Olathe teen charged with murder in man’s death; Prosecutor seeks to try him as adult

A 15-year-old Olathe boy has been charged with first-degree murder in a killing over the weekend, according to a news release from the Johnson County District Attorney’s office.

The district attorney has also charged the teen, who attends Olathe North High School, with one count of criminal use of a weapon — possession of a firearm by a juvenile.

The charges were filed in juvenile court, although the district attorney has filed a waiver to prosecute the teen as an adult.

Officers responded to a medical call about 11:30 a.m. Saturday at a home in the 1200 block of North Purdom Street, where they found 29-year-old Daniel Ward unresponsive with a significant head injury, said Sgt. Joel Yeldell, a spokesman for the Olathe Police Department.

Ward was pronounced dead at the scene. It was later determined that his head injury was a gunshot wound.

Police detained the teen at the scene. The two knew each other, Yeldell said, but he could not release how they knew each other.

The teen, who is not being identified because he is a minor, appeared in court briefly Tuesday where he was remanded into custody of the juvenile detention. His next court date was set for 2 p.m. Aug. 15 for his first appearance.