On the evening of October 18, 2021, an 18-year-old Black / African American male named KorVanta LaMont'e Hill was tragically killed in Omaha, Nebraska. That night, police responded to the area of 39th and Pratt streets after the city's ShotSpotter technology detected gunfire. Upon arrival, officers discovered Hill on the sidewalk with a fatal gunshot wound.
He was transported to an Omaha hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into Hill's death led to the identification of two suspects, 19-year-old Justyn Wagner and 18-year-old Elijah Robinson. Justyn Wagner was apprehended on October 25, 2021, by the Metro Area Fugitive Task Force and booked into the Douglas County Jail. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, use of a weapon to commit a felony, and possession of a gun by a prohibited person. A warrant for first-degree murder was also issued for Elijah Robinson.
Prosecutors revealed a chilling narrative behind the senseless act of violence. On the night of the shooting, Wagner and Robinson were reportedly searching for rival gang members to target. When they were unable to find their intended victims, they turned their aggression towards Hill, who was innocently walking with his father to a store to buy a soda. It was stated that Wagner and Robinson circled Hill and his father three times with their car's lights off before Wagner exited the vehicle and opened fire. In court, it was admitted that Hill was an innocent victim.
In February 2024, Justyn Wagner was sentenced for his role in KorVanta Hill's murder. After pleading no contest to second-degree murder, use of a weapon to commit a felony, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, he received a sentence of 90 to 115 years in prison. His sentences are to be served consecutively. During the emotional sentencing hearing, Hill's parents delivered powerful impact statements, expressing their profound and unending grief. Wagner offered an apology to the family in court. His accomplice, Elijah Robinson, was sentenced to 40 to 60 years in prison.
