Police believe Wichita man killed father, stepfather & neighbors on Sunday, then himself

Police on Tuesday released the identities of four men who were killed Sunday in south Wichita — all related to or neighbors of the person police believe to be the shooter, who turned the gun on himself.

Police are still investigating what led to the shootings and did not release details.

Police said 42-year-old Joshua Stickney was found dead Sunday night inside his home in the 1900 block of South Laura. A gun found near Stickney was believed to be used in all the shootings, police Capt. Aaron Moses said.

Also found dead inside his home were 66-year-old Donald Dodge, a friend and neighbor of Stickney’s, and 55-year-old Terry Meyer, who is Stickney’s live-in stepfather, police said.

Officers, while looking for someone to care for Stickney’s pet, were directed to another neighbor on Laura, where they saw 39-year-old Alan Young unresponsive inside his home with gunshot wounds. Officers forced entry into the home and found him dead.

Police first went to Stickney’s home, which is near Mount Vernon and Southeast Boulevard, after two people called 911 at 5:45 p.m. to report 67-year-old Anthony Stickney being found fatally shot inside his home in the 1700 block of South Santa Fe, which is less than a mile northwest of the home on Laura.

Police were told that his son, Joshua Stickney, was likely the last person at the residence. When they went to Joshua’s home, they saw two people inside unresponsive. They forced entry into the home at 7:05 p.m. and found Dodge and Meyer and then located the younger Stickney. All had died of gunshot wounds.

There are no reports of issues between Stickney and any of the victims, Moses said.

“This does not appear to be a random act of violence; no suspects are outstanding,” police said.

This is at least the city’s 40th homicide this year, according to reports from police. There were 42 at this time last year

This story was originally published November 12, 2024 at 2:19 PM.