McPherson County woman killed, family member arrested

MCPHERSON COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) — A woman was found dead in the backyard of a home in Canton Monday afternoon. Law enforcement officers are calling her death a homicide, and they have made an arrest in the case.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says the Canton Police Department got a 911 call about a woman being unresponsive at 110 W. Allen Street in Canton. The call came in at 3:30 p.m.

Officers went to investigate and found 52-year-old Briana Lance dead in the backyard at that address. The KBI says the police officers saw signs of injury and trauma.

The McPherson County Sheriff’s Office, the McPherson Police Department, KBI agents and the KBI Crime Scene Response Team joined the investigation.

The KBI says the investigation led to an alleged suspect being identified. Around 5:40 p.m., law enforcement officers arrested an 18-year-old family member on suspicion of second-degree murder.

KSN News will only name alleged suspects if they are charged with a crime. Formal charges are pending, and are expected to come from the McPherson County Attorney’s Office.