***MEDIA RELEASE*** 02-03-2025
Kennedy Schroer/Natalie Garcia-Homicide Investigation
On February 3, 2025, two arrests were made as the result of this investigation, the adoptive parents of the decedent were taken into custody for the following offenses:
Crystina Elizabeth Schroer, a 50-year-old female from Rose Hill
- Murder in the 1st degree
- Kidnapping, aggravated
- Child abuse, torture (x4)
- Theft, felony (value under $25,000)
- Forgery (x4)
- Medicaid fraud
- Desecration of a corpse
Joseph Shane Schroer, a 53-year-old male from Rose Hill
- Child abuse, torture (x4)
- Liability for crimes of another
- Interference with Law Enforcement
- Theft, felony (value under $25,000)
- Medicaid fraud
On September 10, 2024, at approximately 7:29pm a call was made to Butler County Emergency Communications (dispatch) which began an investigation lasting several months. During this initial contact Officers discovered the possibility of human remains having been buried in the backyard of 1406 North Meeker Court, Rose Hill, Kansas.
In the early morning hours of September 11th, Officers with the Rose Hill Police Department (RHPD) secured a search warrant for the property of this residence, and with the assistance of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office began a search. The ground was overgrown in the search area, so cadaver dogs acquired through Sedgwick County Emergency Management were deployed, with no positive indications we brought in a brush hog and knocked down the vegetation. Another deployment of the canines was completed with interest being shown to different areas in the backyard, still with no positive indication. A forensic dig began at one of the locations of interest and hours later, approximately 23 inches deep, the decomposed remains of a human child were found in a trash bag. A postmortem was completed at the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center on September 12th. On September 27th DNA testing was completed and confirmed the identity of the decedent as Kennedy Schroer (adopted name)/Natalie Garcia (birth name).
As the investigation began, six detectives with the Butler County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the dig, neighborhood canvasing, initial interviews, and organizing information as it came in. Andover Police Department detectives assisted as well with initial interviews of people with knowledge of this house but not living in the immediate area. As we progressed, other agencies were brought in to assist, such as the Butler County Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI, Wichita Satellite Office), FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU, Quantico), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Kansas Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Division, Department of Children and Families (DCF) investigation division, Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit (EMCU), and Civilian experts in the fields of trauma and abuse.
On November 20, 2024, personnel with the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center completed their postmortem report. Their report found Kennedy/Natalie’s cause of death was probable suffocation, and her manner of death was homicide. Sometimes investigations are complex and require patience, particularly in light of the severity of the suspected crimes. We shared in that sense of urgency. We know that there has been a strong desire in our community for answers, but the specific needs of our investigation would not permit us to provide them in detail before now. Please know that we conducted this investigation with the time, attention and seriousness that it required. We assessed that there was not an ongoing risk to public safety during the investigation and that making arrests only after the investigation concluded was the necessary course of action to ensure the best possible outcome.
During the last five months, Detective Missy Tharp and members of the (RHPD) put in over 2,000 hours into this investigation. With assisting agencies putting in several hundred additional hours. This case was built through the development of timelines spanning more than four years, which is the primary reason for the length of the investigation. Natalie has always been the focus of this investigation, and we believe we can now tell her story accurately.
All people arrested and charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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