WACO, Texas — A Kansas man was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday after being convicted of the murder of his 26-year-old cousin in 2023, according to the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office.
Derek Daigneault, 29, of Wichita, Kan., was convicted of shooting and killing Mandy Rose Reynolds, whose body was discovered burning in a field in Robinson.
On April 5, 2023, Robinson police responded to reports of a brush fire along Heston Circle. When authorities arrived, they discovered Reynolds’ body, which had been charred beyond recognition but was eventually identified by a medical examiner using dental records.
Reynolds’ dog was discovered nearby, barking hysterically at cops. The dog was later microchipped and determined to belong to Reynolds.
Robinson police discovered Reynolds lived in San Marcos, Texas, and contacted them about him. When San Marcos police arrived at Reynolds’ apartment, they discovered it vacant, with all of her items removed. Reynolds’ black Honda Accord was also gone. The SMPD located the vehicle in Wichita, Kan., using a license plate reader database.
The Wichita Police Department was notified to be on the lookout for Reynolds’ automobile. On April 8, 2023, WPD noticed her automobile and attempted to pull it over, resulting in a roughly 30-minute high-speed chase (at speeds exceeding 100 mph). Reynolds’ automobile, driven by Daigneault, eventually smashed into another vehicle, and he fled on foot.
According to the DA, Daigneault fled into a nearby grocery shop and hid behind canned goods on a shelf.
Wichita police discovered a handgun in the driver’s seat of Reynolds’ car, which matched the shell casing found inside the huge plastic container burning alongside Reynolds’ body, according to the DA.
San Marcos police also acquired surveillance footage from a Walmart that showed Daigneault purchasing a huge plastic container – the same one Reynolds’ body was burned in – a shovel, and a gas can on the morning of April 4, 2023.
The medical examiner who performed Reynolds’ autopsy determined that her death was caused by a gunshot wound to the head.
The Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab confirmed that the bullet found in Reynolds’ body and the shell case discovered by Robinson police were both shot by the weapon found in Reynolds’ car in Wichita.
Daigneault will spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of Reynolds’ murder on November 7, according to the district attorney.
“The keys to this case were a heroic and faithful canine named Titan, as well as unprecedented coordination among law enforcement organizations across numerous jurisdictions and states. In a press statement, associate district attorneys Ryan Calvert and Alyssa Killin stated that this combination has provided Mandy with justice as well as safety from a violent and dangerous felon.