Suspect arrested in 2019 Double Homicide in Liberal

SEWARD COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Seward County Sheriff’s Office announced a Liberal man has been arrested connected to the April 2019 murders of 25-year-old Timothy J. Martin, and 31-year-old Erick G. Salas.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), the Liberal Police Department, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Texas County Sheriff’s Office, and the District 1 District Attorney’s Task Force also assisted with the investigation.

Ralph Thomas Salas Jr., 30, of Liberal, was arrested on Monday, Jan. 10 just before 1:30 p.m. for two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and several other charges. The arrest occurred at 415 N. Washington in Liberal. He was then booked into the Seward County Jail.

Ralph Salas is alleged to have participated in the robbery, kidnapping and shooting deaths of Timothy Martin and Erick Salas. The victims’ bodies were found in separate locations on April 2, 2019. Martin was discovered by a farmer on his property near U.S. Highway 54 and the Kansas/Oklahoma state line in Texas County, Oklahoma. Salas was discovered deceased in a trailer at the Seven Winds RV Park in Liberal. Ralph Salas and Erick Salas were not related.

The Seward County Attorney is expected to prosecute the case. Nothing further will be released at this time.