Suspect in 2023 Robinson killing brought back to McLennan County

Derek Joseph Daigneault, 28, was booked Friday in McLennan County Jail on a first-degree felony charge of murder in the death of Amanda “Mandy” Rose Reynolds, 26. Reynolds’ burned body was found with a bullet wound to her head at about 10 p.m. April 5, 2023, in Robinson.

According to a Facebook post from the Robinson Police Department, officers were first called on reports of a brush fire and found Reynolds’ body burning in a field near Heston Circle. Officers were able to identify a vehicle of interest and contacted police in Wichita, Kansas, where Daigneault lived, to be on the lookout for him, the post says.

Daigneault was arrested April 8, 2023, in Wichita after a high-speed police chase, according to the post. He was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail in Wichita on charges of evading arrest, aggravated battery and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, in addition to a 2022 theft charge, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Daigneault was sentenced March 15 to just over 9 years in prison after being convicted of the evading arrest, aggravated battery, weapon possession and theft charges. McLennan County District Attorney Josh Tetens said his office had to wait for Daigneault’s Kansas charges to be resolved before he could be extradited to McLennan County.

According to the Robinson Police Department, neither Daigneault nor Reynolds had ties to Robinson and were passing through the area when the killing occurred. It is unclear what relationship, if any, there was between the two.

Daigneault remained jailed Wednesday with bail set at $1 million.