Four bound for trial in killing of Arkansas man

Four men charged with murdering an Arkansas man during an attempted robbery at a house on North Holyoke last year were bound over for trial Friday afternoon.

Corey L. Pollard Jr., Dijon L. Thomas, Orville T. Smith and Dallas D. Guy each will be tried on one count of first-degree felony murder, one count of aggravated robbery and one count of attempted distribution of a controlled substance when they face jurors next month in Sedgwick County District Court.

Judge Stephen Ternes, who presided over the men’s preliminary hearings Friday, scheduled their jury trials for June 16. The defendants each remain in Sedgwick County Jail on $500,000 bond in the case.

The men stand accused of killing 27-year-old Paul Danny Khmabounheuang during a shoot-out at 1452 N. Holyoke on Nov. 13. Police have said gunfire erupted after four men were let into the house, which is northeast of 13th and Hillside, then tried to steal items.

Smith and Thomas, who suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds in the fight, were arrested following their release from the hospital. Both are 20.

Pollard, 22, was apprehended about a week later. Guy, 21, eluded police for about a month before his capture.

In addition to the charges on which they were bound over for trial Friday, each defendant was originally charged with one count of aggravated burglary. Those allegations were dismissed as part of an amended criminal complaint filed Wednesday, court records show.

The amended complaint also adds distribution of a controlled substance to the list of offenses that could be used to prove felony murder in the case. The original complaint only lists aggravated robbery.

Khmabounheuang, the homicide victim, was in Wichita visiting a relative when he was killed. Police have said drugs were found inside the house by officers investigating the shooting.

This story was originally published May 16, 2014 at 7:37 PM with the headline "Four bound for trial in killing of Arkansas man."