In the late summer of 2018, the life of a young Black / African American man, 29-year-old Felix Snipes, was tragically cut short in Junction City, Kansas. On August 31, 2018, Snipes was fatally shot in the parking lot of an apartment complex on the west side of the city. Another man, Cartavius King, was also wounded in the incident but ultimately recovered from his injuries.
The shooting stemmed from a heated argument concerning child custody.
The investigation into the shooting led to the arrest of Fontelle Jolly, who was 21 at the time of the incident. The dispute reportedly involved Jolly, his ex-girlfriend, and the father of her child, escalating to the point of gunfire. The conflict was centered around where the child would live.
In a plea deal, Fontelle Jolly pleaded no contest to charges of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Felix Snipes and aggravated battery for the wounding of Cartavius King. In January 2020, Jolly was sentenced to a controlling prison term of eight years and nine months. Following his prison sentence, he is required to be on post-release supervision for 36 months and must register as a violent offender for 15 years.
