51-year-old man charged in two separate killings that led to police chase in Lawrence
A 51-year-old man has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in separate killings over the weekend in Lawrence that led to a police chase, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office said Tuesday.
Prosecutors have also charged Rodney E. Marshall of Lawrence with one count of attempted first-degree murder as well as five counts of attempted capital murder for allegedly firing shots at officers during the chase, said Cheryl Cadue, public information officer for the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office.
Marshall is accused of killing two men early Sunday. Officers responded to the first shooting about 1 a.m. in the 1100 block of Tennessee Street in Lawrence. Arriving officers found a 53-year-old man who had been critically injured in the shooting, a Lawrence police spokeswoman said.
The victim was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Shortly thereafter, officers were sent to investigate the second shooting a few streets over in the 300 block of Northwood Lane where a 43-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
During their investigation, police identified Marshall as a suspect and they tried to pull him over around 6 a.m. in the 900 block of Lawrence Avenue, according to police.
Marshall allegedly refused to stop and fled, leading police on a chase down Haskell Avenue to the bypass accessing the Kansas 10 highway toward the Kansas City area.
During the chase, Marshall allegedly fired shots at officers on K-10. The chase came to an end after he hit stop sticks by officers in Eudora. He was taken into custody.
A judge set bond for Marshall at $1.5 million cash or surety bond. His next court date was set for 1 p.m. Aug. 3.
