In a tragic turn of events on April 19, 2020, 64-year-old Mark Howard, a male resident of Wichita, Kansas, was found deceased in his home located in the 800 block of South Market. The discovery of his body came after a series of alarming incidents that began earlier that day. Howard, who was an acquaintance of the suspect, died from a gunshot wound to his upper body.
The situation unfolded around 12:20 p.m.
when police were dispatched to a QuikTrip convenience store in the 700 block of South Broadway. A 22-year-old woman named Jessica Whitney Sanders had reportedly attempted to steal items from the store. Though she fled before officers arrived, she was soon spotted in the vicinity. An officer approached Sanders, at which point she discharged a handgun into the ground. Ignoring the officer's commands to stop, Sanders then entered Howard's nearby home.
This action prompted a significant police response, with the Wichita Police Department's Special Weapons and Tactics team being called to the scene. After a standoff that lasted for several hours, Sanders was arrested without further incident. It was upon entering the residence that officers discovered Howard's body. Investigators noted that Sanders exhibited erratic behavior, leading them to believe she may have been under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident.
Jessica Whitney Sanders was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with Mark Howard's death. In October 2021, she pleaded guilty to the charge. A Sedgwick County judge later sentenced Sanders to more than 13 years in prison for the crime.
