Suspect in Tandoc homicide makes first court appearance

Curtis Mitchell, who called 911 late Thursday night and told police he had killed Wichita restaurateur Tanya Tandoc, made his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon.

Mitchell, 47, appeared over a TV monitor linked to the Sedgwick County Jail as Judge Joe Kisner read him the charge: murder in the first degree.

As of Tuesday, Mitchell had not filed paperwork to have an attorney appointed to him, nor a financial affidavit.

Mitchell is being held in the Sedgwick County Jail in connection with the death of Tandoc, who owned Tanya’s Soup Kitchen. He is being held on $500,000 bond.

Kisner asked Mitchell on Tuesday to fill out the paperwork requesting an attorney.

“I understand that you may have some things that you want to present to the court, but I would sincerely like you to take the opportunity to speak to an attorney about your position regarding this case before you take any formal position,” Kisner said. “OK?”

Mitchell closed his eyes and breathed a deep sigh. He mouthed “OK.”

“OK?” Kisner asked again.

Mitchell opened his eyes and mouthed “OK” again, this time with a more audible mumble.

For the rest of his appearance, as Kisner told him his bail amount and who his sentencing judge will be, Mitchell stood still.

First-appearance journal entry paperwork listed Mitchell’s next appearance in court at 9 a.m. on June 23.

In his call to 911, Mitchell told the emergency dispatcher that he had killed Tandoc at her house in a “crime of passion.” Mitchell lived in the basement of Tandoc’s house on South Minneapolis, but she had asked him to move out.

Mitchell’s call to 911 came less than a half-hour after Tandoc’s boyfriend had called 911 asking for officers to check on her welfare because no one had been able to contact her for several hours.

Police investigators think Tandoc was killed on June 3.

This story was originally published June 9, 2015 at 12:26 PM with the headline "Suspect in Tandoc homicide makes first court appearance."