Court document offers some details in killings of Newton woman, daughter

Harvey County District Court on Thursday released a heavily redacted document offering details connected to the killing of a Newton woman and her young daughter in August.

Alyssa Runyon, 24, and her daughter were found “cold to the touch” in separate bedrooms by Newton police officers sent to their duplex on Roanoke Court on the morning of August 8, according to the probable cause affidavit. While Runyan’s daughter’s name was blacked out on the document released to the public, she has previously been identified as 4-year-old Zaylynn Paz.

The front door of the duplex was open when the officers arrived, according to the court document. Zaylynn was found in the north bedroom. The nature of her wounds was redacted in the report, but authorities have said she was stabbed to death.

Runyon was then found in the east bedroom, lying on her back. She did not have any obvious cuts or bullet wounds, leading to the conclusion she had been strangled.

Keith Hawkins, 19, has been charged with capital murder, which can be punishable by death. He is being held on $2.5 million bond. He was visiting but not necessarily staying at Runyon’s duplex, Harvey County Attorney David Yoder has said.

The court document makes reference to a detective’s interview with someone who spoke with Hawkins on the phone, but that segment was redacted in the version made public.

This story was originally published October 12, 2017 at 6:52 PM with the headline "Court document offers some details in killings of Newton woman, daughter."