Teen pleads guilty over role in 2019 Wichita killing that followed drug deal robbery
A Wichita teen criminally charged for his role in a fatal drug deal in 2019 has pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional murder and aggravated robbery, court records show.
Orlando D. Howard, 18, entered the plea on April 8 before Sedgwick County District Judge David Dahl. He will be sentenced after the criminal cases filed against his co-defendants resolve, according to his plea agreement.
Howard faces 147 to 653 months in prison for the murder count and 55 to 247 months for the count of aggravated robbery, the agreement says — but the actual amount of time he’ll serve will depend largely on his prior criminal history, which is minimal.
Prosecutors dismissed a weapons charge in exchange for his guilty plea, according to court records. He remained in the Sedgwick County Jail on Wednesday in lieu of $250,000 bond.
Howard, who was a minor when the homicide occurred but is being prosecuted as an adult, is one of four people charged in connection with the Aug. 19, 2019, shooting death of 33-year-old Jerome S. Armbeck and the armed robbery of Armbeck’s brother, Joshua A. Armbeck, during what police have said was a marijuana deal gone bad.
A probable cause affidavit released by the court says the deadly shooting happened after Jerome Armbeck’s brother agreed to sell an ounce of weed to one of the defendants for $140 but was robbed of his backpack at gunpoint during the sale.
Jerome Armbeck was killed during a foot chase after his brother summoned him to the area to help catch the thieves, the affidavit says. His body was found in an open field in the 4600 block of East Boston, near Harry and Oliver.
Of Howard’s co-defendants:
- Marcus L. Lamar, 22, pleaded not guilty in April 2021 to first-degree felony murder and aggravated robbery. He is scheduled for trial in August and is being held in the Sedgwick County Jail on $250,000 bond.
- Pierce A. Jackson, 21, is also scheduled for trial in August. He pleaded not guilty in March 2021 to first-degree felony murder and aggravated robbery and remains in jail in lieu of bonds totaling $550,000.
- Tairyce A. Jones, 20, pleaded not guilty on Jan. 6 to first-degree felony murder and aggravated robbery and currently has an August trial date. He is being held in jail on a $250,000 bond. Like Howard, he was originally charged in juvenile court because he was 17 at the time of the deadly shooting but is now being prosecuted as an adult.
The victim’s brother, Joshua Armbeck, pleaded guilty in June 2020 to one count of attempted distribution of marijuana and is awaiting sentencing. He and Howard are expected to testify at the trials of the other three men, court records show.
