Slain lawrence woman was mother of 5, animal lover; police, prosecutors provide no new information

photo by: Mackenzie Clark Lawrence police found the body of Jennifer Marie Mosby on Jan. 27, 2021, in her home in the 800 block of Kentucky Street, which is pictured on Feb. 2, 2021. A

41-year-old Lawrence woman whose death is the subject of a homicide investigation was a mother of five and grandmother of one, according to her obituary. The woman, Jennifer Marie Mosby, was

found dead in her home last week. She was born in Ottawa, and she received a certificate in office management from Flint Hills Technical College in Manhattan, according to her obituary from

a Topeka funeral home. She is survived by her five children and granddaughter, all of Topeka, her parents and grandmother, of Rossville, and many aunts, uncles and cousins. “Jennifer

enjoyed taking care of animals and loved being with her children,” the obituary says. “She was an excellent athlete.” The Journal-World attempted to reach Mosby’s relatives by phone Tuesday,

but multiple phone numbers listed were not in service. Lawrence police announced the homicide investigation in a news release Thursday, Jan. 28, but little new information has been

available about the case since. According to the release, Topeka police learned during an unrelated investigation that a Lawrence man may have been involved in a homicide in Lawrence earlier

in the week. Lawrence police received that information Wednesday, and they found Mosby in her home in the 800 block of Kentucky Street shortly thereafter, the Journal-World previously

reported. Police have not released the manner of Mosby’s death. “While the autopsy has been completed, the coroner’s report has not, and we wouldn’t be comfortable releasing that information

until then,” Patrick Compton, a spokesperson for the Lawrence Police Department, said via email Monday. Police did release the name of their suspect, Johnathon L. West, and said that they

had submitted an affidavit to prosecutors. West was taken into custody at 11:25 a.m. Monday, Jan. 25, two days before Mosby’s body was found, according to Shawnee County Jail records. The

jail records also indicated that West, 43, was being held in custody Tuesday on $800,000 cash or surety bond in connection with a Douglas County District Court case. However, the court case

is currently sealed, the Journal-World learned Monday after requesting the file. Lucca Wang, public information officer for the Douglas County district attorney’s office, said via email

Tuesday that she was unable to provide any information about the case, including whether or when West would be transported to Douglas County. Last week’s news release from LPD stated that

West was being held on suspicion of second-degree murder and that officers were not seeking any other suspects. CONTACT MACKENZIE CLARK HAVE A STORY IDEA, NEWS OR INFORMATION TO SHARE?

CONTACT PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTER MACKENZIE CLARK: ------------------------- RELATED COVERAGE • _Jan. 28, 2021:_ HOMICIDE REPORTED IN LAWRENCE; SUSPECT IN CUSTODY, POLICE SAY

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