Affidavit: Anger over house sale leads to fatal shooting of Topeka father

A newly-release affidavit reveals anger over a home sale as the motive behind the shooting death of a Topeka father.

Shawnee Co. District Court officials released a redacted copy of the affidavit and application for a search warrant Tuesday.

It states 81-year-old Anthony Darcy called Topeka Police the evening of May 1 from a home at 3031 SW 33rd St. and told dispatchers he shot a man, later identified as 36-year-old Stephen Sndyer because "he was tired of his (expletive)." Darcy also told the dispatcher he'd put the gun, unloaded, on a counter inside the house.

According to the affidavit, a person whose name is redacted in the document told police that Snyder had bought the house from Darcy the week before, but was allowing Darcy to stay for two weeks, with the understanding Snyder could have access to the home if they contacted Darcy first.

Darcy was not upset about the arrangement at the time of the sale, according to a person not named in the affidavit, but "expressed to her after the sale that he was not going to let anyone in his house."

The affidavit states Snyder had called Darcy, saying he wanted to come over to the house to take some measurements. According to the affidavit, Darcy had called back May 1 and said it was okay for Snyder to come to the house at 6 p.m. that night.

As Snyder approached the home, he was confronted by Darcy, who had a gun. A witness, whose name is redacted in the affidavit, told detectives they were driving past the home and saw a man running away, heard loud noises, then say the man fell. The witness then contacted police, believing the man was shot.

The affidavit goes on to state that, based on statements, it was Snyder and a person whose name is redacted who were running away as Snyder was shot.

The affidavit does not specifically name Snyder's young son, who was reportedly with him at the time. However, prosecutors charged Darcy with first degree murder, aggravated assault and aggravated child endangerment, saying the latter two charges stemmed from endangering an eight-year-old who was at the scene.

Darcy has a June 23rd preliminary hearing on the charges.