In the early hours of December 6, 2023, the life of 34-year-old Daniel McPherson, a Black male from Wichita, Kansas, was tragically cut short in a fatal shooting. The events leading to his death began to unfold when two men, Philip Lee Walls, 18, and James Giovanni Lee Sawyer, 20, arrived at a hospital in Blackwell, Oklahoma. One of them had sustained a gunshot wound, prompting the local police to question them.
Their account led Oklahoma authorities to contact dispatchers in Sedgwick County, Kansas, with information that a shooting victim could be found in south Wichita.
Wichita Police officers were dispatched to the area of Hydraulic and MacArthur, where they discovered Daniel McPherson's body in the parking lot of a church in the 1700 block of East MacArthur. He had suffered a gunshot wound to his head and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators from Wichita traveled to Blackwell, Oklahoma, where Walls and Sawyer were taken into custody.
The investigation revealed a planned robbery that escalated to murder. On the evening of December 5, 2023, Walls and Sawyer had conspired to rob McPherson of drugs or other property. They arranged to meet him and invited him into their vehicle, driving to the empty church parking lot. Their plan involved using a belt to restrain McPherson while they robbed him, with a gun as a "last resort." When Sawyer attempted to put the belt around McPherson's neck, McPherson drew a gun and shot Walls. In response, Sawyer fired a revolver multiple times, striking McPherson in the head. After the shooting, they left McPherson's body in the parking lot and drove to the Oklahoma hospital, hoping to avoid attracting the attention of law enforcement in the Wichita area.
Both men faced charges for their roles in Daniel McPherson's death. Philip Lee Walls pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional murder, attempted aggravated robbery, and aggravated kidnapping. He was subsequently sentenced to 27 and a half years in prison. James Giovanni Lee Sawyer also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery. He was sentenced to more than 31 years in prison for his involvement in the crime.
