Dead body found in cemetery

How's that for unbelievable news?

Except in this case the body could have been found near my great-grandfather's grave or the grave of Vice-President Charles Curtis.

This cemetery is not far from the school famous for the Brown vs Board of Education case for equal education for all.

Family members believe body found is their loved one

Last Update: 9/24 7:53 pm

Topeka Cemetery workers found a body early Monday morning and Topeka Police confirm it is the 6th homicide in 2012. Police say the victim is a black male but they have not yet confirmed his identity.

However, family members at the scene say a uniformed officer told them the body was their loved one, 28-year-old Jonathan Young. Young's girlfriend Corine Kingcannon says, "The detective just came to me and said it. It's him."

Officers say the man found did not have identification on him, or scars or tattoos that could quickly confirm his identity. They are working with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to determine if the body is that of Jonathan Young.

Police say the victim suffered multiple gunshot woulds and his body was taken to the coroner's office for an exact cause of death to be found.

Monday afternoon, Kansas First News asked police why the family says an officer told them the body was their loved one. Captain Jerry Stanley says, "That's the first I've heard of that. We haven't confirmed it with anybody yet. They're giving us information. They believe it is their loved one and we're operating off of that. Trying to use that information to help them out as well as help us out that that is who we have."

After a Topeka Police officer talked to family members at the scene, Young's girlfriend collapsed onto the ground, screaming that the two of them were supposed to be married. Young's uncle tells us Jonathan and his girlfriend have two young sons together.

Even though police have not confirmed Young as the victim in the case, friends and family say they cannot get a hold of him and they have not seen him since Saturday evening.

Police believe people in town may have information about this crime that would help the investigation. They ask anyone who heard gunshots, saw cars driving in the area, or have any other related information to call detectives at (785) 368-9200 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 234-0007.