Man now charged with attempted murder in attack of woman at Olathe grocery store
A man who allegedly attacked an 85-year-old woman with a hammer at an Olathe Whole Foods grocery store is now facing attempted murder charges, according to court records.
Christopher A. Brewer, 50, appeared in court via Zoom Thursday for a preliminary hearing after his aggravated battery charge was upgraded to attempted first-degree murder. Prosecutors now allege the crime was premeditated and intentional.
Brewer is accused of hitting an 85-year-old woman in the head with a hammer the weekend after Thanksgiving.
A witness told officers he was leaving Whole Foods in the 14600 block of West 119th Street Nov. 30 when he heard a scream. He ran toward the scream and allegedly saw Brewer hit the woman on the head, according to court records.
The witness told police he got between the woman and Brewer, and that other witnesses assisted him. Officers responded to the scene around 12:30 p.m. and found the woman lying on the ground with lacerations to her skull, nose and forehead, according to court records.
Brewer allegedly kept the hammer in his hand until police arrived. When police searched him, they found a small bag of marijuana and a pipe, according to an affidavit filed in support of charges against Brewer.
Lacerations were allegedly so deep on the woman’s head that her nasal bone was visible.
Paramedics took the woman to a hospital, where she was placed in the ICU. Doctors diagnosed her with “facial fractures,” the affidavit said.
On Thursday, Brewer’s court-appointed attorney requested a bond change to cash or surety. Court records show a judge set Brewer’s bond to $100,000 cash or surety.
Conditions of the bond include house arrest and GPS monitoring.
The court also ordered a criminal history check and a competency evaluation, online court records show.
As of Friday morning, jail records indicate Brewer was still in custody at the Johnson County Department of Corrections Adult Detention Center.
Brewer is due to appear again in court for a status conference 9 a.m. Jan. 28, 2026 in Division 3 of Johnson County District Court.
Previous reporting by The Star’s Caroline Zimmerman contributed
