Homicides in Seward County and along Kansas/Oklahoma state line

(Courtesy of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation)

SEWARD COUNTY, Kan. – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), the Seward County Sheriff’s Office, the Liberal Police Department, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Texas County, Okla., Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas County, Okla., District Attorney’s Office are investigating after two Liberal men were found deceased on Tuesday.

At approximately 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, April 2, the Seward County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance to investigate the discovery of a deceased man. Just after 8 a.m., a farmer reported to the Seward County Sheriff’s Office that he found the body located in a ditch on his property near U.S. Highway 54 and the Kansas/Oklahoma state line in Texas County, Okla. Since the body was discovered very near the state line, authorities and crime scene teams from both states responded to investigate. The deceased man has been identified as Timothy J. Martin, 25, of Liberal.

While investigators were developing leads in the case, at approximately 8:50 p.m. Tuesday night, a 911 call was received by the Seward County Sheriff’s Office reporting the body of a second deceased man located in a trailer at the Seven Winds RV Park, at 1702 Road F, west of Liberal. The man has been identified as 31-year-old Erick G. Salas, of Liberal.

Authorities believe the two homicides are likely connected as the two men were former roommates.

Anyone with information about these homicides is asked to contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, the OSBI at 1-800-522-8017 or tips@osbi.ok.gov, or the Seward County Sheriff’s Office at 620-309-2000.

The investigation is ongoing. Nothing further will be released at this time.