Dunklee
LEIPSIC — A Deshler woman who was shot and killed Thursday afternoon at a Leipsic business was described in Facebook posts as a woman who was “always ready to tackle any challenge thrown her way with a smile.”
Farrah Croninger, 30, of Deshler, died Thursday when a gunman entered Kitchen Enterprises Trucking Company in Leipsic and apparently opened fire.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office responded at 4:05 p.m. Thursday to several 911 calls that reported shots being fired. Upon arrival, officers found Croninger dead at the scene, according to a press release from Putnam County Sheriff Brian Siefker. Michael Kitchen, 54, was also injured and was transported to Mercy Health-St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima. His condition was not immediately available.
The principal suspect in the shooting, Konner Dunklee, 26, of Lima, fled the scene and was later arrested in Allen County. He was taken into custody and is currently housed at Putnam County Adult Detention Center.
Dunklee made a court appearance via video hookup from the jail Friday morning. Putnam County Municipal Court Judge Chad Niese entered pleas of not guilty on Dunklee’s behalf to charges of aggravated murder, murder, and attempted murder. A preliminary hearing was scheduled in municipal court for April 26. Dunklee’s bond was set at $1 million cash or surety and Findlay attorney Drew Mihalik was appointed to serve as the public defender for Dunklee.
His case is expected to be heard by a Putnam County grand jury.
Some Facebook posts have identified Dunklee as a Michigan resident who is attending college in Lima, but that has not been confirmed by The Lima News.
Social media posts say Croninger, a married mother of three, was the manager of the Leipsic trucking company’s parts department. One post, seemingly attributable to the company, identifies the Deshler woman as “an essential part of our team since July 2022, working tirelessly at our Leipsic terminal maintenance facility.
“Her polite and friendly nature is so appreciated among our drivers,” the social media post said.
