Ottawa stabbing victim was standout football player, wrestler at KC high school

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Ottawa, Kansas Police Department says a former standout Center High School football player and wrestler was stabbed to death by his own roommate.

Loved ones of Dalton Presley, 29, are remembering the man they lovingly called “Big Red.”

Presley was a force for Center as a state champion heavyweight wrestler and a defensive player of the year in his conference in football.

“Our running backs were smart,” head football coach Bryan DeLong said. “They knew whenever Big Red was, were going to get up behind him, and there is going to be some ground to be gained in that area.”

Though Presley graduated a decade ago, the two remained close.

“He was such a hard worker and loyal to his teammates,” DeLong said. “He’s a guy you could count on for anything. If you had flat tire in the middle of the night, you call Dalton, and he might complain a little bit, but you’d know he’d show up and help you get that tire changed.”

Sunday, DeLong received devastating news from another former player.

“The text came through said, ‘Emergency,’ and so I made time right away to call him back. He just told me Dalton was gone,” Presley said. “When I told my daughter I just saw the tears in her eyes, and it really hit me. I had to pull it together quickly.”

Ottawa police said Presley’s roommate, Anthony Alvarado, 29, stabbed Presley to death in their home on West 11th Street Sunday afternoon.

“Police were out with their rifles drawn, pointing at a person sitting on a stoop across the street from us,” neighbor Roger Fowler said. “His hands were in the air before the cops even got here.”

Tuesday, the Franklin County Attorney announced Alvarado is charged with second-degree murder.

“It’s actually quite weird,” Fowler said. “Stuff like that just doesn’t happen around here very often.”

Officers have not said what may have led up to this attack. But back at the school, the loss still does not feel real.

“We’re hurting a little bit now at Center as we mourn the loss of a great man,” DeLong said.

Alvarado is being held on a $1 million bond. He is scheduled in court in July.

Presley’s colleagues set up this GoFundMe page to help his family.