Closing arguments will be heard Friday morning in the Kamahl Bobian murder trial in Riley County District Court.
Bobian took the stand Thursday in his own defense, a day after jurors were shown a video that revealed him confessing to murdering his wife on September 25, 2021. Bobian didn’t dispute that he stabbed 27-year-old Shanell Bobian, but does dispute that he acted with pre-meditation, stating so several times under cross examination from Deputy Riley County Attorney Trinity Muth.
Despite a protection of abuse order filed a week prior, Kamahl testified to drinking at a house party on Ratone Street then walking to Shanell’s house in the 400 block of 12th Street to retrieve his clothes, which he stated Shanell had been selling online. After threatening to cut up his clothes, an argument ensued with Shanell ultimately being stabbed in the neck “once or twice” according to Kamahl’s testimony, while his young children were in the same room. Prosecutors have said Shanell sustained at least seven stab wounds.
Muth pointed to a number of conscious decisions made by Kamahl, including bathing his blood soaked infant child before disposing of Shanell’s nude body in the wooded Timber Creek area in the 5400 block of Moody Road, leaving all three of his children at home during the process. He also stated he was en route to Osawatomie following the murder, stating he wanted to kill himself, noting he was drinking and driving at speeds of 100 mph on Interstate 70, when he wrecked his minivan into a retaining wall near Topeka, where he was ultimately arrested.
Bobian stands charged with first-degree murder, aggravated burglary and two counts of violating a protective order.
The trial resumes at 9 a.m. and the jury is expected to get the case sometime later Friday.
