Wichita woman sentenced for role in man’s murder during confrontation over drug debt
A Wichita woman who participated in a deadly drug-related home invasion in 2020 has been sentenced to 16 years in prison, according to a news release from the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.
Jacquelynn Arthur, 31, pleaded guilty in July 2022 to second-degree murder and robbery in the Dec. 29, 2020, shooting death of 43-year-old Bradley Reece. Two Wichita men have also been convicted in the killing: Michael Wilking, 35, is serving a 34-year prison sentence for second-degree murder and other crimes and Joshua Halstead, 36, is due to be sentenced Jan. 4 on a count of second-degree murder.
According to court records, Wilking, Halstead, Arthur and Wilking’s girlfriend — 22-year-old Kayla Schmidt — went to Reece’s home on Dec. 29, 2020, to teach him a lesson for collecting money from a woman “and for not paying a drug debt,” and they decided to rob him in retaliation “for the disrespect.” After the group broke into Reece’s home, near 47th Street South and West Street, Wilking demanded the location of drugs and cash and ordered his co-defendants, including Arthur, to steal methamphetamine and computer equipment, the records say.
Wilking fatally shot Reece multiple times during an apparent exchange of gunfire after Reece ran to a neighbor’s house for help. He was found dead in the front yard of 3935 W. Fairhaven around 8:40 p.m.
Wilking’s girlfriend, who was struck when Reece returned fire, died at a Wichita hospital on New Year’s Eve. According to the DA’s news release, Wilking shot and killed Reece after Schmidt was hit.
Sedgwick County District Judge Chrystal Krier imposed the sentence Wednesday, the release says.
