Katherine Bjorklund Obituary, Death; – The Platte County Sheriff’s Department has reported a double homicide and child abduction that took place shortly after 11:15 p.m. on Thursday, February 27, in Riverside. The incident concluded with the suspect being shot and killed by law enforcement several hours later.
Investigators indicate that the first homicide occurred near the intersection of Vivion Road and NW High Drive at approximately 11:15 p.m. Authorities state that the suspect fatally shot a woman at a car wash in Riverside and subsequently stole her vehicle. It has been determined that the victim and the suspect were not acquainted, and it is believed that the suspect’s intention was to take her car. The victim has been identified as Katherine Bjorklund, a 33-year-old resident of Kansas City in Platte County.
After taking the victim’s vehicle, the suspect proceeded to the 4400 block of NW 50th Street in unincorporated Platte County. While at a residence in that area, the suspect shot and killed 12-year-old Giuliani Calderon and also seriously injured his mother, 34-year-old Mercedes Ontiveros. As of Monday, Mercedes Ontiveros remains hospitalized and is recovering from her injuries.
Giuliani was a seventh-grade student at Walden Middle School within the Park Hill School District and was known to the assailant. Authorities report that the suspect then abducted a five-year-old girl, later confirmed to be his daughter, from the residence and fled the scene.
An Amber Alert was initially issued for the five-year-old but was canceled when she was located safe and unharmed at approximately 5:10 a.m. on Friday, February 28, and has since been reunited with her family.
The suspect fled from Platte County in a vehicle and allegedly committed additional crimes on the Kansas side of the river before returning to Platte County. The individual responsible for both homicides has been identified as George Clyde Manning, a 43-year-old black male. Authorities report that Manning was shot and killed by police near the intersection of NW Vivion and Waukomis Drive at around 7:30 a.m.
