In the early morning hours of November 24, 2019, a dispute in the parking lot of the Countryside Inn in south Wichita, Kansas, turned deadly, claiming the life of 55-year-old Timothy Austin, a Black/African American male. Austin, who intermittently resided at the motel, was involved in a confrontation believed to be related to drugs. The altercation escalated, and he was shot once in the upper body while standing outside a vehicle.
Emergency services were called to the scene at approximately 5:15 a.m., and Austin was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after 7:30 a.m.
The investigation into Austin's death led to the swift arrest of four individuals. Authorities identified the suspects as 49-year-old Bryant Damon Bailey, 52-year-old Robyn Leah Murphy, 60-year-old Annette Williams, and Cassell Peterson. All four were initially booked on suspicion of first-degree murder. Investigators determined that the four had engaged in a physical altercation with Austin leading up to the fatal shooting. The motive was described as a disagreement over a drug transaction.
The legal proceedings that followed brought convictions for those involved in Timothy Austin's death. Bryant Damon Bailey, the man who shot Austin, eventually pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter. Two of his accomplices, Robyn Murphy and Annette Williams, also faced charges for their roles in the incident. The case highlighted the tragic consequences of disputes escalating to violence within the community.
