Ricky Beans, 44, a Black/African American male, was found dead inside a residence in the 5200 block of West 8th Street North in Wichita on January 1, 2023. A friend called 911 that afternoon believing Beans was inside and unresponsive; fire crews arrived first and pronounced him deceased. Responding detectives noted gunshot wounds and began piecing together the hours before the discovery.
Investigators learned that Beans had been at the home with several other people for a gathering in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day. An altercation broke out inside the residence and, amid that conflict, Beans was shot. Authorities emphasized that timeline while asking the public for tips that might clarify what happened in the crowded house and who pulled the trigger.
As of the department’s public advisory several days after the killing, detectives had not announced any arrests. They urged anyone with information to contact investigators directly or reach out anonymously to Crime Stoppers, underscoring that the case—listed under number 23C000168—remained open. Subsequent community and regional reports echoed the same core details: the gunshot wounds, the gathering-turned-violent, and the continuing search for a suspect or suspects.
