DOUGLAS COUNTY — Law enforcement have released the names of two people who died after a 20-hour standoff at a residence south of Eudora as 52-year-old Benjamin Roy Eaton Jr. and 44-year-old Nicole Felice Eaton both of rural Eudora, according to Douglas County sheriff's department spokesman George Diepenbrock.
An investigation revealed that Benjamin R. Eaton Jr., shot and killed Nicole F. Eaton in a home in the 900 block of E. 2300 Road After a standoff with law enforcement that started around 8:50 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5 and ended around 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6.
Benjamin was found deceased inside the home, according to sheriff's department spokesman George Diepenbrock.
Investigators indicated that Benjamin’s cause of death was found to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The incident involved two people in a domestic relationship.
Just before 9p.m. Thursday, Sheriff's office dispatchers were called about a woman in distress. Dispatchers reported the woman caller was difficult to hear.
A Eudora Police Department officer responded initially and heard a gunshot when he reached the front door. Law enforcement officers were able to establish phone contact with the man inside who was overtly hostile and threatening to shoot law enforcement officers, as he barricaded himself into the home.
The Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Lawrence Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol utilized drones and other technology to gain access into the residence.
The tools did allow officers to determine the woman was deceased. After several hours of phone communication, law enforcement lost contact with the suspect, and they continued to use technological tools to try to re-establish contact with him or identify his status inside the house to take him into custody on an arrest warrant.
Sheriff Armbrister said as part of the investigation there were concerns about a possible threat of explosives inside the residence, which was part of the reason why officers acted methodically over several hours
.Just before 4:30 p.m. Friday the Kansas Highway Patrol made entry into the residence and found Benjamin deceased.
Detectives and investigators processed the scene Friday evening.