Wichita man, 23, pleads guilty to manslaughter in fatal New Year’s Eve party shooting
A 23-year-old man has pleaded guilty to a count of voluntary manslaughter in a fatal shooting at a New Year’s Eve party in north Wichita more than a year ago, Sedgwick County District Court records show.
Deajuan Calvin Smith of Wichita will be sentenced July 21 before District Judge Bruce Brown. Friday’s plea comes ahead of Smith’s July 11 jury trial, where prosecutors intended to try him on counts of first-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon in connection with the Jan. 1, 2021, death of 26-year-old Nicholas Sims of Wichita.
Prosecutors agreed to amend the murder charge to manslaughter and drop the weapons count in exchange for the guilty plea, Smith’s plea agreement says. Attorneys plan to ask the judge to send him to prison for 18 years when he is sentenced, according to the agreement.
Prosecutors say Smith shot Sims in the face around 4 a.m. in the front yard of 2630 N. Bullinger, near I-235 and 25th Street North, as partygoers were leaving a holiday gathering at the address. One witness told police the shooting happened after Smith and Sims had a verbal fight inside of the home about Smith mistreating a female party guest.
Sims died at the scene. Smith was arrested on Feb. 17, 2021, after a car chase, an affidavit released in the case says.
