KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A second Johnson County, Kansas, teenager has been charged with first-degree murder in the March 29 shooting death of Rowan Padgett.
The 17-year-old boy — who has been identified in court records, but 41 Action News will not name unless and until he’s charged as an adult, per station policy — is the second teen charged in Padgett’s murder in the 12300 block of South Mullen Street in Olathe.
He was arrested Tuesday, according to court records and remains in the Johnson County Juvenile Detention Center.
The Johnson County District Attorney’s office submitted a motion Thursday during a detention hearing that would move allow the teen to be prosecuted as an adult. He also was appointed an attorney, who subsequently submitted a demand for jury trial in Johnson County District Court.
Court records indicate the teen — who has subject to Johnson County’s Intensive Supervision Program since September in connection with three prior arrests, according to court records — has been charged with killing Padgett in connection with the “distribution of Xanax and/or robbery.”
A scheduling conference April 29 will serves as his next court appearance.
The teen’s previous run-ins with laws enforcement, include a February 2018 arrest for stealing food and other items at a grocery store. He also faced two counts of violating a protection order in February 2018 and April 2018 then was charged with making a criminal threat in May 2018.
The teen was ordered to have no contact with Spring Hill High School or a student there after the May 2018 incident.
He was sentenced in all three cases in September. The theft charge was dismissed, but he pleaded guilty to the criminal threat and violating a protection order.
A judge order the teen to undergo nine months of intensive probation, which was scheduled to end in June. That probation was revoked during Thursday’s proceedings.
The teen was in the state's foster care system in the custody of KVC Systems and placed with a family in Spring Hill.
A 16-year-old girl was arrested March 29 and charged Wednesday with first-degree murder and felony obstruction of the legal process.
A motion requesting that she be prosecuted as an adult was filed Tuesday and she was remanded to the Johnson County Juvenile Detention Center on Thursday.
She lived in the neighborhood where Padgett, who was a senior at Olathe East, was shot to death. Her next court appearance is scheduled for April 22.
The Padgett family has started a fundraiser for the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence because he was killed “by a gun that was in the hands of someone who should not have had it,” his mom wrote.
