On the evening of April 25, 2025, the sound of gunshots pierced the air in Wichita, Kansas, drawing police officers who were already in the vicinity of South Topeka and East Indianapolis. The officers rushed to the 800 block of South Broadway, where they discovered a young African American man, 21-year-old Martevion Davis, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his torso and arms in the parking lot of the Afton Motel. He was quickly transported to a local hospital for medical attention. Despite the efforts of medical staff, Davis succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 10:46 p.m.
Investigators began to piece together the events of that fatal night, interviewing several individuals who were present at the scene. It is believed that Davis was involved in a disturbance in the motel parking lot where gambling was reportedly taking place. The investigation quickly pointed to a suspect, a 35-year-old man who authorities determined was an acquaintance of Davis. The relationship between the two men prior to the fatal encounter became a focus for detectives working to understand the motive behind the shooting.
The day following the incident, the identified suspect, James E. Owens, turned himself in to law enforcement at 12:30 p.m. He was subsequently arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on a charge of first-degree murder. Owens later made his initial appearance in court where a judge set his bond at $1 million. The Sedgwick County District Attorney's office formally charged him with first-degree murder as the investigation by the Wichita Police Department continued.
