009 at 10:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
So Landa.....you hope he gets all the help and compassion he didn't allow for his family......that's your choice....it's not mine!
December 1, 2009 at 11:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tbluma (anonymous) says...
It would appear that you and I agree on some things bisquitboy.
December 1, 2009 at 12:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tbluma (anonymous) says...
By the way bisquitboy, please don't go into cardiac arrest or the like or us agreeing on something.
December 1, 2009 at 12:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Landa,
He kills his wife, 2 kids, then goes after grandma too, at what point do you not see this POS for what he is? At this point I don't care what was "going through his mind", the only thing that should be going through it is a few rounds. People like this should be made an example of.
December 1, 2009 at 1:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Landa (anonymous) says...
goodoleboy - you're probably also the kind of goodoleboy that would lynch black people for being black. Sometimes things are beyond our control. This man has a mental illness, clearly. Do 2 wrongs make a right? Will him dying bring back his family members who have died? I see people on here criticizing the war we are engaged in because we are just adding to the killing, but that's what you are wanting to do here....Does a child who acts out deserve to be beaten or killed because they don't act right? I don't think so. I don't think this man should be released into society, but I definitely don't think KILLING someone is ever the answer. Ever.
December 1, 2009 at 1:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Whoa whoa whoa whoa!
WOW!
Now I am racist because I think this guy should get a bullet to the dome? What kind of moronic statement was that? Landa I think YOUR the one with the mental illness bud, the examples you listed pale in comparison to what happened, simply amazed you played the race card LOL, we sure have a lot of racists around here because I was not the only one that felt this way. Get a clue moron.
December 1, 2009 at 1:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Biscuitboy and Tbluma
By Landa's logic I am sorry to inform you that you are both more racist than I, hanging is definitely more brutal than a bullet to the head and in fact was a tactic of white supremacists. Our opinions have made us evil MUHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
December 1, 2009 at 1:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
One question for you Landa, you said:
"but I definitely don't think KILLING someone is ever the answer. Ever."
Does that include the likes of Osama bin Laden and Hitler? I'm just curious how far off reservation you are.
December 1, 2009 at 2:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
giggles (anonymous) says...
Landa,
" Do 2 wrongs make a right? Will him dying bring back his family members who have died?"
You are assuming that executing someone for their severe crime is wrong, which I disagree with. He is no good in society, a threat to those around him.
How is it that he clearly has a mental illness?
What are we supposed to do with these people that commit these violent and dangerous crimes?
Oh yes, you seem to believe that he can get mental help and then what? Sit and rot in prison on our dime. 80,000.00 per year I hear to house an inmate. More than twice what I make in a year.
I think that his self centeredness, and disregard for human life puts him in the position of being executed without mercy. It was evil and narcissistic. If we don't execute them, then at least put them on a far away island penal colony. They don't belong anywhere near the rest of society. There are too many of them roaming our streets destroying the lives, hopes and dreams of innocent people. We need to reclaim our innocence and rid ourselves of the evil.
December 1, 2009 at 4:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
YY4U......I like your time line
tbluma....No man.....I'm cool with that.....I told you......these chill pills.....
December 1, 2009 at 6:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
goodoleboy......And after I had worked so hard not to be one....I'm really bummed....maybe I need another pill :-)
December 1, 2009 at 6:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CRAZE (anonymous) says...
THIS MAN HAS HAD A VIOLENT ABUSIVE PAST TOWARDS HIS WIFE. HE IS NOT SICK WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS. HE HAS BEEN A VIOLENT PERSON FOR A LONG TIME. THE PAPER SAID PREMEDITATED MURDER. HE DIDN'T JUST SNAP ONE DAY HE PLANNED THIS. HE DESERVES WHATEVER IS COMING TO HIM. THINK OF HIS INNOCENT CHILDREN AND WIFE. I HAVE NO COMPASSION FOR THIS MAN. HE WILL LIVE ETERNITY IN HELL
December 1, 2009 at 9:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
I like the idea of an island penal colony. Place all violent aggressors on the island with nothing but their bare hands. The last one standing gets a full pardon to another uninhabited island where he/she will live alone until their death.
December 2, 2009 at 7:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
This way the state kills no one!
December 2, 2009 at 7:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Landa says, " I know there are SOS services for victims of domestic violence in Osage County, so I would like to know why that office was not contacted to help this family."
Just what good would SOS services have done this family if the crazed idiot goes to their house in the middle of the night or whenever and shoots them all? SOS services? What, register their names? Attend workshops? Or was someone from SOS going to sit shotgun on their front porch? What an idiotic thing to say.
This idiot needs to be offed. He's no use to anyone. I like YY4U's idea about the organs though. And I've always liked the idea Biscuit brings up about an island penal colony. Make it somewhere that is shark infested.
December 2, 2009 at 9:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
sometimes I'm about a quick as a smooth flat river rock.....and I probably shouldn't admit this now.....but it had never dawned on me what YY4U's user name really meant until it was pointed out recently by another poster on the LPN vs. RN thread. You don't have to get up too early in the morning to beat me sometimes.
December 2, 2009 at 12:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tbluma (anonymous) says...
Perfect example of putting people in jail and then letting them out too soon.
The guy that killed four policemen in Washington state earlier this week.
At least nobody will have to pay for his trial or incarceration anymore.
December 2, 2009 at 12:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
tbluma
That's twice.
December 2, 2009 at 12:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tbluma (anonymous) says...
Yea we're probably going to have to start hanging around together with goodoleboy since (according to landa) we're lynching racists.
December 2, 2009 at 12:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
giggles (anonymous) says...
I don't know what category I would fall in with you guys. I'm just sure that Landa doesn't like my old school, "eye for an eye" stance.
Hey I could even site the golden rule on this one. "Do unto others as you would do unto yourself." He should follow that one now and save us all the trouble.
December 2, 2009 at 1:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
"Make it somewhere that is shark infested"
And give the sharks friggin laser beams !
December 2, 2009 at 2:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
giggles (anonymous) says...
At least sea bass that are ill tempered.
December 2, 2009 at 2:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Since there are a lot of people against capital punishment for capital crimes and an island penal colony has been suggested !
How about Antrctica, its an island, isn' t it ?
December 2, 2009 at 2:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
What do you call a million rapists and murderers at the bottom of the artic ocean?
December 2, 2009 at 4:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
giggles (anonymous) says...
A good day.
December 2, 2009 at 4:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
a tax break!
December 2, 2009 at 4:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
paulkersey (anonymous) says...
YY4U,
I agree 100% with making this guy an organ donor! Great idea!
Now... Who's gonna pay for the anesthetic? What's that, no one? That's ok too!
December 2, 2009 at 7:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )