SAPD Detective Assists in Apprehension of Kansas Double Homicide Suspect

SAN ANGELO, TX -- On Wednesday, an off duty Detective assigned to the San Angelo Police Department’s (SAPD) Street Crimes Division who was attending training near Taylor Texas received a crime bulletin about 19-year-old Keith Hawkins, who was the suspect in a double homicide that occurred in Newton, Kansas this week.

The bulletin stated Hawkins was believed to be traveling to a residence in the 1200 block of West Fourth Street in Taylor, Texas, driving the victim’s black 2011 Dodge Avenger bearing Kansas license plate 481FLP.

The Detective, who happened to be close to the target residence, drove by and observed Hawkins in the driveway.  He then notified officials with the Taylor Police Department who then responded in an effort to apprehend Hawkins, according to a SAPD press release. 

The response subsequently led to a vehicle pursuit that was terminated in Hutto, Texas, where Hawkins’s vehicle drove over ‘stop sticks’, which caused the vehicle to leave the roadway and become airborne. 

Hawkins lost control of the vehicle and it crashed into three cars in the Parking lot of Christian Brothers Automotive, 580 U.S. Highway 79.  Hawkins failed to flee on foot due to his injuries and was taken into custody.

Hawkins is suspected in the deaths of 24-year-old Alyssa Runyon and 4-year-old Zaylynn Paz, whose bodies were found late Tuesday morning inside a bedroom of their apartment in Newton, Kansas, which is about 20 miles north of Wichita.