Two killed in separate homicides, including one at a house party, Wichita police say

Two people were killed in separate overnight homicides, said Wichita police officer Charley Davidson. Arrests were made in one of the incidents.

The first homicide was reported around 12:05 a.m. in the 1200 block of South Ida, near Lincoln and Washington, that led to the arrest of 18-year-old Noah Martin of Wichita and a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of second-degree murder, Davidson said in a news release. Martin was also arrested on suspicion of a felon in possession of a firearm.

Wichita police typically don’t name minors in arrests.

A person reported hearing shots and seeing a man lying on the sidewalk. Arriving officers found 22-year-old Gabriel Campos-Torres’ body. He died at the scene.

“Through the investigation, an additional crime scene was located at a home in the 1200 block of South Laura” where Campos-Torres was fatally injured, Davidson said. “Investigators also learned of Martin and the 16-year-old’s involvement … They were located at the home on Laura and arrested. Officers also recovered a firearms inside of the home.”

The other homicide was reported at 4 a.m. on Friday at a home in the 2600 block of North Bullinger, near 25th North and I-235.

Arriving officers found Nicholas Sims, who had been shot. The 26-year-old Wichita man died at the scene.

“The investigation revealed a party was taking place at the home with at least 50 individuals,” Davidson said. “During the party, an argument ensued between Sims and a suspect inside the home. The argument moved to outside of the home, where Sims was shot by the suspect.”

No arrests have been made.

Anyone with information about the shootings can call Wichita police detectives at 316-268-4407, Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 or the See Something, Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282.

The killings are the first homicides of 2021.

Wichita ended 2020 with 59 homicides, breaking the 1993 record of 57 homicides. The Wichita Police Department considers 52 homicides to be criminal in nature. The rest are considered justified or accidental killings, or were police shootings. There were also 52 criminal homicides in 1993, Davidson said.

This story was originally published January 1, 2021 at 11:33 AM.