Second teen charged with murder in death of 17-year-old Olathe East High senior
A second teenager has been charged with felony murder in the shooting death of a 17-year-old Olathe East High School senior, according to Johnson County court records.
The 17-year-old male suspect, identified in court records as Rolland Robert Kobelo, was charged in Johnson County Juvenile Court earlier this week with one count of first-degree felony murder.
Another teen, 16-year-old Jordan A. Denny, is also facing a first-degree felony murder charge in the killing of Rowan Padgett.
Padgett was found shot about 5 p.m. March 29 in the 12300 block of South Mullen Court in Olathe. He died at the scene.
The charges filed against Kobelo and Denny allege Padgett was killed during a drug deal or robbery involving Xanax, a drug used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.
In Kansas, a person can be charged with first-degree felony murder even if they did not pull the trigger in a shooting. They can be charged if a homicide occurs during the commission of an inherently dangerous felony.
Like Denny, the Johnson County District Attorney’s office has filed a motion requesting that Kobelo be prosecuted as an adult.
Kobelo was arrested April 2 and and is being held in Johnson County Juvenile Detention.
His next court hearing is scheduled for April 29.
According to court records, Kobelo was in the Kansas foster care system, in the custody of state contractor KVC Kansas. The agency had placed him in a foster home in Spring Hill. His father is listed as a resident of Texas and his mother is in Tanzania.
Kobelo, Denny and Padgett were all listed in court records as having been Olathe East High School students.
This story was originally published April 6, 2019 at 11:08 AM.
