In the early morning hours of October 28, 2018, a Halloween-themed party in Haysville, Kansas, took a tragic turn, ending the life of 19-year-old Jaylin Jacobs, a Black male from Wichita. The event, a private dance party dubbed "Twerk or Treat," was held at the Ilusions Productions club. As the party unfolded, a dispute escalated into violence, leaving Jacobs with fatal gunshot wounds.
Haysville police were called to the venue at approximately 1:46 a.m.
following reports of possible gunshots. Upon their arrival, they encountered a large crowd of people fleeing the scene after a fight had broken out. In the parking lot of the club, officers discovered Jacobs on the ground, wounded. He was pronounced dead at the scene just minutes later, around 2:00 a.m.
The investigation into the shooting led authorities to Kenez Carter, then 28 years old. According to reports, the conflict began when Jacobs allegedly slapped a woman who was a close friend of Carter, a woman he considered to be like a sister. This act is believed to have prompted the deadly confrontation. In the days following the shooting, no immediate arrests were made as police continued to follow up on leads and conduct interviews with those who were present at the party.
Ultimately, Kenez Carter of Wichita was identified as the suspect and arrested. In October 2022, Carter pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter in connection with Jacobs' death. In October 2023, a judge sentenced Carter to 122 months in prison for the killing. He received an additional 53 months for two prior parole violations. Carter had a criminal history that included convictions for aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, and various weapons and drug offenses.
