Over two weeks ago, Phillip Lieurance was arrested after allegedly using his SUV to ram at least one other vehicle on the Kansas Turnpike near Emporia. He is now the suspect in the murders of two Emporia women found in Colorado last week.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has officially named Lieurance as the suspect in the deaths of 44-year-old Linda Estrada and 39-year-old Amy Ford, found dead in eastern Colorado a week ago after last being seen alive Sept. 8 in Denver. Colorado law enforcement has issued an arrest warrant for Lieurance, who has been in the Lyon County Jail on 13 charges, including aggravated battery while driving under the influence, since being arrested Sept. 10 in connection to the Turnpike crash, ramming incident and a possibly-connected law enforcement pursuit earlier in the day. He was among six people taken to Newman Regional Health, treated for injuries and released.
The arrest warrant follows Colorado’s confirmation of the identities Tuesday as authorities there raised the status of their investigation from active criminal to homicide. Estrada was reported missing Sept. 11, while Ford was reported missing Sept. 13.
Emporia Police Capt. Lisa Hayes says local authorities conducted an intensive investigation while the women were listed as missing. Once the women were found near Eads, the investigation picked up speed as officers compiled and organized their evidence for the Colorado legal process. With Lieurance currently being held on Kansas charges, word on the extradition procedure and timetable to Colorado has not been announced. Lieurance is currently listed as in both the Chase and Lyon County jails.
This is Emporia’s first murder case since Devawn Mitchell killed Steve Henry during a crash in 2020. He is appealing his sentence. Jesus Avila was murdered just outside the city limits in September 2017. Six defendants have either been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing in that case. Sony Uk shot Mahogany Brooks to death in March 2017. He was convicted in 2018 and has appealed unsuccessfully to both the Kansas Court of Appeals and Kansas Supreme Court.
11 am Wednesday: Colorado authorities conducting homicide investigation after last week’s discoveries of Linda Estrada, Amy Ford
Colorado authorities are upgrading the status of their investigation into two missing Emporia women found dead a week ago from an active criminal case to a homicide case.
The Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office says the county coroner has confirmed Emporia Police statements last week that the two people found outside Eads, Colorado, on Sept. 20 were indeed 44-year-old Linda Estrada and 39-year-old Amy Ford, both missing for close to a week after last being seen alive in Denver on Sept. 8.
The Sheriff’s Office says it is working jointly with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation as the process continues. It also says no additional information will be announced until “a later time when appropriate.”
Emporia Police Capt. Lisa Hayes says a currently-unidentified person of interest has been in custody on charges unrelated to the Estrada/Ford investigation and has been cooperating with authorities.
