In the evening hours of April 1, 2019, the life of 23-year-old Marquez Mario Lavell Hutton, a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short in Wichita, Kansas. Just before 8:40 p.m., residents in the 1200 block of North Minnesota heard the sound of gunfire and promptly alerted authorities. When police arrived, they discovered Hutton outside a residence, suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
It was later determined that Hutton, who did not reside at the location, was in the area to meet with at least one person.
The initial investigation into the drive-by shooting proceeded without a publicly identified suspect or vehicle description, and police appealed to the community for any information that could lead to an arrest. Authorities did state that the incident was not a random act of violence and that at least one individual involved was a known gang member. The investigation pointed to a connection with a marijuana deal. Those who knew Hutton remembered him as a vibrant and kind-hearted individual, full of life, who had a passion for dancing and rapping.
Months later, a significant break in the case occurred. With the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, investigators tracked a suspect to Texas. Malcolm J. Norris, a 27-year-old from Valley Center, was taken into custody in connection with Hutton's death. He was extradited back to Kansas and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on July 1, 2019. The following day, Norris was formally charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Marquez Hutton. He was held on a $250,000 bond.
