Columbus man pleads guilty to two counts of first degree murder

A man from Columbus, Kansas, has pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree premeditated murder for the deaths of two individuals in 2020. Read the full press release from Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt below:

30-year-old Mark Hopkins II entered a guilty plea today in Cherokee County District Court.

Senior Judge Robert Fleming accepted the plea on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder and set sentencing for December 27.

The crime occurred in June 2020, resulting in the deaths of Blaze Shank and Kylan Shook in Cherokee County. The case was investigated by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Related charges against another defendant remains pending. Charges are merely accusations; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Vic Braden and Assistant Attorney General Shannon Rush of Schmidt’s office.