Man, 44, arrested in fatal shooting near East High School

A 44-year-old man has been arrested in a fatal shooting early Wednesday outside an apartment house east of East High School.

Records indicate Teveere Royce Bates was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday, more than 12 hours after Richard Romero, 49, was shot in the upper chest outside of 2702 E. Douglas.

Romero was shot shortly before 3 a.m. and collapsed on Estelle just north of Douglas, police have said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:12 a.m.

Police have said a birthday party was going on at the apartment house, and Romero showed up a short time before being shot.

Bates was taken into custody at that apartment house at 2702 E. Douglas, records show.

Investigators are still conducting interviews in the case and following up on leads, Lt. James Espinoza said. Detectives plan to present evidence in the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office on Friday afternoon.

A check of Bates’ criminal background shows he has prior felony convictions for aggravated battery for breaking a man’s jaw in 2011, attempted rape in 1989 and aggravated burglary in 1989. He also has misdemeanor convictions for marijuana possession, criminal deprivation of property and battery.

Bates served prison time for the three felonies, with his most recent sentence expiring in October 2013, Kansas Department of Corrections records show.

The misdemeanor battery conviction – earned over threats Bates allegedly made toward another man with a bat in 2012 – drew a six-month jail sentence, according to district court records.

This story was originally published July 9, 2015 at 7:26 AM with the headline "Man, 44, arrested in fatal shooting near East High School."