Funeral Planned for Highway Patrol Trooper

Funeral services will be held Thursday for a well known Western Kansas lawman.

The body of Technical Trooper Ronald Knoefel, 48, was found Sunday near Abbyville in Reno County. Reno County investigators have determined Knoefel took his own life.

Knoefel had worked for the Kansas Highway Patrol primarily as a technical trooper/public resource officer in Garden City. He served as the law enforcement spokesperson at the scene of the May, 2007 Greensburg, Kansas tornado.

Funeral will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday at First Southern Baptist Church in Garden City. Graveside service will begin at 5 p.m. Thursday at Abbyville Cemetery.