Curtis Ayers, alleged killer of KCK police detective, has a criminal record

The suspect in Monday’s murderous crime binge went to school in North Carolina before moving to Leavenworth County and racking up a criminal record.

Curtis Rand Ayers, 28, has been to prison for abandoning his son while trying to elude arrest.

He was married in 2010 but divorced his wife, Samantha, while in prison.

Beyond the court records and what little can be gleaned from his relatively sparse Facebook page, it’s difficult to learn more.

His mother was not taking calls Tuesday. His cousin hung up on a reporter who phoned.

There was a no trespassing sign at the house in Tonganoxie where Ayers was thought to be living.

Ayers updated his Facebook cover photo on Sunday evening, just hours before he allegedly went on a carjacking and shooting binge. It now shows a picture of his two sons.

His relationship with their mother had been troubled. Kansas court records show Ayers was charged in January 2013 with domestic battery and making a criminal threat. He pleaded no contest and was ordered to attend a domestic violence prevention program and a substance abuse program. Shortly afterward he filed for divorce but later dismissed the case.

In April 2015, while Ayers was in prison, his wife filed a petition for child support and eventually received a default judgment. While that case was pending, Ayers filed again for divorce. It was granted, uncontested, in November, about two months before Ayers was released from prison.

Tonganoxie Police Chief Jeff Brandau said his department had previously arrested Ayers on a warrant for methamphetamine possession. Court records show he was charged in Leavenworth County in 2014 with possession of a hallucinogenic drug, but the case was dismissed with a plea agreement.

Court records say he was also charged in 2006 in North Carolina for offenses ranging from misdemeanor theft to possession of stolen goods and burglarizing vehicles.

Other photos on Ayers’ Facebook page include selfies showing him with stretched earlobe holes. His interests include metal music and tattoos.

Ayers’ biographical information says he attended high school in Cassville, Mo., and graduated from high school in 2004 in Morehead City, N.C. It also says he attended two community colleges in North Carolina.

A Nexis search shows Ayers has had residential addresses in Leavenworth and Tonganoxie.

He apparently worked at one time for a tree trimming service and at a restaurant in Tonganoxie that is no longer in business.

Facebook says Ayers also worked at a local drywall company, but someone posted on that company’s page that Ayers worked there only a short time and that it was more than four months ago.

That would have been shortly after Ayers was released from prison after pleading guilty to several felony counts in Leavenworth County. The charges stemmed from an incident in June 2014 and included child abandonment, fleeing or eluding law enforcement officers with five or more moving violations and obstruction of arrest.

Ayers was sentenced to 18 months in prison. He spent less than one year at the Lansing Correctional Facility before being released on parole. While in prison, Ayers was the subject of six disciplinary reports, including possession of tobacco and dangerous contraband and being in an unauthorized area.

This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Curtis Ayers, alleged killer of KCK police detective, has a criminal record."