On a Sunday evening in Wichita, Kansas, the life of 34-year-old Justin Gaston, a White male, was cut short in the parking lot of the Citi Host Motel. On February 17, 2019, at approximately 6:30 p.m., an argument erupted inside a car occupied by Gaston, 31-year-old Christopher Daniel Kemmerly, and 34-year-old Reyna Shae Wallace. The dispute, which was later described by police as being over methamphetamine, escalated with fatal consequences.
As Gaston was attempting to exit the vehicle, Kemmerly fired a single shot, striking him.
A 26-year-old witness discovered Gaston lying wounded in the parking lot and attempted to render aid until paramedics arrived. Despite these efforts, Gaston was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:02 p.m. His death marked the third homicide in the city that year. In the aftermath of the shooting, the car the trio had been in was found engulfed in flames about an hour and a half later on West Street, a detail that ultimately helped lead investigators to the suspect.
The investigation quickly led to the arrest of Christopher Daniel Kemmerly the following day. He was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder. Subsequently, Reyna Wallace was also arrested and charged in connection with the murder. In November, a jury convicted Kemmerly of first-degree felony murder, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of stolen property, and arson. He was sentenced to life in prison and will not be eligible for parole for more than 51 years. Wallace is also serving a prison sentence for her role in the events of that day, with parole eligibility in 2033.
