Prosecutors won’t seek death penalty in Topeka double murder, kidnapping case

TOPEKA (KSNT) – Prosecutors do not plan to seek the death penalty against a man accused of killing two people and kidnaping a child in Topeka, according to court records.

Prosecutors said Barnshaw killed Sean Thornton, 55, and Ashley Brown, 29, both of Topeka, and kidnapped 2-year-old Zabe Mendez in July.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation issued an AMBER Alert for the child shortly after the deaths were discovered at a home in the 500 block of Wabash. The Mattoon Police Department in Illinois later arrested Barnshaw for his alleged role in the Topeka killings and kidnapping of Mendez. Mendez was returned safely to his father shortly after the incident.

Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay charged Barnshaw with the following crimes:

• Two charges of murder in the first degree.
• Aggravated burglary of a dwelling.
• Aggravated endangering of a child.
• Kidnapping.

Judge Brett Watson appointed a death penalty defense attorney to represent Barnshaw in the case. In court records filed Friday, Sept. 19 prosecutors said they “would not be seeking the death penalty and would not be filing this as a capital case.”

Law enforcement has not said how Thornton and Brown were killed. On July 24, 27 News filed a request for Watson to release the affidavit in the case, which would provide more details of the crime. Watson has not ruled on the request.

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