Wichita man, 19, pleads not guilty to murder in AutoZone employee killing last summer
The man charged with killing a Wichita AutoZone employee has pleaded not guilty to first-degree intentional, premeditated murder.
Lamontae D. Lucas, 19, of Wichita was arraigned last week in connection with the July 26, 2020, shooting death of 40-year-old Nicholas “Nick” Blue, court records show.
Sedgwick County District Judge David Kaufman accepted the plea and set Lucas’ jury trial for Oct. 25. The date is what the court refers to as a “control date,” meaning it’s unlikely the trial will actually happen then and instead will be postponed.
Lucas remains in the Sedgwick County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bond, online jail records show.
Blue was gunned down while working at the AutoZone store at 910 S. Oliver last summer, by a masked man wearing long pants and a distinctive, dark long-sleeved hoodie with white stars and stripes. Police arrested Lucas two days after the slaying, after receiving a tip from a citizen who reported seeing the suspected getaway vehicle.
Wichita police said previously they think Lucas planned to rob the store before he shot Blue in the head. He was 18 at the time.
This story was originally published July 26, 2021 at 10:46 AM.
