Jose Lumbreras Sr., a 50-year-old Hispanic male, was tragically killed on August 21, 2023, in Wichita, Kansas. A native of Zacatecas, Mexico, who later became a U.S. citizen, he had built a life in Wichita where he worked in construction and was known as a hardworking man who was always ready to help his family and friends. He was a father to two children, a son, Jose Lumbreras Jr., and a daughter, Aracely Lumbreras.
On the night of his death, he was temporarily staying at the Auto Motel on North Broadway.
The circumstances leading to his death began to unfold as a robbery plot. A woman who knew that Lumbreras often carried cash reportedly set him up to be robbed by Kevin L. Harris, a 64-year-old man from Lawrence. The robbery was intended to cover a debt the woman owed Harris related to drugs. Harris entered the motel room armed with a gun and, according to his own account to the police, shot Lumbreras three times after Lumbreras lunged at him. After being shot, Lumbreras stumbled out into the motel parking lot where he died. His wallet was missing from the scene.
The investigation into the murder led to the arrest of two individuals: Kevin L. Harris and a 50-year-old woman named Monicie Nena Ramirez. Harris was apprehended in his hometown of Lawrence after a lengthy 16-hour standoff with police. He was initially charged with first-degree premeditated murder, but the charge was later amended to voluntary manslaughter, to which he pleaded no contest. In September 2024, Harris was sentenced to 19 years in prison for the killing. Prior to his sentencing, Harris had cut off his ankle monitor and skipped a court hearing, leading to a manhunt that ended with his recapture in Topeka.
During the sentencing, the court heard emotional testimony from Lumbreras' children. His son, who was on active military duty, and his daughter both expressed their profound grief and anger over the loss of their father, describing him as a wonderful and loving man. The family remembered him as a cowboy who enjoyed helping with home projects and sharing a beer with friends, a man who was good with his hands and selfless in his actions.
