Antoine R. Fielder, 30, today was charged with two counts of capital murder in connection with the deaths of Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Deputies Theresa King and Patrick Rohrer on June 15.
The deputies were transferring Fielder from court to the Wyandotte County Jail when they were overpowered and slain on June 15.
District Attorney Mark Dupree also charged Fielder with aggravated robbery.
Fielder, who suffered gunshot wounds on June 15, has been transferred from the hospital to the Johnson County Jail, according to authorities. His bond was requested at $2 million, Dupree said.
Little new information was released today about the circumstances of the shooting on June 15. The district attorney said it is still under investigation. He also said that based on the evidence, no other persons are believed to be involved in the June 15 shooting.
Fielder previously had been tried twice in 2017 for a murder in 2015, and that ended in a mistrial with a hung jury with 10 in favor of acquittal and two in favor of a guilty verdict, Dupree said.
Dupree said his office dismissed the case, but left the option to try it again later, continuing to investigate the 2015 murder to find more evidence to get a conviction.
While investigating Fielder, authorities picked him up on charges of aggravated robbery, he said. That was the charge he faced in court last week, when he was being transported, Dupree said. Fielder also was charged with robbery, criminal possession of a firearm, aggravated intimidation of a witness and intimidation of a witness at that time, he said.
Fielder also was charged by the Jackson County prosecutor’s office with a murder that occurred while he was out, Dupree said.
“When we found the evidence that could put him in custody, we in fact did,” Dupree said.
Dupree said he is not concerned with jury tampering now, but it will not be tolerated.
He said the death penalty is possible with the capital murder charge, and the prosecution will consider all things that are legal.
“Deputy King and Deputy Rohrer represent the best that is in all of us,” Dupree said. “We appreciate the sacrifice they made and the sacrifices that law enforcement made on a daily basis.”
Dupree said they will try the case in a fair and impartial way. He added the defendant is innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“We will do our best to bring justice and to make sure that (Deputy) Rohrer and King and their families receive some type of justice with this,” he said.
He said he believed Fielder could get a fair trial in Wyandotte County, and that the jury would judge him on the evidence.
Wyandotte County Sheriff Don Ash, who did not take any questions, thanked the community for the tremendous outpouring of support shown to the Sheriff’s Department and the families of the slain deputies. He also thanked the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department for the investigation, and the district attorney’s office.
“We’re profoundly sad about this incident, yet there’s duty that remains to be done each day,” Sheriff Ash said. “We will move forward from this incident and we will continue to do what we do each day. Your expressions of love and support and care and concern are greatly appreciated.”
