After declining for a long period, Wichita’s homicide rate has risen the past two years

Wichita followed a national trend of seeing the number of homicides peak in the 1990s and then mostly decrease. But the past two years in Wichita have seen an uptick in the number of killings.

In 2019, Wichita ended the year with 43 homicides — about one every 8.4 days. 2018 had 44 homicides, which was the highest number since 1995.

So far, Wichita has seen eight homicides in 2020.

Comparing to other cities

Data for comparing Wichita to other cities is hard to come by. Most larger cities report figures to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has long pushed uniform reporting. Murder, not total homicides, is the common measure of killings in a state.

Some states have a more-granular look at their data available, others don’t.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation data from 2018, the latest year available, shows Wichita had 38 of the 146 murders committed in Kansas — roughly about 26% — for the year. Wichita has about 13% of the state’s population.

But comparing murder rates per 100,000 people shows other cities in Kansas have a higher murder rate than Wichita.

Kansas City had about 20.2 murders per 100,000 people, Topeka had 11.1, Wichita had 9.7 and Overland Park had 1.5.

Oklahoma is the only state bordering Kansas with a city-level breakdown of data available. Oklahoma City, in 2018, reported 7.9 murders per 100,000, while Tulsa had 14.8.

Future outlook

In 2020, Wichita has seen a double homicide, which didn’t happen last year, and two baby deaths reported as abuse. But crime ebbs and flows, so the homicide rate in one portion of the year isn’t necessarily indicative of the rest of the year. For example, Wichita police reported as many homicides during a six-week period toward the end of 2019 as the first five months of that year.

But the total numbers for the past two years raises a question: if this is the new norm?

The Wichita Police Department “has seen an increase in justifiable homicide cases after less restrictive gun laws took effect, which could be a correlation ...” said police spokesman Officer Charley Davidson via email. “Other trends seen are the criminal homicides are not random but involve a drug, domestic violence, or other nexus where known individuals are resorting to gun violence to settle conflicts.”

The number in 2018 was partly the result of a rise in self-defense shootings, which accounted for nine of the 44 homicides. The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office has so far labeled three of 2019’s 44 homicides as self-defense. But the self-defense shootings in 2019 are expected to rise. There are several open cases or cases under review that could end with a self-defense determination.

Wichita police have several initiatives that they say will lower violent crime, including beefing up its crime analyst staff and a couple other avenues that will use federal dollars and support.

The federal endeavors both partner with the U.S. Department of Justice and started in 2019. One involves a $750,000 grant for ballistic technology. The grant will put a firearm examiner and software for identifying ballistics in Wichita. Currently, ballistics are sent to Topeka and take weeks or even months to categorize, police said. Police said the new process will streamline the work to days or even hours, allowing officers to expedite the time it takes to identify a gun used in multiple shootings— meaning they could close the loop on the investigation faster as well.

The second initiative, and possibly the most significant, was being selected to take part in the National Public Safety Partnership. The program is a three-year partnership that offers free training and technical assistance at no cost and targets cities with crime rates above the national average.

The National Safety Partnership’s latest annual report is filled with glowing reviews.

Compton, California saw a 40% decrease in homicides in 2017, twice the drop seen in the rest of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs’ Department’s patrol areas. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, homicides dropped 16% in 2017 and robberies reached an 11-year low.

Overview of the 2019 killings

The 2019 homicides saw victims range in age from 2, which happened three times, to 72. The killings started with an officer-involved shooting on January 10 and ended with Melinda Sprague’s body being found in the trunk of her car on December 26.

Other notable traits of the 2019 killings: the average age was about 33; March was the only month without a homicide; between midnight and 3 a.m. was the highest three-hour window of homicide calls, with about 29% of the calls; and Sunday was the largest volume of homicide calls, with 13 of the 43 homicides, or about 30%. Tuesday had the least with three calls.

The largest category of killings was labeled by police as a disturbance, which accounted for 18 deaths. Drug-related killings followed with seven then domestic violence deaths with four; officer-involved shootings had three compared to none the year before. Robberies accounted for three killings. Gang-related, abuse and unknown circumstances both had two, police said. There was also one sexual assault and one accidental death.

Here’s a brief description of the 43 homicides in Wichita in 2019.

Cases still under review:

Jan. 10: Geoffrey Morris, 29, was killed by two officers who tried to arrest the wanted Wichita man in connection to multiple violent crimes. Morris was parked in a car at the Sedgwick County Corrections Office at 905 N. Main when the officers approached the car. Officers ordered Morris to get out when he reversed into a vehicle, then pulled forward and toward the officers and they opened fire, police said. The case is still under review by the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

May 17: Dieubent Mpirwa, 20, died outside of a home in the 1500 block of South Parkwood after being shot. Police said 25-year-old Noah Kanyizere and Mpirwa got into a fight over money when Kanyizere pulled out a handgun and fired once. Initially, Kanyizere was jailed on suspicion of first-degree murder. He was later released. The District Attorney’s office said the case is under review.

May 23: Police said Fred Burton, 56, fired more than 50 rounds through the walls of his apartment complex before being shot by officers. Neighbors were evacuated from the MacArthur’s Lake Apartments in the 700 block of West MacArthur and a standoff persisted for a few hours. Around 6 a.m., police said, Burton fired a rifle at the Special Weapons and Tactical team. Two SWAT members returned fire, killing Burton, police said. The District Attorney’s Office is still reviewing the case.

May 27: Robert Sabater, 49, was killed by police after pointing his handgun at officers. Sabater’s home in the 1900 block of South Glenn, near Pawnee and Seneca, was surrounded by police because of an apparent mental health crisis. Sabater was firing rounds inside and outside of his home, police said. Eventually, he ran down the road and pointed his gun at officers and they opened fire, police said. The case remains under review by the District Attorney’s Office.

Sept. 26: Raul Rodriguez, 46, was found dead in his living room chair. The day before he was pushed by someone during a drunken argument and hit his head, according to an autopsy made public in November. No charges were initially filed because of Rodriguez’s pre-existing medical condition, the Attorney’s Office said, but the Wichita Police Department may re-review the case in the light of the medical examiner’s report.

Open cases

Feb. 24: Hector Ortega, 27, was found in a car with a gunshot wound to the head. He died a couple days later. The car was in the 1100 block of South Fern, near McCormick and Seneca. Police said an argument in the street led to Ortega being shot.

June 22: A shooting outside a family gathering in north Wichita led to the death of 35-year-old Justin Green. Two other men were shot as well but survived. Green, of Wichita, was pronounced dead in a parking lot on the 2400 block of East 17th Street, near Grove.

July 19: Charles “Chuck” Giles, 55, was gunned down in the driveway of his home on Columbine Lane near 25th and Amidon. Giles, who owned the popular north Wichita restaurant Neighbors Bar and Grill, was on his way home from the grocery store at around 10 p.m.

Self-defense or accidental

Jan. 21: Roy’Ale Spencer, 9, was accidentally shot by an 11-year-old friend after they found guns in a safe. The safe had a malfunctioning lock. The District Attorney’s Office said the boys thought they were playing with BB guns when the 11-year-old pulled the trigger. The shooting occurred in a mobile home near MacArthur and Hydraulic.

Aug. 18: Police were called at around 3:20 a.m. to a reported drive-by shooting at an apartment complex in the 2300 block of North Woodlawn. Elbert Costello Jr., 22, was found in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. A second 24-year-old man with gunshot wounds was taken to a hospital by a private vehicle, police said. Investigators determined two groups of people exchanged gunfire in the parking lot in a gang-related feud. The District Attorney’s Office labeled the shooting as self-defense.

Oct. 18: Charles Cunningham, 40, got into a fight with 26-year-old Dalton Patterson at a home in the 4400 block of East Bayley when Patterson fired a shot that killed Cunningham, police said. The home is near Lincoln and Oliver. Patterson was cleared in the killing as self-defense but arrested on an unrelated drug charge.

Dec. 11: Police were called just after midnight and found two men shot inside a home in the 1800 block of South Topeka. Both were taken to a hospital, where 32-year-old Jesse Greene, of Independence, Missouri, later died. Police said Greene tried to enter the home of a 35-year-old man who wouldn’t let Greene in. Greene shot one round through the door, hitting the man, police said. The man was able to get a gun and fire several shots when Greene entered. Police said the shooting was not random and believed to be drug-related. The District Attorney’s Office said the shooting was in self-defense.

Cases that ended with an arrest

Feb. 2: Anthony J. Slaughter, 22, was shot outside of Rumba Latina Club. Police were called to the 1950 block of South Hydraulic after multiple shots were fired during a disturbance. Slaughter was struck one time in the upper chest. He then ran one block to the west where he collapsed, police said. Jose Enrique Fortiz, 27, was charged with several crimes, including first-degree murder. On Nov. 25, Fortiz’s trial ended with a hung jury but he remains jailed. Fortiz has another jury trial set for May 18.

Feb. 6: First responders found Lorenzo Wade shot in the parking lot of Genesis Health Club near 13th and West. Wade, 22, died at the scene. Ashantis Howard Bledsoe, 21, and Tanner Scott Mora, 26, were each charged with first-degree murder. Bledsoe has a jury trial set for March 9 that’s expected to be continued. Mora’s is slated for Feb. 24. Court documents say the killing happened during a robbery involving marijuana.

Feb. 17: Justin Gaston, 34, was found shot to death in the parking lot behind the Citi Host Motel in south Wichita. Reyna Shae Wallace, 35, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and aggravated robbery. She was sentenced on Jan. 3. She won’t be eligible for parole until 2032. In November, a jury found Christopher Daniel Kemmerly guilty of first-degree murder and other charges.

April 1: Marquez Hutton, 23, was found outside a home in the 1200 block of North Minnesota after a 911 caller reported gunfire in the neighborhood. Hutton died at the scene. Malcolm James Norris, 27, was later arrested in Texas and charged with first-degree murder. Court documents say the killing happened in connection with a marijuana deal. His next court date has not yet been set.

April 11: An officer who went to check on the children during a domestic dispute call found 2-year-old Zaiden Javonovich dead inside of his crib, police said. An autopsy later showed Zaiden died of dehydration and malnutrition. The parents, Brandi Kai Marchant, 23, and Patrick Robert Javonovich, 28, have each been charged with first-degree murder, abuse of a child and aggravated endangering of a child. Marchant has a jury trial set for March 16 that’s expected to be continued. Javonovich was deemed incompetent to stand trial in November and ordered to the Larned State Security Hospital for further evaluation, according to court documents.

April 12: Two Missouri men visiting a friend got into a fight with each other when one fired and killed the other, police said. Justin Lane, 21, died from a single gunshot wound in the 800 block of South Emporia. Brandon Cliff Craig, 23, has been charged with second-degree murder. Craig has a jury trial set for March 9 that’s expected to be continued.

April 21: Albert Thomas, 62, was stabbed outside his home on Easter morning. Keith Kevell Thurman, 54, has been charged with second-degree murder, aggravated battery and criminal possession of a firearm.

May 13: Police investigating an auto-theft-in progress call were led to the 1300 block of South Greenwood, where they found the 50-year-old William Callison stabbed to death in his RV. Callison’s former stepdaughter, Micaela Lee Spencer, 25, and her boyfriend, Royce Allan Thomas, 26, have each been charged with first-degree murder and other charges.

May 19: Darnell Lynn Jackson, 29, went into the apartment of his neighbor, Joseph Heiman, 45, and stabbed him for playing loud music, police have said. Jackson has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated burglary. A competency evaluation was ordered for Jackson a couple of weeks before his trial that was set for Dec. 16.

May 31: Zayden JayNesahkluah, 2, was found dead with enough methadone in his system to kill an adult, according to an arrest affidavit. His mother, Kimberly Compass, 23, has been charged with first-degree murder and is expected to stand trial on March 16.

June 2: Ivell Ray, 28, was found shot in the street near Third and Hydraulic. Ray and Isaac Demont Phillips, 35, got into a fight around midnight and Phillips pulled a handgun and fired several times, police said. Phillips has a jury trial set for Feb. 3 on charges of first-degree murder.

July 15: John Pepper, 55, has been charged capital murder in the death of Rita Golden, 72.

July 16: Victor Manuel Castro, 30, was charged with second-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend, Elsy Puente. Castro has a jury trial on Feb. 19 that’s expected to be continued. Police were called to a home in the 3100 block of South Elizabeth, near 31st and Seneca, and found Puente inside with a gunshot wound to her upper body. Puente, 25, died at the hospital. Puente’s four children — ages 2 to 8 — were at the home during the shooting but were unharmed.

July 27: Markeithen McClaine, 26, has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder in connection to the killing of 20-year-old Chancelor Williams. McClaine has a preliminary hearing on May 11. Williams, of South Carolina, was an airman at McConnell Air Force Base when he was found unresponsive in the parking lot of the east Wichita apartment complex. Four people were shot when a disturbance happened during a party. Williams was the only one killed.

Aug. 4: Eduardo Gallardo, 18, and a juvenile were both charged with first-degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm in the early morning death of 17-year-old Ramiro Antonio Valdez Jr., who was shot from another vehicle while driving near Central and Washington. Police said the shooting was tied to an ongoing gang feud. The juvenile also has a charge for aggravated battery. Gallardo has a preliminary hearing on April 7. The juvenile’s next hearing is March 18.

Aug. 19: Three people have been charged in the shooting of 33-year-old Jerome Armbeck, who was found in an open field in the 4600 block of East Boston with multiple gunshot wounds. Police said the shooting was drug-related. Pierce Andre Jackson, 19, was arrested in Dallas and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail in November. Marcus Lamar, 20, and Tairyce Ateviann Jones were previously arrested. Jones was 17 at the time of the shooting. Jones has a March 17 hearing about being tried as an adult. Lamar next has a hearing set for Feb. 21. Jackson has a preliminary hearing set for Feb. 20. All three have been charged with first-degree murder.

Aug 21: First responders were called around 2 a.m. and found 33-year-old Haley Collins unconscious. Collins died in the hospital a couple of weeks after getting into a fight at a Dillons parking lot near 21st and Rock, police said. Steven Matthew Speakman, 35, was charged with aggravated battery prior to Collins’ death. Speakman could face additional charges, including first-degree murder, police said.

Sept. 29: A mother and her boyfriend have each been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 2-year-old Jacob Aviles, whose autopsy says he died of blunt force trauma. First responders were called at around 11 a.m. to the 1100 block of West Munnell, regarding the boy not breathing. The toddler was pronounced dead at 11:27 a.m. Neither Stephanie Aviles, 25, or her boyfriend, Bernardo Gonzalez-Mejia, 32, have their next hearing scheduled.

Sept. 29: Three people have been charged in connection with the death of 29-year-old Damario G. Cooks. The Wichita man was shot during a brawl outside of Magoos Bar and Grill, in the 2300 block of South Oliver. Amandina DeLaCadena-Edwards has a bench trial on April 8 for a charge of criminal distribution of a firearm. Marcus R. Williams, 40, will have a jury trial on June 8 for possession of a weapon by a felon. David N. Pressley, 42, has an arraignment March 10 after being charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a firearm

Nov. 3: Ricky Chavez Price Jr., 45, was arrested in February on suspicion of first-degree murder and theft and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon in the killing of 72-year-old Raymond Koob Jr. Around 5:15 p.m., the Wichita man was found dead inside of his home in the 1300 block of South Greenwood. Koob had several lacerations on his head and body.

Nov. 6: Malick K. Garrett, 18, was charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of Marion Wheaton, 15. Garrett allegedly shot Wheaton, a West High Student, at McAdams Park after two groups of people met up to fight over an ongoing social media dispute. Garrett has a preliminary hearing set for Feb. 18.

Nov. 16: David Lee, 42, was found pinned under a Chrysler 300 on the front lawn of his home in the 900 block of South Mission, near Lincoln and Woodlawn. He died at the scene. Travis Shaw, 40, was charged with second-degree murder. Shaw has a jury trial set for March 2 that’s expected to be continued.

Nov. 17: William Lee Gray, 45, was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of James Storey, 51. Police said Storey was leaving Southrock Billiards and Sports Bar, 2020 S. Rock, and getting into his truck when he was shot around 6:45 p.m. Storey’s body was found riddled with bullets inside the pickup, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Gray has a preliminary hearing on Feb. 24 that’s expected to be continued.

Nov. 19: Stacey Peters, 46, of Haysville, was charged with second-degree murder in connection to the shooting of Robert Duvaul, 41. Police were called around 2:33 a.m. to a building Peters leases for her Ebay auction business in the 3000 block of South Hillside. Peters told police the shooting was in self-defense, according to an affidavit. She has a preliminary hearing on April 10.

Nov. 23: Jason Leigh McCaleb, 44, was arrested after he allegedly stabbed his roommate to death because she wouldn’t move out. Police were at the house in the 2400 block of South Washington earlier in the day over arguments between the roommates before Devin Cook was stabbed up to 50 times, an affidavit showed. Cook, 28, died at the hospital a few hours after being stabbed, police said. McCaleb has an arraignment set for March 6.

Nov. 24: Three people have been charged in the death of 55-year-old Timothy Austin who was fatally shot in what police suspect was a drug-related killing. Austin was wounded in the parking lot of Countryside Inn, 803 S. Broadway, around 5:15 a.m. and died a little more than two hours later at the hospital, police said. Bryant Damon Bailey, 49, Cassell Stephon Peterson, 57, and Annette Williams, 60, have each been charged with first-degree murder. All three have a preliminary hearing set for April 17.

Nov. 30: Carver Khalid Soliman, 20, was charged with second-degree murder, aggravated battery and possession of marijuana with intent to sell in connection to the early morning killing of 24-year-old John Buess-Wheeler of Augusta. Police were first dispatched for a shooting at around 5:45 a.m. to a home in the 1200 block of South Main. Buess-Wheeler was found inside with a gunshot wound to his chest, police said. He was taken to the hospital where he died. Soliman has a preliminary hearing set for March 27.

Dec. 1: Sonya Brown, 19, was a bystander fatally shot at the 511 Club, 511 N. West St. Police said there was a disturbance between two men when one person opened fire. Brown was hit. She was taken to the hospital where she died. Terrance Nigel Johnson, 25, of Wichita, was arrested Jan. 1 in Warr Acres, Oklahoma, and extradited to Kansas the following week. He’s been charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery. Johnson doesn’t have his next hearing scheduled.

Dec. 3: Chevy Jones, 25, was arrested in connection to the shooting death of 31-year-old Robert Junior. Police said Junior was shot outside of his home 8500 block of East Parkmont. Junior died at the hospital. Jones had a preliminary hearing set for Feb. 21 that was expected to be continued.

Dec. 9: Tyrone Adams, 40, was charged with first-degree murder and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon in connection to the shooting of 34-year-old Kyson A. Mock of Colorado. Police were called at around 11:45 p.m. and found Mock shot inside his Ford F-250 at Countryside Inn, 803 S. Broadway. He died at the motel. Adams has a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 27.

Dec. 26: Melinda Sprague, 41, was found in the trunk of her car behind a business near Harry and Hydraulic. Ahmad Khaasanouva Bey, 39, has been charged with first-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon. Sprague and Bey were in a relationship, police said. Vanessa Lynn Waner, 34, has also been charged with interference with law enforcement by concealing, destroying or altering evidence of a murder. Bey has a preliminary hearing on March 25. Waner has a preliminary hearing set for Feb. 27.

This story was originally published February 22, 2020 at 5:03 AM.