Investigation

Firefighters had a tough time battling a fire at Joyland Friday.  The fire started in a building on the property around six o'clock. The building was fully engulfed in flames.  Firefighters struggled to get it under control because there weren't fire hydrants nearby.   They finally got in out after eight o'clock.  "We don't have any hydrants near so we had to pull hoses and water supply lays," said Tammy Snow, deputy fire chief. Neighbors from the area, gathered around, to watch the fire burn.

The Colby postmaster and another post office employee are on paid leave while an internal investigation is conducted.   Eyewitness News has learned the Post Office Inspector General is looking into a possible violation regarding procedures regarding the external first class measurement system. This is the system used to independently measure the delivery time of mail. A spokesperson for the post office would not release any other information on the matter. For now, the Colby post office is being managed by the Goodland postmaster.

SYRACUSE, Kan. (AP) - Law enforcement officers are investigating the death of a 31-year-old man from Syracuse. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office says Christopher E. Barr died Wednesday morning shortly after an altercation at his Syracuse home. The Garden City Telegram reports that officials say a suspect is in custody. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is helping with the investigation. --- Information from: The Garden City Telegram, www.gctelegram.

The Lane County Sheriff says two people found dead at a Dighton home were brothers. On January 6, deputies received the report of a shooting at a home in the 300 block of N. Central in Dighton. When they arrived, investigators say they found the bodies of 44-year-old Raymond Sanchez, Jr., and 37-year-old Ricky D. Sanchez. Investigators say they are still investigating, but they do not believe anyone else was involved in the incident. The Lane County Sheriff's Department is being assisted by the KBI, Kansas Highway Patrol, Scott County Sheriff's Office, Lane County EMS and the Lane County Attorney's Office.

Police in Salina are investigating the death of an 18-month-old girl. According to officials who spoke with Eyewitness News the girl was found unresponsive at her home in the 600 block of Gypsum Avenue on Monday. Police say a call to 911 was made just after 3:40 in the afternoon.  The girl died Tuesday night at Wesley Medical Center. Police say Bre'Elle Jefferson had injuries, but investigators are not saying if they contributed to her death.

A second story patio collapses while several people are gathered to celebrate a birthday. It happened around 2:45 Sunday morning, in the 3100 block of E. Conamore in Wichita. Police say 6 people were gathered on an outdoor patio area, built onto the second story of a home.  Police say the patio collapsed for an unknown reason. A 24-year-old man was transported to Wesley Hospital with a skull fracture and a brain bleed.  A 22-year-old woman suffered a broken ankle, and another man in his 20's had a possibly dislocated shoulder.

Update: Wichita police say they've received dozens of phone calls from people saying salespeople had come to their homes.  The salespeople may have been actually selling vacuum cleaners, but they don't have a license and police still think they are connected to the burglaries. The Reno County Sheriff's Office also contacted Wichita police with possible names and descriptions of those believed to be involved in the case, but it's not known if any arrests have been made. ----- A warning from Wichita Police about a recent crime trend involving thieves posing as door-to door salesmen.

Authorities arrest 31 people in a months-long drug investigation. The arrests involved the possession, sale and distribution of drugs in Cowley County. Authorities are still looking for 18 people. The charges involve everything from prescription drugs to meth, marijuana to crack. Investigators say no one was hurt while making the arrests. The Cowley County Drug Task Force led the investigation with the help of the Cowley County Sheriff's Office, the Winfield Police Department, Ark City Police Department, the KBI and the Southern Kansas SWAT Team.

Federal prosecutors sentence a Dodge City woman to a year in prison for lying to a grand jury. The U.S. Attorney's Office says Petra Garcia-Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of perjury and one count of making a false statement to federal investigators. They say Garcia-Martinez admitted to giving false testimony to a grand jury investigating the Nortenos gang in May of 2011. Investigators say the grand jury was questioning Garcia-Martinez about her knowledge of her brother's affiliation with the gang in Dodge City.

The Dickinson County Sheriff's Department is investigating the possibility of an "allegations of misconduct" between a former Solomon teacher and a student. The teacher at Solomon Elementary School was suspended and the Hays Post is reporting the teacher resigned in late October. Authorities say the allegations of misconduct involve a high school student.  All the schools in Solomon are connected. The sheriff's department says the investigation is on-going.

Wichita Police are searching for suspects accused firing shots at homes in northeast Wichita overnight. Officers are investigating two separate incidents. The first occurred in the 1200 block of north Chautauqua around 2 a.m. Police said a 22 year old man was standing outside his home, when an unknown suspect walked up to the victim and started firing shots. One of the bullets struck the victim in the elbow. The man was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. He is expected to recover.

An internal investigation is underway after a Wichita man claimed he was punched by an officer. The incident began after an officer approached an SUV that was pulling into an apartment parking stall. Jesse Kennedy said he and his friends were coming home from a liquor store. He said the officer drew his gun and started a fight. Shawn Steffen caught the attack on camera. Another passenger, Bryce Cotton, said you can clearly see that the driver, nor any of the passengers, did anything to provoke the detective.

It may be a while before investigators know what caused a shocking that left a Salina girl hospitalized. Jayden Hicks, 11, was playing in the rain with friends in downtown last week. Witness said she fell to the ground, and was found on an electrical junction box. Emergency crews used a hot stick to retrieve the girl, before they could administer treatment. Hicks remained in criticial condition at a Wichita hospital Friday. Jason Gage, Salian City manager, said the city has hired a third party to help with the investigation.  "We want to leave the system as it is at that location, turned off so it's not a hazard to anyone," he said.

Guests who attended a wedding and reception in Saline County over the weekend are recovering from an unknown illness. According to the Salina-Saline County Health Department, more than 40 guests had gastro-intestinal symptoms. Investigators are now talking to guests to try to narrow down the cause. "That's one of the first steps, what's their symptoms, where they think they could be exposed," Suzette Brotton, the emergency preparedness coordinator said. The actual cause is still unknown.

Officers are investigating a possible shooting in south Wichita. Authorities were called to the scene in the 3700 hundred block of East Roseberry around 3:30 Sunday afternoon. Officials say a possible victim fled from the scene as did a suspect. So far they have been unable to find either. They do have hospitals on alert about a possible shooting victim coming in.

Wichita police are looking for a man who robbed the Fidelity Bank at 13th & Woodlawn this morning.  The man is described as a 5'10", 200 pound white male in his 30s, black zip-up jacket, black shorts, black baseball cap and black tennis shoes (with white socks). No one was hurt and there's no word on whether he got away with any money. Stay with Eyewitness News for any updates.

Friday jurors heard testimony that focused on forensic evidence in the trial of Brett Seacat. Seacat is charged with killing his wife Vashti and setting their Kingman home on fire in April 2011. See Photos from the Trial Forensic scientist with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Dawn Ford tested the pants Seacat was wearing the night of the fire.  Se says she didn't find any blood on them.  She also tested a sample of carpet from their master bedroom and it did contain Vashti's blood.

Brett Seacat told investigators that if he wanted to kill his wife Vashti, he would have come up with something other than a shooting and a fire. Testimony continued Tuesday in Kingman County, the fourth day of the trial.  Secat is charged with killing his wife and setting their home on fire.  His defense maintains she started the fire and killed herself. See Photos from the Trial Tuesday jurors finished watching a seven hour interview Seacat did with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation two weeks after his wife died.

Firefighters had a tough time battling a fire at Joyland Friday.  The fire started in a building on the property around six o'clock. The building was fully engulfed in flames.  Firefighters struggled to get it under control because there weren't fire hydrants nearby.   They finally got in out after eight o'clock.  "We don't have any hydrants near so we had to pull hoses and water supply lays," said Tammy Snow, deputy fire chief. Neighbors from the area, gathered around, to watch the fire burn.

The Exploited and Missing Child Unit (EMCU) is investigating two separate child endangerment cases after four children are removed from two homes. The first incident happened Wednesday evening when someone reported a 3-year-old walking in the street near 25th and Arkansas. Officers came out and put the youngster in a squad car. Eyewitnesses didn't know who the child was, so police went door-to-door trying to find his parents. They found the boy's mom in a home about a block away.