On the evening of April 25, 2021, a burst of violence shattered the quiet of a west Wichita apartment complex, claiming the life of 17-year-old Eric Stokes Jr. The young man, a male with a passion for skateboarding and freestyle rap, was inside an apartment at Morgan's Landing with four other people when the fatal encounter began. Friends remembered him as someone who could make anyone laugh and who had aspirations of one day working for NASA.
Three armed, masked individuals forced their
way into the residence. As chaos erupted, Stokes and the others sought refuge in a bedroom. The intruders opened fire, striking Stokes and another 17-year-old boy. While the second teen sustained only minor injuries and was later released from the hospital, Eric Stokes was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound. Investigators quickly determined the invasion was not a random act, believing it to be connected to a drug transaction.
The subsequent police investigation, aided by security camera footage and numerous tips from the community, led to the identification and arrest of three suspects. Authorities arrested brothers Jaron Palmer and Easton Shaner-Palmer, along with Breckyn I. Elliott. The investigation revealed the incident was linked to an arrangement to purchase illegal THC vaping cartridges that devolved into an armed robbery.
Jaron Palmer was ultimately found guilty of first-degree murder for his role in the shooting. His brother, Easton Shaner-Palmer, pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated burglary and attempted robbery and was sentenced to five years and five months in prison. The third individual, Breckyn I. Elliott, who was initially charged with first-degree murder, later had her charges reduced to attempted obstruction and attempted possession of marijuana.
