Kansas
How a can of soda and chips cost a Kansas deputy his law enforcement certificate
The Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission revoked a Douglas County sheriff’s deputy’s law enforcement certification after he stole a can of soda and bag of chips from a school concession area.
Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy Donn Dunkle conducted a property check at a school gymnasium on Feb. 1 when he took the soda and chips, according to a summary from the KCPOST.
“Respondent did not have permission from the school to do so and did not pay for the items he took. Respondent left the door unlocked and did not log the property check or activate his body worn camera during the event,” the KCPOST ruling said. “Respondent’s actions were recorded on school security camera, and he admitted to taking the items during a DCSO internal investigation. The school did not wish to press criminal charges against Respondent.”
The commission concluded that the deputy engaged a misdemeanor crime that “reflects on his honesty, trustworthiness, integrity or competence,” even though charges weren’t brought. It also said the actions run counter to Kansas statutes governing standards of “good moral character” of police officers.
The ruling occurred July 27, and KCPOST published its decision Tuesday.
Kansas
Kansas man sentenced to 4 years in connection with 13-year-old Linn County boy’s death
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Bates County Circuit Court judge Friday sentenced a Linn County, Kansas, man in connection with the December 2025 death of Airen Andula, 13.
Damon Leonard, 47, was sentenced to four years in prison for abandonment of a corpse, according to court records.
He pleaded guilty to the charge of abandoning a corpse on May 22.
Andula disappeared from his Pleasanton, Kansas, home on Dec. 21, 2025. A day later, law enforcement found the boy’s body in a ravine in Bates County, Missouri. He had died from multiple dog bite injuries.
Police were led to the boy’s body after a phone call from Leonard.
Court documents said Leonard “admitted that he transported the deceased child from Kansas to Missouri and left the body in the bottom of the creek” before he returned home.
KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva spoke with Andula’s family earlier this week — after the guilty plea and ahead of Friday’s sentencing.
His family shared that the guilty plea brought a small sense of justice, but it didn’t do much to ease the pain of their loss.
READ MORE | Family of Airen Andula speaks out ahead of sentencing
“We’re missing our kid every day of our lives,” the boy’s father Charles Andula told Silva.
Leonard received credit for time served of 158 days in his sentence, per court records.
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Kansas
Gas, diesel fuel prices down over past week across nation, Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – It may not seem like a lot of relief, but gas and diesel prices have declined over the past week.
Friday morning’s national average for a gallon of unleaded gas was $4.39, according to the Automobile Association of America.
That’s down three cents from $4.42 on Thursday; down 16 cents from a week ago; but was up 17 cents from $4.22 a month ago and up $.23 from $3.16 a year ago.
In Kansas, AAA says, unleaded gas on Friday was averaging $3.96 a gallon — down four cents from $4.00 on Thursday; down 13 cents from $3.96 a week ago; but up 26 cents from $3.70 a month ago; and up $1.07 over $2.89 a year ago.
Diesel fuel also was dropping in price. AAA says Friday’s national average for a gallon of diesel was $5.52 a gallon — down three cents from $5.55 on Thursday; down 12 cents from $5.64 a week a go; but up six cents from $5.46 a month ago and up $1.98 from $3.54 a year ago.
Kansas diesel fuel prices, according to AAA, checked in at an average of $4.98 on Friday. That’s five cents below $5.03 on Thursday; down 16 cents from $5.14 a week ago; but up 24 cents over $4.74 a month ago; and up $1.72 from $3.26 a year ago.
In Topeka, GasBuddy.com on Friday morning showed unleaded gas prices ranging between $3.77 and $4.09 in Topeka, with diesel fuel going for between $4.94 and $5.29 a gallon.
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Kansas
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