In the early hours of July 30, 2020, a violent encounter in a room at the Scotsman Inn West in Wichita, Kansas, claimed the life of 40-year-old William Pottorff. Pottorff, who was visiting a woman staying at the motel, was found by police with multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene. The incident, which was reported around 12:45 a.m., was not a random act of violence, according to investigators, who suggested it was connected to illegal drugs.
The investigation revealed a chaotic
scene had unfolded when a group of individuals forced their way into the motel room. An altercation broke out between Pottorff and one of the intruders, 23-year-old Keion Whyte. During the physical struggle, both men drew handguns and an exchange of gunfire erupted. Whyte also sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to a local hospital by his associates, where he succumbed to his injuries a couple of days later on August 1, 2020.
In the aftermath of the deadly shooting, law enforcement officials made several arrests. Four individuals were taken into custody and faced charges including first-degree murder and aggravated burglary. The suspects were identified as Braxton Cooley, 23, Akakia Farbes, 23, and Koby Fisher, 23, all from Wichita, along with 43-year-old Eugene Donnald of Illinois.
The legal proceedings that followed saw varying outcomes for the accused. Koby Fisher pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of attempted aggravated battery and received two years of probation. Braxton J. Cooley entered a no-contest plea to conspiracy to commit aggravated battery and was also sentenced to two years of probation, though he later faced imprisonment due to probation violations. Eugene C. Donnald pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated battery and was sentenced to over two years in prison. Akakia C. Farbes was acquitted of attempted aggravated battery following a bench trial.
