Two men shot and killed were trying to force their way into a home, police say

The men who police found lying in a yard with multiple gunshot wounds were trying to force their way into a Wichita man’s house, police said Monday.

Ky E. Jones Jr. and Jeremy R. Burdine, both 20, were outside an 18-year-old man’s house in the 1500 block of West Merton and were trying to force their way in after a fight over property, Wichita police Lt. Jeff Gilmore said. The 18-year-old man then shot Jones and Burdine multiple times through a door at around 2:45 p.m. on Saturday, Gilmore said.

Jones and Burdine were taken by ambulance to Via Christi Hospital St. Francis where they died.

The 18-year-old was arrested on unrelated burglary charges after police found stolen property in his home, Gilmore said.

Police reports show Skyler David Ryce was arrested Saturday at the address of the shooting on suspicion of burglary and criminal restraint.

The property that the three men had a fight over was not the same as the stolen property in the home, Gilmore said. He would not say what the stolen property was or what property caused the dispute.

Gilmore said the property had been exchanged between the men and was not stolen, but has been an ongoing problem among the three.

He said police had been called to the house before on unrelated calls.

Gilmore said the case has been turned over to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

This story was originally published January 8, 2018 at 12:10 PM with the headline "Two men shot and killed were trying to force their way into a home, police say."