MANHATTAN – A fatal shooting investigation in Manhattan has led to a half-dozen arrests, including two people suspected of burglarizing the suspected shooter’s home while it was
staked out by police.
Riley County Police officials laid out all of the cases, arrest and charges at a news conference late Thursday afternoon.
They says it started just before 11 a-m on Wednesday, the Riley County Police Department received a report of a body beside the road in rural Riley County, north of Manhattan.
Detectives responded to the scene and determined that the cause of death was likely homicide and further inquiry was made in an attempt to identify the body and the circumstances surrounding his death.
They identified the victim as 31-year-old Steve R. Freel of Manhattan.
As investigation into this homicide was continuing, they received a separate report of guns being taken from a residence located at 240 Westwood, in Manhattan.
Officers and detectives responding to this call soon learned that Freel was a previous resident of that address.
Detectives then began investigating whereabouts over the course of time leading up to the homicide and interviewed a number of persons associated with the victim.
As the investigation progressed several factors became apparent. These included, that Freel and one of his male associates were suspected in a series of armed robberies of illegal aliens located in Manhattan.
The suspect in the murder, Michael Blake Layne and two of his female acquaintances had been involved in a home invasion, armed robbery which occurred on Hunting Street, in Manhattan on December 6. .
Evidence from these various crimes was located at five different residences at various locations in or near Manhattan. During the evening and overnight, Officers of the Riley County Police Department executed four search warrants and conducted one consent search of these residences. The addresses included, 1016 Pottawatomie Court, 3450 W 69th Ave., Lot 61 Redbud Estates, and 108 Longview. A consent search was also done at 240 Westwood.
Detectives were able to determine that the relationship between the victim and the suspect had soured recently due to conflicts largely centered around events subsequent to the armed robberies they had committed together. This to the extent that the suspect took the victim for a ride in rural Riley County, during which an argument ensued and when the victim exited the car and he was shot once in the chest by the suspect.
Layne is now jailed on a 1-million dollar bond charged 1st degree murder. Also arrested was 41-year-old Domingo Alfredo Soto: aka “Diablo.” He’s charged with conspiracy to commit 1st degree murder and his bond is at a half million
With respect to the armed robbery on Hunting Street. during interviews related to the homicide investigation, three persons being interviewed revealed their involvement in the armed robbery, and were arrested and are currently confined in the Riley County Jail
That includes Layne, and 18-year-old Reyna Elizabeth Youdath, a K-State student. Both are charged with armed robbery, and Youdath is also charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Also charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery is 25-year-old Areale Hank Hanks. The two women are jailed on bonds of 250-thousand dollars.
As officers were monitoring the residence at 1016 Pottawatomie Court pending approval of the search warrant for that address, they observed two individuals burglarize the address and remove evidence related to the robbery for which Layne, Youdath, and Hanks had been arrested.
These two were arrested and are currently confined in the Riley County Jail. They include 19-year-old Devin Earl Bruce. He’s charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, obstruction of the legal process, aiding a felon and possession of marijuana. His bond set at 75-hundred.
Also arrested was 19-year-old Tevin Lance Bruce. He faces charges of burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, obstruction of the legal process and aiding a felon. His bond set at 7-thousand dollars.
Officials say the investigation into these crimes is continuing. Additionally, two more robbery cases involving Lane and Freel are pending in the Riley County Attorney’s Office and additional aggravated robbery charges against Lane are anticipated.