A beloved 20-year-old University of Kansas student was struck and killed by a hit and run driver while jogging near the Lawrence Regional Airport, west of Kansas City, with her body lying undiscovered for nearly 10 hours.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as Elsa McGrain, a pre-med student originally from Omaha, Nebraska, who was slated to graduate in 2026.
The sheriff’s office confirmed that McGrain ‘was running and a vehicle struck her around 6pm on Thursday.’
Her body was not found until 3:35am, early on Friday morning, when a passerby spotted her along the road and called police. Authorities later determined she had died while running in the area.
Investigators released two images of a vehicle of interest described as an all-white pickup truck with no side markings.
No charges have been filed in the case, however 36-year-old William Ray Klinger, of Lawrence, was arrested and booked into the Douglas County Jail in connection with one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of failure to appear.
He has a previous criminal history including several drug offenses, according to online court records.
‘Our hearts go out to Elsa’s family and friends in this incredibly tragic situation,’ the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said.
Elsa McGrain, a 20-year-old pre-med student originally from Omaha, Nebraska was struck and killed by a hit and run driver while jogging near the Lawrence Regional Airport on Thursday
Investigators have released two images of a vehicle of interest described as an all-white pickup truck with no side markings
William Ray Klinger, 36, of Lawrence, was arrested and booked into the Douglas County Jail in connection with one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of failure to appear
McGrain was a member of Chi Omega, where she served on the sorority’s executive board as house manager.
Her sisters described her as the kind of person who ‘made everyone around her feel valued and loved.’
‘It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved sister, Elsa McGrain,’ Chi Omega wrote in a statement on Instagram.
‘Elsa was the kind of person everyone wanted to be: genuine, kind, and full of light.’
Her sorority sisters recalled her radiant spirit and her ability to make everyone she met feel seen.
‘She noticed the quiet one in the room, checked in on you whether things were good or bad, and was the loyal friend we all strive to be. She had a gift for making everyone around her feel valued and loved.’
The statement continued: ‘Elsa was an active member of PC ’23 and served on Exec as House Manager, where she led with grace, compassion, and a servant’s heart. Her faith was the guiding light in her life and in the lives of everyone blessed to know her.
‘Our hearts go out to Elsa’s friends, family, and all those who were touched by her light. Her faith, kindness, and sisterhood will forever remain in our hearts.’
McGrain’s sorority sisters at Chi Omega recalled her radiant spirit and her ability to make everyone she met feel seen
Elsa McGrain was slated to graduate in 2026
Her sorority sisters described her as the kind of person who ‘made everyone around her feel valued and loved.’
‘Elsa was the kind of person everyone wanted to be: genuine, kind, and full of light,’ her sorority sisters wrote
Investigators believe she was struck by the white pickup truck between 6 and 6:30pm on Thursday evening but the driver fled the scene, leaving her in the dark along the roadside
McGrain was described by the University of Kansas community as a bright, compassionate student who balanced her pre-med studies with a passion for faith, service, and friendship.
She had been jogging on a rural stretch of road that runs parallel to farmland and open fields near the airport – an area that turns dark quickly after sunset.
Investigators believe she was struck by the white pickup truck between 6 and 6:30pm but the driver fled the scene, leaving her in the dark along the roadside.
The grim discovery came hours later in the early morning darkness, when a passerby found her body and called authorities.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the Lawrence campus and Elsa’s hometown of Omaha, where friends and former classmates described her as driven, joyful, and deeply caring.
‘Our hearts go out to Elsa’s family and friends in this incredibly tragic situation,’ the sheriff’s office reiterated in its statement, emphasizing that detectives are working ‘diligently to find the driver involved and work appropriately through the justice system from there.’
