Topeka man convicted in killing near Perry Lake
A man has been convicted of killing his girlfriend’s mother’s boyfriend near a northeast Kansas lake.
Jurors in Jefferson County found 23-year-old Jonathan Davis Blevins, of Topeka, guilty Wednesday of first-degree murder in the death of 22-year-old Taylor Dean Sawyer. His body was found March 14, 2018, at Perry Lake. Sentencing for Blevins is set for April 18.
His girlfriend, Ashlyn Hemmerling, will be arraigned later this month on a charge of first-degree murder. Her mother, Sarah Hemmerling, initially was charged with obstruction, but that charge was dropped.
Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Herrig said previously that authorities believe Ashlyn Hemmerling helped orchestrate the homicide. He said circumstances leading to the homicide may have involved a domestic dispute as well as drug use.
