In the early evening of February 11, 2025, a burst of gunfire shattered the quiet of a Wichita neighborhood, leaving a young man's life tragically cut short. Manuel Roach, a 23-year-old Black / African American male, was found unresponsive by police in the 1200 block of South Bleckley after they received calls about a shooting at approximately 5:44 p.m. Emergency responders rushed him to a local hospital with a gunshot wound to the stomach, but he succumbed to his injuries.
The incident, which marked Wichita's first homicide of the year, was believed by investigators to be a targeted attack, stemming from a disturbance between Roach and three other men. Witnesses reported seeing three males dressed in black flee the scene in a white SUV after as many as 10 to 20 shots were fired.
The investigation quickly gained momentum when an 18-year-old, Sergio Clement, arrived at a Wichita hospital with a gunshot wound to his lower extremity. Investigators connected him to the shooting of Manuel Roach and he was taken into custody on suspicion of first-degree murder. Soon after, a second suspect, 21-year-old Allen Griffin Jr., was also arrested and faced the same charge. Jail records indicate he may have also faced a drug-related charge. Police had initially stated there were three suspects involved in the fatal altercation. A witness reported seeing four suspects shooting at Roach before they sped away from the scene.
The final suspect, 20-year-old Jerry Lee Johnson, remained at large for a period, prompting a public call for information on his whereabouts. His freedom came to an end in May 2025, when he was apprehended in Fort Worth, Texas. Johnson was extradited back to Wichita and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, joining Clement and Griffin. All three men were formally charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Manuel Roach, with Johnson's bond set at $1 million. The arrests brought a measure of progress in a case that had begun with a violent confrontation and ended with a young man's life being taken far too soon.
