In the early morning hours of August 18, 2019, the life of 22-year-old Elbert Costello Jr., a Black male from Wichita, Kansas, was tragically cut short. The incident unfolded around 3:20 a.m. in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 2300 block of North Woodlawn. It was here that Costello was found with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate response from law enforcement, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial investigation by the Wichita Police Department
pointed to a drive-by shooting stemming from a gang-related dispute. Investigators determined that two groups of people had exchanged gunfire in the parking lot. In the midst of this violent exchange, Costello was fatally wounded. A second individual, a 24-year-old man, also sustained gunshot wounds and was transported to a local hospital in serious condition by a private vehicle. The gunfire also resulted in damage to several apartment buildings and vehicles in the vicinity.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, police officials stated that they were actively working to identify the individuals involved in the altercation. However, at the time of the initial reports, no suspect descriptions had been released to the public, and no arrests had been made in connection with the homicide. The authorities appealed to the community for assistance, urging anyone with information to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers.
Years have passed since the death of Elbert Costello Jr., and the online news reports and official statements that are publicly available do not contain information regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in his murder. The case was described as the city's 19th criminal homicide of 2019. The lack of public updates on the investigation leaves the resolution of his case unclear from the available online sources. His death has had a lasting impact, as evidenced by legal filings in subsequent years in which his family members were involved in a lawsuit against the Wichita Police Department concerning a gang database.
