Body found in rural Cowley County thought to be victim in Wichita homicide case

Wichita police believe they have found the remains of a Hutchinson man in Cowley County, more than 35 miles from where he was allegedly killed.

The Wichita Police Department said Thursday that it found a body in remote Cowley County that’s “believed to be 50-year-old Jeffery Jones.” Jones is thought to have been killed in southwest Wichita in early December, police said a tipster told them. On Jan. 13, police arrested 53-year-old Jeffery Hill of Wichita on suspicion of second-degree murder, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of narcotics, possession of marijuana and resisting arrest.

Police said the continued investigation and interviews led them to search an area near 107th Street East and 32nd Street South in Cowley County.

“Upon searching, officers found a deceased body in an abandoned structure in that area,” Wichita officer Charley Davidson said in a news release. “WPD will work with the Regional Forensic Science Center to confirm the identity of the body.”

On Dec. 29, a 50-year-old man reported to police that Hill had killed someone earlier in the month at a home in the 2100 block of South Water, near Clark and Broadway. The man said the body was taken outside of the city and buried.

Hill was arrested roughly two weeks later.

Hill and Jones were acquaintances, police said. Police have not said any potential motive.

Hill is being held in lieu of a $380,000 bond for two cases: $350,000 for the suspected killing and another $30,000 for alleged drug distribution.

Kansas Department of Corrections records show Hill has been to prison multiple times since the 1980s. His convictions include aggravated robbery, burglary, theft, drug possession, forgery, identity theft and trafficking contraband into a penal institution.

Contributing: Jason Tidd of The Eagle.

This story was originally published February 6, 2020 at 3:08 PM.