Candace Amack, a beloved mother, daughter, and friend, was 42 years old when her life was taken on February 15, 2024. Remembered for her kind spirit and unwavering dedication to her two daughters, Destiny and Alexis, the Goodland High School graduate was a cherished member of her community in Wichita, Kansas.
On that Thursday afternoon, police responded to reports of gunfire around 4 p.m. in the 1400 block of South George Washington Boulevard.
Officers arrived to find Candace, a female, outside of a residence with multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency medical efforts were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her unexpected death left her family and friends devastated.
The investigation into the shooting moved quickly. Using the Flock Safety license plate reading system, Wichita Police identified a possible suspect vehicle seen leaving the area. They located the car at a home in the 1300 block of North Jackson. With assistance from a Kansas Highway Patrol air unit, officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle later that evening. At approximately 7:45 p.m., two men were taken into custody without incident near 13th and Hydraulic.
The individuals arrested were 24-year-old Jose Silvano Velazquez-Carrillo and 33-year-old Martin Velazquez-Villas. Both were booked on suspicion of first-degree murder. Authorities indicated that the shooting was not a random act, though they did not publicly release a motive or comment on the relationship between the suspects and Candace.
Prosecutors formally charged Velazquez-Carrillo with first-degree murder, and his bond was set at $500,000. In May 2024, a judge ordered him to stand trial for Candace’s death. Following a trial that began in the summer, a jury convicted Velazquez-Carrillo of second-degree murder in October 2024.
A judge subsequently sentenced Jose Velazquez-Carrillo, then 25, to 155 months in prison. Upon his release, he must serve three years of post-release supervision. He was also ordered to pay $16,000 in restitution. With the conviction and sentencing, the case was concluded as of October 2024.
